- SNL FYP | This past weekend’s SNL featured a sketch that hilariously parodied the TikTok experience. Cast members impersonated familiar TikTok personalities, including fitness influencers, food reviewer Keith Lee, and "tradwives." In a smart move, SNL's social team released each TikTok from the skit as its own standalone video, maintaining momentum from the weekend and driving engagement on their channel.
- I never see you at the club | In a new TikTok trend, people are sharing the more wholesome and self-reflective parts of their everyday lives. The trend features a consistent text overlay that reads, “I never see you at the club,” and, “ok, I never see you at…,” followed by a description of the uplifting activity they are engaging in. These videos often include a montage of short clips, predominantly featuring nature landscapes.
- The Music Industry | It’s been an eventful week in music. From promotional stunts to unique collaborations, here’s a look at what’s been happening:
- Gen Z Pose | The Matilda Djerf-inspired “ballerina pose” remains the Gen Z go-to. Unlike the millennial “teapot” stance that emphasized a lean arm angle, this relaxed, poised pose embodies the natural, unfussy aesthetic central to the “Djerf Effect” on fashion and social media. While she’s currently under some scrutiny, the pose has remained popular since taking off in 2022, holding a place in Gen Z’s photo repertoire, as a symbol of effortless style.
- The Young Man and the Three | Since becoming the head coach of the Lakers, everyone has been wondering what would happen to JJ Redick’s hit podcast, Old Man and the Three. This week, we finally received the update we’ve been anticipating (and somewhat dreading): JJ announced an indefinite hiatus from podcasting. While we’ll miss his analytical takes and insightful basketball commentary, the show will be rebranded as The Young Man and the Three, with recurring guest Tyrese Haliburton stepping in as the first host. The podcast will maintain its focus on the NBA, offering a fresh format with a rotating cast of players and engaging content, including player vlogs and exclusive play breakdowns.
- Gap's 'hoodie that hoodies' | Gap tapped Julia Huynh, a well-known hoodie reviewer on TikTok, to create the perfect hoodie. Since announcing her quest for "a hoodie that hoodies" in October 2023, Huynh has transformed the hoodie landscape. With the launch of Gap’s new hoodie, she shared on her socials that she was flown to Gap HQ in NYC to play a key role in the design process. This marks Gap's first influencer partnership, signaling an exciting potential expansion of the brand’s presence on social media.
- Another Bag for Kordell Beckham | Known for winning Love Island USA S6 and spinning suitcases, Target snagged Kordell Beckham for its latest seasonal campaign to deliver pieces from the Fall collection to his family. This campaign is likely an attempt to continue reinforcing to fashion lovers that Target is an affordable, chic destination to shop.
- Damn, even dolls have trauma too? | The lore of the American Girl Dolls is pretty dark, and frankly, being put to good use—not only to inform us of American history, but also to hop on a relevant TikTok trend. In their latest video, which has garnered almost a million likes and 248K shares, the dolls replicate the trauma dump candy salad trend: a trend where people take turns introducing themselves, then sharing a traumatic or bad experience they had with a bag of candy in hand, creating a candy salad.
- America runs on unhinged memes | Dunkin’ fully embraced meme culture and went all-in on unhinged internet humor to promote their Spider Donut, turning the seasonal treat into a spidey sensation. People loved their offbeat creative approach with some calling it “fantastic marketing” while others hope that Dunkin’ stays “unhinged year-round.”
- Collabs of the Week | Highlighting some brand collaborations we saw this week:
- Threads has launched mobile analytics that include insights on post views, engagement metrics and audience demographics.
- Instagram is testing in-stream notes on Reels that provide creators with insights into why their clips are performing well.
- Instagram has launched Halloween-themed features, including keyword-triggered animations in DMs, new Story templates for interaction, a Halloween font and custom text effects.
- TikTok is launching a new Electronic Music Hub to boost exposure for electronic music artists.
- TikTok is expanding into sports by live-streaming Inter Miami’s finals match, focusing solely on Lionel Messi with a dedicated spotlight cam, marking its first single-player soccer stream.
- TikTok is expanding its STEM feed to all users in the U.S., U.K. and Ireland.
- TikTok is solidifying its relationship with the music industry by partnering with UnitedMasters to access its full catalog.
- Bluesky has raised $15 million in a Series A funding round, totaling $23 million, as it adds around 3 million new users amid dissatisfaction with recent changes on X. The decentralized social app plans to invest in community support and develop a subscription model for enhanced features while ensuring that its approach remains user-focused and free from pay-to-win elements.
