Ayzenberg Junior Strategist Ashley Otah recounts this week’s trends.

Doja Cat x Mexican Pizza

Pizza party. Doja Cat drops huge news during her set at Coachella weekend 1: Taco Bell is bringing back its Mexican Pizza. The partnership rollout worked seamlessly as Doja Cat was a devout stan of the item. However, Taco Bell’s next move gave it the extra boost to make the announcement more enticing. Loyalty members received access to the food item on 5/17/22 compared to the nationwide 5/19/22 release. Individuals had to download the Taco Bell app to become loyalty members, which helps convert everyday bystanders into loyal customers and even superfans. Sourcing true champions of a brand is not always complicated; however, releasing and informing people of an authentic partnership is a much larger undertaking.

Aimé Leon Dore

Passion for fashion. Aimé Leon Dore, the men’s streetwear and accessories boutique, collaborates with New Balance to support a community gym. Unlike most partnerships, the duo does not lean into the typical collaboration category, serving limited drops or exclusive moments. Instead, the two lean into the heritage and shape a new history with the ‘Masaryk Community Gym.” Going above and beyond short-term and flat partnerships and moving into long-lasting moments that support and uplift communities can help brands create a name for themselves while genuinely giving back.

Instagram Reels

Doubling down. Adam Mosseri announces new features, including new ways to tag and improved rankings. The improved rankings allow people to be rewarded for originality and get the credit they deserve. From TikTok to Twitter, memes and trending content are born every day. The content then migrates from those platforms to Instagram. Now, rankings will stop allowing cross-platform content to rise to the top as the evolution of the app continues. The changes interfere with meme accounts that are cross-posting on both apps and not being fully aware of how to use reels correctly. The dedicated push showcases the power of in-app experiences that trump time spent on other applications.

Video Podcasting

Lights, camera, action. Spotify rolls out video podcasts in select markets. There are many outlets to choose from with social-based audio, video-based audio, and audio-only mediums; the undertaking depends on what is suitable for each company’s needs. Youtube acts as a search engine, and podcasts are often consumed while handling other tasks. Only 17% of podcasts are video-based. The marriage between the two allows brands to take a mixed-medium approach so content can live on any platform.

Kendrick Lamar

No Shade. Kendrick Lamar announced his latest album using a tweet from a fan that sparked a larger social conversation. The tweet outlined that the rapper, songwriter, and producer was “retired,” and Kendrick responded with a tweet to his new site, which then led to a press release. The response sparked a trend of social users stating their favorite artists too were “officially retired” in hopes of getting them to post about upcoming releases. Unconventional but on-the-mark marketing can help brands and talent stand out without detracting from who they are and what they stand for.