The Week of March 29 | Deep Fakes Are Spreading Putting Creator And Brand Safety At Risk
00:00This is the story of the one.As a custodial supervisor at a high school,he knows that during cold and flu season, germs spread fast.It's why he partners with Granger to stay fully stocked on the products and supplies he needs,from tissues to disinfectants to floor scrubbers.Also that he can help students, staff, and teachers stay healthy and focused.Call 1-800-Granger, click Granger.com or just stop by.Granger, for the ones who get it done.
00:28This is Right About Now with Ryan Alford, a radcast network production.We are the number one business show on the planet with over one million downloads a month.Taking the BS out of business for over six years and over 400 episodes.You ready to start snapping next and cash in checks?It starts right about now.What's up guys?Welcome to Write About Now.our weekly marketing and business news here in the week of March 29th, 2024.
01:09joined by my good friend, Chris Hansen.What's up, brother?What's up, my man?How are you today?I am fabuloso.Just, uh, thing about the good old days of the notorious B-I-G and Diddy.Puff Daddy.Puff Daddy.
01:29he's going to get a new nickname, I think.Yeah, I think so too.It doesn't look good.We are business news.We can talk about whatever.It's business news.It might be a little pop culturey, but dang,your house getting rated by the feds,
01:44both of them at the same time,it ain't looking good.No.They don't do that shit unless there's probably,highly probable cause.And is it that money just does weird shit to people?I don't even know what to say besides it fully.It does weird shit to people.
02:04You get like these insatiable tastes.Like they just think, okay, all right.This normal stuff doesn't interest me anymore.I got so much money.Why not try this?Like it is this godlike behavior in some ways.And I don't have an answer for it.And it's, I don't know, they run out of the cars, the guys, the girls, whatever your choice is, gambling.
02:29even drugs.I'm not supporting any of this.I'm just saying like,they get bored with that.So they just start,okay,let's start sex trafficking.What the hell?
02:40It's crazy.It's sad.I'm not making light of it.It's not a joke,but it's more just the strangeness of it all.Yeah.I don't even,and I don't know all the details.
02:51I'm not here to report on every finding,but it was just an odd scene,seeing two luxury homes.in private neighborhoods with the feds going through it.Where did it go south?Like where?Yeah.What was the first decision down this path?
03:08Because I'm a firm believer in guilty or excuse me, it does seem that way sometimes.Guilty until proven it.Innocent until proven guilty.But all I'm saying is I don't think it's one thing with these political chases.We can all talk about that.But in general, I don't think the Fed wants the attention of red,a celebrity's place, unless they got a hell of a lot of evidence that they should be.Yeah.
03:36Yeah.And the truth comes to light eventually.So I'm interested to see what this develops into.Yeah.Who knows?But I call my eye.It's hiding art too.And I hope everyone's brackets.
03:49If you're in NCAA madness, March madness, your brackets aren't busted.I'm in the middle of the pack.Let's just say that.I think I watched just enough basketball.that I think it probably hurts me in filling out the bat bracket.Oh, yeah, it's definitely got to be.Like, I think the less sometimes the better.And I care just enough for it to sting a little bit.
04:11Yeah.And I, it's like, oh, I definitely know that St. Bonaventure is going to get beat by Long Beach State or whatever.And I don't think St. Bonaventure's in it this year.But justify it because I know just enough.And it'd probably be better if I was just truly guessed.But that aside, the Clemson Tigers are two and a.And in the Sweet 16, baby.Yes, this is
04:33Clemson Basketball.First time in eight years,Sweet 16 bound.I will say this, watching them all year.They have the dudes.They totally have the dudes to make this kind of run.It's been a little inconsistent in the regular season.But they're bringing it on.
04:52Now they got Arizona.They actually technically played,if you're listening on this on Friday,they played last night.we do record this a little early.I don't know yet.And you will know listening if I'm still happy or sad.Isn't that a weird, the weird thing of place shifting?
05:08If you're listening, Ryan's in a okay mood,I don't really get into a bad mood.I just be in an okay mood if we lose.But if I'm just like, woo-hoo, you'll know when you listen to this episode.Go Tigers, they're doing well.Hopefully your bracket's not busted.And hopefully all the marketers that are spending money around the gameare seeing the fruits of their labors,
05:31definitely seeing a lot of the same commercials.And AT&T is sort of everywhere.They're always a big sponsor.So I'm seeing them all over the place.I know you're not a huge sports guy, Chris,but did you watch a single March Madness game even accidentally?Accidentally, I've, like in the gym, I've seen them on the TVs.But in my own home, I have put on zero minutes.
05:57And it's not because I'm not interested.I did March Madness when I was younger.Now, like you mentioned, I had no knowledge.I just random.Yeah, you're probably one winning the bracket challenges too, probably.I wish.I wasn't that lucky.But it was my way of getting into it with my college buddies with jump in and play.
06:19I'd love to see the improductivity meter.How much, how unproduct, unpredictivity or whatever, how you're,you say that unproductive meter for American workers last Thursday and Friday.They said it was going to be $17 billion worth over the whole tournament.So I wonder if we're on target for that.Hopefully you were massively unproductive last Thursday or you learned to multitask.Keep an eye on the games and still write that report.I was doing a little bit of both, especially on Friday.
06:54It was actually here on a call with Kai and Sawyer.at my house, like trying to get some stuff done.They're trying to keep my attention while I'm like half a guy.Clemson was playing.I'm like, could you repeat that?I just watched Clemson miss a shot.What?What just happened?
07:07And they think I'm yelling at them.When it was.Clemson, my boys are going, did you see that, dad?I'm like, yeah, I saw it.Wait, what are we talking about?Yeah.So I was part.I was doing both multitasking.
07:20It is reality.So hopefully your brackets aren't busted.And if they are, then just sit back and enjoy.the games for what they are.You can still get into little draft kings.Get a little side bets going.A little side action.Or our friends at ESPN bet.
07:38I think they're doing all right.They're pretty wearing now too.First article today comes for us from Marketing Dive,regular on our articles list.Google loses in local search to Instagram, TikTok,and others amongst Gen Z for searchfunctionality and where people are going to search.Insights into how Google remains popular for local search among older generations,
08:04while Instagram and TikTok are preferred among Gen Z,showcasing shifting brand preferences among different age groups.The recent findings from SOCI nod to what many have long suspectedthat Google's dominance in search may be under threat.The search remained the company's largest segment in Q4,The latest findings echo of the reports, including leaked internal research from Google,indicating that Gen Z users are increasingly looking to social for search.Not surprising, but telling nonetheless.
08:44So essentially, in layman's terms, and I think most people get this what we're talking about,like when people go to look for, I don't know, McDonald's menu, something near me,or information to look up that they would traditionally have used Google search,a lot of the Gen Ziers are using social media, i.e., Instagram, and TikTok, quite a bit.Do you, are you using social for search, Chris?I were talking about it.I do now more for local stuff, like food, like restaurants, especially if I'm going to a spot I've never been to.And I want to check, like, the vibe or like what the dress code is,
09:25what people are wearing.And I think people used to do this with Facebook more.Yeah.Like local stuff.Yeah.For businesses, local businesses, I'm about 50-50.Yep.Now.
09:40It's both a behavioral thing.It's interesting.And obviously for a business, Google makes, let's just say a lot of money.From, they made $48 billion in search last year.Search ads, a billion.The big ones.that's a lot of damn money.And so you've got the infrastructure and you have people and expenses and cost,
10:05a ladder back up to what it takes to run that.And so it's a big deal when user behavior starts changingbecause those Gen Zers get older and they have legacy habits that carrypotentially generations come and go.and or amount of use, thus driving the ad traffic and the volume of people using these serviceswhich command the dollars from ads.It's a big deal when these trends are happening.So Google is probably quite aware and not pleased with this because they've been unable to crack the social code.
10:49As we all know, the Google Plus, all the other things they've tried to do to get into socialgame have crashed and burned in a lot of cases.And so with social behavior driving search for these younger audiences,this is something that it's going to be interesting to watch how this plays out.And it's interesting to note, like you said, search has always been more of a text thing.I get the text to describe what I'm looking for.And what you just described was the need for visual reinforcement.Okay, I want to see the place.
11:30I want to see the food.I want to make sure I'm dressing the right way.So the visual nature of search changing is also a fascinating part of this.And I think it's more authentic.I'm not looking at restaurant approved photography, right?I'm looking at individual people like Yelp in a way, right?Organic.Leaving their reviews.
11:51Yeah, exactly.So it feels more credible and it's part of their own user behavior.And that's an interesting note there, the authenticity and credibility.That's something I'd want to.If in fact that is a common refrain and consumers are starting to doubt or question the trust of the search,that's a real damn scary, slippery slope because that's,That's a whole other issue.If you're thinking it's too guided and not authentic and organic, that's even another big insight to think about.
12:33And so, okay, we're all about value here.Learning lesson, if you're a business, you need to be using social SEO in how your product,services, and everything that you do so that you show up in these search results.You need to leverage influencers that can help you with that,that have a bigger following that can also help you with those search resultsby them having keywords and your brand mentioned in their posts.Because if you're a local business and you sell a lot to this segment,you need to be there and you need to be findable.
13:11And I don't think that the vast majority of businessesare leaning into this enough.And it's probably going to be at their own perilbecause you're going to have the ones that are going to be ahead of you.And it's great.We can say we want the organic content to rise above.But if you're a brand,do you want to at least help steer the conversation
13:40towards what you really offer,what you stand for, what you do?The answer is yes.So you need to be a.this game. And that's where it seems so self-serving when I own an adage marketing digital aditagesradical. Call us if you need us. Shamedless plug. But in all seriousness, you need to continue to dosocial. You need to us. And sometimes I think brands and people, I'm not talking about Nike's.I'm talking to like medium, small to me in businesses. Do we really need to be doing that?
14:10Is this just what's the point? Let's check the box. This is consumer behavior. These aretactics that people are doing to go look for something that they want to buy.And that's always been the power of searches.You have hand raisers.I am looking for a cheeseburger, the best one in Miami.I'm hungry right now.I want to buy.I want to give you money.
14:34I'm raising my hand.And I'm with my search behavior.That's called intent.That's called triggers that you need to know.And so that's the power here.So when you're bemoaning that post you've got to create or checking a box with some shitty video that does nothing, think about it through the lens of commerce and the fact that these consumers are buying and searching it in these locations on these channels.A lot to think about and a lot for Google to get their shit together.I don't know.
15:16I don't know how you're going to.I don't know how they turn the title on this one.They don't have a app.They don't have a platform.It's cater to that.No.And I don't know if Gemini is going to get it done.It might have.
15:30Oh, Gemini.I just want to find a way to work that in every episode.Jim and I'm down for it.The AI for Google.Next, coming to us from eMarketer.com, if you're not a e-marketer, you're not amarketer.Amazon poaches Mr. Beast to generate a hit for Prime Video.Interesting.
15:57Amazon signed a deal with James Donaldson, also known as Mr. Bees.It sounds weird saying his real name.I like Mr. Bees better to produce a reality competition series for Prime Video.The company announced Tuesday the show will be titled Beast Games and feature ourover 1,000 contestants competing for a $5 million prize.Big prize.Mr. Brze, excuse me.Mr. Beast's name is synonymous with YouTube.
16:30He has the second most subscribed to channel on YouTube and has leveraged his audience to launch several CPG businesses.He frequently produces reality competition-styled videos like the one styled after Squid Game with cash prizes.This is interesting.Have you watched many Mr. Beast videos?Like 10.Yeah.I mean, you've seen, have you seen friends, the stick.Put them on.
16:57What is it called?Mr. Beas.Like, I'm saying the stick.Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.The premise of, you know, he does these ridiculous challenges and with all his friends.It's interesting.It reminds me of game shows.Yeah.
17:08From the 90s, just YouTube version.Yeah.Yeah.He's obviously got a formula for what keeps people watching.They can't, you know, you put, he gets his friends.and they all have to put their hand on a car.And if they take their hand off, they lose.They keep it on.
17:23They win the car.So it's compelling.It makes you want to watch.It's like,Oh, the car is a bright green Lamborghini.Yeah.There's,yeah.
17:31It's a formula, but it works.And so they're bringing a similar type thing,Beast games.Smart.Yeah.He's killing it.Yeah.So Amazon.
17:44On for old James Donaldson.JD.I'm going to start calling that from now on.I like Mr. Beats better.I'm just going to see how many people know his real name.But it doesn't matter if they know his real name.All they need to know is bank account and it's big.You're making moves, man.
18:04He's done a lot.He has.He seems like a good guy.He is.He seems like it.I don't know.I've never gotten a sentiment that felt other than just being a little goofy.The whole, all of us are little goofy to me.
18:16Yeah.Not because I'm judging.Who might have to judge?He's killing it.But obviously has a target market.Yeah.And my eight-year-old, what's interesting is my eight-year-old watches it all the time.But my 12- and 13-year-olds don't watch it anymore.
18:30It's so, I don't know if that's telling of all kids or if it's just my household,which is interesting, how young excuse.But Amazon picking up the opportunity to sign with, hey, borrowed it.interest here. That's what they're doing.That's what, hey, we talk about some of these principles.That's what Amazon's doing.You got someone that's already got all this cred,all you're doing these things on social media.
18:56How do they borrow interest, how they leverage that nameinto more eyeballs, more viewers for what they're doing.So, smart move by them.Hopefully the production is good.It'll be interesting how it compares to his YouTube stuff in a more,I have to think, I don't know,not that he doesn't have the money now.he does, but maybe more produced, higher produced.
19:19It would be interesting if it translates, and this is interesting.Sometimes higher production value doesn't always make it better.True.We'll see.And if you want to learn from me directly, join my newsletter.Ryanofford.com backslash newsletter.Sign up.I give daily advice on marketing, personal branding, podcasting, life.
19:40Give that a shout.Join that.It's free.It's daily.Just like this show, give away our best advice.Snap. This comes to us from social media today.com.Snap launches sponsored AR filters as a new ad option.Snapchat's launching filters as an ad option with brands now able to sponsor AR filters in the app,
19:59which users can then add to their post.The appeal of this, that it will take less effort to enact a sponsored filteris posed to a full AR experience with brands,able to upload existing assets and create filters from a variety of existing SNAP templates.You used Snapchat user?Used to be in college.I probably haven't used Snapchat in like really used it like 70 years.I like to see their user data because I don't, even the people that used to use it in my circles, I don't see them using it anymore.
20:35And I just see young kids.I think it's like this 15 to 20 year old thing.I don't know.Maybe older than that, some circles.Like my wife has it and it's weird.She'll like three times a week.her and her friends will send themeach other something on
20:52Snapchat. But it's not everyday and it's not all communication.So it's like this weirdholdover on just certainthings. AndI imagine that's a lot of itother than the core user base thatthey use it more. They want those messages
21:08disappear and let's just call aspade. This is, that's all this is, right?Yeah. I just don't wantto see Mama Dad. I don't want Mama Dad seeingthat I have sentwe'll keep it on the cleanlike birds to my friendslike they don't want to see that
21:23or video me cussing at the camerawhich most apps havethe disappearing option nowlike I don't know on WhatsAppyou can do a one time view photo orInstagramsowe'll see
21:37I'd love for people to DM me if they're usingSnapchat and they think this is worthwhile newsI almost hesitate to talk aboutI hate to say it butI almost didn't bring this article up because I'm like,Snapchat.I know I'm,look,
21:51I'm a 40-something year old man and I get it.Maybe I'm not like in the everyday target.And we talk about a lot,talked about a lot of Gen Z,a lot of other things with Google that's not just about the age group.I'm like,I don't know.There's a negative connotation now.
22:04If I ask someone for their Snapchat,say,eating wise,especially,it's not looked at at this point in my life.You think they look at it like,oh,why are you wanting to,
22:14you think we're going to do some dirty things,message you get to them?Oh, yeah, I know for a fact.They'll be like, don't ask me for my Snapchat.And if you do, like, it's a no.See?That's an insight.Grow up.
22:25So, okay.If I were to meet a girl and be like, what's your Snapchat?It should be like, you.Kai and saw your, is Snapchat a thing?Is it, do you all have, what Chris just said, is that true?That's true.It's looked at, like, why are you asking me for my Snapchat?Like, we're too old for that.
22:44Yeah, if you're 20, it's cool.Is it still highly popular?Not highly.Is it less popular than it was?Yes.Okay, yeah.We've got a couple 25-ish-year-olds in here.Definitely, okay.
23:01The one thing that we think it is?Okay.Yeah, yeah.For sending nudes.It's Carlos Phaed to Spade, bro.We've been dancing around it.Yes.All right.
23:11There we go.Confirmed.Moving on, marketing brew.com.I remember these guys.I hadn't seen them on our list in a while.This makes me want to have a beer.I'm just going to drink some marketing brew.Deep fakes are spreading, putting creator of brand safety at risk.
23:30Creator Michael Jan says she was on her honeymoonwhen she learned that her lightness was being usedto promote erectile dysfunction pills online.People had messaged me saying,Hey, I saw this ad.It didn't look like you,but it was you.It was me in my clothes in my bedroom, but I didn't do an ad there.
23:53Jan said the ad, which she briefly showed on her TikTok account,was a deep fake and depicted Jan's talking about her husband, Michael,and his issues with ED.The ad pulled visuals from a 33-minute video about her divorcethat she posted to YouTube a year ago,which she called by far the most personal thing I've ever shared.That along with the fact that the link in the ad directly,directed to content that she described as basically pornographic,
24:22made the experience all the more violating Jans told us.This shit's going to happen.Yeah.You know, I have these weird fan accounts that have been set up.You made it.Maybe they only have 20 followers.But the butt, let's just, but I do have these fan accounts that have popped up.That I'm like, what the hell is this?
24:40I'm just waiting for something that I didn't do to be misconstrued.And it's, but this stuff is going.going to happen.Like, it's, and it's scary.It's going to become too easy.Yeah.It's really going to erode trust because here's the issue.Yes, the issue is something like this, used her image and likeness, portrayed her in an ad.
25:05So she didn't get paid for it and she would not have approved the content.But the other side of this coin is you're going to see the, that's not.me, that's a deep fake when it is real.And so you're not going to know what to trust.When is someone telling the truth?When is it not?And so that's a dangerous place we get into,is to not know when any of it's real fake, lie, whatnot.
25:37Because if you want to kill cells and kill the ability of a platform to have value,then kill all the trust.I think everybody has a little bit of a, you know,slight eye with certain things now anyway.But when this goes too far,then you just don't even know what the hell to believe.And that's not a good place to be.I think that's unfortunately where we've gotten
26:03with some of the government stuff.Is it that true?Not true.Are you telling this truth or you're not telling this truth?Like, what part of what you just said is truth and not truth?What percentage can I believe?Chris, you had any defects on you yet?No, but I think about it.
26:26I think just, I'm concerned 10 years down the line.Someone can put up a video of you saying whatever they type in that keyboardand it'll look like you in that.That definitely is frightening.And like you said more on an international global scale of these world leaders,that's what is scary.Yeah.And I think that,
26:47hopefully the technology can catch up to where it can, I don't know,predict or spit out what's real, what's not real.I don't know.There's some code behind the video or something that can tell if it's like fabricatedor generated versus created, like the delineation, like this is true creation versusgeneration, generated like by computer.Maybe that's like the classification.And I read this article, like it was about, we're at the 25 year anniversary of the Matrix, the movies.
27:28And what's interesting, it was talking about the character that had, they were all aware, they had become aware that they were part of this.But the character that wanted to get back in, like he, he didn't want to live in the real world because I was,bad it was. We want to go back in the matrix.We wanted to live, hey,I'll help you find Neoand all these guys if you put me backin the Matrix.And it made me think like
27:54people want to live in this fake worldor this thing, like in their own comfortzone. Yeah.It's a fascinating.You've talked about that a little bit with the ApplevisionPro kind of same type thing.Are we going to have people just choosingthis alternate reality
28:11fake worlds.And I think we already have,we do have people that are choosing that.Yeah.The gaming and all that.So we'll see where it goes, but I thinkthe biggest thing is just be aware.Check your sources.
28:29Check them again.You see some government officials saying some weird shit.You might,maybe this is a deep fake.Exactly.Also from us from Marketing Brew,Women's Final Four in Championship March Madnessinventory is all.
28:43all sold out. Women's games never been more popular. They sold out all the inventory. I did watchpart of the women's game. I'm going to whiff on her name, but she plays for Iowa. Really goodfemale player. He'll be the number one draft. The girl can hit it from like half course. She's likeSteph Curry as far as a way she can shoot. And I'm feeling bad that I'm whiffing on her name,but in the absence of going and searching for it at the moment, you guys probably all knowwho you're all saying it in your name you're saying it and cursing me right now how can you not rememberanyway it the game has gotten a little quicker a little faster a lot more i don't know dramaand interesting and i think it's good especially for like the audience is out there look you got
29:27a lot of girls growing up wanting to be influenced by the players and i think it's good that thefemale individual stars are starting to shine and have more opportunities to leverage and theydefinitely have on social. I see a lot of them like influencers and stuff that are these basketballplayers, Reese, who plays at LSU. And I think it goes to show you that the numbers, theviewership numbers are obviously aligning because they're selling out all this ad inventory.And I think it goes back to what it is, and we've talked about this, live sports is juststill drives like people's interest. You've got all the streaming stuff and all these shows,It's a lot of garbage movies out, some good movies, but a lot of garbage.
30:12Yeah.The compelling nature of live sport drives interest.And so I think that's why you see the ads being swooped up and clearly the numbers are there.It says Google and Home Depot are among the new advertisers.So the tournament has 87 total advertisers with an almost even split between new and returning.seven new categories joined in as well, including bottled water and home insurance.So a lot of category increase and a lot of 50-50 split between new and existing.So be interesting how that plays out, how that split across television, digital, all the properties that are there for the tournament.
30:58Because you're seeing it's not just about TV anymore.You've got social channels.You've got social ads.You've got connected TV streaming the web presence,activations at the Final Four and in the stadium.So there's a lot of places and a lot of things.And in Greenville here where we're at, we do the studio,it had the SEC tournament, women's SEC tournament.
31:21And they said the economic impact was like several million dollars.So live sports, baby, still driving it.You know what?I'm still driving.That's my Mac Cox.that x2 oh yes electric peddler street bike city cruiser right offered approved double battery i'm telling you 90mile range i don't know that i'm able to even get that in chris i could barely get the battery barto even break like it's become almost a joke like i want to ride it long enough to get the first bar down
31:59and it's 30 minutes later it's still there it has even lost a bar so it'sThe battery is incredible.It's the ultimate performance bike.He's got those fat tires.My brother-in-law came over.Tyler, he got on it.He's like, whoa, saying he's got some power.I'm like, shit, yeah, it's got some power.
32:20Ball's Hogg.That's what I named mine.My X-2 has a name.Balls Hogg.It looks like a little moped, motorcycle type thing.and but it goes up to 28 miles an hour.It's got that big comfortable seat.And the good part is Ryan offered $150 off the X2 or Ryan offered $100, $100 off the X1.
32:44I'm telling you to get you on.They're fun, man.It's great.It's just fun to ride.That's all I'll just say.I start pedaling because I think I'm going to, I have every intent to want to pedal.But you got that throttle right there.It's pulling at me like, all right, let's get the scooter going and get the
33:01power and the need for speed the need for not sweating and uh i joke but it's a lot of fun to ridethat's all i'll say get your fun on in macfoxbikes dot com tell them i sent you ask them somequestions got a lot of f aqs got a good youtube channel you can learn all about it again ryanoffered 150 on that x2 that's what you want you want that x2 don't fuck with that x1 not becauseit's not a nice bike i'm just telling you get just stuffStep up. You want the dual battery. You want to go all in. Lean in. Lean in. That X2.150 off. Ryan offered 150. You'll thank me for it. Any final words today, my friend.Good luck in your brackets, boys. Good luck on your brackets for sure. We appreciate everyone for making us number one on Apple podcast, wherever you are. However you are, whenever you are, whenever you.
34:01you're listening. We appreciate you. You can find Chris and I on Instagram, Chris Brobie Hansenand at Ryan Alford. And of course, Ryan isright.com. We'll see you next time. I'm right about now.This has been right about now with Ryan Alford, a radcast network production.Visit Ryanisright.com for full audio and video versions of the show or to inquire aboutsponsorship opportunities. Thanks for listening. Some things are hard to commit to,like learning how to surf.or saving for a family vacation.But one commitment that's easy?
34:42Switching to Fios Home Internet with a five-year price lock guarantee.That means five great summers, a fast, reliable Internet, at the same low price.All with the Fios 1-G Internet plan.Plus no hidden fees or equipment charges.Call 1833 Verizon to switch today.Price guarantee applies to base monthly rate only for new and existing my home customers.
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