Trends are trending, and what’s trending is trends. But what does any of that actually mean?

Thanks to brands’ relentless pursuit of relevancy, the trend cycle has accelerated exponentially.

This is causing audiences to get the ick when brands inauthentically insert themselves into the trends lifecycle… especially when a trend is already on the brink of death.

In today's newsletter:

• Why your brand needs to break up with trends (connect with your customers, not the algorithm!)

• #Sponsored: This week's biggest influencer collabs (And why you should harness this $250 billion dollar industry)

• Trend plug - Running from the cops (but make it hot)

• Ask the Editor - Do I actually need to post 3x per day to build an audience? Or does my content just have to be good? 

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

If I have to read the word demure one more time, I’m going to donate my eyeballs to science ♡

(For the record, being loud about how demure you’re being kind of defeats the entire purpose…)

The viral trend started on TikTok when creator Jools Lebron posted this video. And it has since infiltrated every corner of the internet. And I mean every corner. I actually wish there were other corners, safe corners, where demure wasn’t.

And as with every trend, the word has now entered the marketing playbooks of brands, always eager to tap into the zeitgeist.

Everybody from Maybelline to Warner Brothers, and even SSENSE have woven 'demure' into their social media marketing.

Which feels like when your kind of cringy middle-aged uncle starts wearing Sambas… you know the trend is dead.

However, brands will continue to flog this dead horse until the next hyper-fixation word comes around.

As marketers, if we want to participate in a trend, we must first know the lifecycle of one and where we’re jumping in.

So, I spoke with Jony Lee, content creator and short form video strategist, about the lifespan of a trend.

She also shared her advice for when to join in, and whether brands should even attempt to.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

#Sponsored: This Week’s Biggest Influencer Collabs

Brands have been heavy on the influencer buzz this week.

Over the last few years, the creator economy has become a dynamic force reshaping the way brands engage with consumers. It's transformed content creators into influential figures that help capture the attention of millions.

And it’s growing like crazy.

Not only is it a $250 billion dollar industry, but it’s also expected to surpass $525 billion by 2030.

Unless you live under a rock, you already know to some degree the value that influencer marketing has for brands.

So, let's take a look at some of the latest developments, or,

Who’s in cahoots with whom this week:

Google Chrome + Amelia Dimoldenberg.

The host of the popular Chicken Shop Date appeared on Google Chrome’s 'What’s in my Tabs' series. This is a perfect collab, given Amelia's job is literally to research and interview stars.

'If someone found my phone and opened my tabs, they’d think I was some incredibly nosy person. I’ve mostly got deep dives into some hot celebrity,' Amelia admits.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Trend Plug - Running from the Cops (but make it hot)

The ‘self-ego building’ trend uses the song ‘I just died in your arms tonight’ by Cutting Crew.

This trend is only getting started on TikTok, currently sitting at just over 3k videos with the sound, but there is no doubt that it's here to stay for a while, especially when the trend is just a self-ego boost.

And we all know how much people love that.

As I said, TikTok creators are using this sound to boost their own ego by imagining how the police might describe them if they were suspects on the run.

And of course it’s even better for them when their video gets millions of likes, because the comments just keep on building that ego of theirs.

Some examples are - ‘when i'm running from the police and they say "suspect has a slim build"‘, or, ‘suspect has a muscular build.’

How to jump on this trend:

To take part is very very easy. Simply, film yourself in slow motion ‘running from the cops’ then turn around feeling flattered by ‘the cops comment.’

A few ideas to get you started:

• When the police say ‘suspect is a viral social media influencer’

• ‘Suspect is their manager’s fav intern’

• ‘Suspect is running like a boss b!%ch’

-Carter, Intern

Tune in to the YAP Podcast

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Listen to the YAP podcast Tuesday - Saturday, where we talk about everything that’s happening in marketing right now so you’re always in the know.

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Ask the Editor

Q - Do I actually need to post 3x per day to build an audience? Or does my content just have to be good? -Prescilla

Hi Prescilla,

Ah, yes, the quantity vs. quality debate. There are a lot of opinions on this one, but it's really not a case of one's right and one's wrong. It's a case of what's right for your brand and what you're capable of.

So if you're really good at making high-quality content, only posting a few times a week might be plenty. Because each one will (hopefully) be quite high-impact.

On the other hand, if you're creating more lo-fi content, you might need to produce more to have the same impact. 3x a day may not be very realistic (unless you have a lot of time or resources to devote to it). If you're going for quantity, you might aim for one piece of content a day and build up to more if you can.

Which strategy is right for you depends on how good you are at making content and your capabilities. Either way, it's important to make sure you're making the right kind of content for your audience.

One last thing--we've noticed social platforms really love consistency. So I wouldn't recommend posting less than 2-3 times a week, because the algo may not show your content to as many people if you don't seem that active on the platform.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

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