🧠 GEO: The AI Era’s SEO Revolution

For two decades, traditional Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) has shaped how the internet looks and reads. From recipe blogs to e‑commerce listings, content has been crafted to please Google’s algorithms. But in August 2025, New York Magazine’s Intelligencer published John Herrman’s provocation: “SEO is dead. Say hello to GEO.” His argument is that Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is now the key to online visibility, as AI chatbots and generative search tools replace the search results page as the primary way people discover information (nymag.com).

Supporting Stats

• Traditional SEO has been a $75 billion annual industry (nymag.com).

• Academic modelling shows GEO practices can increase citation visibility by up to 40 percent in AI‑generated answers (arxiv.org).

• Experts also warn that authoritative language and structured content significantly lift chatbot citation chances (theguardian.com).

What Is GEO?

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) evolves content strategy from ranking on search engine results pages to being cited within chatbot and AI engine responses. GEO formats content for ease of extraction by platforms like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini or AI Overview, Perplexity, and Claude (en.wikipedia.org). Rather than keyword stuffing, it emphasises structured content - bullet points, data tables, quotations - and clear authorship to improve AI recognition and citation potential (nymag.com).

Pros

• AI‑centric visibility: GEO positions your brand as a cited source in AI answers, not just a search result.

• Increased discoverability: AI responses based on structured inputs can boost channel visibility by over 40 percent (searchengineland.com, writesonic.com).

• Helps brand credibility: Emphasis on E‑E‑A‑T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, trust) aligns with AI trust signals (backlinko.com).

Cons

• Opaque and black‑box systems: AI models operate with hidden algorithms, making GEO optimisation uncertain and shifting (arxiv.org, theguardian.com).

• Ethical risks: Tactics like strategic text sequences or manipulative citation cherry‑picking can skew responses and undermine trust (theguardian.com).

• Traffic uncertainty: AI might answer with your content without driving click‑through, meaning lower referral traffic than traditional SEO.

Opportunities

• Lead in a new frontier: Early adopters can define standards and shape AI content expectations in their sectors.

• Cross‑functional integration: GEO requires linking brand, PR, content, and product experience to build co‑citations and mentions across channels (backlinko.com).

• Measurement innovation: Use brand‑aware AI analytics to track AI‑generated appearance rather than page rankings only (theguardian.com).

Challenges

• Rapid evolution: Best practices today may shift with next AI model updates—a moving target.

• Internal alignment: GEO success demands collaboration between SEO, content, PR and analytics functions.

• Resource intensity: Building structured, authoritative content with human oversight and AI tools can be more resource‑heavy than traditional keyword campaigns.

Key Take‑outs

• Traditional SEO is giving way to AI‑first content strategies.

• GEO focuses on being cited, not just ranked.

• Structured, concise, E‑E‑A‑T‑driven content boosts visibility in AI responses.

• GEO can lift citation visibility by about 40 percent per academic benchmarks.

• Ethical and transparency concerns remain important as tactics evolve.

Next Steps for Brand Marketers

1. Audit your AI presence: Test queries in ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity to see if your brand is cited.

2. Restructure content: Use short answer‑style formats - bullet lists, tables, inline stats and quotes. Add clear author bios and source citations.

3. Boost mentions and co‑citations: Secure brand participation in thought‑leadership roundups, guest posts, industry surveys, and third‑party content.

4. Measure AI visibility: Track exposure in generative engines - not just search traffic - through AI‑focused analytics tools.

5. Blend SEO and GEO: Keep strong technical fundamentals (site speed, crawlability, security) while layering on GEO‑specific structuring.

6. Build internal governance: Establish editorial oversight to manage AI‑assisted content production responsibly.

Generative Engine Optimisation does not render SEO obsolete overnight. Rather, it reframes content strategy for a world where AI engines synthesise answers - not serve links. As Herrman noted in Intelligencer, if you want to be visible in this new paradigm, you need to structure your content so it can be “grabbed” by the bots.

🏈 Streaming Power Play: ESPN and the NFL’s New Ownership Deal

The media and sports worlds just took a decisive step toward the streaming future. Disney’s ESPN and the National Football League have struck a complex equity-for-assets agreement: the NFL will take a 10% ownership stake in ESPN, and in return ESPN will absorb the NFL Network, certain RedZone rights, and other media properties. The deal comes just as ESPN prepares to launch its long-awaited full streaming service, a $30-per-month direct-to-consumer offering that will carry all ESPN content, including live events.

For brand marketers, this is more than a business handshake - it signals how premium live sports content is consolidating, repositioning, and potentially reshaping the streaming battleground.

📊 Supporting Stats

• ESPN household reach has dropped from ~100 million (2013) to ~61 million today due to cord-cutting (PwC projection: under 50 million by 2027).

• Disney currently pays the NFL $2.7 billion annually for Monday Night Football.

• ESPN+ has 24 million subscribers but offers limited marquee NFL, NBA, and MLB rights.

• NFL Network distribution has fallen from ~70 million homes (2015) to ~44 million today.

• The ESPN–NFL deal is valued by analysts at $2–$3 billion (no-cash exchange).

✅ Pros - What’s Working

• Premium Rights Consolidation: ESPN gains direct control of the NFL Network and parts of RedZone, strengthening its live-sport streaming proposition.

• Ownership Synergy: NFL’s equity stake in ESPN aligns incentives for rights renewal and exclusive content collaboration.

• Consumer Access: Fans will be able to watch full ESPN coverage without a cable bundle for the first time.

⚠️ Cons - Limitations and Risks

• High Price Point: At $30/month, ESPN’s new streaming service will need strong perceived value to avoid churn.

• Regulatory Approval: Deal could take 9+ months to clear, delaying integration.

• Selective Rights Control: NFL retains ownership of NFL+ and core RedZone operations, meaning ESPN won’t have total control over all NFL content.

🚀 Opportunities for Brands

• Integrated Campaigns: With ESPN and NFL media merging in distribution, brands can explore unified sponsorships across streaming and broadcast.

• Fantasy Football Engagement: Merging NFL Fantasy and ESPN Fantasy opens new branded content and gamification opportunities.

• Cross-Platform Reach: A single ESPN-led streaming platform could simplify cross-device campaign planning for advertisers.

🛑 Challenges

• Intensifying Competition: YouTube, Amazon, Netflix and traditional networks are all competing aggressively for sports rights.

• Cord-Cutter Fragmentation: Even with premium rights, ESPN must overcome fragmented streaming habits.

• Economic Pressures: Sustaining profitability while investing in rights could be challenging as subscription growth slows.

📌 Key Takeouts

• Live sports remain the most valuable streaming content category, and partnerships are evolving beyond simple rights deals into ownership stakes.

• This deal solidifies ESPN’s pivot away from cable dominance toward a direct-to-consumer sports hub.

• For brands, the integration of NFL media into ESPN creates a richer, more centralised sports advertising environment.

🔮 What We Can Expect

• Aggressive Launch Marketing: Expect a high-profile campaign positioning ESPN’s $30 streaming tier as the home for premium sports.

• Bundling Experiments: Disney may test ESPN streaming bundles with Disney+ and Hulu to soften the high price point.

• More Exclusive NFL Content: With equity in play, expect ESPN to push for greater exclusivity in NFL games and behind-the-scenes access.

• Shift in Media Buying Strategies: Sports ad inventory could consolidate under fewer, more powerful platforms, reshaping how brands plan media.

📺 YouTube Overtakes Traditional TV for Britain’s Youngest Audiences

For Generation Alpha, television no longer means BBC, ITV, or even Netflix - it means YouTube. Ofcom’s latest research reveals that one in five 4 - 15-year-olds now choose YouTube as their first destination when they switch on the television. The platform has also overtaken ITV to become the UK’s second most-watched service overall, sitting just behind the BBC.

This generational shift is not just a youth story - it is reshaping viewing across the nation, pulling older audiences into YouTube’s orbit and challenging the very definition of “television”.

The Numbers That Matter

• #1 TV choice for Gen Alpha - 20% of children aged 4-15 turn to YouTube first when the TV goes on.

• 39 million daily UK viewers, averaging 39 minutes viewing per day (Ofcom, 2025).

• Over-55 growth - viewing time almost doubled year-on-year, with 42% now on TV screens.

• Youth live TV collapse - 16–24-year-olds watch just 17 minutes of live broadcast TV daily.

• Mainstream formats thrive - Half of YouTube’s top-trending videos now mimic traditional TV, such as long-form interviews and game shows.

Pros - Why Brands Should Care

• Gen Alpha loyalty - Early engagement shapes long-term brand relationships.

• Household influence - Young viewers drive content choices for the whole family.

• Big-screen attention - Viewing on TV sets creates a more immersive, brand-friendly environment.

• Format versatility - Room for both quick viral moments and high-production storytelling.

Cons - The Risks and Limitations

• Harder to reach outside YouTube - Gen Alpha spends less time on traditional TV or radio.

• Advertising saturation - High competition for attention may push up costs.

• Brand safety - User-generated content demands careful contextual targeting.

• Measurement mismatch - YouTube’s engagement metrics are hard to align with TV industry standards.

Opportunities - Where Brands Can Win

• Family co-viewing content - Create shows appealing to children and adults alike.

• Creator collaborations - Partner with trusted YouTubers to tap into built-in audience trust.

• Premium TV-first production - Design campaigns for the living room, not just mobile.

• Audio-video integration - Capitalise on YouTube’s podcast and music dominance.

Challenges - The Strategic Tensions

• Broadcaster balancing act - Public service broadcasters risk losing their audience to YouTube, yet need to be present on it.

• Regulatory uncertainty - UK policymakers are exploring rules to prioritise homegrown broadcaster content on the platform.

• Algorithm dependency - Brands are subject to shifting recommendation and discovery systems.

• Content overload - Standing out in YouTube’s vast library requires distinctive creative strategies.

Key Takeouts

• For Gen Alpha, YouTube is television - and their habits will shape the future media landscape.

• Older demographics are rapidly adopting YouTube as part of their TV viewing mix.

• Long-form, TV-style content is booming, offering more room for brand storytelling.

• Treating YouTube purely as a short-form channel risks missing the biggest growth opportunities.

Next Steps for Brand Marketers

1. Plan YouTube as a primary TV channel – not just a digital line item.

2. Create for the living room - Focus on premium production values and narrative hooks.

3. Design co-viewing formats - Content that works for both children and adults builds deeper household penetration.

4. Integrate measurement - Merge YouTube analytics with broader TV planning frameworks.

5. Stay ahead of policy changes - Track UK regulatory developments affecting prominence and ad placement.

🤖 Mark Zuckerberg’s “Personal Superintelligence”: Vision or PR Rebrand?

Mark Zuckerberg has entered the AI CEO manifesto arena, joining Sam Altman and Dario Amodei in publishing a sweeping vision of the future. His “Personal Superintelligence” letter frames Meta’s AI ambitions as both transformative and democratising, promising a future where AI knows us deeply, helps us create, and even makes us “better friends”. For brand leaders, this isn’t just a curiosity - it signals how Big Tech plans to frame, position, and compete on AI narratives.

Supporting Stats

• Meta has invested tens of billions into AI infrastructure and talent acquisition in 2024-25 (CNBC, 2025).

• The AR/VR division that underpins Meta’s wearable ambitions has lost over $70 billion since 2020 (WSJ, 2025).

• Public trust in Zuckerberg is low - his February 2025 approval rating trailed Elon Musk’s by a wide margin (Morning Consult, 2025).

Pros - What’s working?

• Signal to the market: Publishing a manifesto aligns Zuckerberg with other AI power players and asserts Meta’s seriousness in the AI race.

• Consumer-friendly framing: Positioning AI as “personal superintelligence” instead of an abstract AGI risk makes it easier to market to everyday users.

• Integration potential: The vision ties neatly into Meta’s existing ecosystems - from social platforms to AR wearables.

Cons - Where the vision wobbles

• Credibility gap: Meta’s track record with user trust, privacy, and platform safety makes the “empowerment” narrative harder to sell.

• Vague differentiation: The pitch sounds similar to competitors’ - promising AI that is helpful, personal, and transformative - without a clear reason why Meta’s approach is unique.

• Reality vs. rhetoric: Delivering “deeply personal” AI requires unprecedented user data collection, raising ethical and regulatory concerns.

Opportunities - Where brands should look

• AI-as-companion experiences: If Meta’s wearable and assistant ambitions take off, it could shift how consumers interact with brands - moving from typing and tapping to conversing and co-creating.

• Creative empowerment tools: Meta’s framing gives permission for AI to play a bigger role in personal storytelling, cultural participation, and grassroots creativity.

• Lifestyle AI integration: By positioning AI as part of daily social and creative life, brands could develop “always-on” brand touchpoints inside these assistants.

Challenges - Why caution is needed

• Platform dependency: If AI access is mediated by Meta’s walled garden, brands may have less control over consumer touchpoints.

• Erosion of authenticity: Over-personalised AI risks making social interactions feel artificial, reducing the authenticity consumers value.

• Competitive noise: Every major AI player is making similar promises, which may lead to consumer scepticism.

Key Takeouts

• Meta’s “personal superintelligence” pitch reframes AI as a creativity and connection tool, not just productivity software.

• The vision doubles down on AR wearables as the next computing platform.

• Trust and differentiation remain the biggest barriers to adoption - both for Meta and for brands engaging in its ecosystem.

Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Scenario-plan for wearables-first interaction: Consider how your brand experience shifts if consumers interact through AR glasses instead of phones.

• Experiment with “AI companion” brand expressions: Test conversational, co-creative brand experiences that could live inside Meta’s AI ecosystem.

• Stay agile on trust signals: Consumers will need proof of data privacy and real benefit before engaging deeply with AI assistants.

• Avoid over-reliance on a single platform: Keep multi-platform AI engagement strategies to reduce dependency risk.

👗 The AI Supermodel in Vogue: Fashion’s Beauty Standard Crisis

This month, for the first time in its history, Vogue featured an AI-generated model in a Guess advert. At first glance, she looks like many models before her - tall, slim, blonde, blue-eyed, flawless. But she is not real. The image was created entirely by an AI studio, and the move has sparked fierce criticism for reinforcing unrealistic beauty ideals, undermining diversity gains in fashion, and potentially harming the mental health of young audiences. For brands, it raises urgent questions about representation, transparency, and the ethics of innovation.

Supporting Stats

• 88% of women and girls say they compare themselves to images they see in the media, with more than half describing the comparison as negative (Dove Self-Esteem Project, 2024).

• In the UK, one in three teenage girls report poor body image, a risk factor for eating disorders (Beat, 2024).

• Research shows AI beauty bias mirrors historic human bias - when asked to generate “the most beautiful woman in the world”, AI tools overwhelmingly produce images of white, slim, young women with Eurocentric features (Dove Campaign, 2024).

Pros - Why Brands Are Experimenting

• Innovation appeal: AI-generated models position a brand as tech-forward and experimental.

• Cost efficiencies: No travel, styling, or location fees; scalable across campaigns.

• Creative control: Every pixel can be shaped to match brand vision without the unpredictability of live shoots.

Cons - What’s at Stake

• Reinforcing harmful beauty ideals: AI models can deepen exclusion by defaulting to narrow, Eurocentric standards.

• Loss of authenticity: Fashion thrives on human individuality and cultural resonance - synthetic perfection risks alienating audiences.

• Job displacement: From models to makeup artists, AI threatens established roles across the creative supply chain.

Opportunities - Doing It Differently

• Inclusive AI training: Brands could actively train AI on diverse datasets representing all body types, ethnicities, ages, and abilities.

• Personalised fashion tech: Using AI to create avatars of real customers could democratise the model experience and help consumers see themselves in products.

• Creative partnerships: Collaborating with artists, activists, and models to co-create AI visuals grounded in real-world representation.

Challenges - The Risks to Manage

• Transparency gaps: UK law does not require clear labelling of AI-generated content, leaving room for misleading advertising.

• Audience backlash: As seen with Guess and Vogue, poorly executed AI campaigns can trigger reputational damage.

• Mental health implications: Hyper-perfect, non-human images risk fuelling body image anxiety, particularly among young audiences.

Key Takeouts

• AI fashion models are no longer a futuristic novelty - they are here, and they influence beauty culture now.

• Without conscious bias mitigation, AI will replicate and amplify exclusionary beauty standards.

• Transparency is essential. If audiences cannot easily tell what is real, trust erodes.

• Brands risk reputational harm if innovation is perceived as cost-cutting at the expense of representation.

Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Audit AI usage: If using AI-generated imagery, review datasets for diversity and inclusivity.

• Label clearly: Make AI origins visible and readable - not hidden in fine print.

• Engage communities: Involve real voices in shaping how AI represents people.

• Balance innovation with impact: Don’t adopt AI in a way that undermines your brand’s values or alienates audiences.

• Track sentiment: Monitor audience reaction and be prepared to adjust campaigns quickly if backlash emerges.

🏆 UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 Breaks Records: Why Player Power and Cultural Relevance Are Reshaping the Game

In a rematch of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final, England defeated Spain to win the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 in Switzerland. But beyond the final result, this year’s tournament signalled a shift in scale, attention and cultural value - across attendance, digital engagement, athlete influence and brand performance.

The women’s game has moved from breakthrough to benchmark.

📊 Tournament Performance Snapshot

• 657,291 total fans attended across 31 matches (29 sold out)

• 34,203 fans attended the final in Basel

• 35% of attendees travelled internationally, representing 160+ nationalities

• Swiss host cities reported a 12% visitor increase and 27% spending growth

• 500M+ global viewers engaged with the tournament (projected)

• The final is expected to surpass 45M streams globally

• UEFA’s app and website saw over 49M views, with 20.7M+ social engagements

• 95K+ fans joined organised fan walks; 1M+ engaged in fan zones

🌟 Player Power: Michelle Agyemang and the Youth Surge

• Michelle Agyemang, 18, became a breakout star and Young Player of the Tournament

• She scored stoppage-time goals in both the quarter-final and semi-final, despite playing just 138 minutes

• Her personal story - from Wembley ball girl to national hero - trended across major platforms and inspired high-volume, high-sentiment content

• Other emerging stars like Iman Beney, Vicky López, and Smilla Vallotto also gained sharp follower growth and commercial attention

• Player-led content outperformed official or sponsor-led creative across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts

📣 Brand Share of Voice & Engagement (Campaigns That Cut Through)

The brands that succeeded at EURO 2025 didn’t just sponsor - they participated in culture, activated quickly, and let players lead.

🏁 Nike - 11OME & the Journey Home

• Nike led the post-final moment with “It’s not just coming home. It’s 11OME.”, deployed across OOH, social and live activations.

• Featured arrival content, fan installations and cultural commentary.

• Delivered a 35% spike in Instagram engagement on @nikefootball during finals week, with 4.2M+ views on the hero video in 48 hours.

🔥 Adidas - Icons of the Future, Aygemergency & Star Power

• Adidas’s Icons of the Future featured Alessia Russo, Aitana Bonmatí, Michelle Agyemang and Vicky López - blending performance footage with off-pitch storytelling.

• Their reactive “Break in Case of Aygemergency” stunt went viral after Agyemang’s second clutch goal:

  • Store displays, TikTok assets and GIF packs generated 2.5M+ video uses in 48 hours

  • Agyemang’s follower count surpassed 1M during the campaign window

• Adidas led earned share of voice among sponsors from quarter-finals through to the final (source: Talkwalker).

💳 Visa - Fans Without Borders

• A docuseries highlighting fan journeys across Europe drew 12M+ views and lifted brand favourability by 11% in UEFA-related social media conversations.

🎧 Spotify - Player Soundtracks

• Spotify's curated playlists featured players like Russo and Batlle, generating 400K+ streams and strong organic shares via athlete profiles.

💄 L'Oréal - Game Face

• TikTok-first beauty content featuring Iman Beney and Selma Bacha became the most engaged branded beauty content during the tournament.

🚗 Volkswagen - Penalty Challenge Fan Zones

• VW’s interactive zones drew 18,000+ participants, with 120K+ UGC moments feeding directly into UEFA’s official channels.

👀 How It Compares: Men’s & Women’s Benchmarks

To frame the scale of EURO 2025:

• The FIFA Club World Cup Final 2023 drew 81,118 attendees and ~107M viewers - less than EURO 2025's combined reach

• A 2025 men’s pre-season friendly (Man Utd vs West Ham) drew 82,566 - the biggest US football crowd of the year, but with limited global broadcast impact

• The UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 had 574,875 attendees and 365M viewers - both surpassed this year

• The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 reached over 2B viewers, with ~2M attending in person

• The UEFA Women’s Champions League Final 2025 (Arsenal vs Barcelona) drew 38,356 and 3.6M viewers

• By comparison, the FIFA Men’s World Cup Final 2022 drew 88,966 in-stadium and 1.5B peak global viewers

• The UEFA Men’s EURO 2020 reached 5.2B total audience, with 328M for the final

📌 Key Takeouts

• UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 broke all previous records across attendance, engagement, and economic impact

• Player-led narratives drove the tournament’s reach, especially among younger and digital-first audiences

• Nike owned the post-final moment, but Adidas’s real-time cultural play and player focus captured early share of voice

• Digital-first, culturally fluent brands like Spotify and L'Oréal delivered standout performance through relevance over reach

• Women’s football is no longer emerging - it’s defining what successful sports marketing looks like in 2025

🔮 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Get closer to athletes, not just federations - player-driven content is now the primary mode of influence

• Plan for culture, not just coverage - campaigns must be reactive, meme-literate and mobile-native

• Treat women’s football as primary commercial territory - not CSR or secondary inventory

• Use live experiences to feed digital storytelling - not just as standalone stunts

• Track ROI by share of voice and cultural impact, not just legacy prestige

UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 wasn’t just a tournament. It was a live demonstration of where fan energy, brand value, and cultural influence are moving next.

The players are ready. The fans are watching. And the smartest brands are already on the pitch.

🍪 Chips Ahoy x Stranger Things: AR, Nostalgia and the Rise of Immersive Snack Marketing

In a move blending nostalgia, immersive tech and pop culture fandom, Chips Ahoy is launching an augmented reality (AR) cookie hunt in collaboration with Stranger Things, ahead of the show’s final season. With QR-activated Upside Down adventures, glow-in-the-dark packaging and strawberry-filled cookies, the snack brand is pushing into phygital experiences designed to drive attention, engagement and trial.

According to McKinsey, immersive experiences can drive up to a 25% increase in consumer engagement when tied to culturally relevant properties. This campaign positions Chips Ahoy within a growing cohort of FMCG brands tapping into fandoms and digital layers to refresh relevance.

✅ Pros: Strategic Gains for Both Sides

• IP Power: Stranger Things continues to be a juggernaut, drawing 140 million global viewers last season. Chips Ahoy benefits from access to a highly engaged global fanbase.

• Innovation in Pack and Product: A first-ever strawberry-filled cookie, glow-in-the-dark packaging and retro 1980s pack reissues help the brand break through on-shelf and online.

• Digital Interactivity: The browser-based AR game adds a sticky, replayable layer to the promotion - no app download needed.

⚠️ Cons: Potential Shortfalls

• Shelf-Life of Relevance: With Stranger Things ending, the long-term equity gain for Chips Ahoy may be limited.

• Limited Access: Early release (only 1,500 pre-orders) could frustrate some fans and curtail broader impact.

• Overreliance on IP: Leaning too hard on entertainment properties can dilute brand distinctiveness if not balanced with ownable storytelling.

💡 Opportunities for Brands

• Phygital Play: Combining real-world products with immersive digital touchpoints is becoming table stakes. FMCG brands should test browser-based AR, which offers lower friction than apps.

• Nostalgia-Driven Innovation: Reviving past pack designs (in this case, 1980s) creates emotional resonance, especially with Gen X and Millennial parents.

• Fan-Centric Mechanics: Gaming, QR interactions and exclusive rewards (like the Stranger Things guitar) foster deeper community engagement.

🧱 Challenges Ahead

• Measurement Complexity: Gauging ROI from immersive experiences remains difficult, especially if sales data isn’t tied directly to the digital activations.

• Content Saturation: With multiple brands partnering with the same IP, differentiation becomes harder. Chips Ahoy must work to stand out even within the Stranger Things universe.

• Sustainability Questions: Novel packaging (glow-in-the-dark, multi-layered) may conflict with growing consumer expectations around eco-conscious products.

🔑 Key Takeouts

• Chips Ahoy is leveraging Stranger Things for cultural capital and product innovation.

• The campaign smartly blends nostalgia, novelty and interactivity.

• Brand-IP partnerships work best when the product, pack and experience all align.

• AR is increasingly being used in accessible, browser-based formats that remove friction.

🧭 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Experiment with Browser-Based AR: Brands can test lightweight digital layers without heavy tech investment.

• Design for Fandoms: Tapping into communities that already gather around shared stories (like Stranger Things) can amplify reach and resonance.

• Audit IP Dependency: Ensure collaborations build brand equity - not just halo effect. Create your own narratives alongside licensed ones.

• Revisit Your Archives: Legacy assets like vintage packaging or flavours can be reimagined for modern cultural moments.

⚙️ 25 July Deadline: UK’s Online Safety Act Enforced - Is Your Platform Ready to Comply?

From 25 July 2025, the UK enforces a pivotal shift in how digital platforms must protect young users online. The Online Safety Act (OSA) places legally binding responsibilities on social media companies, search engines, and adult content providers to filter harmful content and verify user ages. For tech platforms and brand marketers alike, this is a regulatory watershed - with significant reputational and financial stakes.

Why It Matters

The legislation follows years of scrutiny over platform accountability, particularly after high-profile cases like that of Molly Russell, the teenager who took her life after viewing harmful online content. The OSA now requires platforms to actively prevent under-18s from accessing inappropriate content - not merely respond after the fact.

Supporting Stats

• 8% of UK children aged 8–14 accessed online pornography within a month, per Ofcom (2025).

• Facial age estimation tools such as Yoti, when set to a “challenge age” of 20, wrongly allowed access to fewer than 1% of 13–17-year-olds.

• Fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global turnover can be imposed for non-compliance - for Meta, that could mean $16bn.

Pros - What’s Working?

• Codified responsibilities with regulatory oversight: Ofcom now has the power to fine, block access, or prosecute senior managers for repeated safety failures.

• Tech-led compliance: Platforms are deploying tools like selfie-ID matching, facial age estimation, and digital identity wallets. Reddit, OnlyFans, and Meta are already incorporating compliant features.

• User experience segmentation: Platforms like X and Instagram are using default teen settings and content filters to provide age-appropriate browsing environments.

Cons - Where Risks Remain

• Uneven application: Smaller adult content providers may delay or dodge compliance, gambling on low enforcement risk in the early phase.

• Privacy trade-offs: Age verification mechanisms raise concerns, even when images are not stored. Users may be deterred by ID requests or facial scanning prompts.

• Self-defined compliance: Companies can propose “valid alternatives” to Ofcom’s codes, which may lead to fragmented or inconsistent safety standards.

Opportunities - What Should Brands and Platforms Focus On?

• Innovation in identity assurance: Age verification is fuelling investment in privacy-first identity solutions - a rapidly emerging space for strategic tech partnerships.

• Brand safety and trust: Advertisers can align with verified-safe environments and avoid the reputational risks of being associated with non-compliant platforms.

• Proactive content governance: Brands can play a role in co-creating safe, engaging experiences for younger audiences across compliant platforms.

Challenges - Structural and Strategic Barriers

• Bias in age estimation AI: Accuracy may vary across demographics, raising potential for unfair access issues or legal exposure.

• Business model friction: Age checks can reduce frictionless access - a potential revenue hit for platforms reliant on anonymous or underage traffic.

• Global inconsistency: Tech companies must adapt to localised compliance regimes - the UK’s rules may set a precedent but are not yet globally harmonised.

Key Takeouts

• From 25 July 2025, the UK’s Online Safety Act is enforceable - targeting harmful online content and mandating age checks.

• Platforms must proactively restrict access to suicide, self-harm, eating disorder content, and pornography for under-18s.

• ID verification and facial age estimation are being adopted - but privacy and user experience concerns remain.

• Ofcom has enforcement power: heavy fines, service blocks, and criminal charges for persistent breaches.

• Brands have a stake in ensuring their digital presence is aligned with child-safe, compliant platforms.

Next Steps for Brand Marketers and Platform Leads

1. Audit platform compliance: Verify that your brand’s media partners or owned platforms meet OSA requirements.

2. Update digital policies: Review internal guidelines around youth engagement, ad placement, and content targeting.

3. Partner with safe tech: Explore opportunities in verified ID, digital wallets, or age assurance technologies.

4. Prepare for global ripple effects: Use the UK as a case study to model readiness for similar legislation in the EU, Australia, or US.

5. Champion responsible engagement: Position your brand as an advocate for safer online environments through partnerships, campaigns, or platform collaborations.

🚗 Uber’s Gender Preference Feature: A Strategic Move for Safety and Trust in Ride-Hailing

Why it matters:
Uber will begin piloting a new feature next month that allows women riders and drivers to opt into being matched only with other women. Launching in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Detroit, the feature is positioned as a way to increase comfort, control and safety, especially in light of ongoing scrutiny around harassment and assault on ride-hailing platforms.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Uber’s new preference tool builds on earlier rollouts in markets like Saudi Arabia, France and Argentina, and follows a similar move by Lyft in 2023.

• While women can set a preference to be paired with other women, Uber notes that same-gender matching is not guaranteed - this could impact user trust in the feature.

• Framed as a tool for empowerment and safety, the update responds to long-standing feedback from women users, and may help improve driver retention, with only around 20% of Uber’s U.S. drivers currently being women (Uber, 2015).

• Legal and ethical questions could arise around exclusion, algorithmic fairness, and access for nonbinary users, especially if the feature is rolled out more widely.

• The success of this pilot will depend on clear communication, user education, and consistent UX - if buried in app settings, adoption could be low.

• Strategically, this positions Uber as a brand responding to user concerns with tangible tools rather than statements, but the perception of this as a reactive rather than proactive move may persist.

• Brands beyond ride-hailing can learn from Uber’s approach: offering user choice, building for trust, and enabling personal agency can strengthen loyalty in safety-sensitive environments.

🦁 The Lionesses vs The Rest: EURO 2025 Smashes UK Viewing Records

England’s Lionesses are dominating not just on the pitch, but across screens and platforms. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 is proving that women’s football can deliver mass national audiences that outstrip global men’s club competitions – and the numbers are emphatic.

✅ The Lionesses' semi-final audience was nearly 10x larger than the Club World Cup final average, and more than 4x the peak UK audience for Chelsea vs PSG.

📌 In 2017, a Lionesses semi-final would draw around 1.5 million viewers. Today, that’s multiplied by nearly 7x.

📱 Social Media & Digital Engagement

• Player Influencer Power:
  Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson now earn up to £8,000 per sponsored Instagram post, driven by visibility and audience growth.

• Tournament-Level Social Reach (EURO 2022):

  • 453 million social interactions globally

  • 14.6 million direct engagements, 30× higher than EURO 2017
    (EURO 2025 figures pending post-final)

• ITV Digital Streaming:

  • EURO 2025 semi-final was one of ITVX’s highest live-streamed events in 2025

  • ITV reported best Sunday night viewership volume of the year across all channels on 13 July

💰 Commercial Implications

• Advertising Revenue:

  • Prime-time dominance and record reach make Lionesses matches highly valuable ad inventory.

  • With peak figures outperforming men’s club matches by 3–10x, brands are paying increasing premiums for association.

• Sponsorship Leverage:

  • UEFA EURO 2025 partners (including Visa, Adidas, PepsiCo, Unilever, and PlayStation) are benefitting from more exposure per £1 than many men's tournaments this year.

  • Athlete-level deals are strengthening – with more visibility, expect multi-channel endorsement growth.

• Rights Value Growth:

  • After a 289% increase in broadcast rights for women’s football post-2022, EURO 2025 is set to drive the next round of rights escalations, particularly in digital and global syndication.

🧾 Summary

• England’s semi-final vs Italy (10.2M) outperformed the Club World Cup final by a factor of 9x (avg) and 4.4x (peak) in the UK.

• Women's football has moved from niche interest to major national media event.

• The audience today is younger, more diverse, and brand-attentive, making it one of the most valuable segments for advertisers and rights holders.

• Social engagement and player influence are reinforcing long-tail commercial value.

• With the final still to come, EURO 2025 is already a landmark media moment for the women’s game in the UK.

🍔 Branded Burgers and Cyberfries: Tesla’s Diner Doubles Down on Experience-Led Branding

In a surprise move even by Elon Musk’s standards, Tesla has opened a 24-hour diner on Santa Monica Boulevard - complete with roller-skating servers, curated movie clips, robot popcorn, and up to 80 Superchargers. Equal parts roadside attraction and brand experiment, the Tesla Diner is a glossy example of content, commerce, and cultural cachet colliding in physical space.

But beneath the chrome and pie shakes is a strategy that should interest more than EV fans. The diner is a vivid demonstration of what it looks like when a brand designs not just products, but environments - spaces built to immerse people in its worldview.

📊 Supporting Stats

• According to Eater, the Tesla Diner is a 3,800 sq ft space with a 5,500 sq ft patio, designed by Stantec and developed with hospitality veteran Bill Chait.

• The site features up to 80 V4 Supercharger stalls, supporting Tesla’s broader goal of building 1,000+ Supercharger locations in North America by 2025 (Tesla earnings reports).

• The US experiential marketing industry is projected to reach $62 billion by 2031, growing at 6.3% CAGR (Allied Market Research).

• A 2023 McKinsey report found that companies leading in brand experience outperformed peers by over 200% in shareholder returns.

✅ Pros - What’s Working?

• Branded immersion: The diner turns EV charging into a themed brand environment — a place to hang out, not just plug in.

• High-volume content engine: With Cybertruck burger boxes and LED-lit milkshakes, the entire setup is designed for organic social sharing.

• Vertical integration: Tesla now owns not just the car and energy, but the downtime too - capturing attention during every stage of the customer journey.

• Cultural fluency: The blend of retro Americana and sci-fi futurism gives the space a familiar-yet-novel feel, perfect for generating buzz.

❌ Cons - What Are the Limitations?

• Privacy concerns: The use of geofencing, Bluetooth syncing, and app-based ordering raises questions around data collection and customer consent.

• Scalability: LA offers a perfect launchpad - but translating this high-concept format to less media-saturated markets may prove difficult.

• Core distraction: For a company already under scrutiny over delivery numbers and margins, expanding into hospitality could be seen as mission drift.

🚀 Opportunities - What Should Brands Pay Attention To?

• Experience as media: The diner functions as an Instagram set, a food outlet, a retail hub, and a Supercharger - showing how environments can become multi-format content.

• Physical extensions of digital brands: Even tech-first companies benefit from real-world spaces that reinforce brand values and spark community.

• Founder-led storytelling: Musk’s involvement adds cultural gravity - part of a broader trend where the founder becomes the message.

• Merchandising as engagement: Tesla is experimenting with selling more than cars - branded candy, T-shirts, and limited-edition items become part of the brand touchpoint.

⚠️ Challenges - What Barriers Exist?

• Sustaining hype: The real test will come when the influencers leave - can Tesla make the diner part of everyday EV life?

• Over-extension risk: Creating entertainment venues requires operational excellence - something far outside Tesla’s core capabilities.

• Brand perception: For some, the diner will reinforce Tesla’s innovation edge. For others, it may read as a distraction from quality or safety concerns in its core product lines.

🧠 Key Takeouts

• Tesla’s diner is less about food, more about feeling - reinforcing the brand through atmosphere, aesthetics, and interaction.

• Turning infrastructure into entertainment is a powerful model for modern brands.

• Experiences drive attention, and attention drives content - when designed intentionally.

• Founder presence continues to shape cultural momentum and audience trust.

• Strategic real estate can evolve into brand real estate.

🧠 Meta’s AI Ads: Scale Without Soul?

Mark Zuckerberg just declared that by 2026, every ad on Meta will be made by AI. A bold claim, and one with serious implications for anyone building brands in an algorithm-driven world.

So, here’s the big question:
If every brand uses the same AI, where does that leave originality, voice, and human nuance?

📊 Supporting Stats

• Meta currently pulls in $160bn annually from advertising (The Guardian, June 2025).

• Capital expenditure is set to hit $72bn next year, largely to build out AI infrastructure.

• News of Meta’s plans saw WPP shares drop 3%, and Publicis Groupe fall by nearly 4%.

• Meta says the move will “redefine the category of advertising” - shifting from human-crafted strategy to machine-generated execution.

✅ Pros: Automation at Scale

• Efficiency for SMEs: AI-powered tools lower the barrier to entry for brands with limited resources. Just upload a product shot, set your budget, and Meta does the rest.

• Rapid testing: Infinite variations of creative and copy, all auto-optimised based on performance.

• Accessible targeting: Built-in geolocation, dynamic personalisation and budget alignment streamline previously complex media buys.

⚠️ Cons: The Sameness Trap

• Zero differentiation: If everyone uses the same toolset, creative homogenisation becomes inevitable.

• Performance ≠ brand equity: AI-optimised ads may deliver short-term clicks, but lack long-term resonance.

• Commoditised creativity: When platforms decide what “works,” distinctiveness becomes a liability.

🌱 Opportunities: Creator-Led Brand Building

• Human-first storytelling: In a sea of AI-generated sameness, authentic, founder-led narratives will stand out.

• Culture as moat: Real voices, faces and values will become key brand assets - not just “nice-to-haves”.

• Multichannel presence: As Meta ad feeds become flooded with AI output, premium audiences may migrate to platforms like YouTube, podcasts, newsletters, or owned brand spaces.

🧱 Challenges: Platform Dependency

• No leverage: If your brand lives entirely within Meta’s ecosystem, you play by its rules - and price hikes.

• Eroding creative control: Automation limits experimentation and lateral thinking - the kind of creativity that builds cult followings.

• Agencies at risk: While Meta claims to support agencies, full-stack automation threatens their core value proposition.

💡 Key Takeouts

• AI-generated ads will dominate Meta by 2026.

• Creative optimisation will favour performance over personality.

• Mass automation risks mass commodification.

• Brands need human stories to stay culturally relevant.

• Creator-led brands offer a viable, defensible alternative.

🚀 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Double down on brand identity. Invest in the human, the founder, the creator behind your product.

• Build outside the feed. Explore YouTube, podcasts, brand communities, and direct channels where storytelling still matters.

• Audit your dependence. If Meta flipped a switch tomorrow, would your brand still have a voice?

• Champion cultural fluency. AI can’t read the room - but your team can.

• Use AI selectively. Let machines handle the grunt work, but protect the soul of your brand at all costs.

The AI ad age is coming. The only way to win?
Stay human.

🧒🤖 Baby Grok: What Kid-Friendly AI Signals About the Future of Childhood Tech

Elon Musk’s xAI has announced Baby Grok, a child-focused version of its AI chatbot platform. Positioned as a safer, simplified alternative to the edgier mainline Grok product, Baby Grok promises only “kid-friendly content”. The move follows recent controversy over hyper-customisable 3D AI companions - some of which were criticised for being overly sexualised.

With increasing scrutiny over how AI shapes young minds, Baby Grok arrives at a cultural flashpoint. It’s not just a product announcement, but a signal of the growing urgency to define ethical, educational, and emotional standards for how AI engages children.

Why This Matters

AI is no longer confined to adult productivity tools. It’s embedded in homes, classrooms, and now, potentially, the early digital experiences of kids. According to Ofcom (2024), 56% of UK children aged 8-11 own a smartphone. And one in three children aged 12-15 uses generative AI tools regularly (Children’s Commissioner for England, 2024). This trend raises pressing questions about content moderation, bias, emotional development, and long-term cognitive effects.

At the same time, reports like Voice of the Boys from Male Allies UK spotlight how young people are already grappling with darker tech-driven narratives: boys describing choking as normal, joking about nudify apps, or comparing AI girlfriends as a form of social status. These aren’t fringe behaviours - they’re evidence of a growing disconnect between digital design and developmental safeguarding.

Key Concerns and Watchouts

• Lack of Transparency: Beyond the “kid-friendly” label, xAI has offered little clarity on what safety architecture, content controls, or ethical oversight will differentiate Baby Grok from its mainline counterpart.

• Brand Trust Gap: Grok is known for its uncensored tone and sometimes controversial content. The pivot to child-safe AI invites scrutiny - especially from parents, educators, and child safety advocates.

• Regulatory Grey Zones: Existing frameworks like the UK’s Online Safety Act are still catching up with the realities of generative AI. This leaves open questions about data collection, content monitoring, and age verification in platforms like Baby Grok.

• Commercialisation of Childhood: By introducing AI companions into children's lives, even with the best intentions, there's a risk of deepening tech dependency and shifting play or learning into commercialised, screen-based domains.

• Moral Delegation to Machines: There’s a broader ethical issue around offloading parental, educational, or emotional support roles to AI. No matter how well-designed, chatbots can't replace nuanced human interaction - especially in formative years.

As AI expands its reach into childhood, the conversation around safety needs to evolve from technical compliance to cultural responsibility. The launch of Baby Grok is not just a product test - it’s a societal one. Whether it becomes a meaningful educational tool or another cautionary tale will depend not just on xAI, but on how regulators, brands, educators, and parents choose to respond.

🕵️‍♂️ Algorithm Anxiety: Why France’s Criminal Probe into X Should Be on Every Brand’s Radar

In the crosshairs of European regulation, X’s standoff with French authorities is more than a legal spat - it’s a warning shot to every platform that trades in influence.

French prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), probing alleged algorithmic manipulation aimed at foreign interference. The platform’s refusal to comply with demands for algorithmic transparency, citing free speech concerns and alleged bias, has escalated tensions. This isn’t just a national legal issue - it’s a flashpoint in the global debate over platform governance, data sovereignty, and brand risk in politicised digital spaces.

📊 The Stats Behind the Scrutiny

• 73% of EU citizens worry about misinformation online, with social platforms seen as major sources (Eurobarometer, 2024).

• Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), platforms like X must disclose algorithmic functions and content moderation practices to regulators.

• France’s media regulator ARCOM has already flagged X for “major shortfalls” in combating hate speech under DSA mandates.

These figures underscore why European regulators are sharpening their tools - and why platforms resisting scrutiny risk reputational and legal backlash.

✅ Pros - Why This Matters for Brand Strategy

• Increased transparency mandates could ultimately restore trust in digital platforms, especially for brands seeking safer media environments.

• X’s high-profile refusal to hand over data highlights a growing demand for algorithmic accountability, which could pave the way for industry-wide standards.

• The confrontation brings regulatory clarity to grey areas around AI-powered content curation and its potential political impact.

⚠️ Cons - Platform Tensions & Risk Exposure

• Musk’s X has already seen major advertiser exodus due to concerns over content moderation. This standoff could deepen brand safety risks.

• Regulatory non-compliance puts platforms at risk of hefty fines or service limitations in key markets, threatening access and reach.

• Allegations of “foreign interference” and algorithmic bias risk fuelling public distrust, affecting brand affinity by association.

🌍 Opportunities - Strategic Openings for Marketers

• Brands can lead by investing in transparency-first media buying, favouring platforms that submit to independent algorithmic audits.

• The moment is ripe for developing alternative content strategies, including partnerships with verified publishers and decentralised platforms.

• Rising concern over digital influence opens space for values-led campaigns around truth, trust, and data ethics.

🧱 Challenges - Friction Ahead

• Opaque algorithms remain a black box for most marketers, making it difficult to assess true audience reach or engagement dynamics.

• Regulatory fragmentation across the EU and US complicates compliance planning, especially for global campaigns.

• The politicisation of platform governance threatens to drag brands into cultural flashpoints, whether they intend to engage or not.

🔑 Key Takeouts

• X’s resistance marks a growing divide between platform self-governance and state regulation.

• Regulatory bodies like the EU are moving from passive oversight to active enforcement, including criminal probes.

• Algorithmic transparency is no longer optional - it’s becoming a central trust factor in media planning.

• Brands face reputational risks by operating in opaque digital environments lacking clear governance standards.

📌 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

1. Audit your media mix for exposure to high-risk platforms facing regulatory heat.

2. Start asking vendors for algorithmic transparency reports or third-party verification.

3. Build resilience by diversifying into contextual advertising and trusted news environments.

4. Stay informed on regulatory developments in key markets - particularly around the Digital Services Act.

5. Prepare your comms team for potential spillover risks from platform controversies.

🎥 Google Goes Hollywood: What 100 Zeros Means for the Future of Tech and Entertainment

Google is officially stepping into the spotlight. With the launch of 100 Zeros - a new entertainment venture in collaboration with Range Media Partners - the tech giant is making a concerted effort to reshape how technology is portrayed in mainstream entertainment. The aim? To move away from dystopian narratives and toward more hopeful, culturally relevant stories centred on AI, spatial computing, and emerging tech.

Rather than producing content in-house or via YouTube, 100 Zeros will co-finance and co-develop projects with established streamers like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple TV+. This strategic move signals a shift in how Silicon Valley wants to influence culture: not just through product, but through story.

What’s Working: A More Nuanced Tech Narrative

Google's timing is smart. Public perceptions of AI are swinging between wonder and worry. According to a 2024 Pew Research report, 52% of Americans feel more concerned than excited about AI. In the UK, Ofcom's 2023 Media Nations report highlighted growing demand for content that explores ethical and human-centred aspects of technology. By investing in storytelling that reflects nuance and optimism, Google is positioning itself as a values-led innovator.

Limitations: Brand Distance and Creative Control

Google isn't producing its own shows - it's aligning with third-party creatives. That means reduced control over final messaging and potential tension between brand goals and artistic integrity. There’s also the risk of audiences perceiving this as soft PR rather than genuine cultural investment, especially if narratives feel overly polished or didactic.

Opportunities: Brand Building Through Storytelling

Done well, this could help reposition Google as not just a tech enabler, but a cultural thought leader. There’s significant upside in embedding brand values in entertainment without overt branding. Think: what Nike did with sport documentaries or Apple’s subtle product integration across original content. With talent access via Range Media and scale via partnerships with top streamers, Google is well-placed to influence the next wave of tech narratives.

Challenges: A Distrustful Audience

Audiences are increasingly sceptical of Big Tech. Edelman’s 2024 Trust Barometer shows trust in technology has declined for the third consecutive year globally. This means 100 Zeros must earn attention and respect on creative merit - not corporate association. The risk of backlash is real if content is perceived as sanitised or self-serving.

🔑 Key Takeouts:

• Google’s 100 Zeros is a strategic move to influence tech narratives via film and TV.

• It reflects a shift toward values-based storytelling focused on optimism, not dystopia.

• The venture offers cultural influence potential but carries reputational risk.

• Success hinges on creative authenticity, not corporate messaging.

🎶 TikTok Turns Up the Volume on Songwriters: What the New Features Mean for Brands and Creators

As TikTok continues to shape global music discovery, its latest move puts songwriters centre stage. With the beta launch of TikTok Songwriter Features, the platform is responding to industry calls for greater transparency, visibility and value for the creators behind the hits. For brands, talent managers, and cultural strategists, this development signals a shift in how music creators can be engaged and elevated in the social ecosystem.

Why This Matters Now

TikTok has become a core driver of music virality. But until now, songwriters have often remained in the background. This new suite of features - including a Songwriter Account Label and a Music Tab - is designed to ensure their work is properly credited and more discoverable.

According to MIDiA Research’s 2025 Songwriter Report, 53% of full-time songwriters who post content do so on TikTok, and over 80% of all songwriters use social media to advance their careers. The timing is clear: songwriter visibility is no longer optional - it’s business-critical.

✅ Pros - What’s Working?

Elevated Attribution
For the first time, songwriters can label their profiles and curate a music tab showcasing their co-written works, making authorship transparent and accessible.

Content + Catalogue Integration
TikTok’s update places music and storytelling side by side - empowering songwriters to link personal content with professional catalogues.

Direct Fan Discovery
As songwriter KOLE notes, fans are discovering creators through TikTok’s algorithmic curation - not by search. That passive discovery makes songwriter visibility more impactful than ever.

Industry Endorsement
Major publishers like Kobalt, Reservoir, Warner Chappell and Sentric have publicly backed the beta, reinforcing its industry legitimacy and reach.

❌ Cons - What Are the Limitations?

Closed Beta = Limited Access
Currently, the feature is in a restricted rollout with select publishing partners. This limits early visibility for independent or unsigned songwriters.

Attribution Is Still Optional
TikTok’s features are tools, not enforcement mechanisms. Unless widely adopted and standardised, songwriter credits may still be missed or inconsistent.

Monetisation Still Vague
While the features improve discovery, the connection to revenue (e.g. sync, streaming boosts, licensing) is still unclear for many songwriters.

💡 Opportunities - What Should Brands Pay Attention To?

Creator Collaborations at the Source
Brands can now identify not just performers, but the creative minds behind trending tracks - opening doors to deeper, story-led partnerships with writers.

Content Series Like #BehindTheSong
TikTok’s built-in storytelling formats like #BehindTheSong offer a blueprint for branded content collaborations focused on process, inspiration and authorship.

Talent Scouting Through Attribution
With credits attached to profiles, brands and agencies can scout songwriting talent based on real metrics - discoverability, influence, and song virality.

Culture-Led Campaign Soundtracking
Knowing who wrote a viral track opens up richer cultural alignment and licensing conversations, beyond performer endorsements.

⚠️ Challenges - What Barriers Exist?

Fragmented Credit Systems Across Platforms
TikTok may credit songwriters, but many DSPs and UGC platforms still lack consistent metadata frameworks.

Algorithmic Attention Gaps
TikTok’s For You Page surfaces content, not necessarily credit. Without amplification, songwriter features risk being underused or unseen.

Platform Dependency
Over-reliance on TikTok for visibility may reinforce platform-driven career models, which can be unstable or opaque.

🔑 Key Takeouts

• TikTok Songwriter Features signal a shift towards greater attribution and visibility for music creators.

• The initiative is backed by major publishers and supported by songwriter advocates across the industry.

• While still in beta, the features could reshape how songwriters are discovered, credited, and monetised on social platforms.

• Brand marketers now have a new layer of creative partnership potential, tracing culture back to its originators.

• Success will depend on widespread adoption, feature evolution, and cross-platform alignment on credit standards.

🧭 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Track the Beta Rollout: Stay informed on when the features open more broadly. Early engagement could offer brand partnership advantages.

• Map Songwriters to Cultural Trends: Go beyond performers. Identify the creatives behind trending TikTok tracks who may align with your brand story.

• Experiment with #BehindTheSong Formats: Use TikTok’s existing campaign structures to spotlight the creative journey behind licensed music in brand campaigns.

• Push for Metadata Standards: Join or support industry calls for consistent songwriter crediting across digital platforms.

• Reframe Influencer Strategy: Include songwriters as a new class of cultural creators for endorsement, partnership or amplification.

TikTok is positioning songwriters not just as background contributors, but as cultural figures in their own right. For brands, that means a chance to engage deeper in the music economy - at the source of creativity.

🎧⚽️ From Beats to Barça: How Spotify Turned a Shirt Sponsorship Into a Cultural Power Play

Spotify's front-of-shirt partnership with FC Barcelona has become one of sport's most ambitious and effective branding strategies in recent memory. As outlined in Daniel-Yaw Miller’s May 2025 piece for SportsVerse, “How Spotify Built Its FC Barcelona Sponsorship Into a Music-Fashion-Culture Goldmine,” the streaming giant has rewritten the playbook on how brands can activate cultural relevance through sport. By trading traditional logo exposure for timely, artist-led takeovers during global moments like El Clásico, Spotify isn’t just sponsoring football – it’s shaping the future of fan engagement across music, fashion, and sport.

In a rare, behind-the-scenes interview, Marc Hazan, Spotify’s global VP of marketing and partnerships, described this strategy as “hitting the zeitgeist” - and by all measures, it’s working.

🚀 Pros - What’s Working?

Cultural Synergy That Resonates
Spotify’s yearly El Clásico jersey takeovers - featuring artists like Drake, Rosalía, The Rolling Stones and most recently Travis Scott - blend the emotional pull of football with the cultural weight of global music icons. These collaborations transcend fandom, creating mass desirability and tapping into fashion, resale and hype culture.

Record-Breaking Merchandising
The Travis Scott x Cactus Jack x Barcelona jersey set a new benchmark for demand, reportedly reselling for over $2,200 on StockX within days of its release. Earlier drops, like the Barcelona x Rosalía jersey, have also held strong resale value, cementing these pieces as cultural artefacts, not just merchandise.

Innovative Brand Integration
Unlike passive logo placements, Spotify’s activation strategy includes curated matchday playlists by players like Jules Koundé and exclusive artist performances (such as Travis Scott’s first-ever Barcelona concert). These deepen brand affinity while delivering unique experiences to fans.

⚠️ Cons - What Are the Risks?

Lost Traditional Visibility
By removing its logo from the most visible moment of the football calendar - the El Clásico - Spotify forfeits billions of global impressions. This is a high-risk move in a media environment where visibility often equates to value.

Dependence on Artist Relevance
The impact of the partnership is tightly linked to the cultural capital of the artists involved. A misstep in artist selection or backlash around a collaborator could quickly turn a cultural win into a PR problem.

Exclusivity vs Accessibility
While exclusivity drives hype, it may alienate loyal fans unable to afford or access these high-ticket items. Balancing aspirational branding with broad fan inclusion remains a challenge.

🔍 Opportunities - Where Brands Should Pay Attention

The Rise of Football as Fashion
Football kits are no longer just for match days. As Daniel-Yaw Miller notes, they're now fashion items worn by non-fans for style and status. Brands in music, fashion and sport should be exploring how to enter this crossover space authentically.

Reimagining Sponsorship Models
Spotify’s approach redefines what a sports sponsorship can be. Rather than visibility alone, it focuses on cultural currency, storytelling and digital content. This signals a shift in how partnerships should be structured in the age of fandoms and niche culture.

Localisation Meets Globalisation
Artist-led jerseys tap into global pop culture, but Spotify is also leveraging local fan communities with intimate concerts and regional engagement. This hybrid model of global reach with local resonance is an emerging best practice.

🧱 Challenges - What's in the Way?

Maintaining Authenticity
As Hazan emphasised, “staying respectful and authentic to football culture” is key. Over-commercialisation or tone-deaf activations risk alienating hardcore fans and eroding credibility.

Saturation and Imitation
Now that Spotify’s success is evident, copycat models are inevitable. Brands must innovate beyond the initial idea and evolve their execution to maintain originality and impact.

Scalability Beyond Barcelona
The unique cultural cachet of FC Barcelona, combined with Spotify’s artist relationships, makes this model effective. But can it be replicated with other teams or in other sports? Not every partnership offers the same cultural access point.

📌 Key Takeouts

• Spotify’s Barcelona deal is redefining the role of sponsorships in culture.

• Artist-led jersey swaps create scarcity, hype and commercial returns.

• The strategy’s strength lies in merging music, fashion and football authentically.

• Risks include visibility trade-offs, artist controversies and pricing exclusivity.

• Cultural capital is the new media currency - and brands must invest accordingly.

🔮 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Rethink ROI: Move beyond impressions and CPMs - ask how your brand can influence culture through partnerships.

• Get Embedded: Work with cultural insiders - not just agencies - to ensure brand activations feel real, not reactive.

• Design for Desire: Co-create limited products that fans want, not just ones that tick brand boxes.

• Embrace Cross-Pollination: Consider how sport, music, fashion, gaming and nightlife intersect – and build at those crossroads.

• Plan for Longevity: Don’t chase virality. Build long-term partnerships that allow for evolving, layered storytelling over seasons.

Spotify’s FC Barcelona playbook isn’t just a win for the brand. It’s a signal to the industry: the next era of sponsorship will be led by those who dare to blend creativity, culture and commerce.

🧩 XChat vs WhatsApp: Can Elon’s Super App Ambitions Reshape Messaging?

As Elon Musk continues his transformation of X (formerly Twitter), the introduction of XChat marks another bold move to turn the platform into a full-service “super app.” Following the playbook of WeChat and other Asian tech giants, XChat isn’t just a bolt-on feature - it’s Musk’s latest step in blurring the lines between social, messaging, and media. So, what does this mean for brand strategists and digital marketers?

📊 The Context: Messaging Apps Are Still Booming

Messaging platforms remain central to online engagement:

• WhatsApp leads globally with 2.9 billion monthly active users, followed by WeChat (1.3 billion) and Telegram (900 million) (Datareportal, 2025).

• Over 70% of consumers say they prefer messaging over calls or emails when contacting brands (Zendesk, 2024).

• In China, WeChat has grown far beyond messaging to include payments, ecommerce and even government services, becoming the benchmark for Musk’s vision.

So how does XChat stack up?

✅ Pros - What’s Working?

1. Integrated Experience

XChat’s real selling point is that it’s embedded directly into the X platform. Messaging, social content, and voice/video calling all coexist without needing to switch apps. This could reduce friction for both brands and users.

2. No Phone Number Required

Unlike WhatsApp and Telegram, XChat links to your X handle, not your phone number. This lowers the barrier to entry and enables more anonymous or professional interactions.

3. Advanced Messaging Capabilities

Features like disappearing messages, unsend options, group chats, and file sharing give XChat a feature set that rivals or surpasses many incumbents.

❌ Cons – What Are the Risks?

1. Privacy Questions

Despite claims of a “Bitcoin-style encryption system,” there’s no confirmation of end-to-end encryption (E2EE). This leaves XChat at a disadvantage versus WhatsApp’s proven E2EE.

2. Limited Access

Many features sit behind a paywall via X Premium. That could hinder widespread adoption, particularly among casual users.

3. Still in Beta

The platform is new and still evolving. Stability, speed, and UX are works in progress – which may deter brands from jumping in too soon.

🚀 Opportunities - What Should Brands Pay Attention To?

1. Customer Service and CX

With messaging integrated into X, brands can create seamless customer journeys – from post to private message to support - all in one ecosystem.

2. Community Building

Creators, influencers and brands can use XChat to form private groups or VIP communities tied to content on X, fostering loyalty and engagement.

3. AI Integration Ahead

Expect eventual integration with Grok, X’s in-house AI assistant. This could open up advanced customer service, automated responses, or even co-creative tools inside chats.

⚠️ Challenges - What Tensions Lie Ahead?

1. User Trust

Without clear encryption standards, users and brands may hesitate to use XChat for sensitive communication.

2. Competing with Incumbents

WhatsApp’s entrenchment, Meta’s AI play, and Telegram’s developer-friendly model all mean XChat has a high bar to clear.

3. Monetisation vs Adoption

X Premium’s pricing model could stifle uptake unless clearly positioned with value-added features.

📌 Key Takeouts

• XChat is Musk’s bid to build a unified content and messaging hub, echoing super apps like WeChat.

• Privacy remains a grey area, with no confirmed end-to-end encryption.

• Direct integration with X sets XChat apart, but limits reach to X’s user base.

• AI integration and no-phone-number access are key differentiators to watch.

• Brands should see this as a potential direct comms channel, especially for community or support use cases.

🧭 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

1. Test Early, Learn Fast - Pilot use of XChat for customer queries or feedback loops, especially where you already have strong X engagement.

2. Watch for Grok Integration - Prepare to integrate AI tools for automated support or content moderation inside chats.

3. Reassess Comms Ecosystems - As XChat matures, think about how it might reduce dependency on third-party apps for CRM or social engagement.

4. Stay Alert on Privacy - Keep a close eye on security developments. Sensitive conversations may still need to stay elsewhere.

5. Balance Reach and Richness - Use XChat for depth of engagement, but maintain WhatsApp or Telegram for broader user access until XChat scales.

🛵 Olympic On-Demand: Why Uber’s LA28 Partnership Signals a New Era in Event Mobility

In a landmark move for both urban mobility and global sports, Uber has been named the official rideshare and on-demand delivery partner for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as Team USA. This partnership is more than a brand alignment - it’s a strategic play that could reshape how large-scale cultural events manage transportation and logistics. With Uber also powering delivery via Uber Eats within the Olympic Village and select spectator venues, this signals a wider convergence of mobility, commerce and tech-enabled experience.

As cities plan for increasingly hybrid, multi-modal futures, Uber’s integration with LA28 shows how brands can serve infrastructure needs while also embedding themselves in high-visibility cultural moments.

📈 Supporting Stats

• According to McKinsey, multi-modal mobility (cars, bikes, scooters, etc.) is expected to grow at a 30% CAGR through 2030, particularly in urban centres.

• In the Tokyo 2020 Games, up to 80,000 vehicles were in operation for stakeholders, making transport coordination a major priority (IOC).

• The global food delivery market is projected to hit $192 billion by 2025 (Statista), underlining the growing relevance of delivery services for mega-events and venues.

✅ Pros - What’s Working?

Seamless Urban Mobility

Uber’s ability to manage high-volume, real-time transport via rideshare, micromobility, and data-led routing is tailor-made for complex urban sporting events like LA28.

Operational Efficiency

By offering its logistics infrastructure and expertise, Uber supports LA28’s goal of a “transit-first” Games - potentially reducing congestion and easing pressure on public systems.

Enhanced Athlete & Spectator Experience

Uber Eats’ integration within the Olympic Village and selected venue locations offers convenience and autonomy for athletes and fans - supporting LA28’s promise of an athlete- and audience-centric experience.

Brand Visibility at Cultural Scale

Partnering with the Olympics gives Uber unparalleled global exposure, aligning the brand with excellence, performance, and innovation on a world stage.

⚠️ Cons - What Are the Limitations?

Urban Traffic Management Risks

While Uber offers solutions, increased rideshare use could still add to congestion if not carefully integrated with public transport and pedestrian flows.

Worker Concerns

The Games may spotlight ongoing debates around gig worker conditions - especially as Uber relies heavily on drivers and couriers to deliver its Olympic promise.

Brand Saturation

As multiple corporate sponsors crowd the Olympic narrative, Uber will need to work harder to make its role and value proposition stand out.

🔎 Opportunities - What Should Brands Watch?

Infrastructure-as-Service

Uber is positioning itself as an infrastructure partner, not just a consumer-facing app. Brands should explore how to embed capabilities, not just campaigns, in high-impact cultural platforms.

Multi-Modal Strategy

The emphasis on scooters, bikes and walkability could catalyse wider adoption of eco-friendly urban transport - a cue for mobility brands to diversify their service offers.

In-Venue Commerce Integration

The move to offer Uber Eats within stadiums hints at future partnerships between delivery platforms and entertainment venues - an emerging space for innovation.

🧱 Challenges - What Barriers Exist?

• Public Scrutiny: The Olympics attract intense global media attention, so any service disruption or safety issue could lead to reputational risk.

• Local Resistance: Los Angeles has a complex relationship with rideshare services, and community stakeholders may raise concerns about the impact on local traffic or workers.

• Logistical Complexity: Coordinating with LA’s public transport systems, local authorities, and Olympic committees will require meticulous execution.

🗝️ Key Takeouts

• Uber’s partnership with LA28 reflects a shift from sponsor visibility to sponsor utility.

• Multi-modal mobility and integrated delivery services are now essential for large-scale event experiences.

• The success of this partnership could set a precedent for how private platforms support public infrastructure.

• There’s a growing expectation for brands to deliver real-world value - not just advertising - during global cultural moments.

🔭 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Think Infrastructure, Not Just Impressions: Explore how your brand can offer services, systems or tools that deliver value during cultural events.

• Plan for Operational Readiness: Any event-facing partnership must be backed by logistics, tech support, and risk mitigation strategies.

• Lean into Utility: Look for ways your brand can simplify, enable, or enhance real-world experiences - especially for audiences navigating large, complex environments.

• Monitor Public Sentiment: Be ready to adapt messaging and support local concerns, particularly around sustainability and labour.

Uber’s LA28 deal signals a new frontier: one where brand partnerships don’t just sponsor the spectacle - they power its infrastructure. For marketers, the takeaway is clear. Influence isn’t just about presence. It’s about performance.

🥊 Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 3: What 6 Million Viewers Mean for Women’s Sport and Streaming Strategy

The third bout between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano wasn’t just a rematch, it was a moment of reckoning for women’s sport, boxing visibility, and Netflix’s live event ambitions. Held at Madison Square Garden on 11 July 2025 and streamed globally via Netflix, the event drew an impressive average minute audience of 6 million viewers - with 4.2 million tuning in from the US alone.

For context, while their previous fight on the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul undercard reached a record-breaking 74 million global viewers, this standalone headline card still ranks as one of 2025’s most-watched women’s sporting events. It also achieved the highest gate for any female sporting event in MSG history - $2.63 million.

This fight card signals more than just viewership numbers. It points to shifting expectations around how women’s sport is packaged, distributed, and monetised - especially as platforms like Netflix step further into live broadcasting.

📈 Pros - Growth Signals for Women’s Sport & Streaming

• Streaming Scalability: Netflix proving it can successfully host a global live sports event with major reach (Top 10 in 43 countries).

• Cultural Capital: The Taylor vs Serrano trilogy cements both athletes as icons, drawing crowds comparable to major men’s bouts.

• Revenue Benchmarks: A record-breaking gate at MSG confirms growing appetite for elite women’s boxing as a ticketed live experience.

⚠️ Cons - The Comparison Trap

• Drop from Previous Viewership: The 6 million AMA pales in comparison to the 74 million drawn during the Tyson-Paul event – highlighting how star power and card curation still heavily influence women’s sport visibility.

• Platform Maturity: Netflix’s sports play remains nascent. Unlike ESPN or DAZN, it lacks habitual sports viewers, affecting repeat tune-in patterns.

🔍 Opportunities - Building a Women’s Sport Flywheel

• Athlete-Led Promotions: Serrano and Taylor’s ongoing success shows the viability of women-led, athlete-first storytelling and promotion.

• Integrated Campaigns: Brands can build multichannel campaigns around female fighters, aligning with themes of resilience, equity, and excellence.

• Global Growth: With international Top 10 rankings, brands should note the cross-border appeal of marquee female boxing events.

🚧 Challenges - Sustaining Momentum & Investment

• Inconsistent Viewership: Without consistent scheduling or anchor events, women's boxing risks peaking episodically rather than building longitudinal growth.

• Media Narratives: Coverage still tends to compare women’s events to men’s benchmarks rather than valuing them on distinct terms.

• Brand Reluctance: Some mainstream sponsors still hesitate to commit large-scale budgets to women's sports events without proof of ROI.

📝 Key Takeouts

• Netflix is making strides in live sports, with women’s events offering breakthrough opportunities for differentiation.

• Taylor-Serrano 3 shows strong fan demand and commercial potential, even if not reaching the scale of crossover novelty fights.

• Women's sport continues to break attendance and gate records when marketed as premium content.

👉 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Invest Early in Female Fighters: Align with emerging stars before they hit peak cultural recognition. Think long-term partnerships.

• Prioritise Streaming Partnerships: With platforms like Netflix scaling up live events, brands have new digital placement and integration options.

• Champion Authentic Storytelling: Move beyond empowerment tropes. Focus on legacy, rivalry, skill, and achievement.

This event was a test of how women’s sport can live on premium platforms and how brands and platforms can shape its future.