The Webby Awards

Podcast marketing is more art than science, but there are tried-and-tested methods to connect your brand with your ideal audience. So what’s in the “secret podcast sauce” for podcasts which hit the top of the charts and reach target audiences, as well as winning a coveted Webby Award? Join us for this informative fireside chat as Nick Borenstein sits down with Webby Award-winning judge Joni Deutsch (SVP of Marketing & Audience Development at The Podglomerate) to discuss the best tactics for podcast growth. Get an exclusive look at The Podglomerate's tried-and-true playbook (used for their acclaimed podcast clients like PBS, Netflix, and Harvard) for optimized podcast publicity, marketing, cross-promotions, app features, and paid acquisition, not to mention awards submissions and how to strengthen your entry to increase the chances of bringing home a trophy. Whether you’re interested in launching a podcast or want to scale up your current show’s strategy, this webinar is a must-attend, and make sure to stick around for a Q+A section when we’ll pass the mic over to you.

Letzte Woche war Nick Borenstein von den The Webby Awards bei uns zu Gast, um über ein Thema zu sprechen, das mir sehr am Herzen liegt - oder eher im Kopf? --> #brainrot. Was ist "brainrot" und was kann das? Ist das gut oder ist das schlecht? Wer jemals von der TikTok App selbst auf die eigene extrem hohe Screentime aufmerksam gemacht wurde - einer App, die eigentlich nach Screentime ?tzt - der ist mittendrin im Brainrot. ?? ?? Brainrot infiziert dich, wenn du "terminally online" bist. St?ndig im Internet. Deine Sprache ver?ndert sich, deine Sehgewohnheit auch und du versteht Memes, die kaum zu verstehen sind und die Nicht-Infizierten auch nur sehr schwer zu erkl?ren sind. Kennt ihr das, wenn man etwas mega lustig findet, aber alle im Raum nur so h?? Brainrot. Du bist Teil eines elit?ren Kreises, dem die Algorithmus-G?tter "mythic pulls" in die FYP spülen. Die Webbys haben es in ihrem neuesten Report eigentlich gut zusammengefasst: ?? A condition that describes the impact of being “terminally online.” ?? A form of hyper-online speech understood by an in-group. ?? A genre of nonsensical or absurdist internet humor. Eigentlich ist "brainrot" per sé nichts neues, denke ich an die frühen Youtube-Poop Tage oder Memes wie "E". ?? Gen Z und Alpha reagieren auf extrem herausfordernde und komplexe Zeiten mit ausgepr?gtem Nihilismus und absurdem Nonsense. Alles wird egal. Aber somit in Frage gestellt und über den Haufen geworfen. ?? Einer meiner Favoriten ist der h?ufig genannte TikTok Account von Nutter Butter: https://lnkd.in/d23vA4im Der hat mittlerweile 1,4 Mio Follower und jedes einzelne TikTok erreicht Werte, von denen die meisten Marken nur tr?umen k?nnen. "Aber was hat das mit der Marke zu tun?" ?? Würde ich jeder Marke empfehlen, ein zweites Nutter Butter zu werden? Nein, aber: ?? ?? ?? Wer als Marke in der digitalen Welt zukünftig relevant bleiben m?chte, muss endlich verstehen, dass man nur geh?rt wird, wenn man die richtige Sprache spricht. Und dafür reicht es nicht, einfach nur so zu tun, als ob. Siehe viele peinliche "Brat"-Versuche. Entweder du bist Teil davon, oder eben nicht. Heftige Zahl: Allein in diesem Jahr hat Content, der "brainrot" zugeordnet wird nur auf TikTok über 1,33 Milliarden Views generiert - Trend steigend. ? Hier geht’s zum Report: https://lnkd.in/dCGX7yGc Was sagt ihr zum Thema "brainrot"? Die Meinungen dazu gehen bestimmt auseinander wie Aufbackbr?tchen. ?? Nick Borenstein Sorry for posting in german. ?? Thank you so much for visiting our office last week! Hope you had a blast in Amsterdam. ?? Danke Giampiero Riggio für die Organisation. ?? PS: Man kann noch bis zum 20. Dezember bei den Webbys einreichen. ??

?????? ???????????? ?????????????? ???? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???? ?????? ??????????! I had an amazing time attending The Webby Awards “It’s Giving Brain Rot” talk at DEPT? agency, where Nick Borenstein shared his insights on how embracing “Brainrot” is becoming a dealbreaker for brands in today’s digital age. If you're wondering what "brainrot" is… scroll no more! It's cats meowing Billie Eilish songs (link in the comments), people being “demure and mindful”, or trends that are just too fun or absurd to scroll past without hitting forward to your coworkers or mother-in-law. I loved how Nick and the other panelists Tiago Nascimento and Rod Henriques explored how chronically online culture is pushing agency boundaries—taking us from niche to nonsensical—and how this shift is influencing creativity, storytelling, and brand engagement. Here are two key takeaways I’ve been thinking about since yesterday: ?? ???? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ?????? ?????????????????????? ?????????? ??????????????????? As interesting as it is to track generational engagement, I can’t help but wonder if we’re doing brands a disservice by relying so heavily on generational segmentation. Thanks to Franck Vinchon for sharing your perspective on this. ? ?????? ?????????????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????????????? ?????????? ???????????? ?????? “????????????????” ??????????????? Producing culturally reactive content requires speed. But when brands are serviced by highly fragmented agency systems with different stakeholders, can we really create content fast enough to stay relevant? So many agencies still have long approval processes that make it hard to keep up with the ever-changing conversation. I’d love to hear examples of brands that are doing this well within a classic (not social first) agency relationship. But most important which brainrot content floats your boat?

We had the absolute pleasure of hosting Nick Borenstein from The Webby Awards at our studio as part of their tour presenting this season’s Webby Talk,?“It’s Giving Brainrot”?— a deep dive into how our always-online culture is reshaping creativity. Joined by some friends of the studio, it was an insightful session packed with fresh data, thought-provoking perspectives, and tons of inspiration. ?? Big thanks to Nic and The Webby Awards team for sharing their expertise and sparking so many creative conversations! /w Chris Wilson, Naiara Odriozola, nick stübe, Marc Wicht, Masha Kuzmenko & Nicholas Ellis Brown at ROCANI

It's giving brainrot... Nick Borenstein, General Manager at The Webby Awards, joined us for an eye-opening session on online culture—unpacking how the shift from niche to nonsensical is driving creativity forward. ? He also hosted a panel with our very own Robert Slot and Peter Kormanyos, sparking fresh perspectives on this digital phenomenon. Big thanks to Nick for sharing his brilliant insights! ?? #tbwa #tbwaneboko #webbyawards

We'll take Webby Award Winners for 1,000 ?? While waiting for the new Pop Culture Jeopardy, test your #WebbyWinners knowledge in this Jeopardy! throwback??? ?? Don’t miss out on your opportunity to join the ranks of prestigious Webby Award Winners this year! Our Final Entry Deadline is December 20th, 2024: https://lnkd.in/ewWAVQ5b

Trendjacking has become a popular and vital marketing tactic in the last decade. Joining trending conversations and viral moments can help you: ??Boost brand awareness ??Increase engagement ??Personalize your brand ??Drive conversions Download Meltwater’s Ultimate Guide to Trendjacking to explore the do’s and don’ts of hopping on trending moments — and real-world examples! https://wbby.co/3ZdfVja

It's tiiiiiiiime! The 2025 Webby Trend Report: 'it's giving brainrot' is officially available for download?????? In partnership with Meltwater, this year's report unpacks how chronically online culture is taking us from the niche to the nonsensical, with insights on why that’s (maybe) a good thing. ?? Download now to uncover the key consumer patterns fueling viral moments, with a curated guide of the best strategies for tapping into emerging trends as they happen: https://wbby.co/4hPGQJt

This week I participated in a fun, yet thought-provoking panel discussion at TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco exploring the phenomenon known as "brainrot," or chronically online culture. It’s a wave that’s not only shifting the cultural landscape but redefining how online creators and innovative brands engage with audiences. Here’s what we talked about with regards to staying relevant in this fast-paced digital age: ? A CULTURAL REVOLUTION LED BY THE YOUNG & DIGITALLY NATIVE Brainrot culture thrives on digital natives who value authentic, relatable, and fast-paced, AI-powered content. Creators and brands that align with these preferences can better engage their audiences. Kamala Harris' social media team is crushing this right now, for example. ?? THE POWER OF MEMES AND HUMOR Meme culture is a powerful communication tool that fosters engagement and shared experiences. Savvy brands use memes to tell stories and capture attention in a world of short attention spans. Who else is living for all the Hallowali / Diwaliween content popping up today? ?? EMBRACING THE UNEXPECTED Adapting with humor is essential; successful brands and creators embrace playfulness and bold experimentation. My personal favorite is the bed-and-breakfast owner using Gen Z speak to give a tour. This approach humanizes content, forging emotional connections with audiences who value being real. ?? OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT Brainrot culture offers endless possibilities for those who think outside the box with trends, participatory campaigns, and AI-powered content. Success lies in staying nimble and responsive to shifting online dynamics, but only if this aligns with your voice. For example, I'm not sure it made sense for every brand that jumped on "very mindful, very demure" to do so. As we continue to navigate this chronically online era, the takeaway for creators and brands is clear: embrace the chaos, stay playful, and lead with agility. The rewards lie in the connection forged through humor, relatability, and innovation. How is your brand or creative work adapting to the new age of online culture? Drop your insights below! ?? — Huge thanks to Nick Borenstein for brilliantly organizing and moderating this panel discussion and inviting me to speak at my first-ever TechCrunch Disrupt right here in my home city. Cheers to my fellow panelists David Mogensen (Uber) and Margaret Johnson (Goodby Silverstein & Partners) for sharing their unique perspectives. Shout-out to my cheerleaders France Tantiado & Caitlin Neelon! And, to everyone in the Bay Area who attended in person and introduced themselves to me after the panel, don't forget to follow the Bay Area Creator Economy! #OnlineCulture #Innovation #Engagement #MemeCulture #DigitalMarketing #Creativity

Today is THE day - whether you voted early or have yet to do so today, get inspired by some of our #WebbyWinners in the News, Politics, Public Service & Activism spaces?????? ?? Explore some Webby-winning resources you can use to make informed decisions this election season: https://wbby.co/3AlvUSK ?? Need election coverage that's less stressful & more fun? At 3:30pm PST/6:30pm EST tonight, tune into Under The Desk News' Election Night Pizza Party: LIVE, hosted by Webby Winner Vitus Spehar. Reel Featuring: Vote.org, Crooked Media, Campaign Legal Center, Leigh McGowan