💎Visibility is the currency: How celebrities and creators are trading posts for access

+YouTube’s maximalist shift, the celebrity children’s book boom, why livestreams are the internet’s new “third space,” and what these trends mean for brands

👋 Welcome back — here’s what’s shaping the week ahead:

In today’s email: 7 cultural shifts you need to know, from Facebook’s surprise return of the “poke” to Patreon courting newsletter writers.

For members: deeper strategy POVs you can put to work —

• 🎥 YouTube’s Culture & Trends Report → 5 takeaways to help you adapt to maximalism and co-creation.

• 📚 The celebrity children’s book boom → why stars are rushing to publish and how authors can stand out.

• 🎾 The US Open playbook → court side is the new red carpet; what that means for brand visibility.

• 📡 Livestreaming as a third space → why “always on” streams are rewriting the rules of fan engagement.

Catch up on recent member exclusives: 💎Pumpkin Spice leans in, Gen Z pushes back, J.Crew’s AI flops, and sports rule the feed, Fall strategy reset: what the summer told us about the next 90 days, Halloween is to Gen Z what Christmas is to Millennials

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💎cultural gems💎

🧘 Spiritual influencers are turning to AI as a mystical guide—creating custom chatbots to channel “ancient wisdom” and explore past lives.

📧 Patreon is making a play for Substack writers, offering cash incentives and rolling out new newsletter features.

👉 Facebook just re-added the old-school ‘Poke’ button to your profile—and yes, you can now see your ‘poke count’ on a dedicated page.

🧸 Kids’ content creators are leveling up: viral YouTube hits like Ms. Rachel and Ryan’s World are now hitting Netflix and Disney+.

✨ Anyone else obsessed with The Summer I Turned Pretty? The teen show has taken over TikTok with fans sharing their reactions to new episodes.

👻 In the age of constant connection, ghosting isn’t just rude—it’s become the default, built right into how we text, swipe, and scroll.

💚 Calling all creators! GoFundMe has launched an invite-only Discord for creators (and the agenda/managers/teams who support them) to connect and collaborate. You can apply to their creator program here.

🎾 👀 Spotted at the US Open…

On TikTok, it’s become a bit of a trend for both regular attendees and influencers to share what it actually takes to get into the US Open—because even celebrities don’t just get a free pass.

According to Amanda Wight, who oversees international strategy, marketing and celebrity management for the USTA, here’s the fine print:

• Celebrities who want comped tickets must agree to be photographed court side, shown on the broadcast, and ideally post about their experience on social.

• Influencers typically need to deliver a package: pre-event promo, day-of TikToks/GRWMs, and at least one post tagging the US Open’s official channels. In some cases, their seat placement is tied to engagement performance.

• For both groups, visibility is the currency. The USTA then repackages the clips, photos, and tags as part of its broader media push.

So while the matches are happening on the court, the real marketing play is happening in the stands. Attending has become a transaction: exposure in exchange for access.

👉 In today’s members-only edition, we break down what this means for brands and marketers, including:

• Why court side visibility has turned into a press strategy for celebs, creators, and brands alike

• How “proximity power” (aka who you’re seated next to) is now part of the larger strategy

• What this approach indicates for upcoming cultural mega-events like the World Cup and the Olympics

Plus…

• 5 takeaways from YouTube’s latest Culture & Trends Report and how to apply them to your strategy

• Why celebrities are flooding the children’s book market (and how authors can stand out)

• Why livestreaming is emerging as the internet’s new “third space”

In addition to today’s piece, members also get access to our recent deep dives including 💎Pumpkin Spice leans in, Gen Z pushes back, J.Crew’s AI flops, and sports rule the feed, Fall strategy reset: what the summer told us about the next 90 days, and Halloween is to Gen Z what Christmas is to Millennials, plus our community & platform specific guides.