Tumblr Australia announced an exclusive partnership with St Jerome’s Laneway Festival 2016. By integrating Tumblr’s GIF maker into the 2016 St Jerome’s Festival Laneway app, Tumblr is encouraging Festival attendees to capture the day in the way they see it. This then can be published straight to their Tumblr page, and found via the hashtag #Laneway2016. Additionally, official photo galleries from each Laneway event will be hosted on the Festival’s Tumblr page.
The new partnership illustrates how easy it is for local creators to find audiences for their content, with over 200 million blogs on Tumblr globally, publishing 80 million posts per day.
Jocelin Abbey, Head of Consumer Marketing & PR at Yahoo7 / Tumblr Australia, said, “Laneway has a knack of picking the right artists, just as they break. This attracts passionate festival-goers who are as fanatical as we are about upcoming musicians, art and trends. Tumblr’s partnership with the Festival is a natural fit to continue to build awareness and engagement amongst a like-minded audience.“
Jocelin continues: "Our focus is to capture amazing content that people want to watch again and again. Whether it was their favourite moment, or just reliving the day, we hope to provide a platform for audiences to share their unique content in the way they want”.
The Tumblr content experience will include onstage filming, artist backstage interviews, and the 360 selfie - a video camera with a digital timer that allows attendees to spot themselves amongst the action. A behind-the-scenes 360 video featuring Laneway artists will give audiences fly on the wall access to what goes on backstage.
With more than half of Tumblr’s 4.6 million Australian users aged 18-34, the platform speaks to passionate music, art and cultural devotees. Laneway Festival artists including Grimes, Chvrches and The Smith Street Band have vast fandoms on Tumblr, creating the perfect partnership.
Tumblr offers Laneway Festival the best of two online worlds; combining the creative control of a traditional website to create and curate content their fans will love, and the active audience of a social platform, giving Laneway fans and attendees access to the festival in a completely new way, both online and IRL.
Yahoo7 has announced the launch of a new PLUS7 App for Apple TV, giving Australians access to PLUS7’s premium content directly from the device.
The new app will see the PLUS7 on-demand TV service available as a dedicated application on the new Apple TV. Using the app, Apple TV owners will be able to access their favourite programs, including Aussie greats Home & Away and My Kitchen Rules, as well as top US dramas Grey’s Anatomy and Chicago Fire. This summer, PLUS7 Kids will premiere full episodes of The Woodlies, Bottersnikes & Gumbles and The Deep.
Ed Harrison, Yahoo7 CEO said, “At Yahoo7 we’re focused on making our premium content available wherever and whenever our viewers want it, and our new PLUS7 App will allow us to reach a new audience of Apple customers.
“Our new PLUS7 Apple TV app launches off the back of our biggest PLUS7 traffic day ever, reaching over 320,000 streams on December 9. This record highlights the increasing demand for on-demand TV as Aussies are constantly looking for content to watch, anytime, for free.”
Clive Dickens, Chief Digital Officer, Seven said, “PLUS7 ends the year as the leading Commercial FTA on-demand brand with long form streams increasing by 16% year on year. We are really pleased to able to extend the Channel Seven Content to this the new PLUS7 App for the new Apple TV.”
PLUS7 is Australia’s leading on-demand TV service, and is now averaging more than 6 million streams every month across web, mobile, tablet and devices.
The PLUS7 App is available from the Apple TV App Store.
New research has found social media is driving higher levels of brand engagement and brand recall compared to traditional advertising, with Tumblr users more likely to buy and recommend entertaining brands. Yahoo7’s new Social Norms: The Status of Social in 2015 report highlights the impact of new opportunities for advertisers on social media as users engage with branded content online.
The Social Norms study found that content is a key priority for social media users – especially if that content is entertaining, informative and amusing. When it comes to engaging with the content, 61% of social media users claimed that gestures (like/follow/share) demonstrated their level of ‘passion and love’for the content with share being the most impactful.
The study also revealed that social media users are savvy to branded content, with almost 1 in 2 social media users recalling such content in the last 30 days. This is particularly true for younger consumers (14 – 34 year old) who had higher recall of branded content, relative to older (35 – 65 year old) users. Strong branded content also encourages consumers to take action, with 63% of social media users more likely to ‘try brands that I haven’t tried before if they share interesting content’, and 61% buying more from brands that ‘entertain me’.
Paul Sigaloff, Commercial Director for Yahoo7 said, “Our new Social Norms report really highlights the value of social media for advertisers online. Not only are consumers more open to branded content on social media but they readily engage with it when it is entertaining and informative. From a Yahoo7 perspective, it’s fantastic to have hard numbers to show the value of Tumblr for brands; we already know that the platform is incredible valuable for advertisers but the numbers show just how much potential it offers brands who want to engage audiences online.”
Not all brands are created equal, and of all the social media platforms tested, the ‘share’ gesture was used most commonly on Tumblr. The launch of Tumblr in Australia earlier this year has demonstrated the clear value for advertisers, and this research supports that 1 in 2 social media users think more highly of brands simply because of their presence on Tumblr. The majority of Tumblr users (55%) regularly searched for content, with respondents 29% more likely to purchase and 36% more likely to recommend a brand that shared interesting and entertaining updates on Tumblr.
Peter Hammer, Head of Insights and Analytics for Yahoo7 said, “This research highlights content is a key priority for social media users, and that the different gestures such as ‘like’, ‘follow’ and ‘share’ offer different ways for consumers to demonstrate their passion for that content. It’s great to see that Tumblr users are more likely to engage with content via the highly-impactful share gesture, and that the audience are more likely to take action after seeing branded content.”
Tumblr users were found to be more engaged; with a greater number of users visiting the platform daily (+13%) and 37% more users engaging in ‘longer’ (20+ minutes) sessions when compared to the competitive social media average. Tumblr consumers were also more mobile, attracting 15% more users on smartphones. With a growing presence in Australia, Tumblr is making an impact among social media users and offers significant potential for advertisers able to deliver engaging content for their target consumers.
Online is surpassing real-world experiences, especially at Christmas time, new research from Yahoo7 has revealed. The 7 Christmas Insights report highlights key Christmas shopping trends and behaviours of Australian consumers online, to provide marketers with an enhanced understanding into reaching their consumers this holiday season.
According to the research, Australians have reached a tipping point, with more people opting to hunt online in order to avoid tackling shopping centres. 39% of those surveyed even admitted they were stressed about dealing with crowds when Christmas shopping, while a third were worried about finding the time to shop.
The research also found that more than half of all Australians have already started their Christmas shopping but 62% of Australians are not sure about what to buy our loved ones. Despite this, it seems parents will be the most impressed come Christmas Day, with respondents most likely to buy something special for their parents, followed by partners and siblings.
Peter Hammer, Head of Data & Insights at Yahoo7comments, “Our insights assist marketers and advertisers plan and adapt their strategies to effectively reach different audiences. In particular, with more Australians revealed to be doing their Christmas shopping online this year, it suggests that used effectively, online advertising stands to be more valuable this Christmas compared to previous years.”
The most popular gift ideas this year have been revealed to be experiences, electronics, home appliances and clothing, with 46% of respondents confirming they will purchase a charitable gift this year. Toys, jewellery, travel and cosmetics also rated highly on the list.
The 7 Christmas Insights research is part of Yahoo7’s new Insights Series,aiming to provide advertisers with a greater understanding of the behaviour of their target consumers.
Yahoo7 has relaunched its games site, Yahoo7 Games to offer users even more great games across desktop and mobile. The revamp has seen as many as 100 new games added, expanding the site’s offering to more than 500 games.
The new Yahoo7 Games has been designed with evolving audiences in mind, as new research reveals Yahoo7’s audience of casual gamers - including parents, commuters and families - has expanded significantly in recent years. According to Nielsen, more than 1.8 million traditional gamers and more than 2.5 million* casual gamers visit the Yahoo7 network each month.
Caroline Casey, Director of Product and Audience, Yahoo7 said, “We’ve seen our gaming audiences really evolve over the last couple of years with casual gamers making up the fastest growing users. Puzzle, adventure and role-playing games are among the most popular genres for Australian users, so we’re expanding Yahoo7 Games to respond to the daily habits of our expanding audience.”
Australian developers are encouraged to take advantage of the global Yahoo Games Network and add their own games to the Yahoo7 Games site. It allows developers to reach a global audience and have their games monetised with a secure and streamlined payment method. Melbourne-based Chris Condon, Founder of Con Artist Games’ has done just that with The Last Stand: Dead Zone being a fan favourite.
Caroline continued, “The Yahoo Games Network will help us continue to grow our range of games to meet the changing habits and interests of our users. It also provides a real opportunity for Australian developers to connect with both local and international gamers across a variety of interest areas and gaming types.”
Yahoo7 Games brings together a range of genres, tailored to suit different gaming styles. Games categories include; Action & Arcade, Board & Card, Casino, Puzzle, Strategy and RPG and Word Games.
*Source: Nielsen Consumer & Media View Survey 05 2015 (July14-June15) National Online: Yahoo7, August 15. Traditional gamers defined as those who play PC games/Multiplayer online games.
Yahoo7 has today launched a new 360-degree mobile ad format. In an Australian first, the new mobile advertising offering combines 360-degree video, accelerometer mobile technology* and virtual reality to create a truly immersive experience for advertisers and audiences.
Yahoo7’s newest ad execution leverages the latest mobile technologies to put the user at the heart of a branded experience. Using Web GL technology and Celtra’s inline video player, the new format gives brands the ability to bring consumers into a controlled virtual reality experience, without the hassle of additional software or third-party applications. The new 360-degree format looks at engagement from a new perspective, combining both high-end graphics and video content to immerse users in a rich-media environment. On initiation, users can move their phone around to ‘explore’ a virtual environment that moves and changes around them.
Venessa Hunt, Mobile Strategy Manager, Yahoo7 said: “The new 360-degree ad format looks at mobile advertising from new angles, literally. We’re constantly looking for ways to incorporate emerging technologies or new approaches into our advertising solutions, aligning with our business’ mobile-first strategy. Yahoo7 is commited to innovating to deliver products that help brands connect with audiences in completely different ways.”
The format is highly customisable, allowing advertisers to add their own branded overlays, start and end animations, as well as dynamic or timed branding cards to sit within or outside video content. The new format is highly flexible, with the functionality to operate out of numerous placements and positions across desktop, tablet and mobile.
The new 360-degree mobile ad format is available now.
* Accelerometers are devices that can measure acceleration (the rate of change in velocity), but in smartphones, they’re able to detect changes in orientation and tell the screen to rotate. Basically, it helps the phone know up from down.
Yahoo7 has today announced a new partnership with Home Tester Club, making Yahoo7 the exclusive commercial representative for the review community in the Australian marketplace.
The new agreement will see both businesses working collaboratively to drive direct consumer engagement opportunities for advertisers. Home Tester Club will be responsible for maintaining its technology platform and growing its extensive community of more than 175,000 users across Australia. Yahoo7 will support local growth of the product-review community, with a range of opportunities available to advertisers that include community engagement and product sampling, consumer reviews and social amplification.
The new partnership with Home Tester Club will also offer integration capabilities with Yahoo7’s Native Ads. Advertisers will be able to create and share consumer reviews at scale using the Yahoo7 network across both desktop and mobile devices.
Jonathan Steel, Director – Business Development and Partnerships, Yahoo7 said, “Word of mouth is one of the strongest influencers when it comes to purchase decisions and we know in this social age, brands are increasingly having to incorporate peer reviews into their marketing investment.“
"Our new partnership with Home Tester Club expands our extensive commercial capabilities, offering FMCG brands key strengths, including the ability to connect with real consumers and promote real reviews across the Yahoo7 network. Initial feedback from advertisers has been really positive, as they know how powerful the combination of owned, earned and paid media can be.”
Chris Phyland, Chief Executive Officer of Buchanan Group said, “We have a dedicated, passionate community within the Home Tester Club in Australia and a global best-in-class platform for Rating & Review curation, syndication and amplification. This is the first market in which we’ve had a commercial partner, and Yahoo7’s massive reach and correlated technology will allow our new alliance to connect more brands with more consumers both on and offline.“
The world’s largest grocery-product testing and reviewing community, Home Tester Club, boasts more than 600,000 members in 8 countries, with 175,000 in Australia alone. Its review program covers 14 grocery product categories. Home Tester Club is a division of Buchanan Group, an Australian-founded global leader in branded endorsement solutions with brands including Brand Power ® and MediFacts®
Yahoo7 has today announced the commercial launch of Tumblr in Australia and New Zealand, with CEO and Founder, David Karp visiting Sydney for the first time this week. To celebrate its local debut, Tumblr and Yahoo7 are welcoming local brands and advertisers to the platform, with Woolworths, Telstra, Monash University and Studio Canal on board as launch partners.
Following the global acquisition of Tumblr by Yahoo Inc in 2013, Australian brands can now leverage the platform’s content creation and social sharing capabilities to help drive greater engagement with different audiences. Brands can tell their story using Tumblr’s seven different post types, including videos, GIFs, images, audio and more.
David Karp, Founder and CEO of Tumblr, said “Millions of Aussies have already made Tumblr their home – sharing their voice, exploring their identities, passions, and fandoms. I’m so excited to finally have a team on the ground to support this community and bring Australia’s biggest brands into the fold.”
Ed Harrison, CEO of Yahoo7, said, “Today, we’re giving Australian advertisers a new way to connect with audiences on Tumblr. We already have one of the largest networks in Australia and Tumblr will only strengthen this, offering advertisers even greater reach and access to younger, passionate, and engaged audiences.”
“Tumblr offers the best of two online worlds; combining the creative control of a traditional website with the active audience of a social platform. Tumblr’s users are actively seeking out content that inspires and entertains them, opening the doors for brands to be more creative and tell their story in new and more authentic ways.”
Alongside launch partners, Yahoo7 will also be launching its own brands on Tumblr this week, with Home & Away, Yahoo7 Entertainment, Dancing with the Stars and 7News Raw showcasing new and exclusive content via dedicated Tumblr profiles.
The local launch will be marked with a dedicated team of Tumblr specialists headquartered in Yahoo7’s Sydney office, tasked with growing capabilities across desktop and mobile while also increasing audience engagement. Post-launch, Tumblr will be focused on fostering the growth of content creators and curators - users responsible for generating more than 85 million pieces of content added to Tumblr daily.
Tumblr reaches an audience of more than 500 million worldwide with more than 250 million blogs and over 118 billion posts on the network, with these numbers growing rapidly. Locally, Tumblr has more than 4.6 million users in Australia and over 750,000 in New Zealand.
Tumblr recently celebrated its official launch in Australia with CEO and Founder, David Karp visiting Sydney for the first time. With more than 4.6 million local users, Tumblr has grown rapidly as Aussies embrace its fun, flexible blogging style.
The platform has revealed the top local Tumblr blogs, as well as the topics currently trending in Australia.
Trending blogs in Australia: 1. FashGIF - Greta Larkin is a Melbourne artist who transforms fashion photography into whimsical, charming animations.
2. Troye Sivan - A sensational Perth-based internet personality and pop star who makes his home on Tumblr.
3. Alex Grigg - An Australian animator and graphic designer who creates beautiful moving cartoons on Tumblr.
4. Humans of Newtown - A blog that highlights the fashion, personalities, and stories of people you meet on the streets of Newtown.
5. Snapping the Walls - A look into the graffiti, street art, and architecture of Melbourne.
New Tumblr research has found Australian users rely on the network to discover creative, interesting and entertaining content. The research into Australian social media habits found that Tumblr users are 28% more likely to save content they’re passionate about and share with their own networks.
With a dedicated audience of engaged users, some Tumblr users are willing to go to extreme lengths^: o 33% of would rather use the platform than sleep o 34% would rather be on Tumblr than eat o 36% would rather be on Tumblr than hang out with friends
Popular topics in Australia focused on celebrity with Hugh Jackman, the Hemsworth brothers and Cate Blanchett, while Aussie users are getting excited for summer with Coogee and Bondi, as well as Sydney and Melbourne. Finally, Tumblr users are taking a light-hearted view on Australian politics, with #auspol capturing current local issues in GIF form.
Top 10 Tags in Australia: #Home and Away #Hugh Jackman #Chris Hemsworth #Liam Hemsworth #Cate Blanchett #Sydney #Coogee #Auspol #Melbourne #Bondi
Worldwide, Tumblr has an audience of more than 500 million people worldwide with more than 85 million pieces of content posted each day. The social network is a force to be reckoned with online - responsible for some of the biggest internet phenomenon in recent years. Tumblr has sparked global conversation both on and offline - from the blue vs gold dress to now world-famous blog, Humans of New York, celebrity Tumblr blogs from super stars like Taylor Swift and commentary on some of the biggest issues of the day.
ENDS
^Tumblr Content Engagement Study, June 2015. The research surveyed 1,360 Australian social media users.
Yahoo7 has today launched Yahoo Livetext, a new one-to-one live video texting app for iPhone and Android. Yahoo Livetext blends the convenience and ease of texting, with the immediacy and vividness of live video.
Yahoo Livetext is a new way to stay in touch - it’s non-intrusive, quick and real-time - yet also fleeting, just like real-life conversations. Interactions, from a goofy smile, to an eye roll and a sigh, mean a ‘Lol’ isn’t needed to ensure the meaning of a text message - as real-time reactions are placed at the centre of the conversation. Yahoo Livetext removes audio - so you can share moments and memories anywhere, anytime - without disrupting others.
Caroline Casey, Director of Product and Audience at Yahoo7, “Globally the Yahoo technology teams are dedicated to creating new products that make our audience’s daily habits inspiring and entertaining. We’re really excited to introduce Livetext, the newest Yahoo app to Australian Smartphone users.” Yahoo Livetext puts your words and your friend’s real-time reactions at the centre of your conversation. Combining the emotion and immediacy of live video with the simplicity of text messaging.”
Yahoo Livetext will be available in Australia and New Zealand from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store from today.
