Podcasts are growing in cultural capital
Podcasts are growing in cultural capital
Plus, big brands are doing influencer marketing for the first time, ChatGPT’s new Canvas feature, drama at WordPress, new Gen Z updates for Facebook and more.
This week, I’m been reading about what’s going to happen to 23andme genetic data, Fat Bear Week drama, the aftermath of that viral TikTok rug story, and the guy dating AI girlfriends. I’ve been watching Alex Cooper interview Kamala Harris on CHD (a lot to unpack below), listening to Leon Bridges’ new album (a “deliciously soulful confection”), attending #AWNewYork24, and preparing for a week in the desert with my family (if you happen to be in Phoenix next week hmu).
More trends and less-exciting-but-equally-important platform updates to know about below, like how more blue-chip brands are entering the influencer space and the WordPress/WP Engine showdown (definitely read if you’re a customer).
Don’t forget to scroll to the end for some good memes 🍯
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tech & culture
📈 Around 1 in 3 brands started doing influencer endorsements this year
Brands are increasingly turning to celebrity and influencers to reach their target audiences, with almost one in three brands striking up influencer brand deals for the first time in the past year — primarily in consumer products, food, and apparel. MarketingDive explored SponsorUnited’s "2024 Celebrities & Influencer Report" and these are some interesting highlights:
Cosmetics and skincare lead with 68 endorsement deals.
Influencers are gaining traction, accounting for over 70% of follower growth among the top 100 figures.
Notably, MrBeast topped the list with a staggering 182 million new followers (surprise surprise).
The most effective brand influencers tend to be aged 25 to 44, with a fairly even gender split in securing deals.
While celebrities dominate platforms like Instagram and Facebook, creators are the top picks on video-centric platforms like TikTok and YouTube, reflecting a shift in audience engagement behavior.
🎙️ Why did Kamala Harris go on Call Her Daddy?
Alex Cooper interviewed presidential candidate and current VP Kamala Harris on Call Her Daddy (CHD), a show Spotify calls "the most listened-to podcast by women.”
Quick catchup: Call Her Daddy started in 2018 as a raw, unapologetic podcast about sex and dating in your 20s, but it’s now a full-blown media empire thanks to host Alex Cooper. The show has evolved — less hookup talk, more celebrity interviews (Demi Lovato, Simone Biles, Emma Chamberlain to name a few) but it hasn’t lost its edge. I described it once as Joe Rogan for the girlies.
Which brings us to Harris showing up on CHD. Honestly, I’m not surprised. It tracks with her youth-driven campaign marketing and relates to the shifting media habits of young, digitally native voters.
The Kamala x CHD crossover is a moment that earmark the convergence of modern pop culture and politics. It’s the equivalent of when Bill Clinton went on Arsenio Hall in 1992 and played the sax. We’re seeing politicians engage with more non-traditional platforms to stay relevant — the Harris campaign has proved that with KamalaHQ, in-on-the-joke parodies, and many memeable moments. Political messaging is competing with entertainment which means creator-turned-celebrity podcasts are growing in cultural capital.
Translation: Creator platforms are just as influential as news outlets in shaping public perception, in case that wasn’t already clear.
One last thing - Alex Cooper character arc:
📢 Elon Musk's completes his MAGA transformation (and the internet can’t stop meme-ing it)
This past weekend Elon Musk spoke at a Trump rally (the same location Trump was almost assassinated at). Trump had a lot of praise for his pal — and Musk likewise expressed strong support for the presidential nominee. Elon was wearing a MAGA hat, "Occupy Mars" tshirt, and called himself "dark MAGA" (wait is Elon the drama???). He also did a few awkward full-body jumps, which naturally fed the meme cycle.
Disclaimer:
Dangerous territory. Musk’s actions and rhetoric are a pretty clear example of the blurring lines between celebrity, technology, and politics. He’s using his platform and influence to shape political narratives — and he's doing it loudly. Elon might be an anomaly but I won’t be surprised if other tech leaders more publicly acknowledge their personal political agendas. But in this case, it’s shifting how 𝕏 is perceived (as if it hasn’t been on this trajectory for a few years) not only as a free speech hub, but as a tool with a political agenda.
🤓 ChatGPT’s version of Claude’s Artifacts is here
ChatGPT Canvas (available to ChatGPT Plus and Team users) lets you work directly with the AI in an editable space for writing and coding projects. You can make changes, get feedback, and keep track of different versions all in one place — just like the Artifacts feature from Claude. I’m loving it so far and I’m not the only one. It streamlines the editing process and makes it easier to refine text or code without having to re-enter prompts repeatedly.
🎥 Meta’s new AI model can generate video with sound
Meta has introduced Movie Gen, a new model that creates high-definition videos and audio from text prompts. It can generate new footage, edit existing videos, and even animate still images, allowing for a lot of creative flexibility. While it can produce 1080p videos up to 16 seconds long, it's still in the research phase due to high costs and lengthy generation times, and there are also ethical questions to consider. At least for now, we can finally have infinite Moo Deng.
platform updates
🙄 The WordPress boys are being petty
WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg is locked in a legal battle with WP Engine, a major WordPress hosting provider you might be using (I am).
The TL;DR: Mullenweg publicly criticized WP Engine at a recent conference, calling them a "cancer to WordPress.” He claimed WP Engine is disabling WordPress features and profiting while contributing minimally to the open-source community. He then took it further by blocking WP Engine customers from accessing WordPress.org resources, which ended up being temporary. Then last week, WP Engine filed a federal lawsuit against Mullenweg for libel and extortion.
What does this mean for WordPress and WP Engine customers? If Mullenweg cuts off WP Engine customers again, it’ll be a problem for accessing things like plugins, themes, and updates. There are too many implications to list here but it likely won’t happen that way, at least not without warning. Right now, everything is still running as usual but it’s a good idea to keep posted in case things get worse and it’s time to pull out a backup plan. I’m shopping around.
📲 How Facebook & Messenger are keeping the youth on the hook
Facebook is seeing more younger users stick around, thanks to its increased focus on AI-recommended content. Reels consumption has jumped by 20%, playing a big role in this trend. To keep younger users engaged, Facebook is rolling out updates aimed at enhancing the app experience.
Local Tab: A new feature in the Facebook app that offers personalized recommendations for local events, businesses, and community activities, enhancing user connection with their surroundings.
Messenger Communities: An expansion of Messenger allowing users to create and join interest-based groups, complete with AI-generated conversation starters and image creation tools for more engaging interactions.
Privacy and Safety Enhancements: Improved end-to-end encryption for messages and calls, along with new safety controls that empower users to manage their online interactions and content visibility more effectively.
sauce snippets
Adobe proposes a way to protect artists from AI rip-offs
Watch the trailer for Apple’s first scripted film designed for the Vision Pro headset
The Snoopy fan account political war
Forget virtual reality, the next big thing is actual reality
Me after hearing the new hire was born in 2003
Limited Too is back, and it’s selling clothes for nostalgia-pilled adults