🎬 The Big One

TikTok Tightens Up: No More Sneaky Sponcon

TikTok just dropped a rule that’s basically the social version of: “We know what you did last summer.”

From now on, if you're getting paid (or even gifted a free product) for a post, you must use the “Paid Partnership” label. No loopholes. No cute captions trying to wink-wink it away. Just a big ol’ sign that says: “Yes, this is an ad.”

Why the change? Governments are breathing down TikTok’s neck over transparency. And when the regulators show up, TikTok doesn’t want to get caught holding your ring light.

What this means for marketers: you’re now officially part of the legal team. Creators will be leaning on you to make sure their posts pass the sniff test — or your campaign might get zapped before it even trends.

In other words: tag it, own it, move on.

📈 What You Missed

YouTube Gets Weird with “Dream Track” AI Music
YouTube rolled out a tool that lets you add AI-generated songs to videos, featuring vibes from artists like T-Pain and Charli XCX. You pick the style, AI writes the song.
It’s like having a pop star in your back pocket — minus the tour bus and entourage.
Why it matters: No more royalty drama, just instant one hit wonders.

Netflix Adds More Ad Tiers (Yay)
Netflix is expanding its cheaper, ad-supported plans globally. Why? Because binge-watching with a side of ads prints money.
Marketers: get ready to pitch your client’s oatmeal brand between episodes of Love Is Blind: Finland.
It’s a massive opportunity — just don’t be the boring ad they skip.

Meta Launches A/B Testing for Reels (Finally)
Meta just gave Reels ads a glow-up: real-time A/B testing.
Now you can test your hook, CTA, and creative without cloning your campaign like it’s Orphan Black.
More data. Less guesswork. Let the best ad win.

MrBeast + Amazon = Big Budget Chaos
MrBeast is reportedly working with Amazon Prime Video on… something massive. Rumor has it, it’ll be part game show, part "what if Squid Game had better liability insurance?"
If this lands, expect a stampede of creators angling for a seat at the streaming table.
Hollywood, meet YouTube’s chaos engine.

✨ Shareables

This Backpack Ad Goes Hard

Ever seen a product video that feels like a hype reel for John Wick's gear closet?

That’s what Nineyard just dropped. It’s a fast-cut, action-packed banger of a backpack ad — complete with explosions, gear drops, and slow-mo zip pulls. Yes, for a backpack.

It's absurd. It's epic. And it's racking up shares for good reason.

Watch it on Instagram

Make something unskippable.

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Reel Basic Team