Your ATTN Please || Saturday, 31 May

Here’s to the solo marketers out there - y’all don’t have it easy.

You’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders, but remember - you don’t have to do everything right, let alone do EVERYTHING! What matters most is knowing what influences your audience - and trust me, I know how obvious that sounds! But too many marketers fall into the trap of measuring what converts as “success”, but you gotta think about the big picture - the full “story” of the audience.

- Devin Pike, Guest Editor/Copywriter 💜

How to *actually* win on Instagram in 2025

Join our team for a 90-minute workshop to find out the exact strategies we've used to grow our Instagram following to 600k+. This workshop is not about theory. It's about giving you actionable takeaways you can implement straight away.

Learn what's working on the platform right now from:

• Jony Lee, our expert short-form strategist

• Stanley Henry, founder at The Attention Seeker 

Bring your questions and we will bring everything we've learnt spending thousands of hours on Instagram. We're not gatekeeping anything, so get ready!

Friday 13 June | 8:30–10:00am NZT | $49

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?

Sprite spills some (literal) tea, Spotify pushes podcasts & Instagram makes a long-awaited change

Coca-Cola (and TikTok) give birth to Sprite + Tea.

The 3rd-most popular soda in the US (deserves to be higher IMO) just unleashed its newest variation into the world: Sprite + Tea. It's such a refreshing idea (in multiple ways), it's remarkable it hasn't been done sooner! But unlike other Coke products, the concept of Sprite mixed with sweet tea didn't come from market research. According to Marketing Dive, it all began as an intern's research project inspired by a social media trend where soda fanatics dipped tea bags into their Sprite. Coca-Cola North America's R&D team caught wind of the millions of views the trend had garnered on TikTok, and quickly got to work.

Sprite North America brand director Kate Schaufelberger told Marketing Dive the trend was "an organic, consumer-first insight ... The fact that consumers were organically … bringing a new sensorial experience to [Sprite] felt like enough validation to truly [take] action immediately." The new flavour is available through October in the US and Canada and has been bolstered by multiple ads, including a 15-second spot touting the drink as "not your granny's sweet tea". Never stop staying fresh, Sprite.

Spotify makes following podcasts - and finding them - much easier.

Podcasts haven't gotten any less relevant these days. And Spotify's recognised this through an update to both the Home page and the Podcasts tab. Now when you open the app, discoverable podcasts are at the top of Home, just beneath your shortcuts. In a blog post, Spotify said for some recommended pods, "we might even add a quick note on why we think it’s a good fit for you ... It’s all designed to help you strike the perfect balance between what you already love ... while giving creators more chances to connect with listeners like you".

As for the Podcasts tab, there's now an additional "Following" button you can press to see all the latest episodes of your favourite podcasts in one place. This is similar to the Subscriptions tab on YouTube. Spotify's also rolling out an "In this episode" section. Here, music, audiobooks and other podcasts mentioned in a given episode are listed beneath the comment section. Pretty slick stuff, Spotify - we're hearing you out.

Instagram FINALLY supports a default photo setting.

Ahh yes, the classic 3:4 aspect ratio (click here if you've got no idea what I'm talking about). Though 9:16 is more common in today's era of short-form videos, every phone since 2000-whenever has been able to take pics in 3:4. But amazingly, Instagram - literally THE photo-sharing app - has only just started supporting these kinds of images natively.

Up until now, a published 3:4 pic would be cropped by the app to fit either its 4:5 or 1:1 formats, cutting off the top and bottom of the original image. As Instagram recently explained via its Creators Broadcast Channel, "when you upload a 3:4 image it’ll now appear exactly as you shot it", creating "More flexibility for your posts going forward". Though the app's more of a home for videos these days, it's nice to see such an in-demand update implemented after so many years. And hey - your shots might finally be able to fit into that weird rectangular grid!

- Devin Pike, Copywriter 💜

DEEP DIVE

How knowing the story helps you slay at solo marketing

Some real talk for solo marketers:

I know it’s overwhelming. You’re juggling content, emails, ads, your cousin’s birthday, and whatever the heck UTM parameters are. But just remember: you don’t need to do everything, you just need to do the right things, and knowing what influences your audience is the cheat code.

Okay, how do we do that?

Understanding which channels and touchpoints actually influence consumer behaviour is called "attribution". With proper attribution, you’re not just staring at dashboards. You’re making smarter decisions, stretching tight budgets, and turning insight into income. As Marketing Week puts it so well: "You’re no longer going off guesswork. You’re seeing the whole picture, and using that insight to drive more sales, more efficiently".

Basically, if you’re only measuring what converts, you’re judging a book by its checkout receipt. And we both know that’s not how marketing magic really works. The best marketers don't just track the last click. Those iced oat milk latte addicts (I assume lol) uncover what influences people along the way. Because every ad, every blog post, every awkwardly cropped webinar still rocking 2012 design choices… it all matters.

Cool, but… what does that actually mean?

Think of your marketing like a messy, delicious spaghetti bowl. Every noodle (channel) touches another. One bite of email might’ve made your audience crave a helping of TikTok. A sprinkle of SEO got them Googling you at midnight. And that one oddly specific meme on LinkedIn? Yeah, that’s the parmesan. You can’t just measure the fork, you’ve gotta taste the whole damn dish.

So, here’s how to ditch the guesswork and become a marketing influence detective (trench coat optional):

• Measure the real performance of every channel – not just the one hogging the credit. Just because a customer clicked on your ad right before converting doesn’t mean the ad alone closed the deal. Maybe it was your podcast that warmed them up. Or that freebie lead magnet that looked like it was made in Canva… because it was. (No shade babe, we’ve all been there.)

• Spot the campaigns and keywords that drive action, even if they don’t convert immediately. Influence doesn’t always show up in the metrics right away. But trust, that email series you almost scrapped is working behind the scenes like a backstage crew at Beyoncé’s tour. Quiet, essential, and underpaid (jk… sort of).

• Look at the full impact of your content, ads, events – the whole customer journey. You wouldn’t judge a Netflix series by one random episode… So why are you judging your strategy by one click? Map it out. Find the patterns. Make peace with the fact that your blog post from three months ago is finally pulling its weight. (Late bloomers need love, too.)

• Give credit (and budget) where it’s due. The silent MVPs of your marketing might not be flashy, but they’re pulling conversions like champs. Time to give them the credit (and coin) they deserve. Yes, I’m talking about your high-bounce blog that somehow makes everyone Google you 10 minutes later.

The bigger picture

Understanding the full story of how people decide to buy, click, or come back for more is what it's all about. Stop obsessing over the final touches and start appreciating every part of the journey. That way, you unlock smarter strategy, stronger results, and way fewer WTF moments in your reporting. Influence is the insight that helps you market like you actually know what you’re doing – because now, you do.

-Sophie Randell, Writer

TREND PLUG

Some people are in Brampton

Full disclosure - I've never been to Toronto, let alone anywhere north of the US.

But if this sound currently picking up steam is to be believed, it's a wonderful gift to be living anywhere outside Canada's biggest city. Recently, TikToker @dondeuce shared clips of a trip he took with friends to Jamaica. In one video, his Toronto-based friend cut into his home's districts for being less-than-sunny paradises:

"Some people are in Scarborough! Some people are in Brampton right now!" he shouts, implying the places' inferiority and his fortune for being away from them. The unnamed friend's passionate yelling isn't just incredibly funny - it also makes for a great soundbite for when you're somewhere truly magical.

Canadians were quick to hop on the trend, but the rest of the world's only just starting to catch up! Users have mostly put the sound over travel videos, but it's definitely got some mileage with concerts and other big events! Whether you're escaping Toronto for another city or embracing Beyoncé in New Jersey, there's a plethora of places you could be that aren't just wonderful - they're light-years better than living amongst northern city-folk. (Again don't take my word for it - I'm but a humble yank.)

How you can jump on this trend: 

Film your location and/or situation that's ideally not in Toronto and put this sound over it. OST is optional if you wanna add context, but not a necessity. Don't be afraid to get dramatic with what's apparently "better" than Scarborough and Brampton. Take it from this Minnesotan and distant cousin of Canada - they can handle the light bullying 😉

A few ideas to get you started:

• Film a fun team event, e.g. a fancy lunch or trip to the driving range

• Film yourself at a networking event with lots of food, pleasantries etc

• Film the view from your office window (works legitimately if the view is great, and ironically if it's less-than great)

- Devin Pike, Copywriter 💜

ASK THE EDITOR

I want to run a giveaway on Instagram for my business that makes baby accessories. How should I go about this? - Karina

Hey Karina!

First, you need to figure out what your goals are for this giveaway. Are you trying to get new followers, collect UGC, or boost engagement? Your goals will determine what you will ask people to do to enter. Next, you need to decide what the entry rules will be. These might be things like asking people to follow you, tag a friend in the comments, or share a post in their stories.

To promote your giveaway, you'll want to create a lot of content around it. If you can collab with some microinfluencers, this can really help your reach. Use countdown stickers in your stories to create a sense of urgency, too. After you announce the winner, make sure you actually engage with your new followers and people who entered the giveaway. Good luck!

- 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?

PSST…PASS IT ON