Sony Pictures First To Use New Snapchat Feature (MediaPost, 8/16/16)

As is pretty common, a movie studio is the first mover on a new social network ad unit, this time Snapchat’s new video ad. Makes a lot of sense given the nature of Lights Out’s story, which is heavily focused on exploring an environment.

Dont-Breathe

Facebook, Instagram Are Influencers’ Favorite Social Platforms (eMarketer, 8/16/16)

I’m actually quite surprised by two things on this list: One, that Facebook makes the list since it’s consistently seen as being problematic for “influencers” because the algorithm keeps getting in the way of reaching the audience and Two, that Snapchat *isnt’* on the list since that’s always said to be where they’re migrating to, particularly in the wake of Instagram’s recent filtered-feed update.

Snapchat’s $110M acquisition of Vurb could remedy its biggest problems (The Next Web, 8/16/16)

That problem? Discovery, which is where many users (including myself) give up because it shouldn’t be that hard to find the people or other accounts I want to follow, dammit.

Univision is buying Gawker Media for $135 million (Recode, 8/16/16)

Sure, why not. This will be good for as long as Peter Thiel decides to let it, or any other media operation, last.

Pinterest Is Making a Play for Big-Brand Dollars With Its First Video Ads (Adweek, 8/17/16)

People may be willing to watch videos on the platform, but that claim needs to have “at this time” appended to the end. There will be a shake out eventually and Pinterest, if it follows the form of other networks, will overdo it on the video ads which will lead to some drop off in their viewership. For the time being, though, here’s another outlet advertisers can repurpose their video spots on.

Introducing Event Channels on Explore (Instagram, 8/17/16)

Another example of Instagram, like other social networks do, curating content on its own with no insights into how they choose the moments they do and what sort of editorial processes are in place.