Your ATTN Please || Saturday, 10 May

A few years ago, Disney made a Star Wars show they didn’t think would do well. Today, they want all the awards for it.

When the first season of Andor aired in 2022, Disney held back on marketing since the show didn’t have the usual Star Wars appeal (like Jedi or the Force). Now, after misreading the audience and learning the hard way, Disney’s shaking things up and selling the show as a high-brow, HBO-esque masterclass in sci-fi storytelling.

- Devin, Guest Editor

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?

TikTok thrives despite US ban threats, Zalando uses “virtual clone” models & Pinterest fights AI slop

TikTok’s still trending, ban threat or not

With a potential US ban still looming, TikTok could’ve played it safe at NewFronts, the annual event where tech platforms woo marketers with shiny features and big promises. Instead, it doubled down. Execs made it clear: they’re not just surviving. They’re scaling. The company’s VP of Global Business Solutions Khartoon Weiss said recently if there was anything to take away from the situation, “it is that we are absolutely confident in our platform and confident in the future of this platform, so we’re going to continue to invest in it”.

The feeling seems mutual. Even after Congress voted to force a possible ban or sale earlier this year, advertisers aren’t bailing. TikTok still dominates Gen Z screen time, and that’s too juicy to ignore. US ad revenue is projected to hit $14.8 billion next year, assuming lawmakers don’t swipe left for good. Globally, that jumps to $32.4 billion in 2025. Addressing the security concerns responsible for the commotion in the first place, TikTok pointed to its $2 billion trust and safety investment, including Oracle oversight and third-party audits of US user data. With executive confidence like this, it’s not much of a curtain call from TikTok’s perspective - it’s more of an opening act.

Zalando’s AI hack for fast fashion trends

European online fashion retailer Zalando is using generative AI to crank out marketing images at high speed and low cost. That means for most of their images, real models have now become optional. Following the likes of brands such as H&M, the retailer uses a virtual clone of a real model, generating product shots and campaign images without needing the actual person on set. It’s faster, cheaper, and no one has to change outfits 30 times in a day. Is it creepy? A little. But is it efficient? Extremely.

So far, it’s working: production time has dropped from 6-8 weeks to just 3-4 days, and costs are down 90%. Plus, they can jump on flash-in-the-pan trends like “mob wife” and “brat summer” while they’re still hot. According to VP of Content Solutions Matthias Haase, AI isn’t replacing creatives but giving them “six hands instead of two”. Sounds like fashion marketing just grew a new limb.

Pinterest takes out the AI trash

First it was recipe hacks and wedding boards, now it’s AI spam and fake vibes. Pinterest, once the go-to for real-world inspiration, has found itself overrun by machine-made noise. But the platform’s finally fighting back. Pinterest users have had it with all the “AI slop”, or low-effort images crowding search results and linking to spammy sites.

To clean things up, Pinterest is using a mix of metadata sleuthing and in-house AI detectors to sniff out fakery, even when the usual tags are stripped. If something slips through, users can now flag it or filter it out completely. AI content isn’t banned, but Pinterest is giving people more control to dodge the fake and get back to the good stuff – the kind of inspiration this platform was built on. And if something’s mislabelled, there’s even an appeal button… because nothing says “modern internet” like arguing with an algorithm. Ultimately, Pinterest’ goal is to make itself useful again, especially for artists and designers chasing real-world ideas - not AI fantasy fluff.

- Helena, Writer

DEEP DIVE

Andor: How "Star Wars for grownups" took Disney by surprise

Everyone knows Star Wars and millions upon millions love it - but that doesn't make it for everyone.

The franchise is super unrealistic for the most part, and not just because of alien planets and lightspeed travel. Lightsabers? Space wizards? A wrinkly old dude with lightning hands? It's all just too fantastical for certain audiences.

Sure, Star Wars has some beloved superpowered heroes and villains. But for a series that's all about fighting space fascists, there's a shocking lack of stories about everyday people surviving under a cruel regime...

Ah, but who am I kidding? This is STAR WARS! The people crave LIGHTSABER DUELS and DARTH VADER! Why should anyone care about how the evil Galactic Empire interacts with normal, boring people... right?

Enter Andor: a gritty, dialogue-heavy series, and the most un-Star Wars thing to ever be in Star Wars.

When Andor first aired in 2022, Disney didn't put much energy into advertising - but who can blame them? One of the only familiar faces was main character Cassian Andor, who only showed up once before in the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Almost every other character in the show was new to the franchise - all of them regular-ass people, none of them having special powers.

So to recap: Andor is a Star Wars show with no jedi, no lightsaber fights, characters hardly anyone knows, and lots of normal people with normal abilities. The show was set to underperform, so Disney's lack of energy in the ads department made sense.

That's why they were caught off-guard when the reviews came in - and they were GLOWING!

Unlike most Star Wars media, Andor has qualities akin to HBO-type shows that make it "Star Wars for grownups." Think: intelligent dialogue, stellar acting, beautiful cinematography, and parallels to real-world fascist regimes.

Fans had far more in common with nobodies fighting everyday evils than they did with Luke Skywalker or Obi Wan Kenobi. After all, on a cosmic scale, we're ALL nobodies with unique battles, which naturally makes Andor's characters more relatable!

Critics raved about the show, and over time, many fans hopped aboard the hype train. Without fully realising it, Disney made a show that catered to an older faction of Star Wars fans that craves thoughtful storytelling over flashing lights and space battles.

Disney underestimated the appeal of Season 1, but they didn't make the same mistake when Season 2 came out last month.

The first trailer for the new season is unlike any other Star Wars trailer ever released. Barely any plot is shown, but you know what is? LOTS of positive quotes from critics, to the point that the trailer's YouTube description begins with "The critically acclaimed series returns".

So what does it all mean for the franchise going forward?

Strong advertising or not, the show succeeding means Disney wins. But Andor's unexpected success should serve as a reminder of just how diverse audiences can be. The franchise literally takes place across an entire galaxy. And that means endless possibilities for new characters, engaging storylines, and fresh ways to appeal to different demographics!

This is a good lesson in not just knowing your audience, but understanding what they crave and why. Since Andor came out, many fans have pushed for ALL future Star Wars projects to have similar writing. Disney might've thought they were making a niche show, but as it turns out, they were making something their audience wanted all along.

-Devin, Writer

TREND PLUG

Breathe in, breathe out

Today’s sound comes from rapper Pablo Skywalkin in a TikTok where he calmly says, "If you don’t like me, just breathe in and breathe out, 'cause there’s nothing else you can do." 

It's the kind of line that feels both deeply chill and deeply petty at the same time and the internet ate. It. Up. This trend is basically one big shrug. It’s for moments when someone doesn’t like you, disrespects you, or throws shade your way; but you're so unbothered it physically hurts.

Creators are pairing the audio with text that highlights a situation where someone might take issue with them... but they simply don't care. It’s not arrogant. It’s just honest. For example:

• A teacher who gives a student detention and the kid says they hate him

• Someone joking about their trauma online, only to get served with legal papers

• A parent being told by their own child, "I don't like you"

How you can jump on this trend: 

Film a video sitting still, smirking, or just vibing. Using the sound, add your onscreen text that calls out a moment where someone clearly has a problem with you, but you're not changing a DAMN thing.

A few ideas to get you started:

• Starting every sentence with “as a creator…”

• Reposting the same TikTok five times until it lands

• Me bringing my ring light everywhere

- Abdel, Brand & Marketing Executive

FOR THE GROUP CHAT

😂Yap’s funniest home videos: Hey at least he’s covered from the wind
❤How wholesome: BEST SURPRISE EVER!
😊Soooo satisfying: i love soap asmr
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Vegetarian taco skillet

TODAY ON THE YAP PODCAST

Want even more “YAP”ing? Check out the full podcast here.

ASK THE EDITOR

I don't have any professional photos for LinkedIn. Is it ok to use regular iPhone photos? - Lee

Hey Lee,

Photos you've taken on your phone are absolutely fine for LinkedIn! Depending on what side of LI you're on, you might see a lot of posts with posed, professional photos. And there's nothing wrong with getting some professional photos done eventually (although I'd suggest having those show your personality, not just have you doing stiff poses)!

But don't let not having photos be a barrier for posting. Instead, start thinking of whatever you do as an opportunity to capture photos for your content. Have a colleague take some candids of you at your desk or chatting with clients. When you go to networking events or conferences, ask whoever you’re with to snap a few. Once you adopt the mindset of always thinking about creating content, you'll find it much easier to take photos in your daily life.

- Charlotte, 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.

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