Supersized slip

Supersized slip

Wit 😁: McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski likely didn’t expect his toughest Q1 battle to be against his own burger. But after posting a video where he struggled to take a bite of the new Big Arch burger and referred to it as a “product,” social media wasted no time seasoning the moment. Wendy’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Ryanair, and even Dude Wipes piled on, while Burger King cheekily posted its own Whopper bite in response. To its credit, McDonald’s joined the joke, leaning into the “product” language. As our own Marissa Dunn recently wrote, in an algorithm-driven world brands do not just trend, they are amplified. In 2026, every executive is one awkward clip away from becoming viral content, and the brands that win are not the ones who avoid the meme, they are the ones who lean into it. Consider it a reminder: sometimes the moment is bigger than the menu.

Leveling up loyalty

Wisdom 💡: Influencer marketing is evolving from one-off posts to owned ecosystems, according to Digiday. Brands like Urban Outfitters, American Eagle, and Sephora are moving beyond typical sponsored posts and into always-on, gamified micro-creator programs. Rather than depending on third-party platforms like LTK or ShopMy to distribute content, companies are rewarding smaller creators for consistent content and community participation. This shift isn’t just about scale, it’s about control: shaping UGC without killing authenticity, nurturing loyalty while collecting performance data, and turning fans into a distributed brand workforce. The takeaway? The future of influencer marketing isn’t celebrity drops, it’s owned creator infrastructure that blends community, commerce, and long-term brand building into one continuous engine.

Monkey see, monkey sell

Wit 😁: When the story of Punch, a six-month-old macaque monkey at a Japanese zoo, went viral for clinging to an IKEA Djungelskog orangutan after being abandoned by his mother, the internet collectively melted. The plush toy became Punch’s comfort object and, for the rest of us, a surprisingly emotional internet moment, quickly capturing global attention with videos racking up coverage from CNN to Business Insider. IKEA didn’t miss a beat. From Spain to Canada, local teams quickly created social posts featuring the now-famous orangutan, proving once again that in 2026, brand agility happens in real time. The result? A wave of goodwill and, not coincidentally, sold-out stock. Not every brand moment starts in a boardroom.

Pepper Pick

Harry Styles drops his new album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. today, and we’re not even pretending to be calm about it. He’s debuting the album live in Manchester, with the concert streaming on Netflix this Sunday. If anyone needs us this weekend, we’ll be… busy 🎤