Welcome back to our Weekly Social Media Bites! It's a brand new week and we have the latest snippets of what's happening in the social media sphere and adland below.
Social
Canva's Affinity Goes Pro For Free, Offering Creatives A New Alternative
Canva has launched the all-new Affinity, a free professional design suite that combines photo editing, vector design, and layout tools in one seamless platform. Built for speed, precision, and flexibility, it lets users personalise workspaces, share custom studios, and manage large projects in real time. Integrated Canva AI tools, like generative fill, expand, and background removal, streamline workflows while preserving creative control. Positioned as a high-performance alternative to Adobe and web-based editors, Affinity marks Canva’s push to offer studio-grade tools without cost or workflow barriers.
TikTok Adds New Generative AI Creation Options
TikTok is expanding its in-app generative AI tools, adding image-to-video, text-to-video, and AI-powered video transitions directly in the composer. These join existing AI features like translations, captions, AI selfies, custom avatars, and “Smart Split” for cutting long videos into clips. While these tools make content creation easier and more creative, there’s a risk of overwhelming users with low-quality AI content. Still, for those with strong ideas and prompt-writing skills, the new options offer fresh ways to enhance and expand TikTok presence.
YouTube Adds Paid Versus Organic Metrics, AI First Draft Assistance
YouTube has rolled out several new features, including paid vs. organic metric splits, an AI “Edit with AI” tool to draft videos, and expanded voiceover options like Hindi. The platform is also enhancing its “Ask Studio” AI for creator support and introducing “Super Resolution” to upscale older videos to HD for better TV viewing, with an opt-out available. Additional updates include gifts and jewels in Taiwan, images for Community Posts on Android, and vertical layouts for live streams, giving creators more ways to analyse, edit, and present their content.
Inspiration
A Sunbed and a Pool Umbrella Wander Through Fort Canning Park in METT Singapore Campaign
METT Singapore’s launch was supported by a playful campaign film featuring a sunbed and pool umbrella exploring the hotel and Singapore, including dining at L’Amo Bistrò del Mare. The campaign extended to Instagram, showing the characters moving through popular city spots from Tiong Bahru to Lau Pa Sat. To capture authenticity, custom-built motorised chassis were created for the sunbed and umbrella, operated via remote controls, highlighting the campaign’s creativity and memorable approach.
Netflix rewinds time with 80s-style Stranger Things cassette ahead of final season
Netflix Thailand launched a nostalgic “Stranger Things recap cassette” campaign retelling all four seasons through immersive 1980s-inspired audio, including tape crackle, walkie-talkie chatter, and synths. Part of Netflix’s global “One Last Adventure” fan celebration, the campaign includes local activations across Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Tokyo, featuring themed sets, photo opportunities, retro activities, and special screenings to farewell the series.
Reuters uses AI to purify news in latest campaign
Reuters launched the “Pure news, straight from the source” campaign to highlight the importance of accurate, agenda-free journalism amid rising misinformation. Using water as a metaphor for distorted information, a short film blends generative AI with authentic Reuters footage to show the contrast between false visuals and verified reporting. Developed by Gravity Road with director Ivan Bird, the campaign reinforces Reuters’ commitment to independence, transparency, and trust in today’s media landscape.
We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we do!
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