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Each week, Marketing Brew recaps what people are talking about on social media, the trends that took over our feeds, and how marketers are responding.
Here we go again? Tarte, which faced criticism last year over its hosted influencer trips in Dubai and Miami, recently sent influencers on yet another trip, this time to Bora Bora. Perhaps unsurprisingly, some people were not thrilled about the lavish vacation, which was called tone-deaf. Some defended the practice and cast the negative reactions up to jealousy. Others (including Tarte’s CEO and co-founder herself) observed that the critics don’t seem to object to brands spending millions on Super Bowl ads. Based on some people’s comments and posts, the answer may be that Super Bowl ads don’t necessarily flaunt wealth in the same way as influencer trips do, especially at a time when many people may be struggling financially.
Frame for frame (almost): Gap re-created Jungle’s viral music video for “Back on 74” as part of its “Linen Moves” campaign, as well as a larger brand reset under new CEO Richard Dickson. Reactions seem to be mostly positive on social media and in-store, although some said that there still seems to be a disconnect between how the brand presents itself in ads and the ambience of a Gap store IRL.
PCB welcomes you: A new ad from the Miami Beach government encouraging people to please, for the love of God, go anywhere else for Spring Break is getting attention online. The ad is framed as a break-up message in response to past Spring Break mayhem in the city, and lays out some not-so-fun curfews and fines for those who decide to fight for their right to party this year.
Loco for logos: You may remember Emily Zugay, the creator who went viral in 2021 for claiming to be a graphic designer and ironically redesigning brand logos. Well, she’s back, and she has an intern: her puppy, Margot. Petco and Rover were among the brands that embraced Margot’s new designs and changed their profile pics on TikTok, while other brand social media managers begged for her attention in the comments.
More totes: Multiple people posted videos of shoppers going feral for Trader Joe’s new $2.99 mini tote bag, to the point where some in the comments were comparing it to the Stanley tumbler saga. (It’s also reminiscent of the discourse around Emily Mariko’s much-more-expensive tote bags.) Maybe these tiny bags are taking off due to the discovery that it’s the perfect size for small, furry friends, or the fact that the totes are being resold on eBay for as much as $85. Who’s to say?
RIP dELiA*s: The tween and teen-centric retailer may be mostly gone, but if the music industry has anything to say about it, it won’t be forgotten.