There’s nothing like the change of seasons to bring out cringy brand behaviour.

Cue the tired taglines. (‘Fall into savings,’ I’m looking at you)

While brands are peddling pumpkin spice deodorant (it’s a thing), consumers are rolling their eyes at just how far seasonal marketing has gone. So is it even possible to capitalise on the time of year without being too over-the-top (or, perhaps worse, too basic)? Today, you’ll find out.

In today's newsletter:

• The keys to making seasonal marketing worth your while (read this before plastering change-of-season content all over your brand socials!)

• Barbie teams up with the WNBA (find out why this partnership is so on brand for Barbie)

• Trend plug - 20 BILLION

• Ask the Editor - What kind of TikTok content will help me make more sales?

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

p.s. Hey can you please take this 1-minute survey? We want to understand YOU better so we can keep improving YAP 👇👇👇

Americans and their Fall marketing needs to be studied… because that sh*t is crazy.

We’ve moved far beyond the Starbucks tall Caffè Americano with two pumps of cinnamon dolce syrup, one pump of pumpkin syrup, a splash of milk, whipped cream, and sprinkles.

Since its inception in 2003, the coffee giant has sold hundreds of millions of Pumpkin Spice Lattes. In fact, the lifetime sales of the PSL are about to surpass $1 billion.

Today, pumpkin spice is everywhere, from beer to deodorant to Martha Stewart CBD gummies.

But Pumpkin Spice Latte is not just a flavour. It’s a feeling.

And coming from New Zealand, this fascinates me. American Fall culture is bigger than any celebration we have here, at any point of the year. There is nothing that transforms our shelves, social feeds, and homes the way Fall does in the U.S.

And as Summer is currently turning to Fall in the top half of the world, many marketers are turning their attention to harvest the opportunities of the new season.

But seasonal marketing has such a short shelf life. Is it even worth it?

According to AdAge, grocery items with seasonal branding tend to have the greatest impact on shopper habits.

However, leveraging the seasons to sell is risky business.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Barbie Teams Up With the WNBA

Barbie knows how to slam-dunk.

She also knows how to leverage the growing momentum of popular brands.

Since the release of the Barbie movie last year, there are few brands Barbie hasn’t partnered with in one way or another. From Gap, to Vans, Hot Topic and NYX Cosmetics, Mattel inked more than 100 brand partnerships before the film even premiered.

Barbie has been working overtime.

And now she plays basketball, too. In the latest brand campaign with the WNBA, Barbie is leaning into the rising popularity and focus on women’s sports in recent years.

The new 'Give Limitless Possibilities' campaign centres around a short film made to inspire the next generation of girls and young women. The brand introduced the film at last week's match-up between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever.

'Give Limitless Possibilities' shows a montage of children playing with Barbie dolls, while adults reflect on the traits and opportunities they would give their kids. Things like, joy, kindness, curiosity, confidence, and belief in themselves.

The Barbie brand generally appeals to a wide range of audiences. But this campaign is meant to resonate with parents, caregivers, gift givers (right before holiday season, go figure), and anyone that wants to inspire and empower the next generation.

And with that in mind, partnering with the WNBA is baller move.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Trend Plug - 20 BILLION

This unhinged sound comes from--get this--the Student Ministry of Victory Life Church's Instagram.

The orignal Reel features several church camp goers answering the question, 'On a scale of 1-10, how constipated are you right now?'

The Reel caught the internet's attention, because one of the kids answers, '20 BILLION' in the most robotic voice ever.

So now, TikTokers are using this sound to exaggerate the amount of times they do something or to describe a large amount of something. Examples range from 'How much money have you spent getting fast food?' to 'How many TikToks do you repost a day?'

How to jump on this trend:

Using this sound, start with any question where the answer would be a very large number. Then, film your video at 2x speed and shake your camera to get that jittery camera effect while lip-syncing, '20 BILLION.'

A few ideas to get you started:

• 'How much have you spent on LinkedIn premium so far?'

• 'How much have you spent on paid ads this week?'

• 'How many coffees do you need to function?'

-Abdel, Social Media Coordinator

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 - I've been experimenting with making TikTok content for my handmade clothing business. How do I start getting some actual sales from the content I'm making? - Laurel

Hey Laurel!

I'd think of TikTok as a brand building tool rather than having your primary goal be making sales. This means you need to concentrate on making content people are interested in watching rather than content that directly sells your products.

Lucky for you, a handmade clothing business lends itself to this. Videos showing your process would likely be quite interesting to watch, especially if you present them well. Then you will be showcasing your skill and products in an organic, natural way.

If you do this consistently, you'll eventually build up an audience of people who like watching your content. Then, they'll start asking where they can buy your stuff without you ever selling to them. Yes, it may take some time to get there. But you'll get much better long-term results than if you go in with the hard sell.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

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