Silence, Brand! 10.01.24
🦀 Counterfeit Crumbl Cookies Down Under, Sabrina Carpenter got the Mayor Indicted, and Charli XCX is taking over (the remix)
hey, ok, hi. it’s a crazy experience being a crab.
life has been busy. someone stole my SHELL last week, so i’ve been a little MIA, but here’s what’s going on
The debat.
and in other news: costco doesn’t sell baby oil… a TON of people are speaking out against diddy, Lana Del Ray married a boat guy (aye aye captain!), and everyone is talking about the Crumbl cookie fiasco in Australia…. just SCROLL DOWN
also a special shout to one of our faves,
*happy crab clicks for taylor*
Costco Denies Selling Baby Oil After Diddy's Lawyer's Claims (TMZ)
Diddy's lawyer suggested that the large stock of baby oil found at the rapper's homes was purchased in bulk at Costco, but Costco has clarified that they do not carry baby oil at their U.S. locations. Additionally, a search on the store's website did not yield any results for baby oil or similar products. So, it seems Diddy's lawyer's explanation may not hold up, and Costco is not the place to go for your baby oil needs!
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Time for a 'Honeymoon': Lana Del Rey Marries Louisiana Airboat Captain Jeremy Dufrene (Rolling Stone)
Singer Lana Del Rey recently tied the knot with Louisiana-based airboat captain Jeremy Dufrene, whom she first met back in 2019 during one of his wildlife tours. The couple got married in Des Allemandes, Louisiana, with Del Rey being walked down the aisle by her father and the ceremony taking place at the public bayou where Dufrene works.
What is happening with Whole Foods' Berry Chantilly cake?? (Chron)
Whole Foods' Berry Chantilly cake, a beloved dessert with a cult following, is undergoing changes in its single slices. The cake will now feature a berry compote instead of whole or sliced berries, causing concern among fans, but the full cakes seem to remain unchanged.
The UFO 50 subreddit is beginning to role-play as if the fake in-game console was real (Polygon)
UFO 50, a collection of 50 games by Spelunky developer Mossmouth, lacks context for the games and the fictional developer UFO Soft, but this decision has sparked creativity in the community. Redditors have begun role-playing a world in which the LX and UFO Soft are real, sharing made-up stories and in-universe posts, adding depth to the fictional universe.
Australian Man Pleads Guilty to Feeding Beloved ‘Betty White’ Chicken to Gator (Vice)
A 58-year-old man from New South Wales, Australia, named Peter Smith has pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty after he tossed a beloved chicken named Betty White into an alligator pen at Oakvale Wildlife Park. The incident occurred on January 2, 2024, and Smith will be sentenced on November 20 with a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment and a fine of $24,084.
Fitness Influencer Banned From TikTok After Sparking Backlash For Harmful Dieting Advice (Bored Panda)
TikTok banned fitness influencer Liv Schmidt for promoting "disordered eating" among teens, leading to her removal from the platform. Despite defending her content, experts warn that her diet advice could lead to anorexia and harm women's self-esteem.
Sabrina Carpenter Acknowledges Role in Eric Adams Controversy: ‘Should We Talk About How I Got the Mayor Indicted?’ (Variety)
Sabrina Carpenter's "Feather" video, filmed in a Brooklyn Catholic church, has sparked controversy and speculation about its connection to the indictment of New York City mayor Eric Adams. The video, which has nearly 100 million views on YouTube, has led to federal investigators subpoenaing the church regarding its relations with Adams' close associate and the mayor's ex-chief of staff. Church officials have remained tight-lipped about the potential connection, stating that they are fully committed to cooperating with law enforcement in all investigations.
US Court States Marvel And DC Have Lost Their Super Hero Trademark (Bleeding Cool)
US Court cancels Marvel and DC's joint "Super Hero" trademark after legal challenge, opening the term for public use and benefiting small creators like Superbabies Ltd. The case argued that "Super Hero" is a generic term, not deserving of trademark protection, marking a victory for creativity and innovation.
Bowen Yang Addresses Backlash Over A Recent ‘SNL’ Impression (HuffPost)
"SNL" cast member Bowen Yang responded to backlash over his impression of a pygmy hippopotamus, Moo Deng, on "Weekend Update," wearing a hippo costume and drawing parallels to pop star Chappell Roan. Many social media users criticized the comparison, prompting Yang to address the controversy on Instagram, emphasizing his support for Roan and her reasonable requests.
Sabrina Carpenter's new viral tour obsession is... (X (Twitter))
During the Eras Tour, Sabrina went viral consistently for the custom outro every time she performed "Nonsense." SC fans have a new obsession: Sabrina went viral Day 1 of the Short n Sweet tour during a performance of Juno. Each concert, fans wait to see which "position" she will reveal when she sings a certain line in that song. User @longstorycali started a thread for fans to follow along each night of the tour.
Woman warns against viral cucumber salad trend after finger gets chopped off (Dexerto)
The viral cucumber salad trend has led to a shortage of the vegetable and other ingredients in stores, but one woman's cautionary tale serves as a warning after she injured herself while attempting to recreate the popular recipe. TikTok sensation Logan Moffitt, known as the 'cucumber guy,' has gained millions of followers with his cucumber-based recipes, but viewers should be mindful of the potential dangers associated with using a mandolin, as highlighted by the unfortunate incident.
Crumbl Scam In Sydney, Australia Sold Stale Cookies For $17 (Delish)
A recent pop-up Crumbl cookie event in Sydney left customers feeling duped as they lined up for up to 45 minutes to purchase $17.50 AUD cookies that were reportedly stale and flown in from Hawaii, rather than freshly baked goods. The event was not affiliated with the U.S.-based Crumbl brand, and the organizers claimed they aimed to share the Crumbl experience with Australia by importing the cookies directly from the USA.
She Deserves The Purse
After a purse was discovered in the baby section of a store, users have begun placing money in products and boxes in baby aisles of their stores and posting videos in an attempt to allow mothers to buy items for both their children and themselves. This trend has begun to backfire as shoppers are now tearing through the baby aisles in an attempt to find money, leaving products damaged and played with.
Protein Diet Coke
Straight from the customized soda capital of the world, Utah, Tiktokkers have begun to share their perfect recipe for a"protein diet coke"with ingredients like Core Power protein shakes and... you guessed it, Diet Coke.
Did somebody say
TikTokkers are posing a question to which the answer is an emphatic Christina Aguilera scream
Life is worth living
TikTokkers are using this Justin Bieber song to show what makes their life worth living (usually food).
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Non-linear Storytelling/Subtle foreshadowing
This rising format shows clips of an eventual ending to a scene or video, spliced in between the buildup to provide a glimpse of what's to come while somehow not ruining the ending.
You killed my best friend
TikTokkers are using this trending audio to show the difference between doe eyes and siren eyes
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Guess the _____ by its personality
TikTok users are pretending to be various types of food and guessing the mystery food based on their personality.
Poster Girl Dress Discourse
TikTok is swirling with discussions about the appropriate settings for wearing "poster girl" dresses, following a user's post of her outfit at an Applebee's. These dresses, described by one TikToker as resembling a "sexy can of biscuits," are very small and tight, often see-through, and feature cut-out elements that leave little to the imagination. There was a previous discourse on the platform asking if a child's Paw Patrol birthday party was an appropriate location for this kind of outfit.
First you’re cringe
TikTokers use this popular audio to recount the steps they took to accomplish goal(s) that started off cringe but now everyone wants to know how they did it.
Good Read: Tarte’s influencer gifting debacle—what brands can learn from the TikTok controversy (AdAge)
Taylor Lorenz Leaves the Washington Post to Launch New Substack Publication (National Review) (
, by Taylor Lorenz)Child 'content creators' granted protections in California by Gov. Newsom (Mashable)
Elon Musk's X is losing users in the U.S., UK, and EU. X's own data proves it. (Mashable)
Reddit is rolling out AI-powered translations to 35 countries (Engadget)
Meta's Llama AI models now support images, too (Tech Crunch)
Threads now lets you tag your location (The Verge)
Good Read: Creators Spur More Spend this Holiday Season, Adobe Forecasts (AdWeek)
Gen Z is turning to Twitch for political commentary (Fast Company)
Trump Adds Ugly $100,000 Watches to Merch Collection (NY Mag)
Macklemore Dropped From Vegas Festival After Comments At Pro-Palestine Concert (Stereogum)
Charli XCX teases Bon Iver and Tinashe 'Brat' remixes with new billboards (NME)
Oakland A's fans emotional at final night game at Coliseum (KTVU)
Teen cyclist Muriel Furrer dies after crash at Road World Championships (Newsweek)
Good Read: Top 10 NFL TV advertisers so far this season (AdAge)
Valve will see you in court! No, really, Steam's just updated its subscriber agreement so that 'all disputes and claims proceed in court' (PC Gamer)
A 12-year arc of The Simpsons comes to a close as EA shuts down city builder The Simpsons: Tapped Out after 308 updates, 831 characters, and 1,463 questlines (Games Radar)
Canceling subscriptions will be a 'one-click' snap in California under new law (LA Times)
Advanced AI chatbots are less likely to admit they don’t have all the answers (Engadget)
Nomi's companion chatbots will now remember things like the colleague you don't get along with (Tech Crunch)
China’s Plan to Make AI Watermarks Happen (WIRED)
Mark Zuckerberg faces deposition in AI copyright lawsuit from Sarah Silverman and other authors (Yahoo Finance)
So, that’s why Gen Z are obsessed with accessories (
)
Waymo robotaxi tagging spree filmed by gang on cellphones (SF Standard)
Gucci returns to London with Nan Goldin and Debbie Harry in tow (Daze Digital)
The “Whimsigoth” Aesthetic Isn’t Just for Witches (Architectural Digest)
Gigi Hadid Wore an Ultra Mini Dress Made From DHL Packing Tape (Teen Vogue)
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Louboutin SS25: A Spectacular Underwater Fashion Show (NSS Mag)
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
This month, it's all about 'Strega Nona September'. What the cozy trend means for TikTok (Today)
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Good Read: According to The Cobrasnake, We Haven’t Hit the Tip of the Indie-Sleaze Iceberg (Ssence)
‘Chucky’ Canceled By Syfy & USA After 3 Seasons, Leaving Creator Don Mancini “Heartbroken” But “Grateful” Amid NBCU Cable Scripted Shift (Deadline)
‘The Simpsons’ Aired Its ‘Series Finale’ on Sunday Night — But Don’t Worry, That Wasn’t Really The Last Episode (Variety)
Good Read: The Wild Robot should be the future of animation (Polygon)
Why Creators Are Driving the Future of Brand Partnerships (AdWeek)
How Advertising's Evolving Language Celebrates Hispanic Heritage and Resilience (AdWeek)
Not all brands deserve a W, but this one does:
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Silence, Brand! is an internet culture and marketing newsletter compiled by unhinged brand marketing professionals—an elite army of internet idiots.
Thank you to this installment’s contributors: Ryan Benson, Dayna Castillo, Lenny Leithauser, Dejaih Smith, and Benton Williams
The debat has me screaming 😭🤣 s/o to @kamalahq for pumping out 15 tiktoks today (not including other platform distribution)