NoGood

That's my baby, she's iconic. End of day request, always on it.

Did someone actually get possessed while watching The Conjuring or was it a marketing stunt? 😵 The Conjuring: Last Rites hits theaters this weekend and it’s not just another horror movie. It’s the final chapter of the Conjuring franchise, aka, Ed and Lorraine Warren’s final case - the Smurl Haunting. But Texas got an early screening this week, and things took a turn for the worse… Before stepping into the theater, a bishop blessed people with holy water and gave out prayer cards to the audience. A man was reportedly possessed which sent some viewers running out in fear while others stayed behind, skeptical about whether the moment was staged. So was this a PR stunt that went too far? Maybe, but that’s the point. The best movie marketing pulls you into the experience before you even get in your seat. For a horror film, that means planting that fear — making you feel the same emotions Ed and Lorraine Warren felt during this paranormal case. And it’s working: ✝️ Audiences are questioning whether these moments are real or staged ✝️ Fans are questioning the credibility of the Smurl Haunting case itself ✝️ Even Vera Farmiga (who plays Lorraine Warren) posted a photo of a bruise she got while filming that looks like two crosses So whether you think it’s clever PR or a little “too much,” it’s undeniable that people are spreading this movie like wildfire. What are your thoughts on The Conjuring’s marketing stunt? Let us know in the comments below! #theconjuring #moviemarketing #prstunts

Spotify keeps releasing features no one is asking for. Spotify just rolled out a direct messaging feature so you can share songs, podcasts, and audiobooks right inside the app. Some users are excited to keep everything in one place, but everyone else? They’re tired of every app trying to be like Instagram and wish Spotify would just focus on music. This move is bigger than DMs. They’re doubling down on becoming a social platform, which makes sense considering the success of their social features like Spotify Wrapped. If users start having conversations within the content they’re already consuming, it becomes more than a streaming service. It could evolve into a space for community, increasing retention and giving Spotify more control over where music conversations happen. But it could also make the app feel cluttered. Instead of maintaining a safe space for users to escape to, Spotify risks turning into another inbox that people have to manage. And that can alienate the very people who value Spotify because it isn’t a social platform. What are your thoughts on Spotify’s new DM feature? Let us know in the comments below! #spotify #streaming #marketing

Here’s everything you missed on socials last week! 👇 💍 Brands drop their own posts inspired by Taylor Swift's engagement 🦅 Travis Kelce drops a collection with American Eagle called Tru Kolors ⏪ Cracker Barrel re-rebrands back to their original logo after backlash 👹 Pop Mart announces the launch of mini Labubus 🐐 Lacoste replaces its mascot with a goat in honor of Novak Djokovi's appearance in the US Open ✨ The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show announces its 2nd return this October in NYC 💬 Spotify users can slide into each other's DMs with its new messaging feature Which marketing update was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below! #marketing #campaigns #roundups #brands

Is all publicity truly good publicity? The Sydney Sweeney x American Eagle Outfitters Inc. and E.L.F. BEAUTY x Matt Rife collabs have been the most controversial campaigns this year. But there’s a bigger issue happening underneath these ads: brands are turning on their audience. By attaching themselves to controversial figures who have little correlation to a brand's identity, they risk looking like attention seekers. At least 74% of consumers have purchased products because of an influencer. Except now, people question a brand's ethics before purchasing – which includes looking into an influencer’s digital footprint. So did these ads actually miss the mark or were these efforts an attempt at rage bait marketing? American Eagle’s stocks went up by 20% after debuting the “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign. But their brand sentiment fell short. Engagement is easy to measure but trust isn’t and once you lose it, it’s harder for a viral moment to buy it back. A viral campaign might flood everyone's FYP, but engagement does not equal positive brand sentiment. One misstep and your brand has to work twice as hard – if not more – to make a comeback and fight against that perception. What are your thoughts on rage bait marketing? Let us know in the comments below! #ragebait #marketing #strategy

Who cares if Taylor Swift is engaged? Apparently, every B2C brand known to mankind. Taylor Swift recently announced her engagement with Travis Kelce on Instagram and the internet went into a frenzy. Brands like Panera Bread, Scrub Daddy, Inc., poppi, Walmart (we can literally keep going) have created their own social posts within hours. It’s not new to hear brands tapping into trends once they go viral. But does every brand need to hop on the latest trend? Trends are fun to participate in, but they have the most impact when they feel seamlessly integrated into a brand's identity. Take Scrub Daddy – “Your mommy and daddy are getting married” ties in perfectly with their product without feeling like they’re selling it. Then there’s Pixar comparing Taylor and Travis to The Incredibles’ parents. One develops a consistent brand tone, while the other feels reactionary and forced. We’re not saying don’t react to trends. However, for brands, consider thinking twice before deviating from your content calendar. So we want to know... Do you think it's lazy or smart for brands to hop on every trend? Drop a comment down below! #taylorswift #trends #brands

Was this the worst logo rebrand ever?’ Cracker Barrel threw away nearly 50 years of history overnight for a logo that compares to “velveeta cheese.” The trend of oversimplified logos continues to grow – character and detail gets replaced with flat, empty shapes. So when Cracker Barrel took this leap, their stock value dropped by $150 million overnight. This isn’t just another corporate refresh. Cracker Barrel’s entire identity was built on tradition. While some brands can get away with stripping logos down, others face an identity crisis. That’s why their backlash was so drastic – enough where cyberbullying caused them to reverse their rebrand. This is why social listening is so important for brands. It’s the difference between preserving tradition and losing the community you’ve built for half a century. If your most loyal customers collectively agree that a rebrand isn’t working, it’s not something to be taken with a grain of salt. And ignoring them is the fastest way to undo decades of brand building. One failed logo won’t ruin a brand entirely, but it can easily redefine how people see you. Especially when removing the one thing that made your brand what it is today. Welcome back Uncle Herschel. What are your thoughts on Cracker Barrel dialing back on their rebrand? Let us know in the comments below! #rebrand #logos #marketing

Zaria Parvez killed Duolingo (for real this time). She recently announced her departure from Duolingo after 5 years. But her next stop? DoorDash. At Duolingo, Zaria was more than a social media manager – she created the playbook for unhinged marketing. But behind the viral content was burnout and lack of recognition. For years, social media roles were treated as “easy jobs" for junior talent despite being the ones defining brand identities. And in today’s world, social is the first touchpoint for many. Businesses are waking up to the fact that social is more than just chasing trends (hence Duolingo’s $300k+ job posting). That’s why Zaria’s new role signals an evolution in Gen Z leadership. Too often, companies celebrate hiring Gen Z talent without giving them the authority to lead. But Zaria proved that they can – she built a strategy that gained over 8 billion impressions and millions of followers. DoorDash is recognizing that work for what it is: leadership. Gen Z leaders like Zaria are redefining what brand-building looks like for the next era of social. And as Director of Social Media for DoorDash, Zaria shows that they too can be builders and strategists. What are your thoughts on Zaria’s departure from Duolingo? Let us know in the comments below! #duolingo #marketing #brands

Gap and Katseye just put American Eagle to shame. We all know about the fiasco with Sydney Sweeney and her “great genes.” AE fumbled with wordplay, got their viral moment, and racked up attention. Gap on the other hand ran an ad that stopped everyone in their tracks. In their “Better in Denim” campaign with Katseye, every detail was crafted to correct the cultural conversation around denim. The casting choice and copy leaned into individuality, inclusivity, and self-expression. Even the song choice, “Milkshake” felt deliberate. The lyric “damn right, it’s better than yours” was Gap taking a direct swing and everyone knew who they were talking to. Not to mention, the audio posted by Gap has been used over 19k times on TikTok because fans turned the Katseye “Milkshake” dance into a trend. Here’s the bigger takeaway: competitor backlash is free real estate. The smartest brands use it to clarify their own positioning. Gap took AE’s fumble and flipped it into proof that their denim is for everyone — reframing the denim narrative in real time. In other words, controversy equals capital. And when brands are intentional with every word, visual, and sound, they can turn someone else’s backlash into their own brand success. What are your thoughts on the Gap x Katseye campaign? Let us know in the comments below! #gap #campaigns #marketing American Eagle Outfitters Inc.