Your ATTN Please || Friday, 29 August

A few months ago, we predicted Pinterest’s demise.

It was overrun with AI slop. Users were leaving in droves, supposedly to never return. But now, the platform has apparently risen from the almost-dead. How? Well, it didn’t adapt to be more like TikTok or burn everything to the ground in an attempt to attract new users. Instead, it doubled down. Leaned even harder into what it has always been known for. And now, it’s come back stronger than ever.

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?

Cracker Barrel cans rebrand, We now have 6 seasons & Male NFL cheerleaders cause collective freakout

“Liberals are so sensitive” - conservatives as they crash out over Cracker Barrel logo change.

I love a good rebrand drama. In the ad world, things seldom get blown up into headline-worthy drama unless a piece of content becomes catalyst for a left vs right screaming match (think: Jaguar, Sydney Sweeney, and the like). This time, it's Southern food chain Cracker Barrel. And it comes after an attempted "streamline" rebrand of its logo that prompted even the conservative final boss (Trump himself) to chime in.

Apparently, Cracker Barrel committed the ever-sinful “woke rebrand,” for which it has now repented, admitting defeat and restoring the original logo. Phew, that was a close one. I mean, that had to be up there with the top of the world’s largest and most pressing issues to complain about, huh?

There are now six seasons — Winter, Little Spring, Summer I, HELL + FIRES, Summer II, Tiny Autumn – changing when and how people holiday.

According to Financial Times, October is the new August. Extreme weather (thank you, climate crisis) such as wildfires and heatwaves are prompting British tourists to travel later in the year. This is causing demand for high summer short-term lets to fall dramatically in many Mediterranean hotspots.

So yes, the world is, quite literally on fire. But if you postpone your holiday from August to October, you’ll save around 38%! Goody!

America turns dancing into a culture war – because there weren’t enough wars happening already.

Adding to the list of dumb-sh*t-we’re-arguing-about-instead-of-real-world-issues. One thing I’d like to preface this with is that male cheerleaders have been a thing, for like, ever. In fact, the first-ever cheerleader was a male student at the University of Minnesota who, out of the blue, got up and led the crowd in a cheer for the football team.

But alas, Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, two male cheerleaders of the Minnesota Vikings’ squad, have born the brunt of huge backlash, being blamed for “the sissification of America.” Yawn. Anyway. Go Vikings!

-Sophie Randell, Writer

DEEP DIVE

Why Pinterest is the platform that refuses to die

Not that long ago, the whispers were everywhere: Pinterest was done for.

AI slop, dwindling interest, and a general vibe of irrelevance had everyone predicting end-of-days for the platform. Who was still mood-boarding their dream kitchen in 2024 when TikTok was eating culture for breakfast?

I pre-emptively mourned. First, Tumblr. Now this? What more will they take from this aesthetics-loving libra that yearns to reblog/ pin pretty little pictures all day long? I felt like an angel preparing to lose her wings.

And yet… Pinterest prevailed. Against all odds, the platform pulled a full 180.

Today, it’s quietly leading the way in predicting cultural trends with spooky accuracy, deepening its connection to its core audience, and proving that sometimes the platforms we write off as “dead” are just getting started.

So, how did Pinterest survive the platform apocalypse and come out stronger?

The challenge: a “dying” platform

For years, Pinterest had the reputation of being… nice but niche. Too soft, too static, too irrelevant in the age of hyper-viral video. By 2023, critics were convinced it was slipping into MySpace territory: irrelevant at best, ghost town at worst.

Add in the rise of AI-generated content (a.k.a. algorithmic sludge), and Pinterest looked even shakier. Who needs to spend time mood boarding when MidJourney can vomit up a vision board in 10 seconds flat? (Um, ME, but that’s beside the point, I guess.)

The strategy: leaning into difference

Here’s the thing: Pinterest never tried to out-TikTok TikTok or out-Instagram Instagram. Instead, it doubled down on what made it unique. While everyone else optimised for chaos, doomscrolling and brainrot, Pinterest optimised for calm, inspiration, and crucially: future planning.

It leaned harder into:

• Pinterest Predicts, its annual trend forecast, which now boasts an 80% accuracy rate (better than most futurists).

• Shoppable pins and commerce integrations, turning inspiration directly into transactions.

• A focus on women, parents, and planners, the demographics who actually make household purchase decisions, and were desperate for a corner of the internet not designed to fry their nervous systems.

The comeback: from mood boards to market signals

What once looked like a quaint digital scrapbook has become a freaking cultural crystal ball. Pinterest is no longer just the place where you pin aspirational outfits; it’s where future trends are actually born. From “eclectic grandpa” style to “deinfluencing,” Pinterest has been first to spot and label movements that later blow up everywhere else.

And unlike other platforms, the inspiration-to-purchase pipeline is direct. People don’t pin idly; they pin when they’re planning weddings, renovating houses, booking trips, or updating wardrobes. In other words, users arrive already primed to spend.

The broader takeaway here isn’t just about Pinterest. It’s about what happens when you stop chasing hype and start owning your lane.

Pinterest weathered years of being called irrelevant by resisting the temptation to copy everyone else. It played the long game, leaned into its core strengths, and is now enjoying a renaissance as both a cultural forecaster and a commerce engine.

In a social landscape where most platforms are either dying, melting down, or scrambling to reinvent themselves, Pinterest proves that sometimes the smartest move is the quietest one: know what you are, know who you serve, and don’t flinch when the internet calls you uncool.

Because let’s be honest: "uncool" has always aged better than hype, anyway (take it from someone who knows).

-Sophie Randell, Writer

TREND PLUG

Beat that, gramps!

You ever feel like Steve Buscemi in that "how do you do, fellow kids?" meme?

Like you're just trying to pretend you're still cool, but in reality, being around the “young people” makes you feel like you're from the Stone Age? Well today's trend captures that feeling. The sound comes from a scene from Regular Show on YouTube.

In the clip, two characters (I'm too old to know their names) high five after getting a high score on an arcade game. Then, they turn the guy behind them and go, "Beat that gramps," to which he responds, "Gramps? I'm in my 20s." Then comes the ultimate burn, "Yeah, 1920s!"

It perfectly captures those moments where you feel exactly 1 million years old, even when you actually...aren't. Like when you talk to anyone born after 2005, trying to relate to your intern, or when you're 29 but your team's 19–23 years old.

How to jump on this trend:

Film yourself lipsyncing to the trending sound. Then, use OST that describes what makes you feel older than the earth itself.

A few ideas to get you started:

• How I feel being on TikTok in my late 20s

• Me when my 19-year-old intern says anything

• Me trying to keep with my Gen Z co-workers' slang

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

FOR THE GROUP CHAT

😂Yap’s funniest home videos: WHAT were the odds of this
❤How wholesome: there’s still hope in the world
😊Soooo satisfying: mini hot air balloon
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Chicken Fajita Smash Tacos

ASK THE EDITOR

I'm ok at putting out content but it's all over the place. How do I figure out what I should be posting about? -Barrett

Hi Barrett,

You need to create a content strategy rather than just posting randomly! Otherwise, your message will be totally muddled and your audience will be confused. So ask yourself who you're speaking to. What you want to say to them. And why you want to get that message across to them.

Once you know that, now you've got your core message. And you should only create content in line with that. Don't worry about sounding repetitive. You want to become known for a consistent message, and the only way to do that is to keep posting about it.

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

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