Inclusive Marketing News #55: Blank Street & Spotify Latest Campaigns

Welcome back to our weekly recap of marketing news, including exciting social media updates, important disability and inclusion related news, and our favourite marketing campaigns.

In this week’s inclusive marketing news round up, we talk about Blank Street’s and Spotify’s latest exciting campaigns, the newest data on brands spending on social media (not what you might have expected), as well as some other exciting social media and inclusion news!

If you want to be like some of these brands, and be known for your amazing inclusive work, or you want to start your inclusion journey, contact us today. You can also subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter to be up-to-date with the latest news.

(1/7) TikTok Launches Related Trending Topics To Help Creators

TikTok is working on more updates to make the content creation process even easier for users. Now, you’ll be able to find trends for specific topics, keywords, related videos and demographic insights, all with the help of AI.

And while this could help speed up the process when looking for video inspiration, it MIGHT impact creativity, as we could end up seeing users following the same format when making a video. While AI keeps growing, brands should keep an eye so that creativity isn’t lost along the way, especially for influencer campaigns.

(2/7) Project Runways Crowns First Ever Transgender Winner

After 21 seasons, the fashion design show has crowned its first transgender (and Filipino) winner, Veejay Floresca. She wowed the judges with a collection of metallic looks and won the final price of $200,000 as well as a spread in ELLE Magazine.

The power that TV representation can have is immense, and seeing shows like Project Runway including and celebrating a diverse cast is fantastic to see.

More inclusion like this in media please 🙌

(3/7) Instagram Rolls Out Image Sharing Option to More Users

Is Instagram bringing BeReal back? 🥸

The app is now expanding access to ‘shots’ to more regions. This feature allows users to take no-edit, no-filter, instant pictures and share them with their connections.

This makes sense with Instagram’s focus on creating a more “social” platform, and increasing the use of DMs, but how useful would it actually be for users? We’ll have to wait to find out..

(4/7) Retailers Increase Spending On Social Media

Global ad spend is rising faster than expected, with a 20.2% YoY growth in Q2, driven almost entirely by the boom in social platforms like TikTok and Instagram (even after all the TikTok drama in the US).

For brands, this reinforces what we already know: social isn’t just part of the mix, it is the mix, and brands shouldn’t be sleeping on it.

But with more brands making the move to socials, cutting through requires a lot more, and that’s where inclusive marketing can make you really stand out. The winners will be those who invest not just in reach, but in building meaningful and diverse campaigns.

(5/7) Spotify Celebrates Vietnam’s 80th Independence Day

Spotify’s latest campaign for Vietnam’s 80th Independence Day shows the power of blending culture with personalisation.

By matching listeners to mythical “Vietnamese Spirits” and creating custom playlists, Spotify has turned national heritage into a shareable, social-first experience.

It’s a great example of how brands can celebrate local identity while driving genuine community engagement!

(6/7) Trend Spotlight: Aren’t You Worried?

@katie_mcilroyy

#ColorCustomizer fr don’t wanna go back to school

♬ tiktok is a scam – Corey Pech

Hmm, YES.

It doesn’t have to make sense to other people, what is something that keeps you awake at night? And yes, it can definitely be the classic ‘Hi, can you share your name and an interesting fact about you?‘.

(7/7) Campaign Spotlight: Blank Street 

Blank Street knows what works.

We all know the autumnal clichés that brands sometimes use during this season, but Blank Street? They’re changing how you see their products. From a simple iced coffee to the accessory you didn’t know you needed for all your errands.

👏👏

Make sure to come back to check our weekly news recap with the latest inclusive updates in the marketing and social media worlds, with a touch of inclusion That’s all for this week, but don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok for more news and exciting content.

Plus, learn more about our story and inclusive marketing services.