Moo Deng, Who Deng?

11/8: Gap launches new campaign with creators, More animals, LVMH Acquires Minority Stake in Our Legacy, Redesigning the LA Clippers logo, #Runningculture and more.

A bit of the internet:

Sweet moments in NYC | Last weekend was the NYC Marathon, which has become a bigger cultural moment beyond running culture. Even if you're not participating as a runner, the types of signs that pop up are guaranteed to make you laugh .

Our childhood shows are looking out for us | Beloved characters from our favorite childhood shows are turning to social media to provide moments of calm. Sesame Street has been sharing thoughtful affirmations and gentle reminders to pause, reaching out to the adults who grew up watching. Meanwhile, Steve from Blue's Clues has created a safe space for people to open up, with thousands of followers using the comment section to express their thoughts and concerns about their well-being. These comforting gestures are helping us all take a collective breath during turbulent times.

Pet POV | People on TikTok are creating videos from their pets perspective, humorously narrating in a silly and playful way. Some have posted, "You need to double your dogs food or else they’ll starve " or "One cat per household—get rid of the extra pet! " At the end, the pet reveals itself by “accidentally” showing itself using selfie mode.

Petunia the hippo | Petunia the stuffed hippo has reached internet-star status after her FaceTime session with friends went viral on TikTok last month. Since then, she's been receiving a lot of attention, including a special gift from Sephora , which she shared in an unboxing video that delighted her fans. If you're looking for an influencer for your next PR package, consider reaching out to Petunia!

Peanut the Squirrel & Fred the Raccoon | People across social media are heartbroken after learning that content creator Mark Longo had his pet squirrel Peanut and raccoon Fred seized and euthanized in the state of New York. These pets were popular across social and had a fanbase, leading to anger among his followers and creating discourse surrounding the topic. Justice for Peanut & Fred !

Moo Deng, Who Deng? | Moo-ve over Moo Deng, there's a new pygmy hippo for the internet to love! The announcement of Haggis , the newest pygmy hippo at Edinburgh Zoo, comes at the perfect time. But don't worry, they admitted there is enough room for two iconic divas to bring awareness to this endangered species.

What brands are up to:

A Calm pause | On Election Night, Calm provided a much-needed escape from the growing tension by live-streaming peaceful scenes of animals, including penguins and adoptable puppies . This soothing content was part of a broader effort that included a "30 seconds of silence" ad and various mindfulness resources to help alleviate stress.

Smile 2 | Paramount’s latest horror film, SMILE 2, is about to hit streaming platforms at the end of this month. For the time being, you can catch the first 7 minutes for free IF you can hold a smile for the entire preview runtime . To watch the R-rated movie preview, all you have to do is enter your birthdate and show a bright smile for the interactive webcam, which pauses the clip when you stop smiling.

Gap continues working with creators | Gap’s latest holiday campaign, 'Give Your Gift ,' showcases musical creators and social media stars, highlighting the brand’s updated Cash Soft knit collection. Gap continues to leverage creators for new campaigns and product launches—from Troye Sivan to Julia Huynh—demonstrating its commitment to building community and connecting with new audiences as part of its strategy to revitalize the brand. We’d say they are doing a good job!

Collabs of the Week | Highlighting some brand collaborations we saw this week:

• Crocs x Susan Alexandra
• Supreme x Mitchell & Ness x NCAA
• Kate Spade x M&M's

Platform News:

Instagram Updates:

• Instagram now allows a broader range of content, including most GIFs and stickers, to be boosted.

TikTok Updates:

• TikTok has launched a "Share to TikTok " feature that lets users share music from Apple Music and Spotify directly to the platform.
• TikTok's new guide helps marketers maximize post-Christmas to early new year sales, known as "Q5," by offering insights into consumer behaviors during this period.

Snapchat Updates:

• Snapchat is expanding its partnership with DoubleVerify to include brand safety and suitability measurement for ad campaigns.

YouTube Updates:

• YouTube is introducing a way for Shorts creators to initiate brand partnerships.

Extra Credit Scrolling:

·???????? ??Joe and the Juice look alike competition

·???????? ?? America's obsession with Chili's

·???????? ??Fly with Beatrice the bat

·???????? ?? LVMH Acquires Minority Stake in Our Legacy

·???????? ??Redesigning the LA Clippers logo

·???????? ?? AI artwork of Alan Turing sells for $1m