#thesubcut No.007: Weekly marketing highlights.
In this week’s Subcut: a closer look at Neen’s branding and product design, plus the key industry news you don’t want to miss.
Case study: neen.
For neen, we set out to craft a distinctive brand identity rooted in minimalism, clarity, and confidence. From logo to packaging, every element of the visual language was designed to reflect neen’s modern, health-forward values.
Our product design team focused on clean lines and small details that elevate everyday moments, while custom product photography brought the brand to life with an editorial, yet approachable feel.
To support neen’s growth online, we built a fast, intuitive website optimized for both storytelling and conversion. But we’ll let you discover the full story in our case study.
🔍 In case you missed it: Zifelle® meno case study.
Explore our recent work with Antibiotice and the creation of the Zifelle® Meno website, a digital space designed to inspire calm, clarity, and confidence in every woman’s journey.
📰 Scroll down for the latest industry headlines.
🛒 5 consumer trends that are shaping 2025.
The Wall Street Journal recently published an article highlighting five major consumer trends shaping 2025. Here’s a quick summary of the key trends:
Crisis of online trust: Consumers are increasingly skeptical of online content due to fake reviews, AI-generated errors, and ad overload. They’re turning to platforms perceived as more authentic like Reddit, YouTube, and Substack.
“Fashion on the plate”: Luxury brands are merging food and fashion by opening in-store restaurants to create exclusive, Instagrammable dining experiences that boost brand engagement.
Growth of emerging sports: Sponsors are shifting toward newer or niche sports, like pickleball, cricket, and women’s leagues, to reach younger, passionate audiences, especially in the U.S.
Podcasts go visual: As audiences consume podcasts more on YouTube, shows are adding a visual element. This format offers creators new revenue opportunities through integrated sponsorships and product placement.
Shopping on TikTok: TikTok Shop is booming. Over 50% of U.S. users have purchased through the platform, and 90% would do it again. However, trust concerns remain regarding product quality and data privacy.
📩 Luxury brands slide into DMs.
Luxury names like Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Bally are now engaging influencers and customers directly through DMs and Close Friends stories, crafting intimate, parasocial connections and generating organic buzz beyond traditional marketing channels.
Brands like Jacquemus and Telfar are taking it further with collaborative, community-driven content.
🔥 Musk bans hashtags from X ads.
Elon Musk has banned hashtags from all ads on X, calling them an “aesthetic nightmare.” The move stirred mixed reactions, some praising the cleaner look, others seeing it as harmful to discoverability, as the platform shifts towards AI-powered content discovery.
💬 Meta expands business messaging features.
At its Conversations 2025 conference in Miami, Meta unveiled new business messaging tools designed to help brands connect more effectively with customers. Highlights include AI-powered support within WhatsApp, plus enhanced calling and voice options tailored for larger brands.
Additionally, businesses can now add a WhatsApp button directly to their Google Business Profile, making it easier for customers to reach out via Google Search and Maps. These updates reflect Meta’s commitment to evolving messaging as a core channel for customer engagement.
⚠️ Cannes Lions revokes awards over AI misuse.
Cannes Lions has withdrawn the prestigious Creative Data Lions Grand Prix and 11 other awards from agency DM9 after discovering that AI-generated content was used to simulate real-world events and campaign outcomes.
The campaigns affected include “Efficient Way to Pay” for Consul, “Plastic Blood” for OKA Biotech, and “Gold = Death” for Urihi Yanomami. In response, Cannes Lions is rolling out new measures to protect award integrity in the age of generative AI, such as a strict code of conduct, transparency standards, and AI-detection tools to vet future entries.
🎧 On Spotify: new podcast episodes.
In the latest episodes of Subcast on Spotify, we dive into two crucial topics for every business: Awareness vs. sales and The cost of a bad employer brand. Discover why building brand awareness doesn’t always translate directly into sales, and learn how a weak employer brand can silently drain your company’s resources and reputation.
