Originally posted to LinkedIn
What are some of your favorite accounts on TikTok?
Personally, I can't get enough of Harry Mack's (@HarryMackOfficial) freestyle rapping. He takes three random words from anyone on the street or on Omegle and turns them into an incredible original rap on the spot.
I've spent hours going down his hip-hop rabbit holes. I cannot for the life of me skip any one of his videos.
Recently, Harry collaborated with Starbucks, who sponsored a 1-hour live stream on his Twitch channel, but the brand missed the mark on the TikTok execution. They tried to control the content, resulting in a video that felt unnatural and cheesy, with disappointing results.
The post only produced 81 shares, 6696 likes, and 151K views, compared to Harry's original videos which average thousands of shares and up to 10 million views.
Here's the video: https://lnkd.in/g2Ax-aHb
Starbucks could have taken a different approach and allowed Harry to create content that felt native to his style. For instance, they could have let Harry walk up to a group of people on the street next to a Starbucks and call it out in his freestyle. Or they could have created an unscripted Omegle-like piece where the user is drinking a Starbucks coffee, and Harry's only requirement is to call it out.
The more native the content is to the creator, the better it will perform. It's essential to let the creators create and trust them to deliver their best work.
When the Starbucks team goes to reporting, they should know it's not Harry who missed the opportunity. He's clearly a hard worker and deserves recognition and compensation.
This is a classic example of what happens when brands micromanage the creative process. Everything that makes an influencer special gets stripped down with each round of approvals and before you know it you have a cringy shell of what a successful partnership could have been.
Moral of the story: Let the creators create.
Oversharing
I recently had Johnny Chang on Oversharing. His interview on Soft White Underbelly went viral with over 4.8M views to date, where he shares his story of redemption after spending his adolescence in gangs and prison.
What a story of hope it is. Check out the interview on Oversharing here.
Is Your LinkedIn Profile Helping You or Hurting You?
My agency, Blue Light Media recently went through a small hiring round. When the résumés came in, the LinkedIn stalking began. I’m just being honest - and anyone who tells you they don’t do it before hiring someone is lying.
We came across a few profiles that were lacking so much - descriptions, proper profile pictures, an updated history - and I began wondering how much talent must be getting overlooked because they didn’t take their LinkedIn profile seriously.
With the recent layoffs in tech (and in many other industries), it’s crucial to have your LinkedIn presence in order. My good friend Sabba Quidwai just released a free guide on how you can make sure your profile stands out among the competition. It’s pretty damn good.
Check it out here.
PS: My guide went to my junk folder, so be sure to check yours when you sign up so you don’t miss it!