Your ATTN Please || Saturday, 12 July

July 12, 2025

We here at YAP can see the future… kinda, sorta, more or less.

Several eons ago (i.e. back in January), we made some bold predictions about where marketing is headed in 2025. Now that the year’s halfway gone, we figured it’d be worth checking in on our prophecies, just to see how they’re coming along. Suffice to say, there’s a lot we’ve nailed in just the first half of the year! But, there’s also a bunch that we’ve gotten wrong - and even some things we would’ve NEVER expected.

- Devin Pike, Guest Editor 💜

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?

Pinterest pins down male users, Paramount settles Trump lawsuit & Google lets more people use Veo 3

An untapped market? Pinterest provides insights into key topics of interest among male pinners.

For the first time ever, Pinterest has published a trend report that looks at how men are engaging in the app. Kind of crazy to, like, ignore an entire demographic like that, but uh... here we are, I guess? Anyway, according to Pinterest, the report “dives deep into how men - especially Gen Z men, who are joining the platform in record numbers - are using Pinterest.” 

Male users now represent more than one third of the platform’s global audience, and the data paints a picture of a more nuanced man, that “largely rejects the toxicity you might find elsewhere online.” Okay Pinterest boys, we see you. The report highlights some of the topics resonating with men on the app, and include fashion, fitness, bouldering, home décor and more. The findings are super interesting, so be sure to check them out here.

Paramount will pay $16 million to settle Trump lawsuit over CBS' 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris.

According to Trump's Lawyer, the once-again-US president suffered “mental anguish” over the editing of the interview with the then-US VP back in October. Be so fr dude. The case has been seen as a challenge to American free speech principles. Under the settlement reached, Paramount agreed that 60 Minutes will now release transcripts of interviews of presidential candidates “subject to redactions as required for legal and national security concerns”.

Despite Paramount settling for the $16 million, producers of the show are standing on business, calling it "a cowardly capitulation by the corporate leaders of Paramount”, claiming that the story was edited by the book and in accordance with new standards. It also begs the question: does this settlement undermine the US' First Amendment? The Freedom of the Press Foundation, a media advocacy group and Paramount shareholder, certainly believes so, recently stating they would file their own lawsuit in protest if a settlement was reached. Messy, but what can you expect? Many such cases these days!

Google brings Veo 3 to all Gemini app ‘Pro’ subscribers worldwide.

Veo 3, Google’s latest video generation model, is now available around the world in the Gemini app for AI Pro subscribers, Google Labs & Google Gemini VP Josh Woodward announced this past week. Veo 3 was first announced for AI Ultra ($249.99 per month) subscribers, and Google brought it to the AI Pro ($19.99) tier with “Veo 3 Fast” in June. Now, AI Pro users can generate 3 full quality Veo 3 videos per day.

Hot take, but this is kind of scary considering we’ve already seen some really awful use cases for the product. Making a video generation tool that can whip up basically anything you want in a single prompt, then making it available to everyone in the world, kind of gives me the heebie-jeebies. I know it’s good to have accessible technology, but my best bet is we’ll be seeing a surge in problematic content in the near future.

DEEP DIVE

It’s been 6 months - How are my 2025 marketing predictions holding up?

Back in January, I dusted off my crystal ball (i.e. my partially-remembered degree) and made a few bold predictions about the year ahead.

Now it’s July... I freaking know, right? AI has aged us all fifteen years and devolved our brains five, brands are launching podcasts again (pls no), and somehow LinkedIn got… hot?

I’m feeling curious, so let’s check in: What did I absolutely nail? What flopped harder than a Threads revival? And what did the universe throw at us that no marketer could’ve possibly seen coming?

What I got right

(Otherwise known as: "Told you so". Hehe.)

AI-personalization became table stakes

I said personalization would move from “nice-to-have” to “if-you’re-not-doing-this-why-are-you-even-here". And voila: AI is now writing emails, product descriptions, and sometimes your coworkers' strategy decks. At Cannes Lions, 71% of CMOs confessed they’re dropping $10M+ annually into AI. Translation: personalization isn’t a trend, but literal payroll.

Over-automation? Still a big ick.

Sure, AI helps scale, but if your campaign reads like a toaster wrote it, we have a problem. Back in January I said automation should assist, not replace, your human sparkle. That advice aged better than most TV reboots. The best work we’ve seen this year feels human, even if it’s AI-assisted behind the scenes.

Community & UGC remain undefeated

I told you to go deep on community and user-generated content, and you should’ve listened. Brands that built engaged communities are weathering budget cuts, ad fatigue, and algorithm tantrums. Meanwhile, those still obsessed with polished perfection are over in the corner trying to make "fetch" happen.

Platform chaos is the new normal

TikTok might be getting banned (again), Meta is doing something (we’re not sure what), and even Pinterest is back in the chat, like, for good. Meanwhile, new players like Patreon, Reddit and Substack have made some major waves. I said to spread your bets and embrace emerging platforms like voice, CTV, and community-led spaces. If you did? I can guarantee that you’re not just surviving - you’re vibing, baby.

What I got wrong

(Mind you, I’d rather say I... misjudged things slightly.)

I low‑balled email’s revival

I did not for the life of me foresee the dramatic renaissance of email. Which is ironic, considering this is literally an email newsletter... But hey! Our turf's surged big time. hard‑won inbox real estate feels more intimate, and second‑party content is now thriving.

Retail media exploded, not expanded 

I talked about CTV and voice, but didn’t flag the retail‑media boom. Amazon and Walmart have been joined by everyone from Uber Eats to niche DTC sites in launching their own advertising networks. The pace of this shift surprised even me.

Email voice search surprise 

My “expand your voice search strategy” advice was solid, okay? But, I underestimated how fast search AI (AEO, not just SEO) would take off. Glossaries, deep Q&A content and voice search–optimized long‑forms? Dang it, people be asking and Google be answering.

What no one could’ve predicted

The “hand‑made” creative backlash 

As AI content flooded feeds, human‑made work became status‑symbol marketing. Suddenly, handcrafted storyboards, artisanal product videos, and “real” testimonials gained unexpected cultural cachet.

The fan‑made campaign goldmine 

We witnessed “non‑campaign” campaigns go viral, likely fan‑made, yet seized by brands (think anything to do with Brat or Duolingo in the last year). It triggered a wave of brands seeding the crowd to build their next campaign’s launchpad. Organic becomes the new paid.

LinkedIn’s renaissance 

Mid‑year, out of nowhere, LinkedIn got “cool”. B2B creators are making waves, reinventing the format with memes, micro‑stories, and raw takes on workplace culture. My newsletter buzz suggested this, but I never expected it to explode.

Mid‑year stats & insights

  • 71% of CMOs at Cannes Lions now spend $10M+ annually on AI to boost personalization and streamline processes - up from 57% in 2024.

  • Creatively brave brands (the ones embracing boldness, not blandness) realized 4x higher profit margins. Yet, only ~13% of companies are calling themselves “creative risk‑friendly”.

  • TikTok reveals that niche influencers + generative‑AI tools are driving better results than standard celebrity campaigns.

What should you do now?

Double-down on creative bravery 

Use AI not just to automate, but to experiment wildly. Run bold tests in sandbox simulations before scaling. Use LLMs to ask braver questions.

Own your data & privacy 

As cookies crumble, subsist on first‑party data: newsletters, SMS, loyalty, interactive experiences. This builds trust as well as consent.

Blend AI with human empathy 

Stay experimental but anchored: continue investing human oversight into AI output. Augmentation - not replacement - is your edge.

Tap niche & B2B communities 

Sponsor or collaborate with niche micro‑communities: runner clans, fintech startup groups, artisan circles. And don’t sleep on LinkedIn micro‑influencers for B2B momentum.

Treat consumers as co‑creators 

Design opportunities for fan‑made ads, organic content, and user expansion of ideas. Bonus: lower production cost, higher authentic reach.

Hitting the sweet spot in 2025 means balancing scale with soul.

Use AI for agility, not blandness/ laziness. Diversify your platforms, double down on boldness, and embrace co‑creation. The brands winning in Phase Two of the year respect data privacy, invest in community, and keep their human spark alive.

Sound like the next chapter in your strategy? Then let’s go bold, baby.

TREND PLUG

I grieve different

Even with 2024 gone, the year of Kendrick still isn't slowing down any time soon.

Within his album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, the opening song United In Grief has the following lines resonating across FYP's all around the globe:

"50K to cousins, post a caption
Pray none of my enemies hold me captive"

"I grieve different"

How TikTokers are using it:

Creators are using 2x speed to record themselves for the first part being visibly happy about something, then switching back to normal speed for the second part, where they act devastated by the downside of that same situation.

Examples include:

You get the memo.

How you can jump on this trend:

To the sound, use 2x speed looking ecstatic for the lyrics "50K to cousins, post a caption. Pray none of my enemies hold me captive" and write why you're so happy.

Then, at the "I grieve different" part, switch back to normal speed, act devastated and write the downside of that same exact scenario.

A few ideas to get you started:

  • “finally went viral”
    “for the wrong reason”

  • “planning a chill WFH day”
    “Zoom call at 8am”

  • “posting a Reel I’m proud of”
    “23 views”

  • “finally using a trending sound in time”
    “trend dies the next day”

- abdel khalil, brand & marketing executive

FOR THE GROUP CHAT

😂Yap’s funniest home videos: Slip n Slide n COLLIDE
✨Daily inspo: Start with changing yourself
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🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Dumplings 🥟 

TODAY ON THE YAP PODCAST

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ASK THE EDITOR

Does removing a Reel from your main grid affect its performance? And should you treat the main grid and the Reels tab as different mini-platforms? – Nicola

Hey Nicola!

No, removing a Reel from your main grid does not affect its performance in the algorithm. The only thing that truly affects performance is the quality of the story you're telling in any piece of content. It makes no difference where that post lives.

As for treating the main grid and the Reels tab as separate platforms, that's not really a helpful way to think about your content. Instead, think about it this way: your audience engages with individual posts you make, so you should focus on making each one compelling. That's literally the only thing you should care about.

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

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