Gary Vaynerchuk's Blog, page 19

How Sports Cards Can Make Watching Sports Better

Gary has been ahead of the curve on a few trends. Most recently, he’s foreseen the explosion of popularity of  sports cards. The team sat down with Gary to ask him three questions about what this phenomenon means for fans of spectator sports.

Team Vee: What’s the biggest reason that sports cards are exploding in popularity now?

"I think one of the single biggest reasons that sports cards are exploding, and are about to really explode,  is because daily sports betting and daily fantasy [leagues] is a culture that’s really established [itself]  over [the past] 15…
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Gary Vaynerchuk: I think one of the single biggest reasons that sports cards are exploding, and are about to really explode,  is because daily sports betting and daily fantasy [leagues] is a culture that’s really established [itself]  over [the past] 15 years…if you look at fantasy sports and you look at DraftKings [and others].

Team Vee: Is collecting sports cards a wiser financial decision than, say, betting on the game itself?  

Gary:  I think that sports cards are a more financially sound way to enjoy a game that you don’t care about.  The downside of betting on a player who gets hurt or doesn’t perform [as well as you hope]  might be something like minus 20 to 60 percent, versus maybe 100 percent loss on the gambling game.  [To my point],  being right about Lamar Jackson last year and betting on the Ravens a lot…you might have done well for a couple of weeks before everyone else figured it out and the lines moved.  

Team Vee: Can you expand on that? 

Gary: The lines are built to be 50/50 at some level or even just more for the house right? But you being right about Lemar Jackson could have returned 20 times your money and so, I think,  that over the next three years people are going to get more educated that sports cards are a more financially sound way to get enjoyment out of games and I think you’ll see a lot of gamblers and causal gamblers switch to that behavior.

Team Vee: How would, or how has, sports card collecting changed the way you view spectator sports?

Gary: [Well],  I don’t care about the Chicago White Sox but if I–and I haven’t–[bought] 20 Eloy Jiménez rookie cards, I would watch White Sox games every day this summer. Or, at least, check in on the box score. 

For more on Gary’s thoughts on sports cards, check out these sources:

9 Factors To Consider Before Investing In Sports Cards

Sports Cards’ Value Will Explode

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Instagram Reels vs. TikTok: 13 Things You Need To Know

Facebook is preparing to launch its very own competitor to TikTok, Instagram Reels. Using the popular photo sharing platform as a testing field, Instagram Reels will have several, nearly identical, features that mirror TikTok’s; the Chinese based newcomer. It comes as no surprise that Facebook would attempt to replicate TikTok’s features and use Instagram for its initial rollout. So here are 13 things you need to know as the global rollout takes shape.

1. What Are Instagram Reels? 

Reels is a feature of Instagram. They will join the variety of options available when a user creates a story. You can find the feature by clicking on the camera at the left of your Instagram home page, then swiping right. Reels will have a short format limit of 15 seconds. Within that 15 seconds, users may edit their Reel by adding music (or original recording), changing the speed of their video, and/or adding filters (i.e. AR effects).  

Once a user finishes recording, they can add a thumbnail from their camera roll or edit the default thumbnail taken from their video. Similar to TikTok, a user can start and stop recording at their own pace. Reels are meant to encourage creativity with users comfortable with short-form video platforms. “The community in our test countries has shown so much creativity in short-form video,” according to Facebook, “and we’ve heard from creators and people around the world that they’re eager to get started as well.” Reels will  add to the large array of already established features that influences a user’s experience in the same manner of Instagram Stories, Instagram Posts, and Instagram Live videos.

2. When Will My Country Get Instagram Reels?

Instagram selected India to receive the feature, in beta, in early July of this year. This comes after the Indian government banned new user downloads of TikTok (and 58 other mobile applications) amidst rising tensions with the Chinese government. The ban left a vacuum for companies that wanted to capitalize on the creativity of short-form content creators. 

Similarly, in the United States, tensions between the US and China have risen. The U.S. administration has yet to make a decision as to whether TikTok bears a threat to national security and, therefore, should be banned. 

The U.S. is set to receive the Reels feature in early August. Instagram users in France, Brazil, and Germany already have it, while Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom join the US on a list of roughly 50 countries set to receive the feature in August.

3. How Do I Create A Reels Video?

The nature of Reels is very similar to that of TikTok and Snapchat, and this is not lost on Facebook’s leadership. Users familiar with making content on either platform might have little to no learning curve as the recording/editing function of Reels closely mirrors TikTok’s. Plus Snapchat has updated their own platform to  support similar short-form video content as well. 

“TikTok specifically has harnessed real consumer behavior, and done amazing things,” Facebook told Business Insider, “We’ve also seen the rise of short-form video on Instagram, and think we can create something in a way that makes sense for our community … this responsiveness to consumer demand is competition at work and one of the longtime hallmarks of the tech sector. It increases choice, which is good for people.” 

4. Where Can I Find An Individual User’s Reels?

If a user wants to find content from a specific creator, they can do so by going to that creator’s page and clicking on the Reels tab — similar to the way a user could find an IGTV video. 

5. What Will Reels Videos Look Like?

Instagram Reels will look similar to TikTok videos, save for one or two differences. Aesthetically, the logo is more muted and mature. A creator’s Reel collection will look similar to TikTok’s profile page for its users. The number of video views will be showcased in the left side corner. 

At the bottom left of a Reel, a user can like, comment, and/or share the video with other users on Instagram. At the bottom right, a user can see how many likes and comments the reel has already received. 

6. How Will I Know Which Instagram Videos Are Reels?

All Reels will be watermarked to differentiate between which posts are videos, live recordings or Reels. This ensures security for content creators and helps users navigate through this new feature. When scrolling through a feed or explorer page, the Reels icon appears as a small clapperboard in the left side corner. 

7. What Are The Differences Between Reels and TikToks?

There are some notable differences between Instagram Reels and TikTok. 

The most obvious difference between the two is that Reels are limited to 15 seconds while TikTok’s limit is 1 minute. Second is music, there’s no official statement on the type of music and audio that will be allowed on the platform. Facebook has stated that it’s launching licensed music soon,  but it’s unknown if it will be comparable to TikTok’s and or included in the Reels feature. 

8. What Factors Are Influencing The Reels Rollout To The US?

Facebook has been testing Instagram Reels in non-US markets, but the timing of the US rollout could not be more in their favor. 

TikTok is at risk for US erasure due to its review as a potential threat to national security.  The U.S. Administration has stated they will make a decision as to whether or not they will ban TikTok in the coming weeks. 

9. Why Is Instagram Reels Is A Big Deal?

Although TikTok has only existed globally for two years, it has already become a cultural staple for Gen Z. TikTok has more than 2 billion downloads and it has all but solidified its place as a social media titan. It outperforms a number of US based apps that attract younger audiences — including Instagram. In late 2019, TikTok dominated in downloads, beating Instagram by over 238 million users. It was the only app within Sensor Tower’s top five that wasn’t owned by Facebook.

 Facebook has already made a power grab for TikTok’s audience in the past with the failure of Lasso, an app that only received 600,000 downloads in its entire existence.  

If Facebook can replicate the success of Instagram Stories with Instagram Reels, it will put a ton of pressure on TikTok to maintain its growth.  

10. Is Instagram Reels The Only TikTok Competitor Emerging? 

Snapchat, YouTube, and an abundance of smaller competitors are also throwing their hats in the ring. Snapchat, which has struggled to maintain its users, is implementing a new navigation style that is similar to the vertical motion TikTok users are familiar with as they scroll through content. Public stories are now compiled in an endless scroll that allows Snapchat users to engage in content they do not actively seek, allowing them to discover new creators. 

Youtube is testing a feature that allows mobile users to create short, 15-second clips as well. Although the feature is not yet public, we know the differences include: users can string multiple clips together and multiple clips can be posted to the platform as one video. The feature is separate from Youtube Stories.

There’s no official statement as to whether Youtube will also provide AR features or an audio library for its users.

Smaller companies such as Dubsmash, Triller and Byte are also drawing former TikTok users. Dubsmash and Triller have attracted dancers while younger members of Gen Z seem to prefer Byte. 

11.Why Is Now The Perfect Moment For Instagram Reels?

Tik Tok’s demographic is significantly changing. The platform’s usage by  8- to 23-year-olds (Gen Z) is declining while users aged 24 to 39 (Millennials) use is on the rise. If the 24 to 39 demographic, who already make up a significant portion of Instagram’s user base, take their short form content to Instagram, Instagram has a chance to make a serious impact on the short-form content arena. 

Instagram could be the leading social media platform for generations to come.

12. How Is  TikTok Responding? 

In spite of all this, Tik Tok has launched a new platform called “TikTok for Business”. The move seems to directly target Snapchat (which offers AR ads for businesses) and Facebook (which also allows users to run ads on their platform. To increase competition, the app is also providing a new e-learning center which aims to help marketers make the best use out of the “Tik Tok for Business” platform. 

Rather than a wholly new feature,  “Tik Tok For Business” organizes the app’s businesses offerings under one umbrella. 

At prices that are comparable to Facebook and Snapchat, it’s possible this will be the move to keep TikTok afloat. Users will ultimately decide if Instagram Reels will be the next Instagram Stories — or a flop like the ill-fated Lasso. 

Ultimately, it is content creators who make each platform what it is.
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13. Who Will Win The Battle For Creators?

Ultimately, it is content creators who make each platform what it is. YouTube has been able to maintain its dominance in the digital space for years, in part due to its Partner Program which allows creators to monetize their videos. It’s this program that pulled creators away from Vine and onto YouTube, where they could be paid for their creative work.

In the past, TikTok has functioned more like Instagram in terms of creator support. Content creators could upload sponsored videos or earn money during a live stream, but there was no ongoing monetization program. Rather than share in Vine’s fate (which shut down in 2017), TikTok created programs to incentivize creators to remain on its platform.

At the end of May, TikTok announced a Creative Learning Fund for teachers on the platform. The fund launched with $50 million dollars, but this pales in comparison to its Creator Fund. The TikTok Creator Fund has launched with $200 million dollars and is open to all creators over 18 years of age, regardless of profession or video content (provided that it aligns with TikTok’s community guidelines). The fund is set to launch this August in the US.

With this fund, TikTok creators that are accepted into the program will receive regular payments over the course of a year. The criteria for acceptance into the program has yet to be released nor have specifics such when this program will expand globally or how much a single creator can expect to earn. 
Facebook on the other hand has reportedly offered millions to lure creators from TikTok to Instagram, according to the Wall Street Journal.   Facebook has asked TikTok creators to post exclusively on Reels or to post their content on Reels first, offering to pay for video production with the caveat that that creators sign nondisclosure agreements to keep details of the deal confidential.

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The $1.8M Lebron James Card: What Does It Mean?

“This moment will not only move the market for rare cards upwards — it will build intrigue among people looking for alternative investments, happiness, and interests,” Gary Vaynerchuk.
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“Whether it’s slime or sneakers, whether it’s esports when Drake and Juju [Smith-Schuster]  join Ninja on Twitch, whether it’s DJ Khaled on a jet ski or Ashton Kutcher challenging CNN to get to a million Twitter followers — every emerging consumer “thing” needs micro and macro moments,” Gary Vaynerchuk explains referencing what the recent record $1.8-million sale of a LeBron James 2003-04 Exquisite Rookie Patch Autograph card means to alternative investing. 

LeBron himself is having a macro moment. He is one of the greatest basketball players of all time and arguably the greatest basketball player this generation (younger millennials and Gen Z) has ever seen. It begs the question how will they react once they get older, and their desire to relive their pasts grows as fast as their bank accounts?

“This sale of the LeBron James card hitting every news outlet (cnn, nbc, abc, cbs, fox) over the past few days is proof. It’s another building block on top of a trend I noticed two years ago. The impact matters. So many people have reached out to ask me: What does this mean?” 

What does it mean when a basketball card purchased for roughly $50,000 is flipped for $1.8 million?

Photo Via Twitter. @darrenrovell

It establishes a new standard for modern, rare cards, says Gary, investing — an opportunity he’s touted with regard to Lebron James rookie cards since April 2019. 

“This moment will not only move the market for rare cards upwards — it will build intrigue among people looking for alternative investments, happiness, and interests.” 

“It’s amazing how life can go full circle. Over the last two and a half years, ( six months of studying and two years of executing), I’ve enjoyed sports card collecting and flipping so much. Although I haven’t exactly flipped my cards because many of the cards I sold were at [the] National … I couldn’t explain how fruitful the last 30 months have been. 

At some point I think the [trading card] market is too early to transact. [Right now], I’m buying stuff forever — [I’m] not really speculating on quick, little things. [Rather], I’m going deep on all-time stuff and I’m just obsessed with basketball and I’m really into wrestling as well. I think wrestling cards have a big opportunity to bring a lot of people joy.

It’s just so fun. Think hard about what you did from 7 to 17 — whether it was music, knitting, or video games. [For me, it resurgered] because my little guy kinda got into the same stuff [I was into at that age] and that kind of dragged me back in. The timing was perfect because [during] the last five years the sports card market was getting hotter than it was in the past and now watching the market is just insanity. 

I really genuinely believe that [the momentum] hasn’t even [really] started because sports cards are my generation’s art. I’d much rather have a really cool Wilt Chamberlain rookie card than a Picasso or an old muscle car.”

“There are plenty of people on Wall Street, more than you would think, that have turned a $50,000 investment into a $1.8 million investment,” admits Gary, but he counters that people who like sports and sports cards might have more fun flipping a card than investing in Wall Street.  

Gary asserts that  sports cards are having a moment right now. A macro moment. The young entrepreneurs of today are pivoting to basketball cards in a monumental fashion. However, it should be noted that it takes time to learn this game and it takes years to win. Sports cards can be an incredible alternative investment but please don’t become delusional and believe this is guaranteed. Above all else, sports card trading should be fun. You love sports? Consider getting into the hobby. 

So many people don’t follow their passions, he says. Instead of letting people tell you you’re too old to collect basketball cards—do what makes you happy and see how far you go.

There are so many different ways to make money. People turn their hobbies into incredible money making opportunities every day. Alternative investments are great ways to lean into your skillset, you just might become the master in a domain you haven’t dominated since you were a kid if you re-educate yourself and do your research.

“So, anyway, debate your 7- to 17-year-old self [about] what you were into. For me it’s [always] been a side hustle. [Flipping is] something I enjoy but I’ve begun to think how I can go deeper. I stay up until 2am looking at eBay auctions trying to figure out what’s the angle? What’s underpriced, what’s going to be cooler, which player is going to be better, which player is underrated. What a joy.”

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9 factors to consider before buying sports cards

Sports cards are an extremely fluid marketplace that is clearly in a hot moment right now.

This was happening long before I started talking about it. It was brewing. When I went to the Cleveland National three summers ago, I went very quiet and just listened. It was very clear it was “happening.” 

And like every market, things go up and down.

So, if you think this is a “get rich quick” thing or that it’s super easy – or that you’re just going to buy what I tweet about or what other people tweet about and it’s going to be your retirement fund, you’re in for a rude awakening. 

First of all, this is a hobby – which means people should just be in it for the fun. But as a business, it is very volatile. It’s up and down. And it’s definitely something that you can lose a lot of money on if you’re not educated.

And I do think it’s a hobby that requires 50+ hours worth of studying the grading companies. For example, there are different elements to look at – buying raw and selling raw, buying raw and then getting it graded, which grading companies to buy, which grading companies are going to matter in 10 years vs which matter today, etc. 

Also, athletes get hurt. For example I was obsessed with Derrick Rose – I would have had hundreds of thousands of dollars put into Derrick Rose cards, and then he would’ve gotten hurt and never come back the same player. Things change. Players change, legacies change. Sometimes people forget about great players.

So there are a lot of vulnerable aspects to this business, but no question, the gambling aspects that the cards companies have manipulated by creating “limited edition”, the culture of buying and selling on the internet through eBay and StockX, the coolness factor, etc all make a difference. The fact that Giannis shared his own cards on an Instagram post, and that LeBron commented on a post about his card auction also make a big difference. 

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There’s a lot happening and there’s much you should know, and I’m not the expert of the things you should know, but I am obviously passionate about it. I used to be very “in it” and was an expert, and I’m definitely paying very close attention the last two, three years. 

Here are some factors I’m thinking about:

1. Raw vs Graded

For the record, I’m not somebody who buys a whole lot of raw because I don’t understand how to grade on the eye and don’t have a grading infrastructure. 

I’ve worked hard for 25 years to have the financial capability of spending time in graded cards more than raw. But 15, 20 year old me would have lived in raw. I would have known how to look at it and grade it. It’s where I would have made all my money, and it’s an incredible place when people have time and have more limited budgets. 

I also think buying raw and selling raw is a great opportunity as well in this market.

2. The Grading Company

Right now, it’s PSA, one; BGS, two; SGC, three. 

But that can change over time. 

I think the grading company is a really fascinating debate because I could see in 12 years from now, a different brand being number one, and then if you overpaid for PSA and you underpaid for SGC, it would make a difference. 

There could be innovation. Somebody could use technology to take the human element out in seven years, and create a grading company that you put the card through a machine. 

There might not even be a human involved in the grading process, and it could become a dominant player as a grading company. So, there’s a lot to the grading card thing. Right now it is the absolute currency of the industry on the premium end and may continue so for a while.

3. Emergence of older brands

It’s also important to understand the landscape of exclusive rights.

Right now, Panini has basketball and football; Topps has baseball. In six or seven years, that may change. For example, there are some “weirder” cards made by other companies like Nike. I think those are worth paying attention to. 

4. Player rankings

Whether it’s a list like this ESPN list that I’ve been focused on for basketball, or if it’s other lists that rank all-time best players, those do matter. If Ronald Acuña goes completely ballistic for the next seven years and is widely considered the best, or one of the five best baseball players of all time, that’s going to matter. It’s no different than the way it’s mattered for Mike Trout, Tom Brady, and LeBron James in their card value.

5. Player talent

What I love about sports cards is the challenge of seeing whether I’m right or wrong about a player. That’s super fun. 

Here’s one: I didn’t think Patrick Mahomes was going to be this good. I thought he was a gunslinger, that he was going to throw a lot of picks. And so for example, if I was hardcore into cards, when Mahomes rookie card came out, I would have bought none. That would have been a really, really, really, really bad idea. 

And at the same token, I was super right about Giannis and Luka.

So, your talent evaluation is a humongous variable. That’s why I like going with vintage, and players that are iconic and without much downside. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say it’s exciting to figure out which NBA rookie is the next big one. Is that Colby White? Is that Jaren Jackson? Is that Tyler Herro? Is that De’Aaron Fox? 

That’s a really fun part of the hobby and there’s a lot of money made and lost in it.

6. Player’s life off the field

This is a huge thing that I’ve been spending a ton of time thinking about. 

For example, Devin Booker dating Kylie Jenner: what does that mean to his cards? What does that mean to his clout? Dwyane Wade, Deion Sanders, and Shaq and Barkley being cultural figures now vs other athletes that “disappear” when they retire, like a Tim Duncan. What variable is that? What does that mean? I think there’s an underlining opportunity there. It’s something I’m still fleshing out.

7. The player’s team 

Major markets matter. When you win with the Yankees, the Lakers, or Celtics, it just matters. I do think that that’s something people should take into consideration. 

That also doesn’t mean you can’t excel as an individual athlete. I wouldn’t say the Anaheim Angels are the hottest team, but Mike Trout is “the guy.”

And so, Ja Morant is in Memphis, but I think if he ends up being who he looks like he might be, it’s going to work out, or he’ll sign his second contract in a big city.

8. The rookie card

One of the things I’ve been most fascinated about getting back into cards the last three years is that the “rookie card” changes.

When I was into cards, the Donruss rookie card was the rookie card, and now sometimes it’s the Upper Deck, or on and on. One of the things I spend a ton of time on right now is, is Prizm going to be the rookie card or is Optic going to be the rookie card? Or is the new Mosaic going to be the rookie card in 15 years? That led me to really look at weird cards that were made prior, like the Elvin Hayes Jack In The Box rookie card. Can that be the rookie card instead of the Topps?

Could the JMS Charles Barkley be the rookie card before the Fleer card? These are some of the things that I’m debating over the next 30 years. Can the rookie card change from one company to another, or some of the weird sets that were made prior to the rookie card? 

9. Overall market behavior

There will be a ton of money lost by people that read this article because they become “loose” – they go into gambling mode, they don’t do their homework, and they’ll lose.

You have to understand that macro markets go up and down, and please, please don’t become delusional that this is guaranteed. 

Spend some time educating yourself by looking at articles online, population reports, forums (like Blowout Cards), and just really thinking about this.

The world is getting smaller with FedEx, eBay, other platforms, and China is getting more and more serious about basketball. That demand market will be a huge factor. Soccer, basketball, and even wrestling really have huge upside in my opinion – but like I’ve said before, always look at the macro economy, as sports cards definitely aren’t a top need for most.

However, it’s stunning to see what is happening with cards – just Google : “sports card industry” and hit the “news” tab and read articles in the last 3-6 months.

It’s happening.

If you enjoyed this article, would mean a lot to me if you shared it on Twitter!

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Announcing UNICEF’s One Love One Heart TikTok Challenge

Big big announcement – I’m going live tonight (7/21) on TikTok at 8pm ET / 5pm PT!

VaynerMedia London has been working with UNICEF for this incredible #OneLoveOneHeart Challenge. I’ll be going live for an hour and chatting with some TikTok influencers and some of your favorite artists, like Bryce Xavier, Trevor Felt, Trevor Bell, Brook Bridges, Montana Tucker, Claudia, Nacho Nacif, and more!

We’ll be talking about the state of the union of that platform, social media as a whole, and some of the more important issues around what people are going through in these times and how we can help.

As some of you might remember, I hosted a similar TikTok livestream for  the #ALLINCHALLENGE, raising over $2 million for coronavirus relief efforts. This time, we’ll be raising money for UNICEF by letting anyone click the “donation” button on the TikTok live stream screen, and donate money.  Plus, Pandora will be matching donations up to $1M. 

Event details



Date and time: You can tune in tonight (7/21) at 8pm ET on my TikTok account.
Donation details: To donate, just hit the button that’ll appear on the screen during the livestream. Every donation will be matched by Pandora (the jewelry brand) up to $1 million.
Donation matching: All proceeds from the livestream will help UNICEF respond to the immediate needs by providing soap, masks, gloves, hygiene kits, protective equipment and life-saving information for children and families; support near term recovery efforts, including by supporting education, protection and healthcare systems. 



Another way to participate in the TikTok challenge

You can also take part in the challenge by making a TikTok using the song One Love. Here’s an example: 

@unicef

For the re-release of Bob Marley’s ##OneLoveOneHeart, reveal your One Love, nominate 5 friends, and donate $5 to help children affected by COVID19.

♬ original sound – unicef

Add the “donation” sticker on your post and pick “UNICEF” as your charity of choice. Keep it clean (like something your little cousin would watch) and tag at least 5 of your friends to participate too. If you can’t wait for the challenge and want to donate right now, click the link below.

Would mean a lot to me if you tuned in & shared this post – excited for tonight!! If you’re not able to attend the live stream you can donate here.

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What brands need to know about esports

As we navigate this new landscape of work and business post-corona, esports is one of the many industries that’s being heavily impacted. 

In my opinion, this is going to be a watershed moment for esports. 

Usage data on social platforms is exploding across the board – same for platforms like YouTube and Twitch. On top of that, a lot of parents are getting educated on esports during this time. As they’re sitting at home, some of them are paying attention to their 19-year-old’s favorite hobby, and some are even getting involved because they’re just getting tired. You can only watch so many movies online. You can only work so much. You can only watch the news so much. 

As usage numbers grow, more and more brands are considering the option of getting involved in the world of esports and what that would take. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Authenticity is required

When entering esports, brands need to have a strategy with Gen Z in mind. They need to understand that authenticity is required to even have a prayer. You try to come in with that corporate bullshit, you’re dead. 

That means being honest, and not trying to be something you’re not because people will see through that right away. Stay in your lane, and think about how you want to communicate to the people you’re trying to reach. Respect the community that you’re trying to be a part of, and figure out how to bring actual value to the community on their terms, not yours. 

Understand the landscape before jumping in

Before getting involved, take some time to understand the landscape and the players involved. Understanding the difference between the platforms, mixers, YouTubers, the Twitch streamers, and others. Understand the difference between leagues – Call of Duty, Overwatch, the teams, and individual players. 

It’s important to understand these pieces as you go through the process of putting together a macro strategy. 

For example, are you going to play with NFL stars? NBA? Which players will you align yourself with? That’s a huge part of thinking about what your strategy will be.

In the macro, I believe that all leagues and teams are in a great position to win in the Long term. In the micro, it’s about the economics. Currently, football is in a better position because they haven’t gotten to the point of losing their season. However, the NBA has such an amazing commissioner that he may innovate on a new format for games and tournaments that we all become captivated with. This is the time for innovation, and Adam Silver has proven to be a huge innovator, so I’m excited to see what happens on that front. 

Identify underpriced attention 

The last thing is to identify where the underpriced attention is. 

There are different channels you can leverage as you enter a new space build awareness around your brand. You’ve got to look at where attention sits, and the landscape of opportunities on those channels. 

When you think about the biggest social platforms today – Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc – there are a lot of different pages and players that own the attention on those platforms. There are meme pages, blogs, vlogs, instagram accounts, and more . For example, a superstar amateur player with 57,000 followers might be thrilled to get a $500 brand deal sponsorship. You could also consider content producers that produce vlogs or shows in the space.

I genuinely believe that too many people are wildly underestimating where esports is going and how big it’s really going to be. We’re already seeing explosive growth happen. 

I want to remind everybody who’s reading this that football and basketball were amateur sports before they became professional sports too. 

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11 New GaryVee Instagram AR Filters

I’m always testing new strategies and tactics to make sure that I’m really a practitioner in marketing in the year we’re living. The team and I try everything — from a billboard in Times Square to messages in fortune cookies. 

Creating Instagram AR filters is just another way for us to taste, so we commissioned these creators outside the team to see what they could do. Check them out below, and share your favorite one on your stories! 

1. Spread positivity

Created by Ron Sheth from Huumanize.

Click here to share on Instagram stories.

2. WeeklyVee Filter

Created by Ron Sheth from Huumanize.

Click here to share on Instagram stories.

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3. Tea With GaryVee Filter

Created by Aaron Veera.

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4. Baby Nut

Created by Roman Rolnik from Virtual Industries.

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5. Macho Man

Created by Roman Rolnik from Virtual Industries.

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6. Digital GaryVee

Created by Roman Rolnik from Virtual Industries.

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7. GVTV Filter

Created by Roman Rolnik from Virtual Industries.

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8. Mug Life

Created by Roman Rolnik from Virtual Industries.

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9. Gratitude Filter

Created by Roman Rolnik from Virtual Industries.

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10. Doing > Talking

Created by Ron Sheth from Huumanize.

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11. Rick Hat Filter

Created by Aaron Veera.

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The post 11 New GaryVee Instagram AR Filters appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.

How Brands Can Lean Into A Direct-to-Consumer Model

When I spent my 20s working in my family’s liquor store, I saw from the inside how the wine industry operates. 

There are a lot of layers in the wine world — wineries, distributors, retailers — people who handle the wine before it actually gets to you.

Which means, consumers end up paying more than they could. What’s unique about the wine industry is that because of the law changes when prohibition was repealed, there is an extra layer in each state of a distributor that doesn’t exist in many other consumer brands which adds to the cost of products on the shelf. 

On the flip side, I’ve been fascinated by what companies like Warby Parker have done with glasses, and what Lola has done in women’s personal care  — operating from a place of wanting to give the best value to the end consumer.

It’s why we started Empathy Wines – a direct-to-consumer (DTC) wine company that was recently acquired by Constellation Brands. 

In this article, I’ll talk about some of the things we learned, what I think we did well, and where we’re hoping to go in the future. Hopefully this brings value to other brands & businesses starting to lean into DTC. 

Why Direct-to-Consumer has become very important  

Adding a DTC model is more important for brands than ever – especially as we adapt to a world of COVID-19.

According to ShipCompliant, DTC shipments in March 2020 rose +18% on dollars vs. the year prior. March 2020 shipment levels were in the range of what would be typically sold during the typical highest selling months of October and November.

That was after people just started adapting their day to day lives to COVID. So imagine where I think this is really going. 

The world was moving towards direct-to-consumer anyway, COVID just accelerated it because people got forced into new behaviors. Now that people have had a taste, it’s going to be very hard to “wean them off” of the convenience, price power, and enjoyment of e-commerce buying. It doesn’t mean that people aren’t going to go to stores anymore (that would really upset my dad ;)), it just means that a lot of consumers have added e-commerce into the mix or that e-commerce is now a bigger percentage of their overall activity. 

This isn’t something that just lasted for a few weeks – we’ve been in this new mode for months. People’s behaviors have changed, and it’s important for brands to adapt. 

For example, with Empathy Wines, we are overdelivering massively on the $20 price point that we position the wine in. 

To build a DTC brand, creating an authentic story is key

Like everything else, Empathy Wines was built as a brand. What was cool is that it really was a true, authentic execution. I talked about how the brand that was best for the farmer and best for the consumer would always win – which is what we did.

We built it with a consumer-first focus, and let the consumer impact the strategy. Empathy had a mission of delivering great $20 wine to people, and it had a mission of putting the farmers front and center by putting them on the back of the label. We story told around them with the hope that it would build their brands and their farms to allow them to sell grapes for higher prices. 

We used our marketing platform to build them up with the hope that it would impact them in a positive manner. 

Think about where 1+1 = 11 

I’m super excited about Empathy Wines’ partnership with Constellation Brands because I think Empathy could become one of the most significant wine brands in the world as a result of this partnership. 

This accelerates the growth – the infrastructure that Constellation brings to the party is meaningful from the quality of grapes to the winemakers to the facilities. The quality of the wine goes up in this partnership. We were already able to deliver a really high quality wine at a great price, I think this allows us to take it to the moon. It puts us in an even better position with their buying power and vineyards. That really excites me because that’ll continue to drive it, along with the marketing and branding firepower that we’ll continue to bring.

Let there be no mistake – for as nice of a community as I have, for as much notoriety as I have, this was not an influencer marketing execution. This was an extremely strong product with a contemporary, modern, media execution. 

Constellation is a global company with a senior executive team which I love. I’m completely convinced that Empathy has the potential to become an even more delicious $20 bottle of wine because of this. 

One thing that’s difficult about it is that I’m not really about selling businesses – but I am about “1+1 = 11.” That’s what this is. What that means to me is, occasionally in a career, you can see where two parties come together and the magnification is far greater than the sums of the parts. This is absolutely one of those rare occasions in my career.

Constellation’s mass infrastructure allows Empathy to win bigger than without them. We probably left some money on the table by selling this early, but I also think it’s a huge outcome for Nate and Jon (my partners), and for my investors. 

I also think one of the major reasons Constellation was interested in this deal was how we could impact their other brands. 

Sometimes you’ll bring in a player on a sports team who’s on the back end of their career physically, but they’re such a good leader that the intangibles they bring to the locker room changes the outcome of the team. I see it that way – hopefully we’re not at the tail end of our ability, but we bring a certain energy and capability and DNA / nuance that resonates.

I don’t want to speak for Constellation on every point, but I’d be flabbergasted if this wasn’t one of the reasons why this deal was interesting for them. 

It was the right decision at the right time. 

The post How Brands Can Lean Into A Direct-to-Consumer Model appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.

How Audio Twitter Can Help You Create

Back in 2016 and even before that, I was obsessed with the idea of audio tweets.

Twitter is an important platform, and one of the biggest ways we communicate online.

Yesterday, they announced audio tweets – a new feature they’ll add.

I believe this is a gateway play for a lot of content creators who struggle to create content. The audio option will really help. Got a random thought? Pull out your phone, talk, and post!

It’s like what other platforms have been doing to make it easier for creators to put out content. TikTok with music, helped. Snapchat with filters, helped. Instagram created filters that helped. On the other side, podcasting has really emerged because it makes it easier for people to consume content (while they’re moving). This is all about creating a lack of friction.

Helping people make content is the ultimate move for social networks, and creating audio tweets is a significant execution for Twitter as a platform. It’s also a big deal for many of you who are reading this – you could use this to put out more of your thoughts and more content.

I’m fired up! Tweet me if you’ve tried Twitter audio and let me know what you thought.

The post How Audio Twitter Can Help You Create appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.

How To Build The Tallest Building

There are two ways you can “build the tallest building in town”.

You can either spend all your time and energy focusing on you making your building the tallest, or you can go around and try to tear everyone else’s building down.

Anybody that is trying to tear you down is hurting inside, and doesn’t realize their happiness doesn’t come at the expense of someone else’s. Having compassion, sympathy, and empathy for your fellow human is REQUIRED for your own happiness.

The world is abundant. Nobody else is taking out of your pocket.

Once you understand this, things get really good