October 19th - WHY CHRIS WILLIAMSON VS ELEVENLABS IS A BIGGER AI PROBLEM
An AI voice company appears to have created a default British male voice (“Archer”) that sounds uncannily like Chris Williamson, down to his very specific North East inflexions, without his consent. The problem is bigger: AI voice cloning, ownership of your own voice, and the lack of clear legal or technical “referees” to prove if a voice has been stolen. Chris Williamson is challenging ElevenLabs over the unauthorised use of his voice, highlighting growing concerns about deepfakes and intellectual property. This dispute underscores the urgent need for updated regulations to protect individuals' likenesses in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Brands can learn from choosing the partner and platform that can say for certain about its AI training and remove any future friction
October 20th - CUTTER & SQUIDGE X TONY’S CHOCOLONELY POP-UP
A limited‑time hot chocolate collab between Cutter & Squidge (London bakery) and Tony’s Chocolonely. Perfect for the season/weather change & for TikTok promoThe limited-time hot chocolate collaboration between Cutter & Squidge and Tony’s Chocolonely leverages scarcity and visual appeal to drive immediate, TikTok-friendly engagement. Brands can apply this lesson by designing short-run, highly "filmmable" micro-pop-ups with complementary partners to generate authentic social media buzz.
October 21st - CHANNEL 4 BRANDED VERTICAL MICRO DRAMA WITH SOL DE JANIERO
First time branded content hits TV with agreement between Channel 4 (UK broadcaster) & Brazilian beauty brand Sol De Janeiro Channel 4 and Sol De Janeiro have partnered to bring branded micro-content to TV, bridging the gap between mobile and TV consumption. This approach turns advertising into entertainment by building familiar, character-driven worlds that engage viewers across social platforms and traditional broadcasts.
October 22nd - MAPQUEST GROWTH HACK USING FLOCK AND ANTI-SURVEILLANCE
The “Surveillance Layer” is a new setting in the MapQuest app that overlays known automatic number plate recognition (ANPR/ALPR) cameras on the map. When switched on, it shows icons where plate‑reading cameras are installed (e.g. from Flock, Motorola, Genetec and others), plus shaded zones indicating the direction they’re monitoring. This is a great growth hack with all of the blow back that Flock is receiving
MapQuest is differentiating itself in the navigation market by introducing a "Surveillance Layer" that visualises civic and infrastructure data, such as automatic number plate recognition cameras. This growth tactic aims to increase user engagement by transforming the map into an exploratory tool rather than just a transactional navigation app.
October 23rd - COSTCO TOTE BAGS MANIA
Costco tote bags have become incredibly popular helping to market the company with every use of the bag(s) Costco have slowly become the tote bag to have. Offering two sizes both currently sold out they are challenging the Trader Joe's trend. Brands are increasingly turning everyday items into walking adverts and status markers rather than just functional products. By balancing genuine utility with manufactured scarcity, companies can successfully leverage consumer psychology to build international hype.
October 24th - CREATORS HELPING CREATORS NOW WANT TO FUND THEM - COLIN AND SAMIR
Colin and Samir’s world shows this clearly: they’ve spent years sharing consistent creator advice, and now they’re extending that into bigger bets like the Big Idea Fund, but it’s all built on an ongoing “dose” of value for their community. Build trust with great content and by providing advice, and your audience will trust and back you. This is how Colin and Samir have worked and now they want to fund the ideas and projects the creators looking for help bring to them. This is a smart play and one brands could roll out themselves if done well
October 25th - IS 2026 THE YEAR TIKTOK PROVES THEY ARE A POWER PLAYER IN COMMERCE?
TikTok Shop is now proving they are an integrated e-commerce platform that allows users to discover and purchase products directly within the app in one click. By combining short-form videos, live streams and a marketplace, it serves as both a sales channel and a marketing tool for brands.
"TikTok Shop shortens the customer journey by combining entertainment with immediate purchasing opportunities, leveraging algorithmic discovery and social proof to drive sales. Brands can maximize their reach by creating native short-form videos and utilising live streams with time-boxed incentives during peak shopping events.
With primed features that make their experience unique, like Seamless Shopping: Integrates discovery and checkout directly within the app. Algorithmic Reach, built-in social proof & native video that can be themed live streams with stacked incentives."
