The Marketer’s Storybook: Poppi Power, JCP Trolls Bezos & MrBeast Gets Burned by AI
The Marketer’s Storybook just hit 1,000 subscribers—thank you! Whether you’ve been here since the beginning or just joined, I’m so grateful to share this space with a community that loves bold ideas, sharp insights, and great storytelling as much as I do.
This week’s edition is a crash course in how brands are breaking the internet—and the “rules.” From horror movie parodies and $10K fake weddings to faceless Gen Z creators and Oscar winners on the Porsche factory floor, the most talked-about campaigns aren’t playing it safe. They’re creative, culture-first, and unapologetically attention-seeking.
Quick heads-up: I’m currently in the market for my next great full-time role. I’d love intros to standout recruiters, marketing leaders, or companies I should be speaking with. In the meantime, I’m also open to select freelance and fractional projects, as well as paid keynotes and brand storytelling workshops. Thanks so much for any connections or recommendations you can share!
This Week’s Lineup:
- DoorDash parodies ’90s horror classics with Freddie Prinze Jr.
- Labubu dolls go mainstream with Olive Garden and E.l.f.
- Instagram’s “link in bio” empire is cracking
- Poppi hits a $2B valuation thanks to marketing-led growth
- JCPenney trolls Jeff Bezos with a $10K Venice wedding
- The era of faceless creators is here
- MrBeast shuts down his AI thumbnail generator after creator backlash
- Unilever shifts its marketing org to go social-first
- Adrien Brody Goes from Oscar Winner to Porsche Intern
- KFC Gets Serious About Its Comeback—And the Colonel Does Too
This Week’s Marketing Stories
A curated mix of breaking news, insights, and trends, each with actionable takeaways to inspire your brand storytelling.
1. DoorDash Recasts Summer Stress as a ’90s Horror Flick
DoorDash is tapping millennial nostalgia and parental chaos with a parody horror film starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Ali Larter. Dubbed “The Summer Scaries,” the short film spoofs slashers like I Know What You Did Last Summer to position DashPass as the ultimate survival tool for overwhelmed parents. The tone is cheeky and cinematic, offering a fresh take on everyday delivery dilemmas.
Key Takeaway: This is how you remix nostalgia with cultural tension. By blending genre parody with economic relevance, DoorDash proves that humor and hardship can coexist—and even convert. Read more
2. Labubu Dolls Go Mainstream—and the Breadsticks Are Watching
Labubu, the goblin-like collectible from Pop Mart, is now a full-on marketing muse. E.l.f. Beauty featured the doll in a get-ready-with-me video, while Olive Garden joined the fun with a viral photo of a Labubu peering over a plate of breadsticks. The trend blends organic fan behavior with cheeky brand participation—and it’s racking up millions of views.
Key Takeaway: The E.l.f GRWM is hilarious – you must watch it! When a subculture catches fire, smart brands enter with a wink, not a billboard. This is a masterclass in low-lift, high-impact participation—just enough presence to signal you’re paying attention. Read more
3. The “Link in Bio” Era Is Quietly Crumbling
Instagram’s once-unchallenged “link in bio” culture is losing ground to platforms like Substack, YouTube, and TikTok Shop, which allow direct linking and monetization inside posts. A cottage industry built around tools like Linktree is feeling the pressure as creators and marketers prioritize fewer friction points and higher conversion.
Key Takeaway: As platforms loosen their grip on outbound links, brands must rethink their content ecosystems. The less clicking it takes to convert, the better—and whoever controls the checkout owns the relationship. Read more
4. Poppi’s $2B Valuation Is a Victory for Marketing-Led Brands
Prebiotic soda brand Poppi just raised $20M at a $1.95B valuation—and it’s largely thanks to its marketing muscle. With 2.7B TikTok views, 1M+ followers, and a viral tone rooted in Gen Z sass and health transparency, Poppi has turned content into capital. Nearly 90% of sales are from digital channels and natural retailers, showing that community > shelf space.
Key Takeaway: Poppi didn’t just market a drink—they marketed a feeling. This is the new blueprint: lead with content, build a fandom, then scale the product. Read more
5. JCPenney Spends $10K to Troll Jeff Bezos’ Wedding
JCPenney staged a cheeky counter to Jeff Bezos’ lavish Venice wedding with a $10,000 JCP version—complete with a castle, boat entrance, and influencer bride. The brand’s goal? Prove you can have a dream wedding without the billionaire budget. The campaign went viral on TikTok, resonating with Gen Z and millennial audiences tired of performative luxury.
Key Takeaway: Value-based marketing doesn’t have to be boring. By owning its price point with humor and self-awareness, JCPenney flips frugality into fantasy. I love the newsjacking element of this stunt and how everything at the wedding is from JCPenney – including the chic wedding dress. The wedding also feels authentic, even if it was a stunt, which is important when trying to newsjack around a wedding (compared to other occasions). Read more
6. Faceless Creators Are Now Building Massive Followings
A new wave of Gen Z creators are racking up millions of followers without ever showing their face. From storytelling animators to comedic voiceovers and anonymous lifestyle narrators, it’s a growing trend driven by burnout, safety, and pure creative control. Even brands are beginning to take notice—and partner.
Key Takeaway: You don’t need a face to build influence. For brands, this unlocks a new category of creator partnerships rooted in voice, concept, and consistency—not just aesthetic. However, YouTube just announced a crackdown on “AI Slop” so faceless creators need to focus on high quality, curated content over mass-produced AI-generated content to avoid platform penalties. Read more
7. MrBeast Shuts Down His AI Thumbnail Generator After Creator Backlash
MrBeast’s new AI-powered thumbnail tool was meant to help small creators stand out—but instead, it drew accusations of copying and sparked a broader debate over ethics in AI design. Launched through his ViewStats analytics platform, the $80/month feature generated thumbnails that often mimicked the distinctive styles of top YouTubers. Within days, creators like Jacksepticeye and PointCrow spoke out, alleging the AI was scraping their artistic approach without consent. In response, MrBeast posted an apology and swiftly removed the tool, replacing it with a human-powered alternative: a curated directory of real thumbnail designers.
Key Takeaway: Even with good intentions, AI experiments that replicate human creativity can backfire—especially in tight-knit creator communities. MrBeast’s course correction is a case study in responsible influence: when you move fast and break things, how you fix them matters just as much. Read more
8. Unilever Overhauls Its Marketing Org to Go Social-First
Unilever’s personal care division, which includes Dove and Dr. Squatch, is undergoing a sweeping transformation to become a truly “social-first” marketing organization. Under CMO Nuria Hernandez, the company is moving away from TV-first planning and toward a model where influencer marketing and creator content take center stage. With 50% of the division’s marketing budget now earmarked for influencer-led work, Hernandez is focused on upskilling teams, evolving agency partnerships, and scaling tools that can measure the ROI of 300+ content assets running across platforms in real time. The goal isn’t just volume or virality, it’s building long-term brand equity with localized, culturally responsive storytelling powered by creators.
Key Takeaway: For large brands, going social-first isn’t just about shifting media spend—it’s about rewiring the internal marketing machine. Unilever’s personal care playbook shows how capability-building, creator trust, and measurement innovation are critical to turning influencer work from a tactical experiment into a core brand-building engine. Read more
9. Adrien Brody Goes from Oscar Winner to Porsche Intern
In a surprise creative crossover, Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody directed and starred in The Intern, a new Porsche documentary filmed inside the brand’s Zuffenhausen factory. The short film, which premiered at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, follows Brody as he works the production line and immerses himself in the culture and craftsmanship of Porsche. Screened at a custom Porsche drive-in featuring 30 iconic models, the campaign blends cinema, craft, and credibility—with Brody joining legendary Porsche designer Grant Larson for a post-film Q&A.
Key Takeaway: This is branded storytelling at its classiest. Porsche doesn’t just feature a celebrity—it co-creates an authentic narrative that elevates the brand’s craftsmanship, values, and cultural cachet. I personally love the moments where Brody is scolded by his German colleagues. Read more
10. KFC Gets Serious About Its Comeback—And the Colonel Does Too
After years of losing ground in the “chicken wars,” KFC is launching a bold new push to reclaim its throne—starting with a fried-chicken-fueled origin story. The brand’s latest campaign repositions Colonel Sanders from folksy to fierce, highlighting his obsessive quest to perfect the Original Recipe. From blown-up pressure cookers to courtroom battles, the cinematic new spot aims to rekindle brand love and culinary credibility. KFC is backing it up with operational upgrades, a limited-edition fried pickles launch, a “Free Bucket On Us” app promo, and a visual rebrand anchored in a more serious, no-smiles Colonel.
Key Takeaway: This is more than nostalgia—it’s strategic myth-making. KFC is using founder lore, bold tone shifts, and product-first storytelling to reset perception and spark trial. When comeback campaigns are rooted in truth and taste, they hit harder. Read more
My Stories
MAD//Fest 2025: The Future of Marketing Is Fast, Fearless, and Fundamentally Human
From keynote stages to food queue chats, MAD//Fest delivered a three-day masterclass in what’s next. AI is no longer the disruptor—it’s the baseline. Creative bravery is the difference between blending in and breaking through. And the best marketing? It’s customer-obsessed, culturally in tune, and operationally sharp.
Whether it was Bloom & Wild redefining loyalty, Tesco turning feedback into fuel, or Adobe proving creators > campaigns, one truth stood out: growth belongs to the brands who move fast, think differently, and never forget the human in the loop.
Read the Day One recap: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7345934830116716544/
Read the Days 2–3 wrap-up: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7346542808146608128/
Unlock More of My Stories
🌍 Website:
- JessicaGioglio.com Your one-stop shop for all my books, speaking engagements, and blog posts on marketing and storytelling.
📚 Books:
- The Power of Visual Storytelling: Learn how to shape a visual story around your brand using images, videos, GIFs, infographics, and more. Get your copy here.
- The Laws of Brand Storytelling: The definitive guide to using storytelling to win over customers’ hearts, minds, and loyalty. Grab it here.
📱 Social Media:
Let’s connect and keep the conversation going!
Until Next Time
Thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you’re here for marketing trends, storytelling inspiration, or both, I’m so grateful to have you along for the ride.
Keep telling the stories that matter, Jessica
Jessica Gioglio is the co-author of The Laws of Brand Storytelling and The Power of Visual Storytelling. Professionally, Jessica has led innovative marketing and public relations programs for Dunkin’, TripAdvisor, Sprinklr, and more. Today, Jessica is a keynote speaker (book her here) and founder of With Savvy Media & Marketing, a strategic branding, storytelling, and content strategy consultancy.