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Your ATTN Please || Thursday, 13 March

Your ATTN Please || Thursday, 13 March

March 13, 2025

Ok, confession time: we’ve been stealing from you.

When you guys send us questions, we *gasp* turn them into content for YAP. Yep, that’s right. We’ve been swiping your ideas for our articles. Just ask the reader who sent us a question Tuesday. BOOM! Less than 48 hours later, we’ve written an article answering it. So if you reply with a question, we may or may not turn it into extremely useful newsletter content. You’ve been warned.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?

TikTok sale is coming soon, IG tells us how to get more reach & X gets hacked by…Ukraine?

Trump says TikTok deal is "coming soon."

Finally, a development in the never-ending TikTok debacle. With only 25 days left to arrange a deal under the current extension agreement, you’d hope they were getting somewhere. And according to Trump, they are. The president was asked about the TikTok sell-off deal over the weekend, according to Reuters. Trump confirmed he's in touch with four different groups about the sale of the Chinese-owned social media platform.

"We're dealing with four different groups, and a lot of people want it ... all four are good.” The whole spiel has attracted a whole lot of attention from potential buyers, including Frank McCourt, former Los Angeles Dodgers owner. The sale is estimated to be worth as much as a whopping $50B. Trump also said that an announcement should be coming soon. Only time will tell of the fate of our beloved TikTok.

Instagram gives us some… confusing tips about Reels at NYC creator event.

According to the social media giant, 50% of all time on Instagram is spent on Reels. Yeah, uh thanks guys, we know what a scroll-hole is. They also had some interesting distribution tips.

What can help your reach: Like and reply to comments on your reel within the first few days. Share when your audience is online. Upload highest resolution. Post on other platforms at the same time. Groundbreaking.

What can hurt: Engagement bait, third party watermarks, longer than 3 minutes, low qual, and content you didn’t create. Slightly more helpful.

The funny thing is that this is the exact same list they presented at last year's creator event, except for one note: Last year, they said users should avoid 90-second reels, based on user feedback. That was, until IG was looking for ways to counter TikTok and become a potential haven for creators (if a ban were to go forward), announcing that Reels could be, you guessed it, 3 minutes long. So, longer clips weren’t okay but now they are? And it has to do with user preference and not y’all competing with other apps?

Uh huh. Cool cool cool. As Social Media Today noted, “It’s another reminder that the apps themselves dictate trends and shifts, through what they choose to amplify, which often has as much impact as the overall content itself.”

X got hacked and Elon blames Ukraine.

Another day in the social media political circus that makes me want to scream, “Let me off this ride!” at the top of my lungs. Details are spotty, but here’s the gist: X went down on the 10th of March. Elon then released this statement: “There was a massive cyberattack against X. We get attacked every day, but this was done with a lot of resources. Either a large, coordinated group and/or a country is involved.”

Then, he went on Fox Business to blame a Ukraine-based group. “We’re not sure exactly what happened, but there was a massive cyber-attack to try to bring down the X system, with IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area.” Okay, grandad, let’s get you back to bed x

Anyway, that’s all folks!

DEEP DIVE

5 Ways to make a lasting impression at your next live event

How do you make a splash at an event beyond your typical champagne sweepstakes and sweet giveaway swag?

One of our readers sent this question in to us (yeah, you can do that!). And it got me thinking, because those two overdone strategies are so often our default. Events are a battlefield for attention. And yet, we all keep pulling out the same tired gimmicks —champagne, tote bags, and giveaways no one actually wants or are likely to win.

If you want people to remember you even after they stumble out of the venue, you need to go beyond freebies and forced enthusiasm.

So, here’s 5 ways to up your event game without resorting to the same ol’ bag of tricks.

1. Don’t just show up. Create a moment.

You need to create an experience people actively want to be a part of. Think:

Interactive installations. A giant claw machine where attendees win product samples. A photobooth with branded print-outs. A live mural painted in real-time. Give people something to do, not just something to look at.
Unhinged experiences. Nothing gets people talking like something out of pocket. A silent disco at a finance conference. A make-your-own perfume station at a cybersecurity expo – Because nothing says “I protect data from breaches” like crafting a signature scent called Incognito Mode. If it feels slightly out of place for your brand, but makes people laugh, pause and text a friend, because you might be onto something.

2. Make it feel exclusive (even if it’s not)

People love what they think they can’t have. So, instead of being wide open, hoping everyone will come to your “free event,” try:

Secret password access. Attendees solve a clue, complete a mini-task, or even RSVP for a code to enter your activation. Makes them feel like they earned their way in.
Hidden experiences. A speakeasy-style lounge behind an unmarked door. A VIP demo room disguised as something ordinary. Mystery = intrigue = buzz.
Personalised invitations. Reach out to key attendees before the event with an invite-only experience. This could be an off-site dinner, private preview, sectioned-off access, or whatever makes them feel important.

3. Emotion > hype

People don’t remember what you gave them. They remember how you made them feel. Instead of relying on flashy stunts, focus on:

Nostalgia. A ‘90s throwback zone, complete with old-school arcade games and a Lisa Frank aesthetic.
Surprise & delight. Mid-day affogatos for exhausted attendees. Phone charging lockers disguised as luxury safes. Think tiny, unexpected moments of joy.
Empathy-driven experiences. A sensory relaxation booth at a high-stress conference. A networking lounge designed specifically for introverts ("no forced small talk, we promise").

4. Give people something to talk (and post about, duh)

A great event presence turns attendees into your hype squad. Encourage social sharing by:

Designing for the ‘gram. A themed corner to sit in/ interact with and someone taking Polaroids. A backdrop that changes colours. A surreal installation that makes people stop, stare, and snap a pic.
Real-time content creation. A video confession booth where attendees spill their event hot takes or pretend they have their own podcast, edited and posted live.
Gamification. A scavenger hunt that forces attendees to engage with your brand—bonus points if they have to tag you on social to complete it.

5. Keep the hype rolling post-event

The event might be over, but the buzz shouldn’t die with it. Keep the energy alive by:

Creative follow-ups. Instead of the generic "Thanks for stopping by" email, send a personalised recap. This could be photos of attendees at your activation, their quiz results, or a digital memento.
Posting content. Turn your activation into a post-event content spree—highlight reels, behind-the-scenes footage, and the best attendee moments.
Community extension. Launch an exclusive post-event Slack group, newsletter, or invite-only discussion to keep the conversation going.

Making a splash at live events isn’t about who has the biggest budget. It’s about crafting moments that make people feel something. So think about how you can turn attendees into storytellers and UGC engines.

If you do it right - they’ll be telling your story long after the event is over.

-Sophie, Writer

TREND PLUG

I have very thick skin

This trend comes from Jake Shane’s podcast, Therapuss with Jake Shane.

In this particular clip, Shane confidently starts to say, "I have very thick skin when it comes to like—" before Mel Robbins instantly shuts him down with "I don’t think you do."

Jake immediately folds, and Mel drives it home by calling him "porous as f*ck." Now, creators are using this sound to call themselves out for acting like something doesn’t faze them… but it absolutely does. The best ones are specific, slightly dramatic, and just unhinged enough to be relatable. Like:

How you can jump on this trend:

Use the sound with on-screen text finishing the sentence "I have very thick skin when it comes to..." with something you wish didn’t bother you.

A few ideas to get you started:

I have very thick skin when it comes to client feedback.
I have very thick skin when it comes to writing “no worries if not!” in an email.
I have very thick skin when it comes to someone typing “lol” instead of “hahaha”

-Abdel, Social Media Coordinator

FOR THE GROUP CHAT

😂Yap’s funniest home videos: SAY THAT AGAIN BRO
❤How wholesome: straight up ugly crying at this
🎧Soooo tingly: Spicy ASMR
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Sweet Spicy Broccoli Chicken

TODAY ON THE YAP PODCAST

@yourattnp.lease
we ❤️‍🔥 timmy We sat down with @reel.humans founder @_sashamcleod and yapped all things oscars, influencer marketing and ai's impact on th... See more

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

ASK THE EDITOR

Is there a demographic for TikTok? Like for Gen X people who aren’t really on it, why would a small business make an account to sell a widget? -Marielle

Hey Marielle,

You may not know this, but Gen X is actually the fastest growing demographic on TikTok. Some research suggests up to 28% of TikTok users are Gen X! Most apps skew young when they first come out, but over time they attract older users (just look at Facebook and Instagram). So if you're wondering whether your audience is on the platform, I would assume they are.

As far as making an account to sell a widget, I wouldn't go onto a new platform with the intention to sell your product. Social media is an amazing tool for brand building, and if you do that right, you will eventually make sales. But your content should be something your target audience really wants to watch rather than centring around selling. For more on that, check out How to grow your social accounts from zero and How to start your TikTok from scratch.