[026] Monday Scroll starter: the best brand socials you missed last week with a side of nepotism
Also: we're all worried about America!
Another Monday, another slay.
Watching everything happening in the US right now (as in, the apparently slide into fascism and state-run media) play out feels like it has been lifted out of the plot of the Hunger Games. One second I’m watching discourse about Jimmy Kimmel’s “indefinite” suspension, and the next I’m seeing a Temu haul (against my will, let me assure you). I’m thinking a lot about my friends in that neck of the woods right now.
In today’s newsletter:
The brand content you missed last week
What everyone’s been talking about on social
Social media news you may have missed
Let’s get into it.
Winner of the week: Sydney Water with this hilarious response to comments asking where we’re supposed to dispose of our milk, if not down the sink. I love it when an Aussie social account blows up the way Sydney Water has recently, and I hope their team gets the recognition they deserve for creating highly entertaining but informative content (seriously, I’m learning a lot about my local water supply!).
Now for the best of the rest:
McDonald’s announcing their latest round of McDonald’s Monopoly in the US by throwing back to the days of the early internet. For those who were actually around for the fever dream that was Macca’s Monopoly in the 90’s/early 00’s, this super simple creative will bring a smile to your face.
Figma speaking to a fairly niche audience with their post about a common coworking dynamic - and succeeding, because ultimately, it’s their niche. It’s a case of “the ones who get it, get it”.
Dieux bringing their audience along on the journey of (finally) being named an Allure Winner for their Deliverance Serum (print media may be almost dead, but the Allure award seal still carries weight with consumers!).
Hyro asking strangers to film their ad for them. I’ve been keeping an eye on this electrolyte brand for a while now, as they’re basically throwing every crazy stunt at the wall and seeing what sticks. Judging by their slow and steady growth on socials, I’d say it’s working - and content like this is interesting enough to make me stop my scroll.
Vestiaire treating iPhones the way most consumers treat fast fashion. A clever concept that’s also culturally relevant (given the recent iPhone 17 release) and drives home the brand narrative.
HTX Studio with…whatever this was? A masterclass in visual storytelling on socials. HTX Studio seems to be entirely dedicated to creating highly engaging content, so while they’re not technically a brand account, their little robot bin had me so engaged, I couldn’t resist adding them to this list.
Fried Egg Love with this adorable video. Suddenly I’m tearing up about an egg???
ICYMI: this is what everyone’s talking about on social right now
Reformation tapped Nara and Lucky Blue Smith as the faces of a new collection and the comments are…mixed?
Reformation’s audience has always tended to lean left, as the brand has sought to position itself as sustainable, inclusive and diverse. Comments on the post announcing the collaboration with Nara and Lucky showed mixed feelings - most likely due to Nara Smith’s controversial trad-wife aesthetic.
People are reacting to the “indefinite” suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s show on social media
The mood is…grim?
We’re all enjoying watching this tiny child sit in his tiny chair.
This child and his stoop are among my many daily TikTok videos (also including, but not limited to: the Irish guy with the Donkey sanctuary and the guy who does the “cultural digests”. You know the ones!!!).
The social media (and adjacent) news you need to know this week.
Betches Style launched a Substack
Like many people, I discovered Betches through Instagram (we’re talking early Instagram), and didn’t know it was website until much later. Now, the Betches empire has expanded to Substack, with their Style vertical being the first cab off the rank. Their recent post about the return of the army green jacket made me chuckle, so I’ll be interested to see how the newsletter fares. So far, they have a total of three posts - which to be honest, feels like very little!
Tower 28 launched a collab with Poppi (and honestly, I don’t get it!)
I don’t think I’m the target audience for this, but Poppi, a favourite soda brand amongst Gen Z’s (which recently sold to PepsiCo for $1.9B) has partnered with Tower 28 to produce a lipgloss and blush combo. File under…brand collabs nobody asked for, that the youth will probably love!
Jaden Smith has been appointed Christian Louboutin’s Men’s Creative Director, and people aren’t impressed.
Why do I care/what does this have to do with social media? Well, for starters, Jaden Smith has approximately 20 million social media followers, which isn’t insignificant for a luxury brand that could be looking to appear relevant to a Gen Z audience.