Well today, we’re kicking off the biggest referral challenge we’ve ever done. And yes, one of you YAPpers is going to win $1000 at the end of it. Here’s how it works: Between 5 Dec - 31 Jan, you share YAP with as many friends as you can. If you refer the most new subscribers by the end of Jan, you win (and you kick off 2026 with an extra $1000)! Every Friday, we’ll post the leaderboard so you know where you stand.

The only catch? You have to sign up to play. So if you’ve got a competitive streak (or would just love to win some money), opt in by clicking this button (then get sharing!) 👇

**T&Cs apply

We've all realised the sheer volume of AI slop that's flooded the internet over the last few years. Especially with tools like Sora, it's easier than ever to create AI-generated content. But what you may not realise (at least, not consciously) is the additional brainpower it takes to mentally sift through all this content. Because now, every time you're on Facebook Marketplace, looking for a new apartment, or scrolling your FYP, your brain's on high alert, trying to figure out what's real and what's not.

Artist and researcher Tega Brain has a solution. Enter Slop Evader, a tool that filters your online experience, only showing websites pre-November 2022 (when ChatGPT was made available to the public). Brain says she created Slop Evader as a statement against the tech industry's insistence on rolling out generative AI, even though so many people hate it. She's fully aware this isn't an actual fix. But she says it's an example of how the public can fight back against AI. She hopes, if enough people refuse to accept AI content, new AI-free search engines might gain more traction.

Speaking of AI content, its rise has brought on a new “AI clout economy.” And what is that, you ask? Well, celeb fan accounts are posting AI-generated content to farm engagement, ragebait, and even ad revenue. Last year, a series of deepfakes featuring Taylor Swift circulated X, then spread across the internet. Since then, deepfakes have only become more common as it’s now even easier for anyone to create an image or video of anything their sick little heart desires.

For example, one Ariana Grande fan account has nearly 40,000 followers, all gained from AI-generated memes using her face. It's also become commonplace for fans to create celeb-inspired chatbots. These can be given any sort of role to play (yep, any). Which of course, only deepens the parasocial connection fans feel exists between themselves and these stars. Just another case of capitalising off someone’s likeness without their consent, gaining clout, and sometimes money, in the process.

Enough doom and gloom for one day, amiright? Because, as far as creative marketing ideas go, this one is pretty cool. Swatch has just introduced its new Cold Moon MoonSwatch. Each one has a unique, lasered gold snowflake, which is cute. But what really makes this drop different is that the watch is only available when it's snowing in Switzerland.

Not only does this strategy build anticipation for a weather-dependent watch drop, but it also gamifies the purchase, giving collectors another reason to buy another Swatch. It's a reminder that there are so many fun ways to create scarcity beyond limiting quantity. Love it.

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

And every quarter SEO crawls back like a man you should’ve blocked (been there.) Unfortunately for everyone involved, AI is now the friend group yelling at you to finally leave him. And as always, the friend group is right (been there, too.)

Because while marketers keep doubling down on SEO like it’s a situationship they can fix with one more plugin, search itself has quietly packed its bags, moved out, and started a new life.

The rise of AI answer engines means people aren’t just “searching” anymore. They’re asking. And instead of clicking through 14 blue links, they’re getting one definitive answer, neatly packaged, citation optional. Your website traffic is now at the mercy of a chatbot with a god complex.

If SEO was about flattering the Google gods, GEO is about convincing a fleet of AI robot gods not to forget you exist. And every industry from travel to fashion to hospitality is in a full-blown anxiety spiral trying to figure out how to show up inside these AI answer boxes before their competitors do. The GEO gold rush is here, everyone’s sprinting, and half the runners don’t even know the route.

But here’s the fun part. Unlike SEO, which has twenty-plus years of breadcrumbs, benchmarks, analytics, and painfully outdated HubSpot blog posts, GEO has none of that. Zero. Zip. Nada.

AI companies keep their data locked away like state secrets. You don’t know what people are asking. You don’t know which brands are being recommended. You don’t know why one answer is chosen over another. You barely know what sources the model trusts, beyond a vague whisper about “high authority domains.”

Suddenly every side hustler with a ChatGPT Plus subscription is selling “AI search optimisation services.” People are promising they can “train the algorithm” to love your business, “feed models the right signals,” or “influence answer engines with proprietary methods.”

They speak very confidently, which is always how you know they’re most likely full of sh*t. GEO is too new for anyone to be an expert. So let's assume the only people claiming to have all the answers are the ones who definitely don’t.

Adobe just announced a 1.9 billion dollar acquisition of Semrush, the longtime SEO giant now desperately rebranding itself as a GEO player. That should tell you everything. The incumbents aren’t 100% sure where this is going either. But they know one thing: evolving is safer than dying.

So where does this leave business owners? Because the worst thing you could do right now is panic spend on GEO magic tricks.

The boring stuff. The stuff that actually works. Because AI models generally don’t reward hacks; they reward trust. They want clear brand signals, machine-readable information, structured data, and reputation markers across the web.

They want a business that looks legitimate from every angle, not one with a “GEO-optimised” tagline cooked up by someone who learned prompt engineering on TikTok.

Traditional SEO still matters because AI models still consume the open web. But SEO is no longer the whole meal; it’s an ingredient.

Search isn’t dying. It’s mutating.

And AI has officially stepped into the role of the fed-up bestie, shaking you by the shoulders, begging you to stop going back to the same tired tactics that keep wasting your time. SEO is still part of your life, sure. You don’t need to block him. You just need to stop pretending he’s the only one who can make you happy.

Because baby, and imma hold your hand when I say this, we don’t win by clinging on to our messy exes just because they’re familiar. We thrive when we listen to our friends, finally break the cycle, and build something healthier, clearer, and a lot more future-proof.

And if you keep treating SEO like the main character, don’t be surprised when search leaves you on read.

Take it from someone who knows x

-Sophie Randell, Writer

The trend comes from everyone's favourite auntie, Michelle Yeoh, who’s taking a refreshing approach to all the media shenanigans. During interviews, the Oscar winner keeps flashing the hand sign for her character "MM" (Madame Morrible), before flipping it into "WW" (Wicked Witch), as a playful nod to Cynthia Erivo's role in the film. 

This trend is perfect for the people who always believe they're smarter than they really are. It's the delusional confidence moment when you turn something simple upside down (call it innovation). One tiny flip, one massive ego trip. We've all been there. 

Some of my fave examples:

Use this audio and film yourself flipping the hand sign from “MM” to “WW.” Add on-screen text describing a moment you were way too proud of flipping a simple situation around.

A few ideas to get you started:

-Raewyn Zhao, Intern

😂Yap’s funniest home videos Duck duck goose IRL
❤How wholesome The magic of girlhood
😊Soooo satisfying Clean your gutter
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight The quickest Lahmacun recipe

Hey Ricky,

Yes, it's absolutely possible to get into the industry without a degree in marketing. Of course, it is definitely helpful to have an understanding of consumer behaviour and marketing principles. But with all the free resources out there, you can take it upon yourself to learn from books, podcasts, YouTube, etc.

As far as getting experience, if I were you, I would immerse myself in the industry as much as possible. Go to in-person marketing events. Follow and connect with marketers on LinkedIn. Book coffee chats with anyone who will give you 30 minutes of their time. Not only is this the best way to learn, but it may even lead to an opportunity to intern or get some actual work experience.

- 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.