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After his company, XX Artists, raked over $1 million in revenue in 2019, 2011 McNary grad Kyle Kuhns ended 2020 by being named to the Forbes Top 30 under 30 list of entrepreneurs who are transforming marketing and advertising.

Kyle Kuhns was named to to the Forbes Top 30 under 30 list (Submitted).

When Kyle Kuhns graduated from McNary High School in 2011, he was unsure of what he wanted to do with his life.

Now, Kuhns is founder and CEO of XX Artists, one of the biggest marketing agencies on the west coast, representing names such as Robinhood, Brie Larson and Jennifer Hudson as well as YouTube, Lilly Singh and NBC Universal.

After the company raked over $1 million in revenue in 2019, Kuhns ended 2020 by being named to the Forbes Top 30 under 30 list of entrepreneurs who are transforming marketing and advertising.

It's a huge honor. I feel like it's a reflection of my team more than anything else and it's definitely beyond what I ever imagined in this realm, Kuhns said.

XX Artists is a boutique digital marketing agency located in Playa Vista, CA. that provides social marketing services. Their goal as a company is to be an extension of their clients' teams, creating community through content and executing strategies that bring brands to life on the internet by delivering tailor-made, end-to-end digital marketing campaigns.

Kuhns has also expanded the platform to include business verticals such as social marketing, creative services, talent partnerships and music digital.

Even after three years, Kuhns still has moments of being starstruck by a number of his clients.

It's a bizarre feeling to represent people that you are huge fans of but it helps me do my job better. Everyone we work with is a normal human like anyone else, Kuhns said. I'm grateful that I have a staff that helps these people elevate themselves and their brand.

After graduating from McNary, Kuhns planned on going the collegiate route, attending Chemeketa Community College for two years, then transferring to Willamette University after receiving a partial scholarship. But after a year at Willamette, Kuhns decided that he needed to change things up. His plan was to take a year off school and live in Los Angeles to figure out what a possible career would look like.

Kuhns eventually got the opportunity to work as an executive assistant to the CEO of Le Chef Costumier, a costume company in Southern California. Alongwith being in charge of projects and contract management, Kuhns also did some marketing for the company, and discovered that he had a gift.

Even though I had never really thought about marketing as a career, I realized that there was something here. Im good at it and I enjoy it, Kuhns said.

Kuhns began to take one to two days per week to start marketing independently. He started off by representing the Salem band, My Brothers and I, and did social marketing for YouTube Premium formally known as YouTube Red.

Kuhns began to develop a passion for content creation, platform management and bringing ideas to life online. After working for Sony Music Entertainment in digital strategy and content production for a little over a year, Kuhns officially launched XX Artists in 2017.

I just knew I wanted the company to be and said yes to the opportunity, Kuhns said.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has been rough on numerous businesses throughout the country, XX Artists has continued to thrive.

We were well positioned to ride this out, mainly because people stopped going out and instead were spending a lot of their time online most social platforms have seen growth during COVID, Kuhns said.

After another successful year, Kuhns is hoping to expand his staff from 35 employees to 55 in 2021.

I just want to continue to work with cool brands that are creative and look at the internet as an experiment, Kuhns said.

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Kuhns named to Top 30 Under 30 | Keizertimes | You think you know. To be sure, read Keizertimes. - Keizertimes

Apple now allows users to tailor which apps get info from their device. Facebook is arguing that this feature loses value for advertisers and hurts small businesses.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. If youve spent any time scrolling through Facebook or Instagram over the past few days, chances are youve come across a video like this onea montage of small business owners, produced by Facebook, accusing Apple of essentially sabotaging their marketing efforts.

Social media is so crucial to every small business that I know, said a man in the video. I dont know where my business would be if I wasnt able to run a personalized ad, a woman featured says following.

Facebooks gripe with Apple is over the latest iOS 14 update (software your iPhone or iPad may be running right now, whether you realize it or not). The feature that you or I probably noticed first was the redesigned home screen, but another part of the update hidden under the surface is the source of the latest tech drama.

Apple is now letting users proactively decide whether or not to allow apps theyve downloaded track certain data, like the websites they visit or the things theyve shopped for recently. Apple has argued this puts the power in the hands of the user to decide what information about them is shared.

Advertisers worry that users will decide not to share, and that in turn has Facebook worried. One of the reasons apps like Facebook and Instagram can be offered for free is because businesses see high value in their ad potential. Targeted ads, specificallyfor example, a running shoe ad for a person who has been searching for them onlineis a marketing model that is particularly valuable.

Will this new update hurt small businesses like Facebook is claiming?

To be sure, different entrepreneurs will have different opinions and answers to that question; but, we spoke with Randy Blevins, the founder of Think Tank Marketing in Louisville.

Think Tank is a small business that helps other small businesses in our area market themselves, particularly through social media. In other words, he is well-poised to weigh in on this topic.

Blevins said this update could negatively impact some businesses particularly larger ones that offer specialized products and sell exclusively online, but well before this he has always advised his clients to take an all-encompassing approach to advertising so they are not as vulnerable to the changing winds of tech.

Im not mad about it, but obviously from my point of view its going to affect how we do things, said Blevins. For example, if Im working with my popcorn company, I cant easily find out that you like snack foods and popcorn anymore. So, its not that youre not going to get adsI think youre still going to get adsbut it may not be the ads that youre interested in at all.

Therein lies the trade off in tech when it comes to privacy. One way to look at target ads is to view them as intrusive on your web activities across different sites. Apple is planting its flag squarely in the privacy side of the debate.

However, some, including Blevins, view marketing as a service not only for the businesses employing it, but for the potential customers as well. Some customers shopping for new running shoes may be glad be informed of a current sale going on, even if it means that store offering the sale is targeting them based on their search history.

Thats why Blevins said plans to allow his social media apps to continue collecting his web traffic data.

Ive gotten shoes that I like, Ive found new brands that I like during COVID for masks and things, because theyve been serving me ads based on my preferences, Blevins said. So Ill probably opt in.

Contact reporter Rob Harris atrjharris@whas11.com. Follow him onTwitter (@robharristv)andFacebook.

Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. ForAppleorAndroidusers.

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Facebook, Apple are feuding over ads | What does it mean for local businesses? - WHAS11.com

Social media is a multi-faceted, uber-engaging medium for communication among the masses. Several businesses are already using it, but not all are leveraging it in the best possible way. Merely typing out a status update daily will not garner any interest or requisite engagement. A truly effective social media strategy will have content that is highly diversified, riveting, and has the right mix of images, text, videos & articles.

Marketers need to understand that they are on social media to sell stuff. But consumers are not; they need value. Therefore, the question that brands and marketers need to ask themselves is What value are we offering to our followers/consumers besides attempting to upsell something to them?. There needs to be some value addition through the content being shared across various social media platforms so that when the requirement arises, people come back to the particular brand for its product/service.

This is why marketers should feature a variety of content across various social media channels. Content diversification helps in reaching out to and tapping those markets which the marketers didnt know existed. By diversifying content, marketers have the scope to connect with their customers using a wide array which keeps the latter hooked on to the offerings of the former.

Importance of Content Diversification

Search engines like Google and Bing utilize a blended search approach in which their search results do not just show websites, but even the videos, images, maps, news stories and tweets from Twitter. The diverse and engaging content used will enable brands to easily come within the purview of their desired customers when they search for the particular business on a specific search engine. Also, people easily tend to get bored. Amidst all that volume of information thrown at them every day, anything repetitive or monotonous easily is passed over and immediately forgotten about. By posting content that offers a good mix and is extremely interesting to look at, brands are more likely to get more people to stop and engage with their official pages online.

Reasons for Diversifying Content

Here are the primary reasons why it makes sense to create a wide variety of content:

1. Leveraging the Power of Different Social Media Channels

Different marketing channels have different benefits to offer and help drive better outcomes. When it comes to marketing online, one-size-fits-all approach doesnt yield results. In fact, having various marketing channels such as website, pay-per-click ads, video marketing, email marketing, display ads, blog posts and social media enables marketers to cross-pollinate as well. This way different channels can be combined for a positive ROI.

2. Optimize as Per Target Audience

Consumers today arent mute spectators; rather they engage and interact in real-time conversations with their favourite brands across different digital platforms. Different customers require different writing styles, content types and publishing mediums. Diversifying content can help find new markets and optimize the marketing message as per the intended audience. A comparison can also be drawn to know which platforms are giving the best results and the strategy can then be further optimized accordingly.

3. More Data to Analyse

Its important to have a unified view of ones customers and their preferences for successfully delivering on the digital marketing strategy. As content consumption patterns undergo drastic changes with passing time, the right insights provide marketers with an in-depth understanding of their audience. More channels mean more amount of data. A deep analysis of the same will help brands deliver better on the customer expectations. For instance, rich insights about audiences interests, likes and dislikes, and attitudes from different channels will help create a more relevant, highly effective and targeted content, customized to each platform.

Summing Up

Content diversification is integral to achieving favourable marketing outcomes. Consumers trust companies that can provide them authentic, relevant and invaluable information via content and social media marketing. By creating a variety of content, marketers can not only provide crucial insights in multiple formats but also reach out to new markets.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

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Outlook 2021: The importance of creating diversified content across different social media Platforms - The Times of India Blog

The first half of 2020 was a tough time for luxury brands to roll out new offline campaigns in China, thanks to lockdowns and social distancing measures at public venues. Yet, this dilemma pushed previously conservative luxury players into experimenting with online platforms from e-commerce to social media as part of their digital transformation initiatives. And many showed impressive creativity and social consciousness at festivals such as International Womens Day and 520 Day despite hard times.

As the COVID-19 pandemic in China reached a positive turning point in May and June, physical gatherings resumed, and stores on the Mainland reopened. Since Chinese shoppers buying power and demand was resilient after COVID, discerning players like Dior attached greater importance to the region and launched a China-exclusive handbag on its WeChat boutique to celebrate Singles Day. Elsewhere, Moncler drove online-to-offline conversions by launching an immersive pop-up exhibition in Shanghai to develop a wider reach to local Gen-Z consumers.

Below are Jing Dailys picks for the top five luxury brand campaigns of 2020, a year that was a bumpy ride, to say the least. For more of our 2020 year reviews and highlights, read here.

Moncler leverages an immersive art exhibition to reach Gen Zers

On October 29, Moncler launched a China-exclusive collection called Moncler Young Icons that was tailor-made from its product development to its social activations for young, digitally-savvy Chinese consumers. Along with this release, the brand unveiled an immersive pop-up installation created by the Los Angeles-based multi-media artist Reif Anadol called Pladis: Data Universe, which was open to the public October 30 November 1 at Shanghai Reel Square. In the social arena, the campaigns 45-second video starring the three Gen-Z talents actor Shi Pengyuan, dancer Su Lianya, and model Yang Yingge garnered over 5 million views on Weibo in one week.

Dior initiates China-first digital approach on Singles Day

On October 13, Dior announced on their official WeChat account that the brands first-ever limited Singles Day series would be available at their WeChat boutique and website, starting October 15. In addition to jewelry and belts, the launch featured limited-edition handbags made of soft lambskin, bearing the iconic Cannage motif and topstitched with the classic Christian Dior logo. This move was not only the brands first Singles Day initiative, but it was also the first time a leading luxury brand led a special launch on this popular shopping occasion.

Luxury brands elevate Chinese cultural interpretations for mooncake gift boxes

This years Mid-Autumn Festival fell on October 1, which is the countrys National Day and the beginning of Golden Week. Therefore, luxury brands leveraged this eight-day national holiday period by delivering specialties to their valued customers and business associates. Compared to previous mooncake iterations, brands showcased more thorough interpretations of Chinese culture and aesthetics this year via their package designs while also incorporating aspects that resonated with younger customers appetite for newness. Top performers included Gucci, which drew inspiration from sophisticated ancient Chinese food boxes, and Fendi, which featured the shape of cylindrical lanterns in its designs.

Social marketing soars for this years 520 Day

Since Chinas businesses and consumer sentiment both gradually recovered beginning in May, discerning luxury players rolled out compelling 520 campaigns instead of the soft approaches of Februarys International Valentines Day. Originally having grown out of a popular internet slang term that conveys love to a significant other, May 20 has gone mainstream in China, becoming a perfect match for digital campaigns that leverage social marketing. Prada was one of the first and best luxury players to kick off its 520 initiatives in China. With the title Mathematics of Love, its campaign explored love in the context of this post-pandemic era by defining love as both universal and specific, timeless yet also connected to the moment.

Womens empowerment rises on International Womens Day

In March, brands tapped the occasion of International Womens Day to reach the growing and desirable womens market in China. Motivated by female medical workers fighting COVID-19 on the frontlines, Chinese citizens called for more respect and understanding for women. As such, brands adjusted their marketing campaigns to reflect this new awakening of self-empowerment and self-expression. To engage with its independent and growing female customer base, the e-commerce giant Net-A-Porter chose three popular Chinese women rapper Lexie Liu, comedian Jin Jing, and fashion influencer Ximeng Dasao to share what its like to be a modern woman in todays China.

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The Top 5 Luxury Brand Campaigns of 2020 - Jing Daily

While Im thrilled the movement is there, its competing against a pretty significant crosswind, and that is the business restrictions pushing newer customers into big-box and Amazon, Mr. Kelly said. I think coming out of this, the buy local initiatives will have stemmed some of the losses, but it will sadly not be enough to help most small retailers survive.

Not all is grim. One Toronto business, Stainsby Studios, was astonished by the threefold increase in pottery sales after being featured on Not Amazon. Another, Glad Day Bookshop, offering a variety of L.G.B.T.Q. titles, said the initiative had increased holiday sales 30 percent.

Like many other store owners, Mary Oliveira was scared when the countrys first lockdown took effect in March. But her five-year-old Toronto chocolate shop, Marys Brigadeiro, was fortunate to have an existing online presence that brought in steady income throughout the pandemic, she said.

In recent weeks, numerous new customers informed Ms. Oliveira that they had found her store through Not Amazon, which she had been added to but had never heard of.

We noticed more people had the impetus to shop local, said Ms. Oliveira, 30, who was surprised to find 27 percent of her online shoppers had come through Not Amazon. With that, we sold out for the entire season a week ago. Thats never happened before.

In November, she hired four more employees and now is considering opening other locations in Toronto. Ms. Oliveira, a native of Brazil, said the buy local initiative had brought a renewed sense of belonging, especially as she saw the numerous Amazon deliveries happening while local businesses struggled.

Ms. Oliveira said dealing with shipping delays as a small-business owner was frustrating while hearing customers say Amazon is much faster.

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A Canadian Buy Local Effort Fights Amazon on Its Own Turf - The New York Times