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TikTok’s new hyper-fixation meal is… onions?

The platform’s latest food trend is just one in a long line of trends that have dominated the app since its early days.

Gen Z and Alpha audiences are often the ones driving these viral culinary experiments that go beyond traditional recipes. And they’re reshaping the way we approach food. For brands, there's huge potential to tap into this playful vibe.

In today's newsletter:

• From Chamoy Pickles to Butter Boards (how you can get in on the foodie fun)

• One venti triple shot java chip double iced frappe to go please! (why this business model just doesn’t work)

• Trend plug - Thank GOD!

• Ask the Editor - My TikToks won’t go viral! How long ‘til I pivot?

-Sophie, Writer ♡

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It’s 7.30am on a Wednesday morning.

I open my phone to do some internet scouring, purely for educational purposes, of course. I have a newsletter to write after all.

I’ve barely even begun my deep-dive analysis of the World Wide Web when TikTok tells me I ABSOLUTELY HAVE to try… onions? No wait, butter and onions…

Thanks for the tip, TikTok, but can you give me five f*kn minutes.

You never quite know what food the platform is going to obsess over next.

One month, it’s grated eggs on everything. Next, it’s the abomination Chamoy pickle. Before you know it, we’re freeze-drying candy like our lives depend on it.

As a self-proclaimed foodie, it feels kind of crazy to say, but these trends have a real impact on our culture, going from viral moments to a phenomenon that’s reshaping our palates, kitchens and surprisingly, even social rituals.

Because you’d be lying if you said you hadn’t at least once made a recipe you’d seen trending on TikTok…

Here’s why these trends resonate so deeply and how brands, even those outside the food and beverage industry, can take advantage….

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

The Fall of a Giant: Will We Witness Starbucks’ Demise?

The beverage behemoth that is Starbucks has recently seen a nosedive in sales.

And it probably has something to do with the fact that, over the last few years, it's transitioned from a traditional sit-down café to a place where people order on their phone, grab their drink from the counter, and dash.

A place where people used to spend hours reading, working, and studying has become a grab and go.

Under Howard Schultz, Starbucks’ long-time leader, cafés were positioned as a 'third place' between work and home.

Everything about the interior was designed to make you stay, relax and socialise in the cosy and inviting environment.

The plush armchairs, the handwritten names, even if spelt wrong, were all part of the charm.

'If you look at the landscape of retail and restaurants in America, there is such a fracturing of places where people meet,' Schultz once said in a 1995 industry publication about Starbucks. 'There’s nowhere for people to go. So, we created a place where people can feel comfortable.'

So, how did something so integral to the brand's identity, shift into something so far away from its origin?

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Trend Plug - Thank GOD!

Your newest trending sound is one that originates from what I think is The Real Housewives of New York City. (Don't quote me on this. I am just a boy.)

As we know, TikTokers are known for taking the most iconic moments from our favourite TV shows and movies, and turning them into relatable scenarios. This trend is no different.

The clip is of someone saying ‘Thank God,’ then instantly regretting it, covering her mouth in shock, while everyone else just sits in silence looking around the room with no clue what to do.

TikTokers have taken this clip and turned it into their new sound to talk about situations where they ‘accidentally’ share their harsh opinions, but have secretly been waiting to get off their chests.

For example, ‘accidentally letting out my honest opinion about them in front of one of their minions’ or ‘when i see the man who put me through hell going through the worst year of his life.’

How you can jump on this trend:

Simply get on this sound, lip-sync it with some sass, and use an on-screen text of a situation where you accidentally let that one ‘controversial’ opinion slip, but in reality it's something you've been waiting to say. 

A few ideas to get you started:

• When my client who never listens to my opinion says ‘my posts are flopping’

• Me when my boss says ‘we're gonna have to cut this meeting short’

• Me when my client says they only need 5 videos edited instead of the original 20

-Carter, Intern

Today on the YAP podcast…

Want even more ‘YAP’ing? Check out the full podcast here.

Ask the Editor

Q - I've recently started a new TikTok series but none of the videos have gone viral yet. How long do I keep going before trying something else? -Veejay

Hey Veejay!

Here are two things you should look at when figuring out whether you should keep going with your series.

First, show your content to people you know and ask whether they ‘get’ it without you having to explain it. Sometimes, an outside opinion can help you figure out whether your idea is relatable enough to be appealing to a mass audience.

The second thing you should do is look at your engagement levels. You might have high retention and decent views, but the app just isn't pushing your videos that much. This might mean the algorithm hasn't yet caught on to the fact that this is good content and it should push it to more people. In this case, it might mean you don't have a video that goes off until you've done several in the series.

If you look at both of these things and people don't get your content and your engagement isn't good, it's probably time to start making some tweaks to your idea. Maybe try simplifying it, then keep on adapting based on your analytics until you figure out what works.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

For the group chat

😲WTF: Apple is being sued for how much?!
✨Daily inspo: You are SOMEBODY’S inspiration
😊Soooo satisfying: This just does something to me
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Easy Ramen Stir-Fry

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