Weekly Digital Roundup (7.29.13)

The stories this week serve as testament to the variety of uses for social media, be they for engagement or publicity, a business or royal baby. The average news feed tends to suffer from a bad case of clutter, but these brands are finding ways to differentiate themselves. Without further ado, here’s what we found to be the biggest news, so you may comfortably remain snuggled under a rock.

Another Twitter Hack, or Was It?

Either Chipotle has no idea how to use Twitter, or they are social media masters. Last week, the brand staged a fake Twitter hack for its 20th anniversary by tweeting a confusing recipe for guacamole. The publicity hoax sparked many conversations, retweets, and follows!

Cars Gettin’ Creative

Lexus created an incredible stop-motion composed of Instagram users' photos to promote its new Lexus 2014 IS. Inviting 212 of its closest fans out for the day to help shoot this video, the brand gave them full control over the picking and editing of their shots. For the finished product, the film crew stitched it all together into a marketing masterpiece that you've just got to see for yourself.

A Royal Introduction

What better way to announce the birth of the royal baby, George Alexander Louis, than on Twitter? The Clarence House, home of William and Kate, leveraged the power of social media to keep the public updated on all things #royalbaby, while taking proactive steps toward staving off paparazzi. Smart move.

Gamification Keeps ‘em Coming Back

We found a great read about how gamification can help drive brand advocacy and loyalty through the web. It’s not about gimmickry, but rather inspiring loyalty and building a community around your brand. Besides, who doesn’t like a good game?

More Sponsored Content on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is officially launching sponsored content to be displayed in user feeds on desktop and mobile. Company pages now have the option of purchasing sponsored content, pushing LinkedIn forward in becoming a staple destination for consuming business news. Read up on it here.

NSFW? No Problem

Twitter will now give you a heads up when adult content appears in your newsfeed. A recent update censors explicit content for users before they’re able to view the tweet. But then again, if you’re partial to a little dirt in your day, the settings are adjustable.

Thanks for checking in! Hope you're inspired to break the social media mold.