Shein & Forever 21 team up while TikTok plans bans

Welcome to the death throes of August. But we do have that summer weather still, so that’s something.

P.S. We love working with cool brands that relate to our audience. If you’re interested in getting in front of 40,000+ marketers, let us know here.

Shein 🤝 Forever 21

Shein and Forever 21 penned a deal to expand the reach of both brands. By combining forces, each brand will benefit from their shared demographic: young shoppers seeking “trendy clothing and accessories at a low price.”

TikTok Allegedly Plans to Ban Ecommerce Links

A report from The Information claims TikTok is planning to ban outside ecommerce links “to force people to use TikTok Shop if they want to purchase an item that they see on the app.” TikTok denies the claim.

Snap’s AI Bot Goes Haywire

Snap’s My AI feature, powered by ChatGPT, chats with Snap users via typed messages. But it posted an eerie live Story despite this capability being reserved for human users.

Ad Buyers Shift Strategy Due to SAG-AFRA/WGA Strikes

Ad buyers told Insider that Amazon saw as much as 20% of ad buyers’ budgets reallocated from network TV because of the strikes. Meanwhile, streamers like Netflix have “lowered its CPMs to $45-$55” to attract new advertisers who may be exploring other formats.

The landscape of B2B marketing is evolving and the emphasis is shifting from mere lead generation to a more strategic approach: demand generation. Attend live on Wednesday, August 30th for a webinar on The New B2B Marketing Playbook: Demand Gen Over Lead Gen as marketing thought leaders share their expertise.

Register now.

Around the Web

• Trump’s mug shot has been made into every type of merchandise imaginable.

• TikTok has already released its 2023 Holiday Marketing Guide.

• Snap announced it’s reached 8 million users in Australia.

• YouTube launched a themed logo to celebrate the growth in the GRWM trend.

• Pinterest is launching a new “Filmspiration Hub” and other activations for The Toronto International Film Festival.

Just Can’t Get Enough

Female solidarity.

• Following an unwanted kiss from Luis Rubiales at the World Cup, star player Jenni Hermoso says “in no moment” did she consent.

• Now, Spain’s women’s soccer team refuses to play until Rubiales is removed.

Will the infamous Shein hauls become Forever Shein hauls? More importantly, will brands bite the bullet and convert to TikTok Shop if ecommerce links are banned on the platform? Do you use TikTok Shop or plan to? Reply and let us know! Or just commiserate with us about the start of September in a few days.

Thanks for joining us, and we’ll see you Thursday!