PARTNERSHIPS | COMMUNITY | PODCAST | FRIENDS
Zoom Taps Journalist To Tell Its Story
New brand perspective // Image by Kait Cunnif with DALL-E
Zoom inked a partnership with Smart Girl Dumb Questions podcaster and independent journalist Nayeema Raza to help reshape the company’s marketing strategy.
Why It Hits: More and more companies are relying on link-ups with creators, podcasters, and other influencers to boost their street cred and build stronger relationships with younger generations. The hope is that these influential personalities will, by association, make the brand seem cooler and more in touch. Time will tell if the strategy pays off.
Behind The Screen: Raza has made a career out of asking leaders across business, science, and culture tough questions. Now, she’ll do the same over Zoom.
She’ll launch a new interview series in collaboration with the company that focuses on “solopreneurs” — people who own and operate their own businesses.
She’ll also host a six-part miniseries of her flagship program exploring “how technology is reshaping work and leadership,” per Variety.
She’ll also take part in Zoom’s annual user conference, Zoomtopia, where she’ll present content on stage.
Meeting Notes: News and opinion media has become a key sector where companies are partnering with creators. OpenAI acquired Silicon Valley favorite TPN earlier this year, while VC firm Andreessen Horowitz launched its own outlet, Monitoring the Situation. That’s because c-suites are realizing that influencers are doing what traditional comms teams struggle to do online every day — telling a company’s story in a way that’s authentic and engaging.
But doing that without seeming like you’re buying an opinion is a whole new kind of quandary that requires companies to give storytellers much more leeway than they traditionally would a typical ad agency. Zoom said that Raza will have the freedom to tell the stories she wants.
It’s a leap of faith.
The Future: Soon, every company may have a “creator-in-residence.”
Together with Kalshi
Don’t Lose Out On The Next World Cup
Everyone likes to say, “I knew it,” after the final whistle blows.
But Kalshi rewarded those brave enough to make the call before the big game ended on Sunday. The championship game became the largest trading event in prediction market history.
Almost $1.9 billion was traded on the tournament winner market alone.
Those who predicted Spain would win were paid out 1.65x of their investment.
The World Cup may be over, but Kalshi gives you front-row access to a host of trades across sports, culture, politics, and much more.
Don’t get caught missing the right call next time around.
Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited, polled, and copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.