Here we go again

Squatch this

Wit 😁: Dr. Squatch is sticking to its cheeky roots, enlisting Megan Fox as a not-so-serious “Professor of Odor Excellence” to make deodorant education a lot more entertaining. The campaign mixes slapstick, innuendo and a few playful jabs at competitors to stand out in a category that’s usually pretty, well, dry. Beyond the laughs, it’s a strategic push to convince men to upgrade to natural deodorant without feeling like they’re sitting through a lecture. The real BO-nus? When your marketing doesn’t stink, people actually stick around.

Trendy, but tired

Wisdom 💡: PR may love a shiny new trend, but as nearly 100 communicators point out in a sampling by PR Daily, not all that glitters is strategic gold. From over-optimizing for AI and algorithms to churning out content for content’s sake, many tactics are creating more noise than impact. The common thread is clear: chasing reach, virality or visibility without a strong message is a fast track to irrelevance. In the end, the smartest PR isn’t about following trends, it’s about building trust, telling real stories and knowing when to ignore the hype.

Here we go again

Wisdom 💡: Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle are back in denim, and back in the discourse, leaning into last year’s controversy with a wink instead of a statement. Rather than distance themselves, the brand turns a past crisis into creative fuel, proving that recovery doesn’t always mean retreat, it can mean reframing the narrative. The new campaign thrives on ambiguity, letting fans and critics keep the conversation alive without ever fully resolving it. The takeaway is as tailored as the shorts: sometimes the smartest PR move isn’t to clarify the narrative, it’s to keep people guessing.

Pepper Pick

While we all keep refreshing our feeds for the next twist in the Alex vs. Alix saga, here’s something to keep you busy in the meantime: Peppercomm AE Robert Dencker’s recent thought leadership piece shares how a skydiving leap turned into a career truth: confidence doesn’t come before action, it comes from it. Check it out here.