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- Your ATTN Please || Tuesday, 18 March
Your ATTN Please || Tuesday, 18 March
Shoutout to all y’all selling products that are unsexy AF.
Because we can’t all be in the business of marketing luxury travel experiences or futuristic wearables. Someone has to sell the industrial lubricants, printer ink, and data solutions that make the world go ‘round. But just because your business is “boring,” doesn’t mean your brand has to be.
- Charlotte, Editor ♡
WE’VE GOTTA KNOW.
Today I'm reading YAP because I want...(choose the one that's most important to you) |
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?
Reddit is now censoring content, China launches AI super agent & X is giving away a trip to…Mars?
Not Reddit, the platform that prides itself on being a space for free speech, literally censoring users…
Last week, Reddit administrator Worstnerd announced that, as of March 5, users who upvote multiple banned posts will receive warnings, with the potential for further disciplinary action. This obviously raised concerns about user moderation. I mean, Reddit’s whole thing is that it’s a free-speech-friendly platform.
The people’s prince, Luigi Mangione, seems to have fallen victim to this new update… Well, at least his name has. A moderator from r/popculture revealed that another mod was suspended for approving comments that referenced Luigi. Not only that, but the subreddit itself was closed by Reddit. And any mention of “Luigi” is now flagged as potentially violent content.
The alleged CEO killer has become a pop culture phenomenon and symbol of resistance against corporate power. Users argue that discussing Mangione doesn’t equate to endorsing violence, and censorship is punishing communities rather than actual offenders. So, is this crackdown on certain discussions indicative of the platform targeting specific political viewpoints?
China launches the AI agent Manus – but can it be trusted?
Historically, the AI agents we’ve had access to have been… pretty sh*t. For example, you wouldn’t be able to get ChatGPT to book you a dinner reservation, a train ticket, or even order you a pizza. These AIs are great at tasks like coding, translation, and essay writing. But the “personal assistant stuff”… not so much.
Enter Manus, the new AI agent that launched last week. What followed was a string of posts from influencers praising the agent for its abilities. Apparently it can create things like a detailed personal holiday itinerary or a lesson plan for a science class.
This tool is a great step forward in advancement out of the standard chatbot AI. But “Manus’s usefulness for you will be sharply limited if you don’t trust a Chinese company you’ve never heard of with your payment information so it can book things on your behalf” wrote Vox. "And you probably shouldn’t.”
X is offering a trip to Mars in March Madness competition
Say WHAT? Last week, X announced a March Madness Bracket Challenge in partnership with Uber Eats. The prize? A trip to Mars onboard one of Elon’s yet-to-be-built rocket ships. Haha… is that like a reward or a threat? According to the announcement, “Basketball fans can now compete for a chance to win a trip to Mars - yes that’s right, a trip to Mars on SpaceX’s Starship vehicle for the perfect bracket, or a $100,000 cash prize if there is no perfect bracket.”
Hmmmm. Not only has SpaceX shown itself to be on a Boeing-level of technical incompetence, there’s no mission to fund yet, no explorers, no landing zones, no... trip to Mars in general. The company has also never succeeded in launching a starship without a massive failure. Take your chances on the ground, people. It ain’t worth it.
DEEP DIVE
5 Ways to skyrocket your brand out of a "boring" category
Some brands are born exciting. Liquid Death, Red Bull, MTV. Others? Not so much…
Some categories just don’t allow the same level of excitement as a high-octane energy drink or the literal home of rockstars. But just because your category feels stale, doesn’t mean your brand has to be.
Case in point: instant ramen. It used to be a product stuck in the realm of mediocrity. Cheap, convenient, and mostly relegated to dorm rooms and broke-phase survival. Then came Buldak—Samyang’s fiery noodle brand—that didn’t just revive the instant noodle category but rebranded it entirely. According to the company’s regulatory filing, Samyang Foods’ revenue for 2024 stood at 1.73 trillion ($1.19 billion), up 45 percent from a year earlier.
That’s because eating Buldak became about proving something. It’s a challenge. A flex. A badge of honour. Because Samyang's spicy noodles are quick to turn a self-professed spice handler to a whimpering mess. So, how did Buldak take the brand from a basic pantry item to a cultural event?
And, more importantly, how can your brand go from ho hum to one everyone’s talking about?
1. Make your product an experience
Most brands in “boring” categories sell themselves on practical benefits—affordability, convenience, effectiveness. Yaaaawn. Buldak, on the other hand, turned their product into a dare.
Back in 2014, a British YouTuber known as the “Korean Englishman” uploaded a video that would give birth to the infamous “fire noodle challenge.” The trend took over YouTube, TikTok, and Mukbang culture - with people suffering through the spice for entertainment. Just like that, Buldak was more than food. It was more than spice. It was a social spectacle.
The lesson? If your category feels uninspired, rethink the role your product plays. Can it be interactive? Competitive? Shareable? The more an audience can do with your brand beyond just consuming it, the more likely it is to spread.
2. Lean into challenge culture
Buldak’s rise coincided with the peak of internet challenge culture (think Kiki and the milk crates era.) Instead of just hoping people would like their noodles, they dared consumers to survive them. This goes beyond marketing and into gamification territory.
The lesson? Challenges create hype. They invite participation, fuel engagement, and provide endless UGC. So, how can you apply this to your product?
3. Embrace scarcity
Buldak keeps the hype alive by continuously dropping new flavours—carbonara, Jjajang, cheese, even a limited-edition pink rose variant. This transforms their noodles into a collectible, making every new drop an event.
When the demand for Buldak began to soar in the U.S., Samyang Foods said it was “to the point where supply struggled to keep up,” only adding to the desire for people to get their hands on the product.
The lesson? Limited runs, exclusive variations, or seasonal drops keep customers coming back for more. If your product stays static, so will interest.
4. Let the internet do your marketing
Samyang didn’t need a massive ad budget to make Buldak a success. They had something better—organic, fan-driven content. The noodles were so spicy that people just had to share their reactions online, and the internet took care of the rest.
The lesson? The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing. If your product is inherently engaging, consumers will do the legwork. What element of your product could be used for virality? Extreme flavours, interactive elements, or meme-worthy branding?
5. Ride cultural trends
Buldak rode the global wave of Korean pop culture. With K-pop, K-dramas, and Korean beauty dominating globally, people were already eager to try more Korean food. Buldak became part of that cultural export.
The lesson? Find where your brand intersects with a larger cultural movement and tap in. Don’t force relevance—align with trends that already have momentum.
Buldak didn’t make instant noodles better; they made them exciting.
If you feel stuck in a tired category, ask how you can make your brand more of a moment. Because the brands that break out are the ones that give people something to talk about.
-Sophie, Writer
TREND PLUG
My life is now an indie movie
This trend is inspired by Amanda Seyfried’s recent performance of Jony Mitchell's "California" on The Tonight Show.
Her folk-like rendition has captured TikTok’s attention, reminding everyone of her vocal talent (Mamma Mia! flashbacks, anyone?). Now, the sound has become the ultimate hope core anthem, with creators using it to make their life feel like a dreamy indie movie. The best ones capture fleeting, intimate moments that feel cinematic, like:
How you can jump on this trend:
Pair the sound with footage that makes even the smallest moment feel like it belongs in an indie film. Add OST for context and that’s it!
A few OST ideas to get you started
A reminder to romanticise the little things
This [product] will make your life feel like a movie
Main character energy is drinking coffee and staring out the window dramatically
-Abdel, Social Media Coordinator
FOR THE GROUP CHAT
😂Yap’s funniest home videos: me anytime i get a second to relax
✨Daily inspo: i love this sound
😊Soooo satisfying: paint scrape heaven
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Chicken Cordon Bleu
TODAY ON THE YAP PODCAST
ASK THE EDITOR
What’s the best way to handle picky clients? The ones that want to do things their way, even though you’re the social media manager there to help with all things social strategy? -Samantha
Hey Samantha,
It's tough working with clients that have a hard time letting go and trusting you to do your thing! Honestly, this is one of those tensions that will never truly go away. But my advice is to focus on building a relationship first. Entrusting their brand to a SMM is obviously scary for them. And before they are willing to trust you as the expert that you are, they need to feel they can trust you.
So really listen to what's important to them and show that you “get” them. As you build that trust, begin to make more suggestions about how you can bring your expertise to their project. If they truly feel you care about their success, they will (hopefully) be more willing to accept that you know what you're doing!
Some clients will never get there. Unfortunately, they usually don't get the results they're looking for because they aren't willing to let the experts work their magic. But do everything in your power to win them over by listening, understanding them, and showing that you care.
- Charlotte, 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.
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