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- Your ATTN Please || Wednesday, 9 April
Your ATTN Please || Wednesday, 9 April
Ever wanted to get roasted for your below-par flirting skills in a low-pressure environment?
Yeah, me neither. But Tinder has just intro’d a new AI feature no one asked for, so here we are. The dating app now features a game where you can practice your pick-up lines on a chatbot. Once you shoot your shot, the AI will give you a rating and offer feedback to help you up your “rizz”. (Anddd I officially feel 1,000 years old).
- Charlotte, Editor ♡
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?
Tinder lets you flirt with bots, New platform “Skylight” launches & Substack intros video feed
Tinder’s new AI-powered game wants you to know you suck at flirting.
Oh, it’s getting real now – we’re officially flirting with bots. The Game Game is a new in-app feature powered by OpenAI’s real-time voice models. The game simulates over 50 dating scenarios with AI characters. The bots (like “Adam” or “Thomas”) use voice, personality traits, and cartoon avatars to create awkward, rom-com-style interactions. These are meant to help users practise flirting and build confidence in a lighthearted, judgement free setting.
The Game Game is designed to be both a fun experience and a proof-of-concept for voice tech’s potential in dating—not just customer service. But I’m officially freaked TF out. I’ll stick to being terrible at flirting IRL thank youuuu.
Want a TikTok alternative? Mark Cuban says Skylight is it.
The startup launched its mobile app to the public last week after just 10 weeks of development. Sooo what the hell is it? Well, Skylight is built on the same underlying technology of Bluesky. Basically, it’s a short-form video app with all the familiar bells and whistles, like in-app video editing. Users can comment, like and share videos, set up a profile and of course, follow others.
Here’s the cool part though: because it's also built on the ATProto – the open, decentralised network for building social applications, users can immediately tap into Bluesky's network of users. This is similar to what Threads did with Instagram. So users on Bluesky and other ATProto-based apps, like the more photo-centric app Flashes, can engage with content posted on Skylight. Skylight is funded by a pre-seed round by the GOAT himself, Mark Cuban – which is more than enough of a tick of approval for me.
Substack moves away from its roots and toward shortform.
Why does every platform want to be TikTok? We get it guys, they were successful, but this is getting ridic. Now, Substack is the latest to take a step towards being an all-in-one creator platform. It's added a vertical video feed – techcnically a redesign of its preexisting “media tab.” But it's clear to see the platform is joining the short-form-video clan.
Adding multimedia features like podcasts and videos has been a boon to creators, according to Substack. The company says that "82% of Substack’s top-earning writers are using multimedia, up from just over 50% last April."
Anyway, that’s all folks!
-Sophie, Writer
DEEP DIVE
3 things Bratz does better than you (psst—it's not just nostalgia)
Bratz dolls have always been that b****.
And best BELIEVE they were my most precious possessions growing up. If Barbie is the world’s favourite girl next door, Bratz are the neighbourhood girl gang your mom warned you about. While Barbie’s had her renaissance, Bratz have been running the cultural zeitgeist for the last four years, proving they’re more than just a relic of early 2000s fashion.
The nearly 25-year-old brand has taken over social media with eerily accurate re-creations of paparazzi shots, red carpets, music videos, and viral pop culture moments. A 2022 TikTok of Bratz dolls reenacting the infamous Oklahoma bathroom scene in Euphoria has over 42 million views and 10 million likes. They've covered everyone from Beyoncé to Jacob Elordi, and their feed is a masterclass in internet fluency.
But here’s the real flex: Bratz have successfully aged with their audience.
I know because that’s me. They know how to perfectly target the Gen Z and younger millennial crowd that grew up on their TV shows, movies, and, of course, the dolls themselves. So let’s break down three things Bratz does better than you. And I don’t mean dress because, well, we already knew that.
1. They don’t play it safe.
Bratz have always been lowkey controversial. Where Barbie is polished and aspirational, Bratz have an IDGAF attitude that lets them tap into edgier, more niche corners of the internet. They’ve never been about being perfect—they’re about being cool, and that coolness has evolved with the times.
Take their recent social content. They’re out here referencing Nosferatu and The Substance, movies that are deeply unsettling and definitely not made for kids. They’re also right up my alley, proof that the brand is an absolute weapon when it comes to targeting.
And that’s exactly what sets them apart from other nostalgic toy brands. Most are stuck in a cycle of repackaging childhood memories (cough Polly Pocket cough). But Bratz have embraced the fact that their original audience has grown up—and they’ve grown up with them. Because people don’t just want nostalgia for the sake of it; they want brands that evolve alongside them, brands that feel authentic to who they are now. Bratz get that.
2. They understand the internet better than most brands.
Most legacy brands try way too hard on social media. Bratz don’t. They know exactly which references to pull (Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter rollout? Check. Jacob Elordi's fashion moments? Check.) And their meme game is impeccable. Even their animation style feels like it was made for TikTok rather than repurposed from outdated marketing materials.
Their approach to social media highlights a major cultural trend: the blending of reality and fiction. In a time when AI-generated images, deepfake videos, and virtual influencers are becoming part of our digital landscape, Bratz’s hyperreal recreations of real-world pop culture moments feel eerily fitting. They’re toys, but they’re also avatars of our collective internet experience. Their content is so good that we don’t merely observe it; we interact with it, remix it, and meme it into new forms. That’s what makes it feel alive.
3. They’ve mastered the art of the comeback.
Bratz could have relied on nostalgia alone, but they didn’t. Instead, they evolved. Rather than banking on old-school dolls alone, they’ve leaned into their aesthetic as a brand, not just a toy. The Y2K resurgence helped, sure. But Bratz didn’t just show up with re-releases—they inserted themselves directly into today’s pop culture through smart collaborations, hyper-relevant content, and a vibe that still screams “too cool for you.” Bratz don’t feel like a relic of the past; they feel like a natural extension of today’s internet culture.
So why do we keep coming back to Bratz when we’ve long since outgrown playing with dolls?
Because Bratz represent a kind of unapologetic confidence that we all quietly crave. In a time when personal branding is everything, Bratz are the ultimate blueprint. They’re bold, stylish, and effortlessly cool—everything social media tells us we should be. They don’t try to fit in, they just are. And in an era where curated imperfection (think: “hot mess” influencers, chaotic girl aesthetics, and irony-laced nostalgia) is the name of the game, Bratz fit right in.
In an age where AI and automation are flattening creativity into an endless scroll of sameness, Bratz stand out. They remind us that culture isn’t just about what’s trending: it’s about attitude, point of view, and a little bit of chaos.
Bratz are a lesson in how to stay culturally relevant without looking desperate. And if your brand wants to do the same? Take notes. 😏
-Sophie, Writer
TREND PLUG
“This is a AI”
Any excuse to write about the internet’s favourite misogynist, amiright?
Future was recently caught dodging fans by calming saying, “This is a AI.” TikTok immediately ran with it. Now the sound’s being used to deny things you absolutely did, like texting your ex, writing cringe captions, or posting content that flopped. Because it was not you. Definitely AI. For example:
How you can jump on this trend:
Take the sound and pair it with on-screen text showing what you’re trying to distance yourself from. The more specific and dumb, the funnier it is.
A few ideas to get you started:
When someone finds my 2018 YouTube channel
When I post the same TikTok on 3 different pages
Me when someone shows me my LinkedIn profile photo
-Abdel, Social Media Coordinator
FOR THE GROUP CHAT
😂Yap’s funniest home videos: Share feelings. NOT CORN!
❤How wholesome: the cutest animal ever
😊Soooo satisfying: it lines up so perfectly
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Comfort Ramen
TODAY ON THE YAP PODCAST
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ASK THE EDITOR
What’s the best way to get secure a marketing and/or social media role straight from university? -Ellie
Hey Ellie,
I don't think there's one "best" way to land a job in marketing right after you graduate, but I can give you some things that will help your chances! First, do at least one internship. This is the best way to get some real job experience, which will be good for your CV. But the more important reason to do an internship is because it will help you start growing your professional network. Go into it with the mindset that you're going to build relationships, and you never know what doors may open to you.
Second, go to in-person industry events! Put yourself in environments where you’re rubbing shoulders with people who work in the companies you would eventually like to work for. After you've met them, connect on LinkedIn and keep in touch. The more you can make connections with people in the industry, the better your chances of finding a job soon after you graduate.
- Charlotte, Editor ♡
Not going viral yet?
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