BRAND STRATEGY

Jon Cherry/Getty Images

Take a picture, it’ll last longer. And it won’t get lost in the cloud.

Demand for analog technology isn’t necessarily new, as millennials with their Polaroids and record players can attest. But at a time when consumers are increasingly seeking out offline experiences, several brands are turning to analog photography as a way to connect.

From hosting photo booths to shipping out disposable and reusable cameras, brands are looking to provide different ways for consumers to make memories and create content without the use of smartphones.

Ithaca Hummus, for example, kicked off its “Film Eats First” campaign this fall, where it sent around 100 creators disposable cameras to capture their experiences with the brand before sending back for processing. Images from the campaign will be used in the Ithaca Hummus’s holiday posts, according to the company.

• The idea for the campaign was inspired by the growing appetite for analog and imperfect content online, Mia Serritella, brand manager at Ithaca, told us.

“Because social media has become so polished, I really gravitated towards the idea of giving creators something that forces you to capture the content in the moment versus giving them a brief, having them edit it, review it, perfect it, anything like that,” she said.

For more on the strategy behind why brands are embracing an analog world, continue reading here.—KH

      

Sponsored By Tatari

If you do, you’ll miss this announcement: A massive event for all things TV advertising is coming to NYC on Oct. 29.

Forward by Tatari is bringing together some of the biggest names in business, media, and marketing to talk about what’s next for—and on—TV. During this half-day event, you’ll hear from:

• headline speaker Scott Galloway on brands, business, AI, and the future of media, followed by an audience Q&A
• Reddit CEO and co-founder Steve Huffman on how brands can connect with TV audiences to turn conversations into measurable performance
• Oren John, “The Internet’s Creative Director,” on how brands build worlds through creators, characters, culture, and recurring stories

Attendance is free, but capacity is limited. RSVP to save your spot.

SOCIAL & INFLUENCERS

Illustration: Morning Brew, Photo: TikTok

Can you hear that? No, it’s not sleigh bells ringing—it’s the chime of sales ringing up on a TikTok Shop live-shopping stream.

With the holiday shopping season upon us, TikTok users across the platform are primed to receive plenty of gift-centric marketing messaging, and according to the platform, searches for gift inspiration and related terms have seen a surge. Interest in hashtags like #HolidayDecor, #HolidayGiftIdeas, and #GiftsForWomen has risen 97%, 248%, and 440%, respectively, in month-over-month search growth in September, according to TikTok.

As TikTok Shop preps for its Black Friday Cyber Monday campaign, which is scheduled to run from November 11 through November 30, the platform hosted an event for press and creators in New York centered around the live-shopping strategies that brands like e.l.f. Beauty and sellers like Jewelry Television (JTV) are using for long-term brand-building, not just for driving sales. It’s a striking point of view on the channel, which, since its launch in the US three years ago, is largely viewed as either a discovery tool or a distribution-driven sales platform.

“Live, yes, it can drive revenue, but it can also drive real-time cultural conversation,” Kelly Shah-McDonnell, VP of global connected commerce at e.l.f. Brands, said onstage at the event. “We look at live-selling as an edutainment opportunity.”

For other insights and advice on what brand marketers are finding works on TikTok Shop, continue reading here.—JN

      

Sponsored By Expedia Group

Ticket? Secured. Shopping? In progress. Once destinations are picked and flights are booked, travelers start to shop for their upcoming trip. And brands are missing the post-booking window of opportunity. Expedia Group Advertising’s report explores how travelers make shopping decisions and how brands influence their choices. Read it here.

MARKETING BREW WEEKLY

Every brand wants to make a splash. Then there’s the splash that turns out to be a mistake.

In this episode of Marketing Brew Weekly, Jennimai Nguyen and Kelsey Sutton unpack the recent brand apologies from Target, Converse, Good Good Golf, Neutrogena, and Cracker Barrel.

• Match your response to the severity. On serious issues, silence reads as an endorsement, and waiting for the news cycle to cool can reignite the backlash.
• Intentional stances don’t need apologies. Nike knew exactly who it was talking to in its 2018 Colin Kaepernick campaign. An apology only makes sense for a genuine mistake, not for backlash alone.
• Keep it short and own it. The Target and Converse apologies worked because they said “we’re sorry,” took the content down fast, and offered no excuses. Skip the blame-shifting, the “if you were offended” hedging, and the Pepsi-style dodge around the real issue.
• Pick your platform on purpose. Social gives you the most control but can feel like a Notes app apology. A media statement carries more weight. Either way, you don’t control who sees it.
• Check who’s actually upset. Cracker Barrel’s reversal shows the risk of apologizing for a smaller issue. Ask whether the noise is coming from your real customers or from people who were never going to buy.

For more on when a brand should apologize and what separates a public apology people accept from one that adds fuel to the fire, listen to our conversation on the podcast here.

      

From Express Checkout

CPG newsflash. Get curated CPG industry news, insider perspectives, trend analysis, and more in Express Checkout, the newest member of Morning Brew Inc. Founders Nate Rosen and Jenna Movsowitz cover the why and how behind what we’re buying next in their twice-weekly newsletter.

Unpack the stories behind your stuff when you subscribe here.

french press

There are a lot of bad marketing tips out there. These aren’t those.

Big business: The SBA just issued new guidance that classifies creators as small businesses—here’s what that might mean for 2027 budgets.

Turn it up: Top trending songs on TikTok right now.

Small but mighty: Tips for running AEO without a large team.

Jobs

Real jobs shared through real communities. CollabWORK brings opportunities directly to Marketing Brew readers—no mass postings, no clutter, just roles worth seeing. Click here to view the full job board.

• Marketing Internship at PacRim Marketing Group, Inc.
• Junior Marketing Coordinator at Limitless East Marketing
• Entry-Level Marketing Associate at Onias Marketing
• Direct Marketing Intern at Direct Marketing Solutions, Inc
• Growth Marketing Operator at Direct Online Marketing

WISH WE WROTE THIS

Stories we’re jealous of.

• The New York Times wrote about how man-on-the-street creator content is increasingly reflecting fantasies about wealth and success.
• The Hollywood Reporter wrote about Netflix’s former film chief, Dan Lin, and what his ouster might signal about the future of streaming versus in-theater movies.
• Bloomberg wrote about Victoria’s Secret’s return to relevancy via the runway.