Yeah, That's Probably an Ad

Studs, the painfully cool ear piercing studio and earrings brand, has been expanding rapidly since its launch in 2019.\The startup now counts 22 stores across the U.S. with 10 more NYC spaces planned for 2024.Offering Gen Z and millennial urbanites an alternative to mall strip piercers like Claire's, the brand sets itself with its "needle-only method" and signature "Earscape" stacks, combined with a buzzy retail environment and sleek e-commerce offering.After getting a taste of the Studs experience herself (along with Adweek's director of social, Sami Lambert) our community editor, Luz Corona, sat down for a chat with Harman and Bubbers. The duo discussed Studs' astronomical growth, finding success blending bricks and mortar experiences with digital ones, and how they plan on disrupting the piercing and jewelry space next.

There are countless videos available on the internet that cater to a wide range of interests. It’s fascinating how certain videos can go viral and become widely viewed by millions of people across the globe, and it’s difficult to predict what makes a video viral. In this episode, we’ll learn from Kazi Sharar of Viral Growth about how the company assists creators and entrepreneurs in identifying their niche and developing content that is distinctive, memorable, and has the potential to go viral.

As a content creator, Jayde Powell has completely immersed herself in the creative world. In the process, the creative-writer-speaker has picked up a breadth of expertise, recognition by trades like ADWEEK, Business Insider and Hashtag Paid.She’s also built an engaged fanbase that not only understands her brand of humor, but also embraces it.On the latest episode of Yeah, That’s Probably An Ad, community editor Luz Corona sat down with the multi-hyphenate marketer at ADWEEK’s Social Media Week to discuss everything from her personal brand to redefining professionalism.Powell is the founder of The Em Dash Co, a content and creative development agency. Her LonkedIn series #CreatorTeaTalk, brings together players in the creator economy to discuss all things creators, content and culture.She is also the co-founder of Weed For Black Women, a media, culture and community hub that strives to educate Black women on the power of the cannabis plant.

To make an event truly spectacular, it’s not enough to rely on just a photo wall and good food. You need to ensure that the attendees are engaged and are talking about it to everyone. In this episode, Brian Felt, co-partner of the marketing agency BMF, shares his experience in the industry and provides powerful insights on what brands must do to create an interactive event worth sharing on social media.

After graduating from the historically Black university (HBCU), Morehouse, DeAndre Brown looked forward to entering the workplace and soon landed internships in both government and corporate settings.As the youngest employee, he quickly identified the antiquated norms in the workplace (see: bragging wars over long hours) and, as any good Gen Z-er, used the experience as inspiration for TikTok content as a creative outlet to deal with this new chapter.And that’s how a Corporate Baddie was born.On the latest episode of Yeah, That’s Probably An Ad, community editor Luz Corona sat down with the Gen Z content creator at ADWEEK’s Social Media Week for an intimate conversation surrounding Brown’s journey to his Corporate Baddie persona on TikTok.They discuss generational comment wars, the toll virality on social media can take on mental health, and the pros and cons of working for yourself.

The media industry is in a constant state of evolution and change, especially in the present times. As each new generation emerges, new ways of reaching and marketing to consumers are evolving. In this episode, Kris Tait, the managing director of the digital marketing agency Croud U.S., shares the latest marketing trends and techniques that companies are using to reach younger audiences.

Over the past year, the ad industry has witnessed a deprioritizing of DEI initiatives through a series of events: CMOs are back to focusing on hard hitting business goals, brands are hesitant to use LGBTQ+ marketing and the data shows women makeup 37% of industry employees, still down from 50% before the pandemic.However, there’s another way to create a more inclusive world and it involves the creatives.Enter: Design justice, a practice which rethinks design processes and focuses on people who are often marginalized by them. This approach calls for collaborative and creative practices to approach the deeper challenges these communities face.On the latest episode of Yeah, That’s Probably An Ad, community editor Luz Corona and Europe brand editor Rebecca Stewart sit down with Karen Baker from Boathouse, giving us the 101 on design justice, examples of the concept in action, and why marketers should feel inspired by Lego and Netflix.Join us virtually at Social Media Week!

When it comes to travel, nothing beats a road trip with loved ones. However, it can be frustrating when rental car companies run out of cars during busy holiday weekends or when you decide to drive to visit family out of town at the last minute. That’s where Turo comes in. Turo is the largest car-sharing marketplace in the world. You can book the perfect car from a trustworthy community of hosts in several countries. In this episode, Turo’s Chief Marketing Officer, Andrew Mok, shares his experience working in the industry, how Turo stands out among other car-sharing platforms, and his favorite songs for a road trip.

This episode of Yeah, That's Probably an Ad was released on July 5, 2023. For more on this story, visit ADWEEK.com.It's been an interesting few months for Bud Light, which found itself embroiled in anti-LGBTQ+ criticism and calls for a boycott after it partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney to promote its brew in March.Since then, the Anheuser-Busch (AB InBev) business has endured criticism from both the right and left; offering a lesson for brands in what happens when you try to market to all but alienate everyone.For an episode unpicking the timeline of events and asking whether Bud Light can ever take the crown of America's favorite beer again, Adweek's community editor Luz Corona and Europe brand editor Rebecca Stewart are joined by senior reporter Paul Hiebert and AgencySpy editor Kyle O'Brien.Note: This episode was recorded prior to AB InBev US CEO Brendan Whitworth speaking with CBS about the controversy and before Bud Light brought back the "Bud Knight".