Your ATTN Please || Friday, 19 September

Yeah that’s a nice story, but I’m gonna need to see the receipts.

Said everyone on the internet, ever. Because why should anyone believe you when a screenshot’s worth 1000 words? But the lure of screenshots isn’t just that they feel irrefutable (whether or not they actually are). The real magic is that they feel a bit cheeky. Like, “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to see this, which is exactly why I can’t look away.” Using screenshots in your content can let your audience tap into that voyeuristic feeling we all love—but only if you know how to use them the right way.

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

PRESENTED BY THE ATTENTION SEEKER

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?

Paramount may bring back our fave networks, Tinder chases beauty brand collabs & Ozempic is in freefall

Paramount Skydance hires Meta exec Dane Glasgow to make us care about Paramount+.

Which we don’t, really. But Skydance Chief Executive David Ellison might have the right idea, shoulder tapping former MTX execs to plot a cable revival. There are talks of bringing back networks like MTV, Comedy Central (!!!) and Nickelodeon (???). Okay well, now I’m sat.

What makes this even better is that some huge names have expressed interest (and ideas) in partnering with MTV, including long-time music executive Irving Azoff, and Lucian Grainge, CEO of Universal Music Group, as well as some artists – and I’m dying to know whom. Can they reinvent the channel that was once at the heart of America’s pop culture?

Tinder enters the beauty realm with LoveShackFancy collab.

I find it incredibly interesting watching dating apps grapple with the industry’s current identity crisis. It’s no secret that plummeting subscriber numbers, increased costs and safety concerns have created a shift in the landscape. So it makes sense that brands are reaching for alternative outlets for their messaging.

CMO Melissa Hobley told BoF “Tinder gets 3 billion swipes a day. Everyone is here. Beauty brands are getting that this platform is an underserved audience.” All power to ya. But a large portion of that audience is only interested in one thing.

Ozempic-maker Novo Nordisk to cut 9,000 jobs as it loses 61% of its value.

Talk about down bad. Yeowch. The company also expects profits to continue falling as more “knock-off” weight-loss drugs emerge. Mr Doustdar said: "Our markets are evolving, particularly in obesity, as it has become more competitive and consumer-driven. Our company must evolve as well."

I’m scared to think of what monster could be created by such a sentiment. I guess, ironically, what goes up, must come down. 

-Sophie Randell, Writer

Hey, do you like YAP?

If so, why not share it with a friend? The more we grow this thing, the more resources we can put into making it awesome for you. Even if every subscriber invites just 1 person to YAP, we’ll meet our growth goal for 2025. So, you in?

DEEP DIVE

Screenshots can be your brand's secret weapon (but only if you know how to wield them)

The unofficial underdog of the internet isn’t video, text, or even memes. I believe it’s the screenshot.

Think about it. Screenshots are the ultimate content currency: proof, punchline, and platform-hopper all in one. Mwah. Chef's kiss.

A tweet that bombs on Twitter might go viral as a screenshot on Instagram. A Reddit post can always find a second life on TikTok. Half the time you’re not laughing at the original content but at a screenshot of it, ripped and re-shared until it becomes its own literal cultural artifact.

Why do they work so well?

Because screenshots almost feel like stolen moments. It feels so “hehehehe” – like I got ‘em before anyone else did (although, they probably did, too).

They’re unpolished, half the time they’re messy as hell (which we love lol), and therefore feel more authentic than a post that’s been staged or strategised.

They’re the ultimate receipts: undeniable proof that someone actually said what they said. They’re portable, nomadic, they break the silos of platforms and move fluidly across the boundaries of the internet.

And they’re instantly digestible. There's no video to play, no caption to scroll, just text and context to instantly consume in one frame, bite-sized and perfect.

That’s why entire accounts now exist just to curate screenshots. Overheard accounts, “Best of LinkedIn,” even meme pages that are really just screenshot collections from old Tumblr and twitter (RIP).

It’s also why the best jokes from a TikTok often aren’t even in the video itself, but in a screenshot of the comments.

The opportunity (and the risk) for brands

For creators and everyday users, screenshots are practically effortless. All you need is a good eye and working fingers.

For brands, they’re trickier. I don’t think many realise that if you manufacture a “fake DM exchange” or stage a customer review, it is so blatantly obvious, and you look stupid af.

But, if you lean into the lo-fi vibe authentically, screenshots can humanise your brand in ways no glossy/ curated campaign can.

So, here’s a practical checklist for brands:

If you’re thinking about using screenshots in your content plan, here’s how to do it without killing the vibe. Because you will. Trust me.

• Mine your own ecosystem: Funny customer reviews, Slack chaos, quirky internal convos, people forget that these can all make great content in the form of screenshots.

• Curate with credit: Share screenshots of comments on your own posts (the funniest ones often come from your audience). Always credit the creator if it’s not yours.

• Keep it lo-fi: Don’t over-design it. Crooked crops, messy highlights, and raw text are part of the charm.

• Avoid the fake-out: Staged DMs or forced “lol” convos reek of try-hard energy. If it didn’t happen, don’t screenshot it.

• Use screenshots to cross-pollinate: A TikTok comment can live on Instagram; a tweet can work on LinkedIn. Think of screenshots as the bridge between platforms.

Screenshots are the currency of internet culture because they kind of collapse worlds; public vs. private, polished vs. messy, one platform vs. another.

They’re where the best content goes when it wants to live forever. For brands, screenshots aren’t a trend to exploit, but a language to learn.

Tread carefully. Master with intention.

-Sophie Randell, Writer

TREND PLUG

It's just like my life... in a way

We're an empathetic species and often times relate heavily to others - even if we don't REALLY get what they're going through.

It's an experience that's recently gotten its own TikTok trend. This one takes inspiration from Grunkle Stan, one of the main characters of Disney's animated mystery-comedy Gravity Falls. In the episode "The Inconveniencing", as he watches the period drama "The Duchess Approves" starring Sturly Stembleburgiss and Grampton St. Rumpterfrabble (yes, I've watched the series... twice), Stan sobs:

"It's just like my life... in a way."

Deep down, all of us are Stan... in a way. Because whether we're listening to break-up songs despite never being in a relationship, or loving characters that we have nothing in common with, we're always trying to relate to the bad and/or emotional things others go through - even if it doesn't always make sense.

How you can jump on this trend:

Grab this sound, flip the camera round and lip-sync with 0:13-0:19 of the audio (since it's popular, TikTok should automatically bring you to this section)!

Make sure you're expressive and melodramatic in your performance, then add on-screen text describing a situation where you relate to someone or something at a deep level... well, knee-deep, maybe.

A few ideas to get you started:

• Listening to your wealthy client talk about surviving financial hardship

• Watching account managers stress out and stay late while I stress out and leave work on time

• Being a fresh-faced, 20-something marketer listening to your experienced, 50-something coworker's business horror stories

- Devin Pike, Copywriter

FOR THE GROUP CHAT

😲WTF: Human composting now LEGAL?!
✨Daily inspo: Jimmy Butler’s wise words
😊Soooo satisfying: Fruit vs Hydraulic Press
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Banging Chicken Gyros

ASK THE EDITOR

I own a small pet product business and have a decent audience on IG and TikTok. Is there any point posting on LinkedIn, too? -Sandra

Hey Sandra!

No one says you have to post on LinkedIn! If you’re getting plenty of customers from the marketing you’re already doing, don’t overcomplicate things. However, if you do want to expand your audience (and you have the resources to do so), you absolutely should start posting on LinkedIn.

After all, LinkedIn is full of business owners like you. That means when you share stories about your business journey, other people are going to find your content relatable. This relatability is great for building your brand. Not to mention, your customers are on LinkedIn. It’s the ideal place to expand your network, as long as you put in the effort to engage with people and not just post and ghost.

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

Not going viral yet?

We get it. Creating content that does numbers is harder than it looks. But doing those big numbers is the fastest way to grow your brand. So if you’re tired of throwing sh*t at the wall and seeing what sticks, you’re in luck. Because making our clients go viral is kinda what we do every single day.

WHAT DO YA THINK?

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