Grace Alimo, Paid Social Media Assistant

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen some drastic changes in X, Instagram, and LinkedIn that will not only change the way we consume social media, but also change the way we advertise on the platform. It’s important to stay informed about these rapid changes on platforms to make sure your social media strategy is modern, adaptable, and high-performing. Here are the top three social media updates you need to know. 

X Is Now Allowing Explicit Sexual Content… WHAT!?

As of June 2024, X allowed “not safe for work” content, putting advertiser and client brand safety at risk. A recent Variety feature shares a statement from X in its updated usage policies: “You may share consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behavior, provided it’s properly labeled and not prominently displayed.” This raised alarms for both consumers and advertisers who don’t want their ads next to sexually explicit content. As advertisers, brand safety is a table-stake and thus an important consideration. X has released that they will support advertisements near these types of explicit posts. However, the platform also offers controls to avoid appearing next to this type of content if you are worried about brand safety. So, check your campaigns to ensure these controls are applied!

Instagram Is Rolling out Unskippable Ads… 

Instagram is now testing ad breaks, which force users to stop and watch an ad for 3-5 seconds, which will be disruptive for users. PRWeek recently polled 525 people on LinkedIn to see how consumers would react to these unskippable ads. 51% of users said they would delete the app, 7% said they would pay to have the ads go away, and 41% said they would just live with the unskippable ads. While only time will tell if these poll results hold true, we do expect this to be an unfavorable update that’s bound to frustrate some users. On the contrary, if adapted, this could be great for advertisers to leverage, as the average watch time per video on social media is :01 second. Unskippable ads could allow for better attention by utilizing the longer time for more messaging.

LinkedIn Adds New Premium Video Ad Placements and AI

LinkedIn is launching a new program called “The Wire,” which allows advertisers to purchase 3 to 15-second-long pre-roll ads on trusted publisher content on the LinkedIn platform itself. When users watch a video on LinkedIn from one of the trusted publishers, they will be forced to watch an ad first. LinkedIn has connected with the following companies: Barron’s, Bloomberg, Business Insider, Forbes, MarketWatch, NBCUniversal, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo! Finance, and more. This is exciting because advertisers are now able to place advertisements on reliable, brand-safe company videos from publishers that have a large audience.

LinkedIn is also rolling out AI integrations. These Automated “Accelerate” Ad Campaigns will enable marketers to use generative AI for their campaign creative. This is comparable to the Meta Advantage Plus campaign which allows Meta to automatically generate AI campaigns rather than manually building them. These AI features enable your entire campaign creation process to be automatic, saving valuable time for advertisers. This will allow LinkedIn’s algorithm to find users to connect with your brand and drive better performance with your campaign. However, when using AI campaigns, advertisers lose some control of specific targeting. This can be alarming for advertisers as we always want to be more intentional about what ads are being served to specific users at the correct moment. We use AI sparingly, in controlled instances throughout campaigns to improve performance without changing our targeting or brand message. 

Megan Dooge McConnell, Junior Account Manager

A Big Bag of Peanut Butter M&Ms 

The CP Dublin office is no stranger to having a cheerful American colleague temporarily joining our office on a monthly basis. Since I joined CP over a year and a half ago, it’s been a regular occurrence. We love the energy that our colleagues bring with them, and the kilo bag of Peanut Butter M&Ms that get plonked on the kitchen table helps too. Not only do we learn from them and connect over similarities and differences in AdLand, but it’s especially good when we say a common Irish phrase and watch as their face upturns in delight as they blurt out “what did you just say?!” I knew since joining CP and witnessing the program work on the Dublin side, that this was something I just HAD to apply for.

Wow, These People on My Screen Are Real?!

I had visited Boston once, straight out of college at 22, and had always wanted to return. The opportunity to bring my partner along, made it even better. We found being in a different country for longer than a standard holiday rejuvenates a person. Everything is new and exciting, which is exactly how I felt walking into the CP Boston office for the first time, greeted by faces I’d met in Dublin, faces I’d met only on calls, and new faces entirely. Having global colleagues was something I had always thought was a buzz phrase until I joined the CP Brand Team. Working from Dublin, we have had the opportunity to actually connect with the Boston team and sometimes work across campaigns together, so to meet them in person and join in on internal meetings, catch up on what campaigns they were working on was great. Although on different continents, we all have the same experiences day to day, the same stories from campaigns and the same passion across the board. It’s now very nice to know the face behind the Slack icon of an early 2000’s cult coming of age movie character.  

Cape Cod Is for Lovers, New York Is for Margaritas

Now, it’s not all office fun and games, there was some serious holidaying to be done also. I went to 2 (two!) Boston Red Sox games during my month (Go Sox!), watched the Celtic’s (from a bar) win the Championship (Go C’s!) and wandered around every inch of the city. To my delight, when I would mention to someone that we were spending the weekend on Cape Cod, they would immediately throw up their arm, as if they were flexing a bicep (💪) and point to it while saying “Where are you staying?” Recommendations from colleagues rolled in for “theeee best *insert food group here* in New York!” all of which we tried to accomplish in the space of 3 days and rolled back to Boston, with the NYC glow, buzzing from the energy the city leaves you with.  

‘Cause I’ve Got Friends in Warm Places

The CP Abroad program offered me the opportunity to not only connect with colleagues, but to reconnect with Irish friends who have left the green Isle for the sunnier pasture of Boston. Starting my work day at 7am, allowed me to work closer with my Irish team, and to spend late afternoons to evenings not only exploring the city and eating bowls of pasta the size of my head, but also spending time with childhood and college friends who have set up shop in Boston, and are living life to the fullest state-side. The month I spent in Boston was something I will always cherish. As the kids say – core memory unlocked!  

The Connelly Partners Abroad Program was recently featured by AdAge, in a piece covering the unique perks that agencies are offering their employees. The program, which made the list of 9, has been modified for the summer months, allowing more travelers and their families to participate at once.

Steve Connelly shares, “It’s been a great way for our people to connect with different cultures, employees in other offices and reconnect with their families.”

Read more here.

Courtney Marlow, Senior Public Relations, Social Media & Influencer Marketing Manager 

Embracing Unfamiliarity: 8 Countries in 8 Weeks

When Connelly Partners launched its abroad program back in 2022, I about fell out of my seat. You’re telling me I can go live and work in another country while having ample time to travel to places I’ve dreamed of exploring?! Sign. Me. Up.  

I was lucky enough to go for two months and was eager to take full advantage of my time abroad. I told myself to get comfortable being uncomfortable and see as much of the world as I could squeeze in—even if that meant jetting off to many places solo. Ultimately, I set a goal to visit 8 countries in 8 weeks and I’m happy to report, mission accomplished! (Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Scotland, The Netherlands, France, and Italy)

By no surprise, I loved every minute of it—I could easily talk your ear off about every place I visited, the food I ate, and the experiences I endured—but in addition to the passport stamps, photos, and souvenirs I took back with me to Boston, one of the most meaningful takeaways came from my experience working and living in another country, not traveling elsewhere. 

Shake up Your Routine and Slow Down…

I’m a creature of habit and I love my routine—catch me meal prepping on Sundays, going to the same workout classes on repeat, and circling back to my go-to Boston restaurants with friends. But when I left for CP Abroad, I waved goodbye to routine and instead, embraced unfamiliarity. I skipped meal prepping all together and strived to try as many new restaurants as possible. I walked 45 minutes through the city to and from work—making spontaneous stops along the way and admiring the sights. At the office, I sat at a new desk nearly every day—chatting with different Irish colleagues who were just as entertaining as they were kind. And when it came time for lunch, I followed their lead—ditching my computer and gathering around the table to listen curiously (both to their stories and strong accents). I learned that sometimes, you just need to slow down, switch up your environment, and be intentional about getting to know new people. You never know what you may learn!

Just Go with It…

When it came to my travels, I brought the same adventurous spirit to each trip—eager to be a sponge in a new setting and just see where the wind would blow me. I’m a planner at heart, but I intentionally approached each venture with more spontaneity than the last. I always had a loose plan in place—my hotel booked and some things saved on TikTok for inspiration (as a social media manager, I can’t help myself)—but I really did just go with it. I wandered mindlessly and got lost, unexpectedly discovered the cutest markets and shops, stopped for a cappuccino or glass of wine if I felt like it, etc. I moved to the beat of my own drum and with that, learned a lot about myself and what I’m truly capable of. As cheesy as it may sound, life is truly what you make it! 

Just as importantly, I ate a lot of great food—on each trip, I was on a mission to “eat like a local” because I believe that’s one of the most fun ways to get a sense for different cultures. Even if something scared me a bit, (i.e. snails in France) I gave it a go!

So thank you, Connelly Partners, for giving me the opportunity to embrace unfamiliarity like never before. To say I am grateful would be an understatement. Sláinte!

 

Joshua Cook, Digital and Social Media Manager

Connelly Partners had the great privilege to host Dr. Ciarán O’Carroll on 3rd July, who facilitated our first Climate Fresk Workshop at our Dublin office. Our very own Anita Freeman, who attended a Climate Fresk earlier in the year, helped in delivering the session to members of the local community. We were joined by a diverse range of people, from business leaders to mindful residents, teenagers to DSP cardholders, all looking to learn more about the climate crisis and how they can make positive decisions to help our planet reach a greener future. 

Climate Fresk is a workshop built to explain the climate crisis in a way that is easy for everyone to understand – in the form of a card exercise. Each group begins by plotting various issues that the environment faces in 2024. Using a cause and effect methodology, all members of the team consider their cards and where they feel they should sit on a timeline. Through conversation and teamwork, all sets of cards are discussed and examined. At the end of the exercise, we are greeted by an overall picture of the seriousness and severity of the problem that our planet is facing. 

The reasoning behind this is to show how our personal choices have a knock-on effect, ultimately leading to detrimental effects on our planet. However, all is not lost, as Dr. Ciarán then offered solutions, both personal and collective, to help ensure our planet’s future. 

The group left the session feeling refreshed and ready to combat the challenges before us. Overall, the session was incredible in giving us all the fire in our bellies needed to tackle the climate crisis. We’d like to thank Dr. Ciarán, Anita, and all the people who attended the fresk. We know this is only the beginning and we’ll have many different climate events moving forward, helping to create a greener future for us all.  

JoAnne Borselli, Group Brand Director

Across the nation, museums and heritage tourism sites often struggle to present diverse, inclusive narratives. The Black experience is frequently underrepresented or entirely absent from these spaces. Yet, Black history is deeply intertwined with every aspect of U.S. history. The United States could not have established itself without the crucial contributions of enslaved and free Black Americans.

Our client, Visit Williamsburg, is the destination marketing organization representing Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown, Virginia. For years, this destination has been dedicated to researching, uncovering, and telling a more accurate and inclusive history of our nation. Despite these efforts, many remain unaware of the stories being uncovered. So Visit Williamsburg is shining a spotlight on the important work being done by community members across the region. In 2023, Connelly Partners developed a plan to support this messaging and amplify it through our integrated channel strategy.

In 2024, we launched paid partnerships with Essence magazine and Travel Noire. These Black-owned media partners were selected based on their strong reputations within the community and their broad audience reach. Essence is a leading media brand for the Black community, highlighting news and information on entertainment, social, and business topics. Travel Noire, a brand within the Blavity Inc. network, focuses on travel content aimed at Black millennials and Gen Z.

The Essence partnership involved creating a 20-minute documentary-style video showcasing prominent Black voices in the Williamsburg community and highlighting untold stories from our history. With Travel Noire, the partnership features a digital microsite with multiple editorial articles about evolving museum content, a new art installation at The College of William & Mary, and more. This digital content, featured on each media partner’s websites, is amplified through their owned and earned media channels, as well as Visit Williamsburg’s own channels.

Through these strategic partnerships and storytelling efforts, Visit Williamsburg aims to ensure that the rich, complex narratives of Black Americans are recognized and celebrated, enhancing the historical tapestry of our nation for all visitors.

As an agency hyper-focused on the importance of human truths, the opportunity to partner with a client who is so committed to telling a more accurate history of the United States is truly an honor.

Check out the video on Essence.com and learn more about the stories being showcased across the region on TravelNoire.com. Most importantly, pack your bags and head to Williamsburg for a trip that’s equal parts educational, inspiring, and fun.

Steve Connelly is taking a stand for full-service agencies, which have been the subject of criticism by freelancers who claim to be a cheaper, more efficient alternative. Even though they are highly skilled at what they do, freelancers don’t invest as deeply in any one agency, as they’re always moving from one assignment to the next. Full-service agencies, on the other hand, believe in connecting with customers and making an impact. They don’t work in silos; instead, departments naturally collaborate and challenge each other, leading to the best results for their clients.

In short, you get what you pay for with a freelancer. With an agency, you get much more. 

Check out the full AdWorld feature here.

Each week, AdAge highlights the latest developments at the intersection between brands and the creator economy. This includes new partnerships, notable features on social media platforms and the rise of creator-led businesses. This week, Gorton’s Seafood made the list with a unique campaign celebrating its 175th anniversary.

The brand teamed up with a slew of creators across the U.S., as well as several of its own employees, to perform 175 “acts of joy,” all showcasing Gorton’s sunshine-yellow brand color. 

The campaign recently launched across TikTok and Instagram and features videos such as elementary school teacher Carly Barett decorating her classroom door with yellow construction paper and “petfluencer” Bodie the Golden gifting a new yellow chew toy to a fellow golden retriever. 

Read more here.

Our latest work for Bus Éireann’s Expressway comes just in time for summer travel. The humorous spot dramatizes the problems of travelers who choose to drive and park at Dublin Airport instead of taking an Expressway coach. The campaign shows the pitfalls and the realization that there is a far better way to get to the airport… Expressway. 

Read more here.

This year’s upfronts saw Netflix and Amazon make their debut in-person presentations, a stark contrast to the historic separation of linear and digital media. Instead of focusing on the unclear measurement picture, the presentations emphasized fan-favorite content and star power. 

Coming out of all this, AdAge asked experts in the field for their thoughts and top takeaways. Partner and Chief Media Officer, Michelle Capasso shared her thoughts and feelings of encouragement from the presentations this year from an agency standpoint, especially in light of last year’s writers strike. 

Read more here.