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‘This year’s Spotify Wrapped is the lamest sh*t I’ve ever seen.’

‘Boring.’ ‘Uninspiring.’ ‘Absolute garbage.’

Daaanngg, Reddit. You guys don’t hold back. Now we all know that Spotify Wrapped has become a highly anticipated cultural event. But this year, the platform leaned way too heavily on AI. And that fact was not lost on, well, anyone.

In today's newsletter:

• Dissecting the epic fail that was Spotify Wrapped 2024 (find out why there was such harsh backlash this time around)

• Why an alleged shooter is now the internet's 'babygirl' (plus what it means for orgs that get on the wrong side of public sentiment)

• Trend plug - Crazy story time

• Ask the Editor - How can I get my organisation on all platforms as the sole content creator?

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

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Dissecting the Epic Fail That Was Spotify Wrapped 2024

Ah, Spotify Wrapped.

One of the greatest ever personalised marketing strategies-turned-cultural-event.

It's the one day of the year Spotify users feel extra special, and extra emboldened in thinking anyone cares that their top artist was Drake, and their niche was 'Pilates Princess Bubblegum Pop B*tch.'

However, this year, Wrapped struck a sour chord.

For a campaign that’s usually about celebrating personal listening journeys, 2024’s Wrapped felt…impersonal.

And when Reddit threads, X posts and TikTok ignite with complaints faster than you can say 'unskippable ad,' you know something has gone very, very wrong.

So, what happened?

Generative AI. That’s what. And a cautionary tale of what happens when you lean a little too hard on the tool.

Users took to X, TikTok and Reddit to express their disdain with the 'boring, uninspiring, ai slop.'

Others spoke on the bizarre AI podcast feature created to explain this year's Wrapped to users:

'My coworker listened to hers and had her highest listening day on September 11th and it kept going "let's not forget September 11th! What an epic day! What were you up to on September 11th?" Insanity lol.'

Insanity indeed.

Here were the key complaints overall:

Inaccuracies galore.

Users took to Reddit to point out glaring errors. Some were credited with listening to artists they’d never heard of. Others found their 'most-played song' mysteriously absent.

It’s hard to take pride in your 'Top Genre' when it’s labelled something generic like 'vibecore' or something strange asf like 'heist strut dirty rock.'

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

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It’s not every day that America finds common ground.

Yet somehow, in a divided nation, one story managed to bridge the gap: the case of Luigi Mangione, the alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter.

The irony?

Our collective rage against the machine that is the healthcare system has united the internet in ways no presidential campaign could ever dream to.

And the ex-Ivy League student is leading the charge.

Now, let’s get this straight.

I don’t condone violence. And I don’t support rallying for a shooter, particularly in the States where gun violence is a fixture in American life.

But it's a whole lot harder when the suspect is so babygirl.

At least, that’s what the internet’s saying – not me, of course.

And they (not me, remember) are advocating for this man like he’s the folk hero in an anti-elitist indie film. Because well, he kind of is. In the eyes of the American public, anyway.

This event has laid bare the collective healthcare frustrations felt by the nation.

And the absence of sympathy for the victim tells us something massive about public perception of the U.S. healthcare system.

This story is so much more than an anti-hero's desperate actions. It’s about a collective breaking point.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Trend Plug - Crazy Story Time

Ok, you know that story you pull out at parties because it's just so unbelievable (but you swear it's true)?

Well, now you have an excuse to tell it to the world.

Today's trend is set to a cover of Madonna's classic song, 'Like a Prayer.' TikTokers are telling their outrageous stories through their OST put over top of a photo carousel. And who's in the photos?

Why, it's Pepe the King Prawn from The Muppets (who is looking extremely frazzled, I might add).

We're seeing creators use this trend to spill stories about how they went to school with their head wrapped in saran wrap or when they got stung by a bee while on the loo.

How you can jump on this trend:

This trend is a carousel, which makes it super easy to put together in just a few minutes. Use this trending sound, come up with your crazy story, and put it over a few photos of Pepe and you're good to go!

A few ideas to get you started:

• Sorry, I don't know your life. You're on your own this time 😆

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

Today on the YAP podcast…

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

Ask the Editor

Q - I'm in a small team and am the only person creating content. How do I stay visible on all the platforms? - Izzy

Hey Izzy!

If you're one person trying to be on 'all the platforms,' you're going to spread yourself way too thin. Instead, think about 1 or 2 platforms where you think you can be most effective, then focus on those.

This will come down to a few things. First, where is your audience? Next, what kind of content can you produce at scale? For example, if it's written content, you might gravitate toward LinkedIn. If you're comfortable with video content, TikTok or Reels may make more sense for you.

Where you decide to focus will also depend on the type of business you're in. If you're a B2B service, LinkedIn is a great place to be. If you're a local brick and mortar business, you might find a lot of success being active in local Facebook groups.

You're much better off spending quality time connecting and building community with people on 1 or 2 platforms than trying to post everywhere but not actually interacting with anyone in a meaningful way.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

For the group chat

😲WTF: Everything we know about Luigi
✨Daily inspo: One of life’s most important lessons
🎧Soooo tingly: Nail ASMR
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Peanut Noodles 

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