Dive Brief: 

• Messaging apps like Kik, WhatsApp and Line are the next big thing in social, especially with younger users — but without advertising options, brands are struggling to break through. 
• British boy band One Direction, whose fan base falls in line with the bulk messaging apps' demographics, launched a Kik campaign utilizing the platform's "digital cards," allowing them to share exclusive content and connect fans to each other. 
• Sir Paul McCartney has even jumped into mobile messaging apps with a campaign on Line to promote his new album. 

Dive Insight: 

Brands and marketers are facing new challenges with an increasingly fragmented social landscape. With more and more people moving to mobile-centric social platforms, like these messaging apps, brands and marketers have to adjust. A good way to learn is by watching brands, like One Direction, where the transition is natural and then deciding how to apply that to other campaigns.