Many of the most popular August 2019 social media ideas offer celebrations of the less-than-shiny parts of life and using the Internet. Craving depth and authentic experiences, social media users are no longer looking to engage with just picture-perfect content and desire connections with people and brands that are unafraid to exhibit raw vulnerability and honesty. To acknowledge this, Kahlua created a Zero Likes Given campaign and gallery that brings attention to unappreciated social media posts and Diesel purposefully extended its Pride campaign after noting a drop in followers to prove that "love transcends numbers."
Recently, Instagram expanded its tests on hiding the number of likes collected on the posts shared to its platform, helping users to stress less about numbers and more about real connections.
Top 25 Social Media Innovations in August
25
Highly Elegant Restaurant Interiors
The Lucky Cat Restaurant Boasts a Romantic Atmosphere
24
Film-Inspired Social Media Filters
Kindai Celebrates a Cult-Favorite Film with an AR Filter
23
AR Ice Cream Games
The Magnum Pleasure Fair on Snapchat Replicates the Magnum Pleasure Store
22
Negativity-Inspired Social Media Campaigns
The Diesel Pride Campaign Extends Beyond June
21
Unappreciated Photo Campaigns
Kahlua's 'Zero Likes Given' Highlights Unliked Instagram Photos
20
Fuzzy Velvet Makeup Sponges
Sunday Ivy's New Line of Velvet Makeup Sponges Has a Flawless Finish
19
Brand-Inspired Graphic Sticker Packs
Leo Natsume's Kings of the Weekend is Commissioned by Huawei
18
Imperfect Photo Galleries
The Zero Likes Given Exhibition Provides an Escape Social Pressures
17
Influencer Analytics Platforms
'NoxInfluencer' Offers YouTube Analytics to Optimize Channels
16
Brutally Honest Brands
DURA Advocates for Climate Change Awareness Far More Seriously Than Others
15
Short-Form Influencer Shows
Snapchat's 'Creator Shows' Star Influencers & Celebrities
14
Beverage Customization Promotions
The Circle K #MakeYourMix Campaign Encourages Refreshment
13
Accessible Bitcoin Apps
Gracias Introduces Cryptocurrency to Diverse Communities
12
Animated Landmark Lenses
Snapchat's Landmarker Brings the NYC Statue of Liberty to Life
11
Mobile-First Tennis Games
For Wimbledon, Snapchat Launched a Mobile Bitmoji Tennis Game
10
Social Media Test Expansions
Instagram is Set to Expand Its Hidden Like Count Feature
9
Human-Removing Photo Editing Tools
Bye Bye Camera Removes Unwanted Agents from Your Photos
8
Story-Sharing Smart Luggage
Eagle Creek's NFC-Connected Bags Reveal Places a Traveler Has Been
7
Artist-Centric Social Apps
'Collabr' Helps Artists to Connect and Collaborate with One Another
6
Dog-Centric Social Apps
Pedigree's DentaSTIX Studios Creates Fun Social Media Content
5
Forested Beer Pop-Ups
Busch's One-Day-Only 'Pop Up Schop' is Hidden Within a National Forest
4
Social Media Consumer Protections
Facebook Has Started Implementing an Ad-Reporting Tool in the UK
3
Exclusive VR Games
Facebook Will Bring Virtual Reality Titles to the Oculus Headset
2
Candy Brand Dance Challenges
Dippin' Dots' National Challenge Asks Fans to Show Off Their Moves
1
Social Media Fan Page Support
Facebook Creators Will Now Have More Avenues of Support
Related Ideas
Virtual Fashion Contests
Bratz and ZEPETO Launch a Four-Week Avatar Styling Challenge
Location-Based Social Media Features
Instagram Map Connects Friends Who are Nearby One Another
Connection Platform Experiences
Facebook Debuts at Stagecoach to Target Younger Audiences
Summer Soda Brand Campaigns
Sprite 'Turns Up the Refreshment' With its Immersive Campaign
Gen-Z-Focused AR Campaigns
American Eagle Launched an AE Jeans Try-on Haul Lens
Gen Z Advertising Initiatives
Tubi Targets Younger Viewers with Ad Innovations at IAB NewFronts
Social Media-Inspired Retail Apps
Depop Outfits Lets Users Create Moodboards and Collages
AR-Powered Vending Machines
Snapchat and L’Oréal Made a Gamified Lens to Share Refillable Haircare
Gen Z-Led Swimwear Campaigns
Pacsun Taps Gen Z Influencers for Spring/Summer 2026 Swimwear Capsule
High-Profile Live Performance Marketing
Rokid Delighted Folks with a High-Profile Marketing Event
Beauty Hack-Inspired Campaigns
Vaseline Launched 'Vaseline World' Based on Social Media Content
AI-Driven Product Photoshoots
Unilever Shared Its Use of AI and Digital Twins at NVIDIA GTC 2025
Authentic Connection Campaigns
Heineken's Hijack Socialization Encourages Out-of-Home Gatherings
Content Performance Prediction Platforms
Presaige™ Targets Creators, Influencers, and Marketers
Creator-Led Beauty Retail
rhode Expands Across Sephora Europe After Strong Viral Demand
AI Social Management
Followr.ai Simplifies Content Creation, Scheduling, and Analytics
Social Media Subscription Services
The Instagram Plus Subscription Offers Users Exclusive Features
At-Home Beauty Tech Pop-Ups
Ulike Hosted its 'Endless Summer Pop-Up' in Santa Monica
Friend-Focused Wellness Apps
The 'With Gratitude' App Makes Daily Connection Easy
Playful Gen-Z Dating Campaigns
Tinder's 'Crush Feelings' Captures the Essence of Modern Dating
Social AI Video Lenses
Snapchat Brings Photo-To-Video AI to Lens Studio
Creator Community-Focused Platforms
Gap Inc. Has Introduced a New Centralized Program
Fashion-Branded Café Experiences
Vogue Blends Retail with Immersive Hospitality Spaces
Immersive Video Shopping Experiences
ASOS Live Blends Creator-Led Content with Real-Time Shopping
Friendly Fandom Campaigns
Heineken Kicked Off Fans Have More Friends with a Fun Social Experiment
Cross-Industry Insight Networks
The Think Party Explores the Future of Socialization
Gen-Z-Targeted Language Platform Campaigns
Duolingo Introduces its Character-Driven 'Duolingo Ads'
Beer Brand Nature Campaigns
Corona Launched Its Living Is Calling With a Tripadvisor Partnership
Varsity Influencer Teams
UNC Turns Student-Athletes Into Social Media Monetization Experts
Customer-Starring Billboards
Bobbie's Campaign Spotlights Moms as "the OG Influencers"
IRL Dating App Events
Tinder Events Helps Daters Connect in Low-Pressure, In-Person Groups
Bold Beauty Campaigns
IPSY Reframes Beauty as a Hobby with the 'I Play Beauty' Campaign
Influencer-Driven Fashion Events
Pacsun Collaborated with Prominent Gen-Z Creators
Imaginative Fantasy-Inspired Campaigns
Canva Spotlights its Creative Tools Ahead of Halloween
Social Media Follower-Celebrating Initiatives
Streets of Toronto Marks 600k Instagram Followers
Gen Z-Targeted Wine Campaigns
The I heart kinda Summer Campaign is Launching Soon
Analog-Themed Camera Campaigns
Polaroid Launched 'The Camera for an Analog Life'
Gen Z Soda Campaigns
Enjoy the Moment with a Coca‑Cola Targets a Generation That Wants to Unplug
Anti-Digital Social Campaigns
Heineken Partners with Joe Jonas for 'Socials Off Socials'
AI Influencer Platforms
Statusphere Raised $18 Million to Scale Micro-Influencer Marketing
Interactive Juice Boxes
Suntop's Mega Back to School Campaign Integrates Connected Packaging
Ephemeral Photo-Sharing Apps
Instagram Instants App Introduces Single-View 24-Hour Photos
College-Focused Social Platforms
TikTok's Campus Verification Feature Mirrors Early Facebook
Social Commerce Integrations
Ulta Beauty Launches a Creator-Driven TikTok Shop
AI Beauty Apps
Refresh App Combines Hair, Makeup and Styling in One AI Platform
Conversation Insight Analytics
Messages Wrapped Turns Texts to Shareable Year-In-Review Summaries
Digital Well-Being Updates
Tiktok Adds Mindfulness Tools and User Controls Over Ai Content
Social Media Meditation Features
The TikTok Meditation Feature Helps Users Take a Break
Unfiltered Skincare Campaigns
The Indu Spots Happen Campaign Celebrates Unretouched Teen Skin
Production-Led Live Commerce Events
P.Louise Launches Get Unteddy With Me on TikTok Shop
Anti-Algorithm Social Platforms
Buzzfeed’s Branch Office Creates Interactive AI-Powered Apps
Social Content Creators
SmilesFlow Lets You Create Unique, Interactive Content for Sharing
Throwback Grocery Campaigns
Economic Nostalgia Inspired Instacart's Summer Like It’s ‘99
Experiential Grocery Campaigns
No Name launches a multi-city grocery goss campaign
Secret Friends Social Features
The Secret Friends List Debuts on Instagram with Selena Gomez
Feedless Social Platforms
Bond Eliminates Feeds to Focus on Real-Life Experiences
Tokenized Social Media Apps
The Own Social Media App Utilizes Blockchain Technology
Easy-to-Use Content Editing Apps
Meta Launched 'Edits' for Instagram Creators on Mobile Devices
Social-First Retail Commerce
Shoezone expands TikTok Shop through creator-led shopping
GenAI Makeup Marketing
MAC Cosmetics is Tapping into the Power of Adobe Firefly Services
Offline Dating Experiences
Beyond Debuts Social Club Prioritizing In Person Connections
Wellness-First Social Networks
Communia Turns Social Media into Social Self-Care
Shoppable Reel Features
Meta Expands Reels with Product Tagging on Instagram and Facebook
Feed-Style Reading Platforms
The Holdout Reimagines Reading Using A Social Media–Inspired Format
Content Creation Tools
AI Social Media Post Generator Creates Platform-Ready Content Fast
Creativity-Celebrating Social Media Awards
The Instagram Rings Award Honors Exemplary Creators
Social Shopping Integrations
The MONAT Tiktok Shop Strengthens the Direct Sales Business Model
Creator-Boosting Platform Features
The YouTube Hype Feature Boosts Smaller Creators in Explore
Streaming Moments Surge
Spotify’s Wrapped 2025 Engages Users with Personalized Year-in-Review
Interactive Traveling Marketing Initiatives
Heinz Pllayfully Spotlights the Heinz Ketchup Zero
Peer-Powered Gifting Initiatives
indu and SoPost Encourage Customers to Share Samples with Friends
Brand-Creator Matchmaking Events
Dhar Mann Studios & Brand Innovators Hosted a Speed Dating Event
Youth-Led Holiday Campaigns
Where are You Going? Showcases a Global Portrait of Young Creators
Social-to-Outdoor Campaigns
Tribesigns Extends TikTok's Super Wish Campaign to Times Square
AI-Created Video Feeds
Meta Introduces Vibes as a Social Platform Driven by AI-Generated Posts
Social Media Automation Tools
AI Instagram Influencer Automates Posting & Messaging With AI Agents
Presence-Boosting Bar Campaigns
'She's Got a Tab' Revives the SVEDKA Robot & Real-Life Connection
Social Media Reducers
UnplugHero Helps Gamify Social Media Reduction and Build Healthy Habits
Unified Social Management
Social Champ Simplifies Multi-Platform Posting & Analytics For Agencies
Single-View Photo Apps
Instagram Instants is a Standalone App Where Photos Vanish After 24 Hours
AI-Powered Custom Timelines
X Introduced Its Grok-Powered Custom Timelines Platform
Dedicated Social Event Apps
TikTok Pro Events is Arriving Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Introvert-Friendly Social Platforms
The 'Introvrs' Social App Connects Like-Minded Users
On-Demand Content Creation Apps
Social Agent Connects Users to Certified Content Creators
Branded App Takeovers
TikTok Introduces Logo Takeover Ads That Dominate the App’s Opening Screen
AI-Generated UGC Ads
Influencer AI Produces Fast, Scalable Content For Performance Marketing
Interactive Content Sharing
STIK App Lets Users Publish Content Directly On Physical Products
Celebrity-Supported Luxe Fashion Campaigns
BOSS Taps Renowned Public Figures for Fall 2025
Social Media Schedulers
SocialLater Automates Social Media Posting Across Multiple Platforms
Social Engagement Platforms
Sociable AI Predicts Viral Posts And Generates Brand Aligned Comments
All-Inclusive Pop Culture Trips
Klook Debuts a Campaign to Highlight ANZ's Top Asian Culture Fans
Focused Fashion Feeds
Clone Helps You Stay Updated with Fashion Trends Sustainably
Parental Social Media Alerts
This Instagram Alert Will Let Parents Know of Troubling Teen Searches
Social Travel Booking Platforms
TikTok GO Turns Creator Travel Videos Into Bookable Trips
Global Product Launch Events
Uber Unveils a New Go-Get Exhibit Featuring Interactive Vignettes
Social Networking Hubs
Internet Social Café Lets Users Explore Cafés and Build Online Connections
Attention Economy Agencies
VaynerX Launches Tamara Group to Drive Social-First Brand Relevance
Nostalgic Beauty Campaigns
Dove's #UnseenBeauty Initiative Challenges Y2K Beauty Standards
Proximity-First Friendship Apps
Friending Launched the Friending App to Foster Friendships
City-Focused Influencer Platforms
Storytime Launches Storytime Marketplace in Cities
Phygital Loyalty Experiences
Lush Links App Rewards to In-Store Events and Services
Social Copy Optimizers
TweetFast Turns Ideas Into Viral Tweets With AI-Powered Suggestions
Social Media Creator Initiatives
Snapchat Launches its Gen Z-Focused Creator Connect Service
Niche Club Apps
Phictly Connects Fans of Books, Movies & Shows in Small, Engaged Groups
Social Media Design Tools
Graphionica Makes It Easy To Create Stylish Instagram Stories & Visuals
Insightful Short-Form Talk Apps
TED Shorts Allow for Short, Snappy Snippets of Popular Talks
Social Media Growth Tools
PulseUp.top Simplifies Social Media Management & Business Opportunities
Focused Social Platforms
LastWeekend Prioritizes Sharing Moments With People Who Matter Most
Custom AI Social Feeds
Bluesky’s Attie Lets Users Build Feeds with AI
Social Media-Inspired Streaming Apps
The Netflix App Feed Will Introduce a TikTok-Like Style
Real-Time Sharing Apps
MomentsHub Lets You Discover And Share Nearby Experiences Instantly
Expressive App Icons
The Instagram Teen Icons Deliver Vibrant Customization for Younger Users
Conversational Publishing Tools
Will Turns WhatsApp Messages Into Branded LinkedIn Posts
Social Media Sticker Tools
Instagram Comment Sticker Generator Creates Engaging Reply Stickers
Custom Social Platforms
Nightlight Offers Inclusive And Highly Custom Social Media Experiences
Meaningful Relationship-Encouraging Campaigns
Iceberg Vodka Debuts 'Foraging Deeper Connections'
AI Social Connectors
Blurbs Provides AI-Moderated Group Chats To Foster Genuine Connections
Shoppable Swimsuits
Sports Illustrated Launches Its Shoppable Swimsuits
Performance-Based Creator Platforms
Picsart Earn Program Pays Creators Based on Engagement
Social Image Comparisons
Compare AI Enables AI-Powered Photo Comparisons And Social Ranking
Authentic Video Dating
Share AI-Guided Video Stories And Genuine Connections With Vibing
Couples Engagement Apps
LovOn Strengthens Relationships With Daily Questions, Games, & Activities
Event-Based Social Networking Applications
The Plus 1 App is Expanding into Florida
Paired-Down Social Media Platforms
Month Friend Boasts a New Experience in the Hyper-Digital World
Teen Content Filters
Instagram Expands Age-Rated Experiences with Stricter Parental Controls
Media Intelligence Tools
Media Watcher Tracks Global News And Social Buzz In Real Time
Influencer Discovery Assistants
SocialiQ 2.0 Automates Influencer Research Right on Social Media
Sports Highlights Platforms
Snack Sports Delivers Curated Highlights Without Social Media Pressure
Event Memory Platforms
Media Vibes Makes Group Photo Collection Simple And Collaborative
Social Media Content Converters
Postula Transforms Your Content Into Engaging LinkedIn Posts
Engagement Timing Insights
DontPostYet Uses Live Analytics To Optimize Social Media Posting Times
Mass Content Generation
PostMagic Generates Thousands Of AI-Powered Social Media Posts Fast
AI-Powered Animation Tools
Facebook Adds AI-Powered Animation And Restyle Tools
Simplified Social Platforms
Happy Feed Is A Minimalist Twitter Experience With Fewer Distractions
Smart Content Aggregators
Smashing’s Personalized Article Discovery App Helps Users Stay Informed
Creative Media Automation
InstaPhotoAI Generates Custom AI Images And Videos With Flexible Tools
Social Content Automation Tools
ViralMarketer Builds Your 14-Day Social Media Calendar In Seconds
Group Challenge Apps
Challenge Friends Lets Users Complete 30-Day Self-Improvement Challenges
Social Sharing Tools
Social Plus Expands Your Reach With Shared Posts Across Platforms
Custom Holiday Countdowns
Purrfect Advent Calendar Allows Users to Create & Share Advent Calendars