🌀 chaotic check-in
Sup, humans! It’s your chaotic, caffeinated friend Gremlin here, ready to drag you through the juiciest bits of creator chaos this week.
Expect TikTok drama, YouTube serving AI tools like Oprah’s giveaways, Instagram finally letting you boss your feed, and Meta dropping tech that makes your face do the work.
Tried “speed reading” a book while eating cereal. Spilled half, learned nothing, looked epic. Anyways, let's get into this.
today's menu
🫖 trending tea
TikTok: drama, deadlines, and delivery badges
TikTok’s latest power move? Turning shopping streams into your weekend binge. Over the past few weeks, TikTok Shop’s weekend livestreaming events have exploded, with sellers seeing boosted sales from marathon live sessions.
Pair that with Fulfillment by TikTok (FBT) –TikTok’s all-in-one logistics service that slaps a “Fulfilled by TikTok” badge on your products and sellers are scaling like crazy without touching a single shipping label. Faster delivery, less chaos, and more time for your “pack this with me” content? Chef’s kiss.
Meanwhile, the political soap opera continues: Trump just extended TikTok’s U.S. divestment deadline again, the White House confirmed the delay, and here’s more info on what we know and don’t know about US TikTok Deal With China. The platform’s future in the States? Still a cliffhanger.
TikTok adds a shortcut that shows creators related trending topics to help guide their content.
TikTok is quietly flexing its search game: TikTok Search Ads are now driving serious incremental revenue, with campaigns using search ads showing 2x higher purchase lift compared to those without. Gen Z’s already treating TikTok like Google 2.0, and this stat basically confirms that brands ignoring search are leaving money on the table.
Oh, and New York is coming for your scrolling habits too: state lawmakers are pushing age-verification rules that could make it harder for younger users to hop on TikTok without ID.
YouTube: a whole lotta updates
YouTube just dropped a buffet of changes for creators and brands. First up: brand partnerships are about to get way easier thanks to simplified tools that connect creators and advertisers without the DM chaos. This is a big step toward more streamlined collabs.
The annual Made on YouTube event was basically Christmas for creators: new AI-powered editing tools to cut down your workflow, shopping features baked straight into Shorts and live streams, and Studio updates that make analytics less of a headache.
And for the rule-followers among us, YouTube’s support thread is where they quietly confirmed policy tweaks you’ll want to bookmark. If you want every detail, check out this Google Doc of extra notes.
YouTube previews new AI features, including Ask Studio, a chatbot that answers analytics questions, summarises comments and suggests video ideas. Creators also get thumbnail and title A/B testing, AI lip-synced dubbing, and multi-collaborator uploads, signalling a shift toward platforms directly guiding creator optimisation.
YouTube is also rolling out new AI-powered safeguards to prevent misuse of creators’ likenesses. Creators can now flag unauthorized AI-generated content to protect their personal brand and revenue.
New data shows that creators who diversify income streams – brand partnerships, Shorts monetization, and direct fan support – are seeing a real uptick in earnings.
Instagram: your algorithm, shots everywhere & AI hand-holding
Alessandro Paluzzi spotted a “Your Algorithm” test that will let you explicitly tell Insta what content you want more or less of.
After years of “link in bio” workarounds, Instagram’s testing direct link insertion in posts. Brands and creators everywhere just sighed in relief.
You can now pin your own comments again, reviving a once-loved feature for creators to highlight witty replies or clarifications.
Instagram shared tips on using Meta AI to brainstorm, research, and draft collab outreach.
Shots – the dual-camera, BeReal-style feature is now rolling out to more regions. Get ready for even more “just woke up” selfies.
Instagram’s editing tools now include background overlays and saved sounds. TikTok might feel a little nervous about this one.
Reels with 5012x1080 aspect ratio are going viral on Instagram.
Meta & smart glasses
Meta’s flexing on AR wearables big time. At Meta Connect 2025, they teased a lineup that blurs the line between AI, fashion, and “I swear I’m productive” tech.
Ray‑Ban Display – built-in right-lens display, gesture-controlled via a “neural band” wrist accessory. Live messages, calls, navigation, captions, and translation, basically your phone, but in your eyeball. Shipping Sept 30; $799.
Oakley Meta Vanguard – rugged for athletes: action cam, IP67 waterproofing, Strava + Garmin integration, ~9 hrs battery. Preorders open; shipping Oct 21.
Ray‑Ban Gen 2 – polish on the OG Meta Ray-Ban line: better battery, sharper camera, and cleaner AI features.
Why it matters: These aren’t just cool gadgets, they hint at the future of AR content, live captions, and hands-free engagement. Brands and creators could literally stream, demo, or showcase products with viewers seeing overlays in real-time.
Facebook finally adds Insights to Pages broadcast channels, giving brands access to analytics to better track engagement + reach.
creator economy
Real Dads sell Gentleman Jack: Jack Daniel’s tapped everyday dads for a heartfelt influencer campaign, proving authenticity still trumps polished influencer content.
Short-form content continues to soar: Engagement patterns are shifting, and reports show short-form video consumption is accelerating even faster than expected. TikTok, Shorts, Reels – creators are thriving in the snackable era.
Small DMOs go influencer-first: Even smaller destinations are using storytelling via influencers to punch above their weight in tourism marketing, showing that strategic partnerships can drive real-world engagement.
Kate Bartlett x Amazon Essentials: Influencers are increasingly becoming brand collaborators, not just promoters. Kate Bartlett’s new denim line partnership highlights co-creation opportunities and long-term influencer-brand synergy.
✨ main character moment
Creator Commerce Like Never Before: 5 Campaigns to Learn From
The creator economy is evolving faster than ever. Brands are experimenting with bold, innovative ways to blend influencer culture with commerce. From beauty to denim to popcorn, here’s how five brands are raising the bar.
Sephora & Condé Nast: Creator Marketplaces
What they did:
Sephora is set to launch My Sephora Storefront (Oct 2025) letting U.S. influencers create shoppable, branded storefronts directly on the Sephora app and website.
Condé Nast’s Vette (launching early 2026) is a similar creator-curated marketplace.
Both moves are highly original: they bypass third-party affiliate links so consumers “shop from people,” and signal a pivot in retail to leverage influencers directly.
Why they are supposed to work:
Brands maintain control of checkout, data, and user experience.
Creators genuinely curate products, embedding authentic reviews into the shopping journey.
Sephora leverages its existing communities (Squad, Derm Board, Artist List) to scale reach.
Both platforms require creators to genuinely curate and review products, aligning incentives.
Potential impact:
Expected to deepen engagement and loyalty.
Could expand first-party affiliate revenue while tracking influencer-driven sales.
Lesson:
Treat influencers as mini-retailers. Invest in infrastructure that empowers creators and keeps commerce in-house.
Nike: #MagicBoots TikTok Challenge
What they did:
Launched TikTok Branded Hashtag Challenge #MagicBoots for the new Future Lab football boots.
Partnered with UK football creator @ben (2.2M followers) and Premier League stars.
Fans shared videos showing their best football tricks.
Impact:
317M video views, 160K user-generated content submissions, 215K new followers in six days.
Created a global engagement moment and a surge in Gen Z sports fan awareness.
Why it worked:
Real creators and athletes gave the campaign credibility.
TikTok’s native tools amplified reach (TopView takeover, challenge page).
Creative hook tied directly to product storytelling – “magic” skills matched the boots’ speed and precision.
Lesson:
Seed challenges with credible creators, tie campaigns to a strong creative idea, and use platform-native tools for virality.
American Eagle: “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans”
What they did:
Fall denim campaign starring Sydney Sweeney, tagline pun “jeans/genes.”
Special product line donated 100% of proceeds from one item to Crisis Text Line.
Impact:
Record-breaking denim sales, 40B impressions, ~700K new customers.
Limited items sold out in days. Stock and buzz were accelerated by controversy.
Why it worked:
Bold, punny messaging created media coverage and social chatter.
Celebrity credibility plus social cause marketing amplified awareness.
Targeted younger demographics with humor aligned to Sydney’s fanbase.
Lesson:
Controversy can drive attention, but always pair bold campaigns with authenticity and social value.
Peach & Lily: Mystery Drop with Experts
What they did:
Released MiniProtein Exosome Bioactive Ampoule via “mystery drop” strategy.
14 skincare experts received unbranded bottles and shared speculations on TikTok and Instagram.
Official reveal held at a NY launch event.
Impact:
1M+ impressions in the first 2 hours; teaser engagement 5× higher than previous campaigns.
Built strong brand authority and credibility among skincare enthusiasts.
Why it worked:
Experts provided authentic content, not typical lifestyle hype.
Phased storytelling (teaser → reveal) created anticipation.
Campaign format emphasized education and trust, not direct selling.
Lesson:
Tease products with credible experts who know how to influence. Content-first storytelling builds engagement and trust, creating loyal audiences.
Like Air: TikTok Live Flavor Drops
What they did:
Monthly limited-edition popcorn flavors launched exclusively on TikTok Shop.
Influencers Rebekah & Sara hosted weekly live streams for demos, polls, and giveaways.
Audience input influenced which flavors hit the market.
Impact:
Rapid product development cycles; flavors created and sold in weeks.
Direct co-creation strengthened audience engagement and brand loyalty.
Why it worked:
Influencers acted as quasi-team members, not just faces.
Live interaction allowed real-time feedback and community co-creation.
Exclusivity drove urgency and repeat engagement.
Lesson:
Treat creators as co-developers. Use live commerce for rapid product iteration and audience-driven innovation.
Key Takeaways Across Campaigns
Creators as partners: Empower them to influence product, content, or commerce directly.
Platform-native strategies: TikTok, Instagram, and e-commerce integrations matter more than ever.
Bold but thoughtful messaging: Controversy or creative hooks can amplify reach, but alignment with values and authenticity is key.
Phased storytelling works: Teasers, reveals, interactive and live campaigns keep audiences engaged and invested.
Top example: Peach & Lily’s mystery drop shows how content-first, education-driven campaigns can drive engagement and trust while inspiring replication across industries. Nike and Like Air demonstrate rapid audience activation through TikTok tools. Sephora and Condé Nast illustrate long-term strategy for scalable creator commerce. American Eagle reminds us that boldness is high-reward but requires careful handling.
Which campaign do you like the most?
👀 what stopped our scroll
“If you don't get what you want, it's a sign either that you did not seriously want it, or that you tried to bargain over the price.”
― Rudyard Kipling
— #Anna Riedl (#@AnnaLeptikon)
4:00 PM • Sep 9, 2025
Today we are launching my favorite feature of ChatGPT so far, called Pulse. It is initially available to Pro subscribers.
Pulse works for you overnight, and keeps thinking about your interests, your connected data, your recent chats, and more. Every morning, you get a
— #Sam Altman (#@sama)
7:36 PM • Sep 25, 2025
P.S.
Black Friday & Cyber Monday are basically influencer Olympics.
The brands that win aren’t the ones yelling the loudest in November. They’re the ones already everywhere on TikTok right now.
See your product in 5, 10, 100 videos → they don’t forget that brand.
They search for it. On Google, Amazon, TikTok Shop.
That’s the halo effect.
So how do you play it? Simple:
1. Social Blast Campaigns (25% Off)
10–50 creators making TikToks about your product.
Spark Codes to boost cheap.
Millions of impressions → instant brand dominance.
2. Content + Posting Campaigns
Creators post to their own audiences.
Organic reach + credibility.
Boost with Spark Ads for even more growth.
Timing is critical. ⚠️ Each day closer to Black Friday = higher ad costs. Start now and own the feed before competitors wake up.
👉 Sign up for free and use code PREPQ4 for 25% off Social Blast packs.
Limited time only.
Dominate this holiday season!