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Your ATTN Please || Thursday, 18 September

Your ATTN Please || Thursday, 18 September

September 18, 2025

When the weight of the world is heavy on my shoulders, I beeline it straight to my fave place:

The comments section on Reels. Seriously, why are people so dang funny? But the comments aren’t just magic because they’re so often wildly unhinged. They also happen to be one of the few places online that are still raw, real, and totally unpredictable. For brands, they present an opportunity to jump into the convo at just the right time. The key? Knowing when and how to do so without killing the vibe.

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?

US gov says TikTok deal is a go, Robinhood makes trading social & IG fixes issue with stories reach

Is this finally happening? US government says TikTok deal has been agreed upon.

Please be the end of this godforsaken saga. We’ve had too many seasons, too many plots twists, and the audience has lost freaking interest.

We may just be in luck. As per Social Media Today: “U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has reported that a framework has been established for a final TikTok sell-off deal, which could see the app sold to an as-yet unnamed U.S. investor, while also enabling its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance to maintain a key ownership stake.”

We’ve been close before, but no dice. Given the complexity of such a deal, we best not get too far ahead of ourselves. We shall see.

Robinhood takes on Reddit and X with new social media platform.

A new bombshell enters the villa (and could be serious competition for the meme stock Reddit crowd). The fintech company wants to become more than a place you merely trade, but “your financial superapp,” according to CEO Vlad Tenev. The in-app social platform called RobinSocial, will be rolling out to select customers next year.

And apparently, it looks like your X and Venmo feeds combined. Makes sense. Also, for a user to have the ability to post, they have to include a trade. Then, they can share their thoughts alongside that transaction proof.

Could this be another way for “fin-fluencers” and “thought leaders” in the world of Wall Street to grow their followings? I’d say that’s likely. I also think the platform could supercharge meme stocks since Reddit has no issue doing so (with no verification, mind you.)

Instagram is fixing “reach/view drop” that some creators were experiencing after posting lots of stories in the same day.

Huge for my manic story gyals who thought they were shadow-banned. “We fixed something!” Mosseri took to Instagram after trawling through his DMs and comments, allegedly filled with people’s requests for “fixes” within the Instagram app. One of those being users getting less reach if they posted more stories.

“This is not at all the intended behaviour of Instagram,” he assured. Y’all can go back to being crazy for the world to see x

-Sophie Randell, Writer

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DEEP DIVE

The magic on socials is in the comments (here's why)

There’s a vibe shift afoot on our socials, and it’s not happening where you may think.

Every night in bed I like to watch my favourite show: my boyfriend scrolling Reels on his phone while I am happily tucked up in the crease of his elbow. This is somewhat of a ritual of ours: giggling at the nonsensical brainrot his feed produces like Jesse and James of Team Rocket. But recently, we also like to dabble in the comments section.

Why? Because people on the internet are funny as f*ck. More specifically, everyday users who have half the sense to respond to content with something diabolically insane, and all the confidence in the world to do so.

According to The Drum, 91% of people say they spend time in the comments, and about a third actually join in. Even more telling, 65% say the comments are funnier than the original post.

So, what’s going on here?

Feeds are cluttered, algorithm-driven, and overrun with ads. We know every “relatable” TikTok is secretly a brand deal. Every Instagram carousel feels focus-grouped. The comments, though, feel alive. They’re spontaneous, chaotic, sometimes concerning, but always human.

It’s one of the last places online where culture feels like it’s bubbling up from the bottom, not being pushed down from the top.

Why we love the comments

The comments section is where the inside jokes start, where strangers riff off each other until the replies are funnier than the original video. It’s where people admit, “glad it’s not just me,” or tag their friends into the chaos.

It’s kind of like eavesdropping on the internet’s group chat, only you’re invited to join in (fun! Hehe.)

Enter the brands (but tread carefully)

Of course, wherever people are paying attention, brands want to be. And yes, there’s opportunity here. A clever brand comment can get more engagement than a paid ad. It’s cheaper, it feels organic, and when done right, it earns a kind of cultural relevance you can’t buy.

But… and this is a big but, comments are a delicate ecosystem.

One bad, corporate-sounding quip can tank the vibe faster than you can say “How do you do, fellow kids?” If your brand wants to join the conversation, you need to:

Match the tone: Speak like a human, not a press release.
Add value: Be funny, be in on the joke, or move the conversation along. Don’t just drop your slogan.
Know when to sit it out: Not every comment section needs a brand cameo. Sometimes the best play is to just let people talk.

Don’t, for the love of god, kill the vibe.

The comments section has become the new living room of social media: a space for connection, comedy, and community. Brands can pull up a chair, but they’re guests, not hosts. Come in too loud or too salesy, and you’ll ruin the freaking party.

If the feeds are broken, maybe the comments are our way of fixing social media? Turning it back into something weird, funny, and human again.

So if you’re a brand, just remember that this isn’t your show. You’re lucky to even have a seat.

-Sophie Randell, Writer

TREND PLUG

“I don’t like this rock”

This one’s for those of you looking for an audio that perfectly (and gently) sums up what’s been pissing you off.

The origin of this trend’s kind of a wild rabbit hole, so strap in. The TikTok sound is a clip of “Marcus the Worm”: a VRChat player whose avatar is a bipedal worm with a deep text-to-speech voice.

Marcus has gone viral after multiple clips have been shared by Twitch streamer @roflgatorvr. Marcus calls Roflgator “Robert,” and in this specific clip, Marcus calmly expresses his dislike for a rock. Robert apologises, and after a long pause and stare at the rock, Marcus leans in and says: “Robert, it’s pissing me off” delivered in the most monotonous, deadpan, and oddly comedic way. (Told you it was gonna be a weird one.)

People are mostly using it to describe those little things (or people) that really get under your skin, like when your significant other forgets to clean the sink after shaving, when you’re overstimulated at work or in a social setting, or just those everyday moments that push your patience.

How you can jump on the trend:

Use the sound and film yourself lipsyncing with the audio with the same deadpan delivery (I’m talking Gen Z stare levels of done). Add short, snappy text that captures a situation that anyone would hate being in. General situations are good, but the more oddly specific and relatable, the funnier it hits.

A few ideas to get you started:

When you’re in a team meeting and someone you’re beefing with actually comes up with a good pitch
When someone says “let’s circle back” for the 5th time in one meeting
When the algorithm buries the post you worked the hardest on

-Nico Mendoza, Intern

FOR THE GROUP CHAT

😲WTF: Nigeria Makes History!
❤How wholesome: a true friend <3
😊Soooo satisfying: glitter glitter glitter
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Pork Adobo

ASK THE EDITOR

I've just started on LinkedIn. What's the best way to build my network? - Petr

Hey Petr!

If I were you, I'd start by connecting with people in your industry. Try to send 10 connection requests every day to begin building up your network. The next thing I'd do is comment on other people's posts. Look for posts that already have other people having conversations about your industry in the comments. When you comment, your response will show up in your network's feeds, so it's a good way to start getting your name out there.

Another advantage of commenting on other people's posts is you get to see what conversations are happening around your industry right now. You can use that information as inspiration for your own posts, which will mean you'll know what you're writing about is relevant right now. The more time you spend interacting with people on the platform, the faster you'll grow your network.