From standout campaigns to social media updates, hereās your rundown on everything that happened this month.Ā
Hit āRead Onlineā (top right) or āView Entire Messageā (bottom of email) to read it all.
Trending TikTok ContentĀ
Need inspo for your next TikTok? Weāve got you covered. Here are the latest viral TikTok trends and moments that have been filling our For You pages.
I Didnāt Have A Pen & Paper
Originating from BeyoncĆ©ās iconic Partition interview (where she admitted to freestyling the hit lyrics on the spot), this trend is a golden opportunity for creators and brands to flex their unexpected wins, lucky gambles, and origin stories.
A standout example is @sophadophaa_'s clothing line, All for Mimi (AFM). Using the audio, AFM highlighted how a simple low-scoop tank top unexpectedly blew up into a viral bestseller that launched a wave of competitor dupes. For brands, this trend isn't just about celebrating a jackpot moment; it's a way to stake their claim as the originals who did it first.
Iām Too Shy!
This trend pokes fun at the awkward reality behind aesthetic public photos, honouring the dedicated friends and photographers who go to extreme lengths (like lying on the ground) to capture the perfect angle.
Itās widely used by fashion brands showing behind-the-scenes shoot footage and influencers poking fun at their own photo-getting antics. Even sports teams have joined in, with AFLW Collingwood player Mattea Breed using the trend to share a humorous, behind-the-scenes look at team life.
Trending Instagram ContentĀ
Looking to freshen up your feed? These IG trends have got you covered.
Kinda Chic
Rising to prominence this month, this trend lets users and brands spotlight habits, products, or traits that feel effortlessly cool, sharp, or stylish, often pairing the format with a cheeky call-to-action. While some use it sarcastically, we recommend using the format to promote positive routines, productivity, or core brand values. For example, itās kinda chic to subscribe to the Free Folk Agency x Ivy Talent Co. Trend reportā¦
A great execution comes from eco-brand Banish (by Lottie Dalziel), which used a succinct carousel to brand small, sustainable daily habits as chic. For audiences, it provides quick, visually engaging tips, while giving the brand an authentic way to reinforce its eco-friendly mission.
5 Things Worth Your Money
If youāre looking for a trend with flexibility, this one is for you. This one can be adapted in so many ways: marketing, parenting, skincare, travel editionā¦ you name it!
For creators, itās a way to continue building trust and relatability for your followers. For brands, itās a golden opportunity to highlight the market gap you fill and explain why your products or services are worth the investment.
Itās a powerful tool for founder-led content and team culture, too. By sharing genuine industry advice or giving followers a behind-the-scenes look at the people behind your results, just like our Melbourne team at Free Folk Agency did, you can build stronger, authentic connections.
Ivy Talent Co News
Our roster has continued to grow this month, and weāve welcomed three new superstar creators!
Lise Carlaw and Sarah Wills (@liseandsarah) - best friends, podcasters, published authors, and the brilliant minds behind the national live event phenomenon DISCO CLUB.
Tamika TaikatoĀ (@tamika.taikato) - Perth-based FIFO worker and creator bringing grit, warmth, and humour to social media through authentic day-in-the-life vlogs, food, and lifestyle content.
Caitlin Marwaha (@bycaitlinanne) - Melbourne-based fashion stylist and creator empowering women to build confidence through practical outfit inspiration, styling tips, and everyday vlogs.
Travel Takeover: Nikki Parkinsonās Canadian adventure with Travelmarvel Tours delivered a masterclass in sustained brand integration and narrative-driven storytelling.
Nikki Parkinson (@stylingyou) reminded us why long-form campaign arcs win over one-off posts. By sharing everything from pre-trip packing prep to daily adventure vlogs and outfit diaries across her Travelmarvel journey, she built a continuous, immersive narrative that kept her audience locked in from takeoff to the final flight home.
Proof that giving top talent the runway to fully live out a brand experience creates authentic storytelling that turns followers into future customers.
Key takeaway: A continuous content series builds deep audience investment, proving that multi-touchpoint brand partnerships generate far stronger trust and commercial impact than single-deliverable campaigns.
For more information on Ivy Talent Co creators, unique and aligned brand partnership opportunities or media enquiries, please reach out to the team via [email protected].
Important Social Media Updates
Itās been a rather quiet few weeks in the world of platform updates (considering how fast it normally seems to go), but here are our topline favourites you need to be across.
Sprout Socialās newest Influencer report found that 40% of people say that they discover new products as a result of employee content once a month or more.
Google Search Console has released an article on how to analyse your data in Platform Properties ā a new feature in Google Search Console that allows you to track which search terms lead people to your Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube. Itās now available to everyone globally.
Instagram now allows users to replace audio on feed posts and carousels after they've gone live.
Snapchat
Snapchat for Business partnered with Omnicom Advertising to release a new report. They found 74% of those surveyed are more likely to consider buying from a brand if they are funny.
YouTube
YouTube is continuing to crack down on AI slop, renaming one of its content policies and clarifying the kinds of videos that will get channels demonetised. It includesĀ generic or repetitive content, unsatisfying or off-putting content, and AI personas related to sensitive topics.
Buffer released a report detailing the best times to post on LinkedIn. The top spots were Wednesday at 4pm, Friday between 3-4pm.
Your reading list for this month
Each month, stay in the know with our curated roundup of news, insights, and reports from the world of talent, social media, and marketing.
1 - Ā The attention crisis and the rise of influencer marketing - The Brand Waves
As attention becomes harder to capture, brands are shifting their focus from simply reaching audiences to building trust. This article looks at the growing role creators play in helping consumers discover brands and make purchasing decisions, and why influencer marketing is moving beyond one-off campaigns towards longer-term relationships and systems.
Key insights:Ā
As brands compete for attention across more channels and content than ever, trust is becoming an increasingly important way to stand out.
Social platforms are increasingly being used as people-powered search engines, with creators helping consumers discover brands, reduce uncertainty and make purchasing decisions.
Strong influencer programs move beyond one-off collaborations, building ongoing creator relationships that can generate content, insights and value over time.
AI is moving beyond being seen as just a functional tool, with tech companies increasingly using fashion, influencers and cultural moments to make it feel more aspirational. This article looks at how AI is being positioned within fashion and culture, and what this could mean for creativity, authenticity and the value of human-made work.
Key Insights:
AI brands are increasingly tapping into fashion, creators and cultural relevance to make their products feel more desirable and accessible.
As AI-generated content becomes more common, audiences may place greater value on work that feels distinctly human, original and authentic.
While AI can make creative work faster and more accessible, its growing role is also changing how we think about creativity, authorship and the work traditionally done by junior creatives.
Marketing Moments
Dust Off Your Pouches, Mimco is So Back
This one goes out to all the Aussie 2010s teenage girls, and how we were collectively held in a chokehold by Mimco pouches. From formal clutches to club must-haves, it was the flex of a generation and the exact feeling of nostalgia the brand has leaned into recently.
FAYT Label owner and influencer Brittney Lee Saunders went viral last October when she posted a video around her Mimco pouches collection. The video caught the brandās attention, igniting a whirlwind of online commentary as well as internal office conversations, which ultimately led to the brand deciding to bring back their iconic pouches.
The ultimate way to launch the campaign? Bring Brittney herself on board to coincide with their 30-year launch. Weāre obsessed with how the brand has executed it all - launching an Office-style series, āSo Backā, featuring their own team and creators like Alex Davidson, as well as Brittney herself as the new āChief Pouch Officerā.
Mimcoās latest moves are a timely reminder that brands have to keep their finger on the pulse to stay relevant and cultivate a following. Plus, whole campaigns can be built on a single moment if executed correctly. Aesthetic imagery or campaign shoots no longer cut it; you need to entertain, build personality and tell a story.
Breaking Barriers, Intrepid Travel Partners With AFLW
Some campaigns leave a lasting impression by tapping into raw, shared humanity, and Intrepid Travelās latest initiative is a masterclass in emotional narrative. Created with North Melbourne Football Club, the AFL Players Association, and Purpose Impact Agency, Intrepid sent AFLW stars Ash Riddell, Jasmine Garner, Ruby Schleicher, and Darcy Vescio on a Womenās Expedition through Nepalās Annapurna region alongside Intrepidās local and all-female team.
On the surface, the groups came from worlds apart: Australian elite athletes in a traditionally male-dominated sport and local Nepalese women stepping into guide roles historically reserved for men. Yet through sharing stories of overcoming systemic doubt and challenging stereotypes and traditional gender roles, the brandās hero 12-minute YouTube film highlighted deep cultural reciprocity, sisterhood, and ultimately similarities that werenāt too far from one another.
The campaign also directly capitalised on market momentum: Intrepidās Womenās Expeditions range saw 32% growth in 2025, reflecting a surge in demand for purpose-led, connection-focused travel. By utilising talent and brand partnerships, as well as high-fi authentic storytelling, Intrepid moved beyond conventional sports sponsorships to create a culturally resonant brand moment, and one that honestly had us wanting to book a trip ourselves.
