I Bow Down to the Bratz TikTok Account

Hi everyone! How we doing? I spent the past week eating lots of delicious food—cold soba at Otafuku, glazed tiger prawns at Di Di, the freshest tomatoes at Gjelina, fluffy pancakes at Clark Street Diner, and perfect martinis at La Dolce Vita.

Today’s newsletter is full of looooots of recent posts, observations, thoughts, and critiques. We’ve got:

• Awan’s really good Instagram grid

• A perfect TikTok from the Chicago Cubs

• The most satisfying sponsored content

• Brands ripping off viral artists :/

• A beauty brand’s very sweet TikTok

• Chipotle’s social switch up

• SAG-AFTRA’s TikTok account

• The movie Bratz are going to see…

• Frontier Airlines’ “don’t fire me” TikTok

• A really great restaurant Instagram

• X 🤢🤢🤢

Let’s get into it!

Awan’s Really Good Grid

Before heading to grab a scoop at Awan, a spot that serves plant-based ice cream product made with Indonesian coconut cream and coconut water, I checked out their Instagram. I expected UGC-style photos of ice cream, but instead was met with swoopy, swirly silos of delicious looking ice cream. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen an Instagram feed that’s experimental and FUN. Plus, my scoop of Gaviota Strawberry was delicious.

I Loooove This TikTok from the Chicago Cubs

@cubsHot diggity dog! Which call do you think is top dog? #NationalHotDogDay #chicagocubs

For National Hot Dog Day, the Chicago Cubs had their hot dog vendors do their calls for the camera. The result? A wholesome video that even a Dodgers fan could love. Watch the above video and tell me you Antonio isn’t the best.

When I asked Emma Nye, Manager, Digital Content at Chicago Cubs, to tell me a little more about how the video came about she said:

“It was a true collaboration. Our partnerships team has been working with our contacts at Vienna Beef to bring their partnership with us to life in new and exciting ways and it has been really fun. In addition, Jonah, featured in the video, has been making some awesome organic content on his channels this season about the life of a Wrigley Field vendor and we met with him and our partnerships team to come up with a content plan to program National Hot Dog Day. We have so many incredible vendors and seasonal employees at Wrigley Field, many of whom have been at the ballpark for years, even decades, and are well known by fans (AKA Antonio and his iconic hot dog call).”

Extremely Satisfying Sponsored Content

@victordemartrinFor the secret agent in all of us #MissionImpossible only in theatres July 12 – #missionimpossiblechallenge #paramountpartner #collaborationcommerciale

This sponsored post for Mission Impossible from Victor de Martrin, an artist who makes computer-generated marble renditions of famous songs, has over 120M views and 4M likes. Not bad! Another big moment for computer-generated surrealism in the brand world, which we are seeing more and more of...