Your ATTN Please
Posts
Your ATTN Please || Monday, 30 June

Your ATTN Please || Monday, 30 June

June 30, 2025

Welp. Your audience just deleted Instagram, turned off notifications, and bought a flip phone.

They’re not going off the grid. They’re just done being chronically online with nothing to show for it. This is digital minimalism—a quite rebellion against the infinite scroll, where younger people are choosing when and how they engage. So, how do you reach an audience that doesn’t want to be reached? Well, you earn their attention like never before.

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?

Sam Altman says don’t trust AI, Brands drop Pride donations & Blue screen of death meets its death

OpenAI’s Sam Altman says we shouldn't trust ChatGPT.

In a rare moment of truth from the top, CEO Sam Altman admits that we should not be putting as much faith in the chatbot as we currently do. “AI hallucinates,” he emphasised on the debut episode of OpenAI’s official podcast, “It should be the tech that you don’t trust that much.” Y’all heard it from the source itself: don’t take ChatGPT’s responses at face value - especially in areas like healthcare, law, or education where misinformation could have serious consequences.

The days of the annual rainbow logo seem like a thing of the past as pride disappears from brand marketing.

We saw the light of corporate pride dwindling last year. This year it was practically extinguished, with a few notable embers remaining. Pride organisers apparently struggled to gain any corporate support both irl and online. This year, brands like Mastercard, Nissan, PepsiCo, Citi, Diageo, Anheuser-Bush, and Comcast pulled their sponsorships in NYC and San Francisco. The event saw a drop in donations of between 70% and 90%.

Overall, almost 40% of brands reported they planned to reduce involvement in Pride this year. Shout out to brands like eos, Hornitos Tequila, Calvin Klein, American Eagle, Apple, Nordstrom, Levi’s, Puma, and Abercrombie & Fitch (and yes, even Target) that ran Pride campaigns or sold Pride merch this month.

Windows is getting rid of the Blue Screen of Death after 40 years.

RIP to a veteran. That keyboard sad face and iconic blue has caused me many frustrations. But now I’m all like “no wait, come back, I love u.” Now, the blue screen of death will be replaced with -shock- a black, minimalist screen of death, and no emoticon. It’s crazy how we just keep losing our whimsey. The little things that keep us going. Guess you never truly know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone, huh.

-Sophie Randell, Writer

DEEP DIVE

Marketing in the age of digital minimalism: How to show up without selling out

In an era of screen fatigue, push notifications, and infinite scroll, more people are choosing to opt out.

Or at least, opt out strategically.

I recently read Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, and in the book, Newport calls for a “philosophy of technology” - a personal, principled relationship to screens and devices. One that centres on intention, not impulse.

“A digital minimalist,” he writes, “starts with a well-formed vision of what they want their life to be.” It’s a growing mindset, especially among younger generations burned out by the constant churn of content, ads, and algorithmic noise. They’re not becoming Luddites. They’re just using tech more like a tool and less like a reflex.

Which leaves us marketers with a big question:

How do you reach people who are trying not to be reached all the time?

The last thing I want is to write a cheap article that compels marketers to chase people at all costs, no matter where they are. There has to be more intention than that. And that's what Digital Minimalism is. It’s pro-intention.

It's not anti-tech, or a rejection of all things internet. It’s a rejection of tech use without purpose. It’s:

Choosing slow media over dopamine hits
Prioritising real-life relationships over screen time
Engaging only with digital spaces that align with their values and goals

You don’t have to randomly decide to delete Instagram forever. It’s about choosing to use Instagram once a week for inspiration…not five hours a day out of habit. In other words, not “less tech” but better tech.

Should marketers be worried?

Not if we evolve. This shift doesn’t mean people don’t want to hear from brands. It means they want:

Less noise, more value
Fewer interruptions, more intention
Deeper connection, not constant visibility

Brands who get this right won’t just survive the scroll exodus. They’ll thrive in a slower, more meaningful media environment.

So, here are 5 ways brands can respect digital minimalism (and still show up):

1. Be somewhere real – go offline, go analogue, go physical. Pop-ups. Zines. IRL experiences. Direct mail that doesn’t suck. If people are logging off, show up where they actually are without needing a Wi-Fi connection.

Think: a well-designed newspaper ad. A local event series. A beautifully made print piece people want to keep. These aren’t relics. They’re refreshing.

2. Be useful. Don’t just advertise, equip. Minimalists want tech that helps them live better. Can your brand create a tool, framework, or habit that fits into that philosophy?

Maybe it’s a productivity timer. A printed planner. A recipe deck. A zero-waste starter kit. A podcast episode that respects their time and attention. Ask yourself: Would this improve their day, or just interrupt it?

3. Embrace slow content. Long-form writing. Essays. Mini-books. Audio that calms instead of stimulates. Content that says: this isn’t urgent; however it is worth your time.

Give people something worth saving, rereading, revisiting. Be the tab they don’t want to close.

4. Curate, don’t bombard. Minimalists aren’t anti-email. They’re anti-spam. If you’re going to send something, make it excellent. Monthly roundups. Seasonal letters. Intimate, personal notes. Earn the open.

5. Align with their values. Then get tf out the way. Digital minimalists are actively designing their lives. If your brand aligns with their ideals (slowness, sustainability, health, creativity, depth), show it, but quietly. No pop-ups. No push. Just presence.

Sponsor a newsletter they trust. Collaborate with creators who share their worldview. Be there, but don’t freaking yell.

The bigger picture could very well look like a marketing reset.

Maybe digital minimalism isn’t a threat to marketers. Maybe it’s a gift. It’s a nudge to stop chasing attention and start earning it. To shift from interruption to invitation. From "always on" to only when it matters.

Because when someone chooses to hear from your brand not because an algorithm pushed it, but because it aligned with their life? That’s not less powerful. It’s far more.

-Sophie Randell, Writer

TREND PLUG

That ain't gon’ work

We've all been there: looking at something so repulsive, so inherently bad that we're automatically just like... nah.

That same vibe is excellently captured in this clip of comedian Druski, who a few years back said, in his immortal words:

"Jesus... um, yeah, that ain't gon' work, that ain't gon... yeah, uh... wow."

Genuinely, I don't know what made my guy so flustered and lost for words, but y'know what? This world's all the better for his reaction and its applicability to so, SO many bad situations.

The sound's blowing up on TikTok right now, but I'll be frank with y'all - most have been using this sound in reaction to rising fears of World War III. BUT, that's far from the only use case for this sound, and there's plenty of great examples that've done well. From sacrificing your good shirt to save a life to defending your goggles at the pool, there's endless reasons to push back and say "yeah... that ain't gon' work".

How you can jump on this trend:

Grab this sound. Film yourself lip-syncing to it and add some onscreen text describing a situation where you might react like Druski.

You can safely get away with casually filming yourself in selfie mode, but if there's anything visually interesting you could incorporate - like locations, clothes or props - don't be so quick to say it ain't gon' work!

A few ideas to get you started:

"When a rude client wants to call, but you're neck-deep in doomscrolling"
"Getting asked to join an urgent lunchtime meeting, but you got Uber Eats coming"
"Being asked to come to a networking event, but you don't wanna leave your Switch 2 home alone"

- Devin Pike, Copywriter

FOR THE GROUP CHAT

😂Yap’s funniest home videos: He’s more of an iced coffee guy now
✨Daily inspo: an important daily reminder
😊Soooo satisfying: Factory bowl printing
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: One Pan Creamy Tomato Pasta

ASK THE EDITOR

I have a wedding photography business and I post content around work we've captured. I'd love to add a bit more personality to this by posting a daily content series unique to me. Any ideas? -Harshpreet

Hey Harshpreet!

As we always say, the secret to great content is storytelling. So any content series you do should focus on the human truth in your work - those universal experiences that people can connect with. For weddings, love is a fundamental human experience with endless angles to explore. Don't get too caught up in trying to force personality into your content. Instead, think about the classic storytelling structure: setup, conflict, resolution.

If you're struggling to generate ideas, look outside your own industry. Find content series from completely different industries and adapt their approach to your content. The goal is to find a narrative approach that feels authentic and interesting. So consume lots of content, look for inspiration, and don't be afraid to experiment with different storytelling techniques. A great story doesn't need to necessarily have a unique personality. But it does need to connect with people's emotions and experiences.