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With weekly trending, digital marketer Jessi Healey is divided into what is bustling on social media and why it’s important for real estate professionals. From virus trends to platform changes, she breaks it all down and knows what’s worth your time and isn’t.
The Super Bowl is not just a football, but a masterclass in media, marketing and culture. From high stakes ad campaigns to viral moments and meme-worthy performances, the world’s biggest brands are attracting attention. Some brands do touchdowns in messaging, while others are fumbles, proving that viewers are all about perception.
This year, we saw brands like Nike and Jeep make strong statements by sticking to their values, but Poppi’s over-the-top influencer campaign has now become flat. Even in meme culture, there is no immunity to failure, and some companies are rushing to capitalize on Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show without understanding its full context.
Beyond the Super Bowl, media literacy remains important as deepfakes become more difficult to find, Black History Month highlights debate about honorable authentic content, and Instagram is a small-scale reel We will make meaningful updates while doing so.
Meanwhile, Meta’s threads continue to expand its reach, and BuzzFeed will launch a new social media platform designed to free ourselves from the negatively driven engagement model we have come to expect. This makes a bold move.
Super Bowl Sunday and Media Literacy: Prime Time Test
The Super Bowl is one of the most widely viewed programs each year, providing a large audience for a brand if it has a prominent budget and creativity. Several brands have had a major impact this year, while others have missed the mark.
Winners: Nike and Jeep
Nike made a notable return 27 years later, airing a powerful ad highlighting women’s sports. The black and white film style highlighted prominent female athletes and provided a strong message of patience and confidence.
The Jeep commercial featured film legend Harrison Ford with an inspirational message about freedom and choice. The ads resonated with the audience and were effectively aligned with Jeep’s brand values.
Lessons from the winner: stick to your values and be intense
Both Nike and Jeep boldly presented value statements that matched well with their brand identity. Reliability is important in today’s polarizing environments. Having a clear, clear stance on your brand can attract more support than trying to please everyone. Instead of engaging in political debate, we’ll reaffirm what your brand does, as Nike did by focusing on empowerment and perseverance.
Loser: Poppi
Prebiotic soda brand Poppi has faced backlash not only due to Super Bowl ads, but also the influencer campaign surrounding it. The brand aired the second Super Bowl commercial “Soda Thoughts,” featuring several content creators. According to Adweek, Poppi has chosen over 32 custom-made bright pink vending machines (with fully stocked soda) to celebrate, and selecting wives and girlfriends of famous athletes (WAGs) I did.
Influencer gifts are usually an easy way for brands to produce goodwill, but this campaign backfired. The luxurious nature of the gift has irritated many Tiktok users. He felt that efforts were not touched on Poppi’s brand image.
“We spent millions of dollars on Super Bowl ads and sent vending machines to already rich influencers,” a Tiktok user commented in a POPPI post. “What happened to the normal everyday people you use?[d] To care? ” Another Tiktok user Jade Jarvis reflected this sentiment.
The backlash grew even further when Poppi’s competitor Olipop inserted into the discourse and left comments that only encouraged negative reactions.
Lessons from Losers: Don’t try hard
Poppi’s campaign highlights the risk of misunderstanding audience feelings. Giving a well-known influencer can increase visibility, but exclusive marketing activities can alienate your core customers if you feel excluded. This response shows that consumers rate reliability and association more than flashy PR stunts. A more comprehensive approach – Poppi might help strengthen brand loyalty rather than triggering backlash, such as captivating everyday consumers instead of just celebrity.
Super Bowl Meme: Context Check Reminder
The Super Bowl always creates a flood of memes, but not all brands understand the full context before jumping on viral trends. Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance, which served deep personal and cultural significance, was misunderstood by several companies that quickly turned the clip into a lighthearted meme.
When engaged in real-time marketing, brands need to pause and check the context before posting. A victory of simple engagement can backfire if you miss the deeper meaning behind a cultural moment. Not every viral moment requires brand partnerships and failing to read the room can undermine reliability.
Deepfakes are becoming more difficult to find, but new tools are emerging
Deepfakes generated by AI are becoming increasingly sophisticated, making it difficult to distinguish between actual content and manipulated content. During election season, these productions can quickly spread misinformation, affect public opinion and damage reputation. Nowadays, new detection tools are emerging to combat threats.
One outstanding solution is a distributed deepfake detection system that provides free and easy to use tools. Bitmind’s AI Detector App, Chrome Extension, and X/Twitter bots allow users to see if images are being generated quickly. Designed by former engineers from Amazon, Poshmark and Ledgersafe, these tools help maintain the reliability of your digital media by flagging manipulated images in real time.
As deep fake technology evolves, digital literacy is also needed. Tools like Bitmind can help you discover AI-generated fraud, but critical thinking is still important. Before sharing virus images or videos, users should validate the source, analyze the inconsistencies, and consider the intent behind the content. In a digital landscape where trust is becoming increasingly vulnerable, media literacy and AI detection are closely linked.
Black History Moon and Media Literacy
As more businesses scale back their diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives, consumers are becoming more skeptical of their business activities. But Deia hasn’t disappeared – it has evolved. Companies such as Costco, Apple and JPMorgan Chase continue to invest in comprehensive strategies, realizing that diversity is not ethical. This is a competitive advantage.
Heritage Months like Black History Month offers a brand a chance to be meaningfully involved, but a one-off post is not enough. Consumers hope that brands will amplify the black voice, support black creators, and integrate DEIA’s efforts into their long-term strategy.
Media literacy plays a key role in the way brands approach Black History Month. It is essential to understand the historical and cultural context before posting. Content given superficial or misinformed can be considered as deafness in performance or tone.
Brands should research and listen to dark voices rather than relying on trends and general statements. Using social listening tools, consulting with diverse teams and engaging with black-owned businesses can help you create content that is more intentional and meaningful.
Black history months should be a starting point, not an independent marketing moment. Consumers want to demonstrate a true commitment to their brand through employment practices, supplier diversity and long-term partnerships. Companies that take the time to educate themselves and create culturally informed content will build stronger, more loyal communities.
BuzzFeed’s big bet: new social platform rejecting Snarf
BuzzFeed is taking on Meta and Tiktok with a bold new vision for social media. Last week, the company messed around with plans to launch a new, more positive social platform. A landing page and manifesto have been released, and outlines the goals. It’s about creating an Anti-Snarf (Stakes/Novelty/Anger/Retention/Fear) platform.
The manifesto criticizes the way traditional social media platforms thrive with rage, fear and extreme engagement tactics. Instead, BuzzFeed envisions a space where content promotes connectivity and entertainment, without resorting to negative emotions to keep users hooked.
This is an ambitious move, especially in an age when platforms rely on engagement-driven algorithms. However, as audiences are tired of the fate and toxic interactions of fate, a transition to a more mindful digital space can gain traction. It is still unclear whether BuzzFeed’s platform can truly compete with Meta and Tiktok, but it’s definitely worth watching.
Takeout for real estate professionals
Authenticity wins: Nike and Jeep’s Super Bowl success proves that clear, value-driven messaging resonates more than trying to appeal to everyone. Don’t overdo it: Poppi’s influencer campaign shows that excessive marketing efforts can alienate consumers without contact. Think before the meme: Brands who misinterpret Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show face backlash and emphasize the need to understand cultural context before posting. Beware of misinformation: With deep voices rising, it is more important than ever to validate the source before sharing content. Engagement is evolving. Threads are growing, Instagram has added a pause feature for reels, and BuzzFeed is calling for a social media shift. Early recruits benefit the most.
Social media moves fast, but jumping to trends without understanding the context can be more harmful than good. Brands spend time assessing whether trends align with values and whether they truly understand their cultural significance, avoid costly mistakes. It’s important to be informed based on platform updates, media literacy and audience expectations, but true success comes from thoughtful, authentic engagement, not just the first.
Jessi Healey is a freelance writer and social media manager specializing in real estate. Find her on Instagram, LinkedIn, threads, or on Blueski.
