October has hit fast-forward 🎃
Is it just us, or has October hit fast-forward? Halloween is just around the corner, the UK clocks are going back this weekend and Christmas decorations are already making an appearance. 🎄
But enough of our seasonal identity crisis. Grab your PSL, because things just got spicy... here's some culture. ☕
Today's Hot Take 🌶️
We love seeing people call out controversies on social media (here's looking at you Shane Gillis and Novig). But in an attention economy, are our responses actually making a difference, or just feeding the rage-bait machine? 🤔
It's the classic dilemma: rightfully calling out bad behaviour vs. rewarding the sinners with attention and clout.
What's Gone Viral? 🔥
Just want the headlines? Here's a peek at some of the bigger viral or rising convos before we dive into trends and the more… unexpected.
Is nostalgia undoing years of progress? 👙
Victoria's Secret has spent the last few years trying to rebuild its approach to body positivity. But this year, there were 80 models walking in the show, with less than 10% of them considered "curvy" or "plus-size".
Nostalgia is a powerful marketing tool, but it raises the question: is Victoria's Secret celebrating its iconic past at the expense of the progress it promised to make?
Getting a little too SULTy...? 👀
There's a fine line between disruptive marketing and exploiting your audience, and SULT seems to have crossed it twice. Asking creatives for unpaid logo designs in exchange for a MacBook sparked backlash, while seemingly blaming a new social media hire in a now-deleted video raised questions about accountability.
As an agency, we champion bold marketing, but never at the expense of ethics. Are emerging brands unaware of the consequences, or do they believe all publicity is good publicity?
Brand loyalty taken to the grave 💀
Pringles is taking "die-hard fan" literally this Halloween, offering one US fan a can-shaped urn and an "afterlifetime" supply of product.
We love how Pringles turned a piece of brand history into a cultural moment. It's proof that the best marketing doesn't always chase trends. Sometimes the strongest stories are already part of a brand's DNA.
Trending Format Alert 🚨
Product showcase, but make it ✨ interesting ✨
Flipagrams are nothing new, but The Oyster Shed shows us how to make the format feel fresh. By blending product shots with lifestyle imagery, this simple execution feels polished without losing its platform-first appeal, while still giving you a clear view of what's on offer.
It's a strong format for foodie brands showing off seasonal menus, or retail brands launching a new collection. Consider this your sign to give the humble flipagram a glow-up. 🦪
Email Culture Lab for more trend inspiration 💌
Brand Champion 🏆
Let's go girls 💪
By bringing women together for a 10K on an airport runway in London and partnering with running voices like Mary McCarthy, Nike turned a shared concern around safety into a powerful community moment.
Rather than just talking about empowerment, it created space for women to experience it. It's purpose-led marketing at its best: culturally relevant, creator-amplified and rooted in genuine community. 🏃♀️
Culture Lab Spotlight 🌟
And, of course, we can't forget some of our own recent client content 🎺
Evri: watch here
DHL eCommerce: watch here
Want to be featured in the next one? Click here 👀
As Said Online 🗣️
Another day, another phrase we aren't cool enough to understand.
Someone feels more like a family member than a friend? Bestie, that's your "cuh" 🫂
Meaning "cousin", cuh is by no means a new term in communities, where it's used as a term of endearment. But it's been making the rounds in mainstream TikTok culture thanks to its hilarious overuse in vertical AI dramas (you know the ones...).
More Industry News 🗞️
Looking for a specific industry or topic? Say no more. Here's a selection of a few bonus newsworthy moments and trends, organised into categories, 'Type A' style.
Culture & Entertainment 🎤
- Taylor Swift leads the best dressed at the Academy Museum Gala
- The Girls are back! New reboot of iconic TV show is confirmed
- The Fourth Wing casts its new TV leads and divides the internet
Travel & Tourism ✈️
- TfL to tackle hate crime through VR experiences
- From "Dune" to "Wicker": how Hungary has become the new "it" location
- 5 top places in Europe and Turkey for autumn sunshine
Influencers & Creators 🌟
- Gymshark signs Megan Thee Stallion as their first celebrity ambassador
- Instagram's in-house creator awards are back for the second year running
TL;DR: 3 Takeaways 🚀
1️⃣ Finding out what matters to your community and acting on it? That's true empowerment 💪
2️⃣ Always chasing trends ✖️ staying true to brand DNA ✅
3️⃣ Owning your mistakes can hold more credibility than hiding from them
That's all the tea we've got this month. Stay spooky, stay curious and we'll see you in November 🎃
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Email Culture Lab for more trend inspiration 💌
Live, laugh, love, The Culture Lab team 💚
