Mini-Lution Momentum

Forget about the grand overhaul or the tedious tweak; meet, the mini-lution. In a world where brand visibility is as fragmented as a shattered iPhone screen, Adam Hanft proposes a radical middle ground. Branding is no longer about waiting for that “aha!” moment or slowly morphing over time. It’s about seizing the spotlight with bold, but strategically created bursts of brilliance that cut through the noise. This approach isn’t about reinventing the wheel but refining it to roll smoother and stand out in the crowd.

Our Creative Director Lloyd agrees with Adam’s sentiment: “In many cases, for brands that are not in crisis, it’s better to gently move the brand forward, refine, show that they are progressing rather than implementing radical change.” So essentially the merit of a “mini-lution” lies in its ability to introduce small, yet impactful updates that refresh the brand without alienating existing customers or diluting brand equity. By implementing bold, but gradual and carefully-considered changes, brands can evolve continuously, ensuring they remain relevant and resonant in a rapidly changing world.

Make ‘Em Laugh

If you’re keen to stay ahead of the curve in advertising, you’ll find Motion’s ‘2025 Creative Trends’ report invaluable. It’s fascinating to see humour emerging as a dominant force in ad content—audiences increasingly prefer ads that entertain as much as they inform. This shift is super insightful, and likely to reshape how brands forge connections and make interactions more memorable and impactful. Another trend that’s captured our attention is the integration of immersive experiences. Today’s top ads are more than visual — they’re experiential, drawing the audience into a narrative that extends beyond traditional boundaries. From a professional standpoint, leveraging these trends are going to significantly enhance how we engage with our audiences, and help with your business’s bottom dollar. The insights from this report are crucial for anyone looking to refine their strategy in this dynamic landscape so make sure you check it out.

Thumbs Down

Meta’s dabbling with a downvote button again, but this time it’s sneaking into your Instagram comments. Quietly disagree with a comment? Tap the downvote arrow and move on. No drama, no dislike counts, just you helping Instagram figure out which comments aren’t really adding to the vibe.

Adam Mosseri, the head honcho at Instagram, says that it’s all about cleaning up the comment section, making it a nicer place without putting anyone on blast. Remember those downvote trials on Facebook? Yep, it’s the same idea really but on Insta.

But while filtering out negativity is a good idea in theory, history shows us these tools can get a bit tricky. Take Reddit, for instance, where the downvote option is intended to promote more meaningful content but can end up being used strategically by groups to suppress views they disagree with. It’s a fine line, and Instagram’s treading carefully, limiting this test to a lucky few.

Will this be a fleeting experiment or a permanent fixture?

Raise The Roof

In 2023, economist Richard Baldwin said, “AI won’t take your job. It’s somebody using AI that will take your job” And, at least at this point in time, we have to agree.

In an era obsessed with algorithms, human ingenuity still takes the gold – and this article by Matt Willifer reminds us why. While AI can churn through data super fast, its creativity can leave a little to be desired. The real magic happens when human creativity plays maestro to AI’s orchestra, ensuring our brands don’t just blend into a monotonous digital hum but stand out with human touches that no machine can mimic. The future of marketing isn’t just about playing the algorithm game, but mastering the art of human and machine collaboration.

Hoo Dunnit?

In what might be the most audacious publicity stunt of the year, Duolingo’s beloved mascot, Duo the Owl, met a fictional (we hope?) and highly dramatic end under the wheels of a Cybertruck.

We’ve been watching and waiting as to what would happen next. First up, his death was announced via Duolingo’s Instagram.

Then, it was followed up with a reel that showed Duo getting hit by a cybertuck, and a call out for information.

Then Hootsuite posted a series of videos on TikTok (like this one) that suggested their red owl mascot was responsible.

Over the last week or so, bringback.duolingo.com appeared, where you essentially have to complete lessons to bring back Duo. Dubbed “Duo or die,” the campaign urges users to save their feathered friend from oblivion by amassing points through lessons, turning grief into engagement in a bold blend of humour and marketing savvy. The result? A startling spike in app activity and a fresh way to rib tech tycoon Elon Musk’s expansive empire.

Our thoughts? Duo isn’t really dead – it’s all a cunning ruse to engage users and drive up those addictive learning streaks. And it seems to be working.

More than offering just lessons in languages, Duo’s manoeuvres are a master class in modern marketing.

Wuthering Bytes

Big news for book lovers and tech enthusiasts alike, Spotify is making it easier to create AI-narrated audiobooks, thanks to a fresh partnership with ElevenLabs. This collaboration could shake up our audiobook habits big time.

AI audiobooks are already available on Spotify through a partnership with Google Play Books, but ElevenLabs are basically the rockstars of AI audio, which means there could be an influx of AI-narrated books.

Sure, this tech could perfect pronunciation and massively expand the range of books available in audio form, BUT we’re not sure we love the idea. Can AI really step into the shoes – or rather, the voice – of beloved narrators like Stephen Fry, whose every inflection pulls us deeper into the story?

While Spotify’s move will cut down on human error, its main aim is to democratise audiobooks, making them more accessible in multiple languages. But, as with all tech advancements, there’s a catch. What happens to the art of narration? And what about the gig for human narrators? Harper Collins believes it could hurt publishers.

According to what’s buzzing on Spotify’s newsroom and echoed by reports from The Verge, this isn’t about replacing human narrators but adding another layer to the audiobook experience. It’s efficiency vs. emotion, and the jury’s still out on whether AI can truly capture the human storytelling spirit.

What do you think?