It’s less than 1 week to go until our social strategy planning workshop and we want you there. Last year, we got 1 billion views, and now we’re sharing everything we’ve learnt from spending all day, every day on the platforms. Whether you’ve been just posting randomly or you’ve been consistent but aren’t getting the numbers you’d like, this is for you. Yeah, you’re going to spend a few hours and $49 to come, but this will set you up for success for the rest of 2026.

Sometimes I see some of y'all comments on girls’ photos and think: maybe they aren’t lonely enough. But, regardless of what I think about creepy behaviour and misogynistic takes, the data doesn’t lie. And it says young men are reporting high levels of loneliness. 

But the story is messier than the internet makes it sound. While Gen Z and millennial men often say they feel isolated, research suggests loneliness is rising across all genders, not just one. What is different is how men experience and process it. They have fewer close friendships, weaker emotional support systems, and less comfort naming vulnerability. That combination can make loneliness feel sharper and more visible without it being a uniquely male crisis. In other words, the problem is real, but the framing might be doing more harm than good.

And I’m supposed to believe we don’t live in a simulation? Sure. Apparently, a physical vending “loot box” stocked with rare Pokémon cards has been sitting in the Pentagon food court since late December 2025.

Often frowned upon in video games as a controversial monetisation mechanic, this IRL curiosity lets people stand in line to buy booster packs the way gamers do on screen. Only these are collectible physical cards, not digital drops. The purpose remains unknown. Is it a stunt? Or do the people in the Pentagon just really love Pokémon and have first dibs? I don’t know, but don’t let the nerds (me) find out or we might have another storming of the capital-type situation.

Bloomberg Intelligence and Bloomberg Businessweek have released a “50 Companies to Watch in 2026” list. And it highlights a broad swath of names across industries poised for growth in next year. From tech and aerospace to retail and industrials, these picks reflect broader market trends. They include AI infrastructure, consumer brands finding new footing post-pandemic, and legacy names adapting to shifting demand.

Now, a watchlist isn’t a crystal ball. But this list is a useful snapshot of where investors are placing their chips as valuations, earnings forecasts, and global growth narratives get recalibrated for 2026. And for those wanting to diversify their portfolio, I’d go check it out.

-Sophie Randell, Writer

(Okay maybe a few due to the loss of brain cells and a sudden urge to revamp my wardrobe, but hey, worth it.)

The thing that I find most fascinating about it is how I relate to it, or more so, how I don’t.

When the series first started, I had just finished uni, and was jusssst starting my first big girl job. Emily inspired the living f*k out of me. I was so beyond excited to get deep into the industry and start planning my extravagant campaigns on the Cannes seaside.

Oh, sweet naïve Sophie. If only you knew.

Listen, this is no shade intended. I know it’s just a show, and I love it. The outfits are insane, the scenery is gorgini, and there’s a different flavour of man for EVERYBODY'S taste. But if you're watching this show thinking "ah yes, this is what marketing is like," let me gently disabuse you of that notion before you quit your job to become a social media strategist. Here's what Emily's job actually looks like in the real world:

Emily's version: Scribbles idea on a napkin at a party, luxury brand CEO literally applauds, campaign greenlit before dessert arrives.

Reality: Spend three weeks crafting a 63-slide deck. Present to seven different stakeholders across four meetings. Idea gets approved with "minor tweaks" that completely gut the concept. Final execution looks nothing like what you pitched and honestly, you're not even sure what it's for anymore.

Emily's version: "Let's do a pop-up in the middle of the Seine! Let's rent a château! Let's project our logo onto the Arc de Triomphe!" Everything happens immediately with no discussion of cost.

Reality: Spend two weeks writing a business case to justify an extra £300 for Canva Pro. Get asked if you've "considered free alternatives." Explain for the fourteenth time that no, you cannot just "make it go viral" for free.

Emily's version: Tells luxury perfume house their entire brand strategy is wrong at first meeting. Gets promoted and tangled in a love affair with client's suuper hot nephew.

Reality: Client's nephew who "does social media" undermines every suggestion you make. You smile through it because they're your second-biggest account and you need to make rent.

Emily's version: Idea conceived and fully executed within a single 28-minute episode, maybe two if there’s enough romantic drama in the way. This is also including international travel, by the way.

Reality: Idea → Stakeholder alignment workshop → Legal review → Compliance check → Budget committee → Back to you because "can we make the logo bigger?" → Revised concept → Another round of approvals → Launch delayed three months → Campaign goes live the same week your competitor does the exact same thing.

Emily's version: Campaign successful if Emily gets Instagram likes or if a hot man looks at her approvingly.

Reality: "Can you break down the cost-per-acquisition by channel, demographic segment, and time of day, then explain why we're 0.02% below target despite outperforming every historical benchmark?" Yes, at 6pm on a Friday.

Emily's version: Creates international incident involving Ukraine. Fixed with one apology and some champagne. Everyone friends again by next episode.

Reality: One person on Twitter with 47 followers says something mildly critical about your campaign. Cue emergency meeting, three-page response strategy document, CEO involvement, and you stress-eating an entire box of Celebrations at your desk while refreshing social media every four seconds.

Emily's version: Conceives, pitches, and executes elaborate multimedia campaign between breakfast and lunch.

Reality: Takes 4 weeks to get a single social media post approved because "Marketing Janice is on holiday" and no one else can sign off.

Emily's version: Regularly swans off to galleries, parties, and romantic dinners mid-workday. Somehow always available for impromptu champagne or quick trip to Rome.

Reality: Eat lunch at your desk while on a Teams call. Cancel dinner plans because a "quick check" turned into rewriting an entire campaign brief at 8pm.

Is marketing a real job? Yes. Is it often creative and rewarding? Also yes. Is it anything like Emily in Paris? Absolutely f*cking not. But at least my boss doesn’t make me wear a beret, so there's that.

-Sophie Randell, Writer

The moment that sparked the trend is an argument between Biggie and Tommie. The now iconic exchange had cast members questioning why someone was suddenly too friendly with “them b*tches.” Creators are using this audio to call out moments where loyalty feels shaky or someone gets a little too close to the wrong people. It's perfect for situations like:

Use the viral audio and think betrayal. Nothing serious, just situations where you expected loyalty, priority, or at least a heads up and definitely didn’t get it. Use on screen text to set up the scenario before the audio starts, then let the sound deliver the confrontation. Facial expressions, side eye, or a slow zoom make it even better.

A few ideas to get you started:

-Bella Vlasich, Intern

😂Yap’s funniest home videos Orange cat syndrome
✨Daily inspo For your best friends
🎧Soooo tingly Bubble wrap ASMR
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight Crunchwrap supreme

Hey!

I know you’re probably talking about having an aesthetic IG grid, and there’s absolutely a place for that. But unless you already have a following, pretty product photos probably won’t be enough to grow your account from zero. Instead, I’d think about how you’re going to create content that will make your target audience care about your brand. This means your first job is making it relevant to them. So, think about who you want to reach and what they care about.

In addition, you need to convey a human truth in your content. This should be something everyone intuitively understands, and something that connects to your brand. For example, a coffee brand may speak to the human truth that loneliness is on the rise and we're all looking for moments of connection. So, what’s the deeper human truth your products connect to? Once you can answer that, create your content around that, as it’s what will make it truly resonate with your audience.

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

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.