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Gen Z, Alpha, and Millennial news marketers need to know. Updated every weekday.

Curated, Edited, and Written by the Human Youth Experts at YPulse

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In other news…

Aug 27 2026
  • On the subject of bad ads…we couldn’t say it better ourselves: “If millions of people are laughing at a complaint about a brand’s product, the marketing opportunity shouldn’t be figuring out how to clap back. The opportunity is listening.” – Silence, Brand! on LoveSac’s critique response
  • Just as many 13-15-year-olds in Australia are on TikTok as were before the teen social media ban—and actually, more 10-12-year-olds are
  • Is this 22-year-old alt-hyperpop artist the “new Justin Bieber”?

KFC Canada is joining the bevolution.

Aug 27 2026

KFC Canada is joining the bevolution. We know Gen Z’s focus on little treat bevvys is making limited-edition drinks a focus for more and more brands, and KFC is jumping on board. They’re joining the trend with their Kwench menu, a line of milkshakes, lattes, and boba teas made to be posted on socials. According to the marketing team behind the campaign, “Culture has made beverages its own kind of accessory, so we thought: why shouldn’t KFC?” To promote the drop, they’re partnering with creators known for posting thirst traps, rebranding them “Kwench traps” on their posts. (See what they did there?) Customers are also being asked to post Kwench traps and tag the brand, with some of the submissions appearing as billboards, giving the effort a nano-influencer angle. (AdAge)

👀 Read more from YPulse: Gen Z’s “Bevolution” is Changing the Fast Food Menu—in 3 Ways

Poppi is treating its latest hiring push like a marketing campaign.

Aug 27 2026

Poppi is treating its latest hiring push like a marketing campaign. Rather than posting on LinkedIn, the brand is meeting Gen Z where they actually search for jobs: through creator-led recruiting on social media. They partnered with influencer Kitty Murphy, whose audience across platforms includes more than 300K Gen Z women, to promote five open social media roles on TikTok. The strategy leans on Poppi’s strength on socials and strong brand loyalty built through initiatives like its ultra-competitive ambassador program (11K applicants this year, with an acceptance rate Poppi jokes is tougher than an Ivy League’s), and the now constant trend of employee-generated content making social media a place for future-employee engagement. But the goal isn’t just to fill roles, it’s to recruit people who are already living and breathing the brand as creators and identity leaders. (Fast Company)

👀 Read more from YPulse: YPulse Trend Timeline: Employees as Influencers

Crocs is joining the mascot game.

Aug 27 2026

Crocs is joining the mascot game. Brands from Duolingo to Scrub Daddy have become infamous thanks to their mascots, and especially the mascots’ social media personas. Now, years after the trend began, Crocs debuted a six-foot-tall crocodile named Niles for a “new era” of their marketing strategy. He’s coming with lore, of course, like being a Leo for hatching from his three-foot-tall egg in August, and has his own social accounts to curate the humor they’re surely hoping he’ll become known for. And it really wouldn’t be a marketing move in 2026 if there weren’t also a microseries on the horizon, with “the company promising weekly episodic social content.” The goal—as is often the case with a brand character—is to create fans who will follow the brand whether there’s something new to buy or not, and become invested in the personality to the point of loyalty. (WWD)

👀 Read more from YPulse: The Brand Mascots Who Became Internet Celebrities

Now, other brands are releasing counter ads vocally standing for women in golf.

Aug 27 2026

Now, other brands are releasing counter ads vocally standing for women in golf. Fabletics is offering 80% off golf apparel, Wilson Golf posted an Instagram carousel of women golfing with each caption encouraging acceptance of women players, COBRA Golf dropped an ad with all women players hitting their drivers, and Takomo Golf Company posted a simple image of a women’s hand with pink-clad nails gripping a club captioned, “Touch our driver.”

👀 Read more from YPulse: These 4 Inclusive Marketing Campaigns Got Gen Z’s Attention

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