- Jun 29, 2022
Is Live Stream shopping the new way of engaging with the Gen-Z?
After the two-year-pandemic many of us have wondered how would affect consumer behavior, the pandemic encouraged brands worldwide to digitalize their content and create more immersive experiences online.
With this in mind, there was a generation that raised particular concern among brands and this was Gen- Z. This demographic represents an estimated 143$ billion in annual spending power. A generation known for its criticism towards brands' transparency and for craving authenticity in marketing.
With interactive live video streaming, the needs of the consumer are met as brands can live showcase products and their functionality. Moreover, being able to directly shop live means those products are easily found without having to hunt through a catalog page. This is seen as a big advantage for a young generation of consumers. The immediacy and full transparency that live shopping give to viewers is something that is very difficult to replicate without seeing products in person.
Brands can also use interactive live video streaming to make a one-on-one shopping experience. This allows brands to create a personalized experience for the viewer, something that is highly valued by Gen-Z.
Now with interactive video software, the creation of shoppable live streams is easy and simple. This is why more brands are starting to create this form of content to engage and connect with their consumers. A really good example of this is Buttonscarves. The brand has built up a loyal community by hosting shoppable live streams each week.
Some people might think that live streaming is too complicated, leaving them anxious to host. The truth is that interactive live video streaming does not have to be hard, or need to require a super high-tech production. It can actually be done easily with a smartphone, a tripod, good lighting, and in-house talent.
In short, Gen Z's consumer rates are one of the highest we've ever seen in history. On average, every third consumer belongs to generation Z, forming 33% of the world’s population. Shoppable live stream is the new content meeting Gen Z consumers' expectations from brands regarding personalization, authenticity, and transparency.
- Jun 28, 2022
New industry leading partnership between The River Group and Smartzer
will step-change how brands adopt shoppable video content
With up to 20% of all global ecommerce sales expected to be driven by live shopping by 2026 integrated marketing agency, The River Group, and interactive video platform, Smartzer, have agreed a strategic partnership to make it easier for brands to capitalise on this new online shopping format and deliver commercial gains.
The River Group's expertise in content creation combined with Smartzer's state of the art shoppable video platform brings a new premium offering to the market, allowing brands to supercharge their e-commerce sites and digital communication through this new highly impactful format. The partnership will deliver a full end-to-end solution for brands to engage their customers with shoppable videos and live shopping events, resulting in greater commercial returns.
The unique partnership gives brands the opportunity to purchase the Smartzer platform alongside all the content they will need as part of an effective ROI driven campaign, created by The River Group.
Akhil Suchak, Group Digital Director River Group said “We’re really excited to be partnering with Smartzer to help brands all over the world create an engaging, content solution with powerful ROI metrics built in. It has the ability to turn people from passive brand viewers into active brand engagers. The collaboration fits perfectly with The River Group’s expertise in creativity and our love of innovation.”
Karoline Gross, CEO Smartzer “ To date, our customers have seen up to 4x increased conversion rate when their consumers interact with videos, in comparison to browsing based shopping on e-commerce sites. This new partnership with The River Group will enable us to offer a complete solution for our clients to supercharge their online presence through video shopping ”.
Ref. McKinsey, 2021
The River Group
Akhil Suchak
Email: asuchak@therivergroup.co.uk
Smartzer
Karoline Gross
Email: karoline@smartzer.com
- Jun 22, 2022
With interactive video content on the rise, which are the top brands mastering shoppable content in 2022 so far? Keep reading to find out!
Brands have entered a new era of video interactivity to boost conversions and increase sales. Shoppable videos are now democratized and easy to create thanks to interactive video software that enables brands to quickly tag videos and add a clickable layer to them. Brands also use these interactive video platforms to repurpose existing content and make it shoppable.
Additionally, while brands are participating in this new era of video interactivity, so are the social media platforms. Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and even Twitter are supporting the creation of shoppable content to attract users' interests and be up-to-date with the latest consumer needs.
These top five shoppable content marketing examples are based on their level of innovation, use of content interactivity, and the level of engagement generated.
Top 5 - Everclean with Shoppable video
This interactive video ad is simple yet effective. The ad was launched on Instagram and featured an entirely clickable cat litter video. Users could tap to explore the range to learn more and be transported to the retailer's site to buy. Ads like this have the capacity to quadruple conversion rates for brands.
Top 4 - Lancome Official with VR
Lancome explored a completely immersive take on cosmetic shopping, taking the beauty counter to the consumer's home at the touch of a button. Using VR, users could try on all the different colors of their new L'absolu Rouge Drama Matter Lipstick.
Source: Cosmetics Business
Top 3 - Clinique with Skin School Livestream series
Skin School is about sharing knowledge from professionals in Clinique about certain topics regarding skincare and make-up. Doing live stream series is highly beneficial for companies as it drives social engagement and builds a personal connection between the viewer and the brand.
Top 2 - Maison Too Faced with 360 virtual store
Once you click 'Enter' into the Maison Too faced, you get an immersive experience from the beginning. From the store, you can watch campaign videos, access the Product Display Page, and even play games! Moreover, there are different parts of the mansion dedicated to their Bestsellers like the Born This Way Ballroom.
Top 1 - Oroton with a Runway Livestreamed
The Australian brand decided to offer their consumers an exclusive front side seat to the fashion show from the comfort of their own home. Viewers could give likes, and comments, and also pre-order the Fashion show garments that were being displayed!
Shoppable videos turn passive viewers into active participants. Having the attention of those potential consumers is a big advantage to brands. Interactive video platforms support brands by creating good-quality, and highly-engaging marketing campaigns that go around the globe.