Hi ,

two new users every second! You can follow the impressive growth of Bluesky live online. By the time you read this newsletter, there may be 24 or even 25 million users.

Bluesky is no longer a niche experiment. It’s the platform everyone in the marketing ecosystem is watching. But what does this mean for marketers and advertisers?

From Xodus to Bluesky

Born as a decentralized alternative to X, Bluesky has captured the attention of disillusioned social media users seeking refuge from Elon Musk’s policies and moderation issues. This Xodus or eXit, catalyzed by recent U.S. political events, signals not just a trend but possibly a paradigm shift.

Recently in Austria a group of important journalists and media makers are celebrating the farewell to X. More and more media professionals and opinion leaders are also bidding farewell to Elon Musk’s platform internationally.

Bluesky is gaining attention as a decentralized alternative to major social media platforms. Its key advantage lies in the AT Protocol, which allows users greater control over their data and content moderation. The platform is still ad-free, attracting those dissatisfied with ad-heavy competitors.

Potential for brands?

But while CEO Jay Graber insists on preserving user experience, history tells us monetization becomes inevitable as platforms scale. Meta’s Threads, for example, initially ad-free, is now rolling out advertising in early 2025.

No ads? Not exactly. Brands like Hulu, Netflix, and Duolingo have already set up organic presences, testing the waters. For marketers skilled in organic strategies, Bluesky could be a playground to build communities without the noise of over-optimized ad campaigns. The platform’s custom feed options and user-driven culture suggest a future rich with creative potential.

But all is not sunny. Rapid growth has led to moderation struggles. Trolls, spam, and harmful content are testing the platform’s resilience. Bluesky’s community-driven moderation and transparency are stretched thin.

Bluesky must also contend with Europe’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which enforces strict compliance on digital platforms, from transparency in user data to content moderation. While it has committed to these regulations, gaps in local representation and data reporting could hinder its EU ambitions.

Should you join?

Should brands jump in? For marketers, Bluesky is a double-edged sword. Without ads, there’s no immediate revenue stream. But its ad-free nature also fosters a premium, less cluttered user experience. Your audience and objectives are the key factors here. It also depends on your appetite for experimenting with organic reach while betting on Bluesky’s potential ad ecosystem.

Marketers are watching Bluesky closely. However, many are not yet convinced. They’ve seen similar hype before (Clubhouse?) and they’re not about to get caught up in another fleeting frenzy.

Happy weekend

Best, Verena

PS: I’m on Bluesky, and so is DMEXCO. We’re still in very early stages, but we’re happy to connect with you.

🗺️ Global advertising expenditure exceeds one trillion dollars for the first time

According to advertising researchers at WARC, global advertising expenditure will exceed the USD 1 trillion mark for the first time in 2024. It will rise to USD 1.08 trillion, an increase of 10.7 per cent compared to 2023. Social media is the largest advertising channel at USD 252.7 billion, which represents a share of 23.5 per cent. Retail plays an increasingly important role with USD 154.8 billion. Internet platforms, which include giants such as Alphabet, Amazon and Meta, take in USD 741.4 billion – 68.8 per cent of the total market. The share of linear TV fell from 41.3 per cent to 14.3 per cent between 2013 and 2024. >>> Campaign

🖤 Shopify broadcasts the Black Friday weekend live

Shopify offers the "Live Globe", an interactive 3D tool that visualises global sales data from Shopify merchants in real time during the Black Friday weekend. Users can monitor sales figures, orders per minute and consumer trends worldwide. The tool displays a rotating globe showing shopping hotspots and international order connections. >>> Shopify

🦻 Apple: Touching promotional video for the AirPods hearing aid

Apple’s new holiday ad, Heartstrings, focuses on hearing loss and highlights the AirPods Pro 2’s clinical-grade hearing aid feature. The emotional story shows a father reconnecting with his daughter’s music through the earbuds. The ad emphasizes Apple’s Hearing Test and accessibility features, blending profound storytelling with product placement in a tearjerking, cinematic experience. >>> Forbes / YouTube

🏦 Wero: European payment system challenges PayPal

The European payment system Wero wants to challenge PayPal. It enables payments by mobile number or email and is planning online shopping transactions from 2025. Despite 14 million users, mainly from France, and the support of major banks, its success is uncertain. In Germany, PayPal dominates with 35 million users, while similar projects such as Paydirekt have previously failed. >>> t3n

🤗 Hugging Face: How the AI charts work

The French platform Hugging Face generates "AI charts" based on the popularity of the AI models available on the platform. These rankings are mainly based on download figures and likes. Millions of downloads and high approval rates determine the top positions. The charts influence which models are used worldwide and serve as a quality indicator. German contributions such as "Sentence Transformers" by Nils Reimers and the "Stable Diffusion" project by Björn Ommers Gruppe also achieve top rankings. >>> Handelsblatt (€) / Reuters

🚨 Young germans distrust TikTok and Instagram

91 per cent of 16 to 39-year-olds in Germany regularly use at least one of the social networks TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. However, according to a WeCreate study, trust in these platforms is dwindling. 40 per cent of Gen Z report inappropriate content on Instagram, while 51 per cent doubt the credibility of TikTok. Facebook is viewed critically by 34 per cent of Gen Y. YouTube is an exception: 46 per cent of Gen Z and 37 per cent of Gen Y value its quality. >>> Spiegel (€)

🔮 Preview: These will be the social media trends in 2025

Stephan Pichlmeier, Head of Marketing DACH at Metricool, highlights the most important social media trends for 2025 in Meedia. According to him, marketing on the platforms will be dominated by short videos that maximise engagement. The quality and relevance of content will become more important, with AI being used to increase efficiency. Community building and authentic content promote trust and loyalty. Social SEO is gaining relevance as users increasingly search for information on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. Social commerce is revolutionising the digital shopping experience with seamless purchasing processes. User-generated content strengthens brand credibility. New platforms such as Bluesky offer opportunities for innovative brand strategies. >>> Meedia

🥫 New and free of charge: Food packaging as advertising space

The start-up Affordables from northern Bavaria offers free food such as water and pasta, financed by advertising on the packaging. Founder Max Wimmer wants to combat inflation and advertise brands effectively. Despite criticism of waste and environmental impact, the model is proving successful with a turnover of 90,000 euros. Expansion into other cities and new products such as vitamin water are planned, but the focus is on addressing the target group. >>> Süddeutsche Zeitung (€)

🚴 Sushi-Bike with Germany’s fastest campaign

Germany bicycle start-up Sushi-Bike impresses with a cheeky, virtual campaign in Sixt style, which stages political jokes such as "emissions lindnering" (an allusion to former finance minister Christian Lindner) on meta platforms. The fake out-of-home motifs, developed within 24 hours, achieved over 500,000 impressions and positive reactions. The aim is to make e-bikes attractive without taking a political stance. The campaign shows the fast, creative DNA of the Munich-based company. >>> Horizont (€)

⛓️ AI agents: Plan.Net relies on the blockchain

With Masumi, Plan.Net is relying on a blockchain-based protocol that verifies AI agents and enables automated payments between them. The aim is an open system without walled gardens that serves as a standard for the "economy of agents". The Serviceplan Group is also planning a marketplace for its own and external AI agents. Masumi will be launched in 2025, accompanied by hackathons to promote new AI solutions. >>> W&V (€)