Reddit launches dynamic product ads
Reddit has officially launched Dynamic Product Ads (DPA) following a successful test last year.
This ad solution is designed to seamlessly integrate e-commerce promotions within Reddit’s community, targeting users during both their product discovery and decision-making processes.
Reddit is proven to be important as a sales driving platform. A survey by the company found that 85% of Reddit users use the platform in the consideration phase of their shopping journey.
There are multiple reasons for this.
- Real-time updates: instantly pulls product info from a business website.
- Flexible formats: supports carousels, reels and static images.
- Smarter targeting: combines prospecting (new users) and retargeting (past visitors).
- Proven ROI: brands using DPAs saw a 50% higher return on ad spend vs standard campaigns.
To further streamline the advertising process, Reddit has integrated with Smartly, a leading multi-channel advertising platform. This allows advertisers to create, launch and measure Reddit campaigns alongside other digital marketing efforts.
Is TikTok dictating our supermarket aisles?
TikTok continues to flip the script on consumer demand – matcha lattes and Dubai chocolate are the latest ‘gold dust’ items flying off supermarket shelves.
Sainsbury’s now has a dedicated Perfect Tea matcha section – proof that online trends are now shaping real-world aisles. Meanwhile, Waitrose launched its own version of the Dubai chocolate in March 2025, limiting customers to two bars each.
Zoe Simons a brand development chef at Waitrose, told The Guardian: “Before, we relied on what was popular at restaurants or we had to wait months for data to come through. Now, because of TikTok and Instagram, our accuracy is so much better.”
Supermarkets are stepping up their tech game. AI tools now scan social media chatter, online recipes and reviews to fast-track product development – what used to take months can now hit shelves in weeks.
We’re entering an era where supermarket innovation is being driven by rapidly changing trending hashtag cultures, not corporate calendars.
Read more here.
WhatsApp reassures its users’ privacy concerns
WhatsApp has tapped directly into its users’ top concern, privacy, with the launch of its largest-ever global privacy campaign,“Not Even WhatsApp.”
The message? End-to-end encryption means not even WhatsApp can access your messages, and they want the world to know it.
This bold move follows rising concerns over data, including Elon Musk’s claim last year that the app “exports your data every night.” WhatsApp was quick to shut that down, reinforcing its commitment to user privacy.
While the campaign is a powerful trust play, it also surfaces a bigger conversation: how do tech giants balance privacy with the growing need for content regulation across social platforms?
Instagram rolls out new features to DMs
Instagram have launched new features to its DM interface.
Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s chief, recently said “way more photos and videos are shared into DMs” than to any other element of the app, showing a shift in user behaviour.
New features that are being implemented to DMs are:
- Voice message transcription: voice notes can now be transcribed automatically, allowing users to read messages when listening isn’t convenient.
- Longer voice messages: the time limit for voice DMs has been extended from one minute to five, enabling more detailed conversations.
- “Follow All” in group chats: a new one-tap “Follow All” button makes it easier to connect with everyone in a group chat instantly.
These updates reinforce Instagram’s commitment to making DMs a central part of the user experience, moving beyond feed content and leaning into private real-time interaction.
Read more here.
Why viral trends need stricter oversight
As platforms become more influential than ever, the line between entertainment and potential harm is increasingly blurring.
With challenges like the TikTok “blackout challenge” making headlines for all the wrong reasons, the responsibility of both platforms’ and content creators’ ethics are coming under sharper scrutiny.
On Monday, a 19-year-old boy from New Zealand died after taking part in a game made popular on social media which involves two people running at each other while wearing no protective equipment.
This isn’t the first incident and won’t be the last if TikTok’s content regulations remain unchanged.
Read more here and here.