It’s been about a month since TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified in front of lawmakers while the US was abuzz about a potential ban on the app. Since then, Montana lawmakers passed a bill that would ban TikTok within state borders—though it’s currently facing efficacy questions and a governor who wants to broaden the bill to include all social apps that provide certain types of data to “foreign adversaries.”

As the future of TikTok in the US remains up in the air, creators on the platform are rethinking their posting strategies and how to reach audiences in other ways.

“With the recent rumblings and the hearings, this is the first time, I think, myself included and other TikTok creators are like, ‘Oh, there’s a real chance it’s gonna be banned,’” TikTok creator Stephen Hart told us. “We’re looking at other ways to continue posting content on other platforms.”

Backup plans: A TikTok ban could have a substantial impact on creators’ income and brand deals; many bring in thousands of dollars for one sponsored post alone.

Hart, who’s worked with brands like Sam’s Club and Taco Bell, became a creator on TikTok in April 2020 and now has more than 455k followers. Since the Montana news, Hart said he’s been posting more frequently on Instagram and YouTube, where his followings are a fraction of the size. While some of Hart’s past TikTok deals have included posting to Reels, he said he hasn’t done any brand deals exclusive to YouTube or Instagram yet.

Continue reading here.—KH

As a full-service communications agency helping elevate the voices of women and queer people in positions of power, Grey Horse Communications knows a thing (or twelve) about sharing the right message in the right way at the right time.

And as a small agency, Grey Horse Communications credits their newsletter with helping build their footprint and client list—and credits Mailchimp with refining this process.

“I’ve been newslettering since BCC days,” their CEO and founder shared. “Mailchimp has helped me take those missives and turn them into a professional, magazine-style newsletter that speaks to ideal Grey Horse clients and has brought us countless referrals.”

Using Mailchimp’s geographical data of their subscribers, Grey Horse creates microsegments through meaningful data.

Now their reach—and mission—goes far beyond the inbox. Learn how Mailchimp can make it happen.

Nothing says Cinco de Mayo like a margarita—or a shot of tequila if you’ve had a particularly long week.

For tequila brand Patrón, Cinco de Mayo is “a big cultural moment,” VP of Marketing D-J Hageman said. The brand tends to see an increase in sales at grocery stores and liquor stores the week before the holiday, plus a “significant uplift” at venues like bars, restaurants, and hotels on the day of, he said.

“This year, because it’s falling on a Friday, we’re expecting that uplift to be even higher than normal,” Hageman said.

To help drive the spike, Patrón is running a sweepstakes—which closes at the end of the day today—offering one winner (and a plus-one) a trip to Miami to watch the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix and attend the race’s afterparty. Days before the big event, Hageman pulled back the curtain on the campaign and Patrón’s broader tie-ins with F1.

Read our interview here.—AM

Each week, Marketing Brew recaps what people are talking about on social media, the trends that took over our feeds, and how marketers are responding.

Talk of the town: The Met Gala took over social media on Monday night (and the days following), with TikTok even reformatting its search page to accommodate the big night. Vogue once again brought in YouTube influencer Emma Chamberlain to lead its red carpet interviews, leading to some viral moments with stars like Doja Cat and Jack Harlow (again).

Strike that: The WGA strike is happening, and signs from those participating are resonating on social media. Special shout-out to: “You came up with Quibi.”

Run away with me: An audio from Parks and Recreation, where Ben Wyatt says, “OK, well, that’s interesting. Know why? Because…” and then runs away, is making the rounds on TikTok, with brands taking it as an opportunity to both tout their wins and poke fun at themselves.—KH

There are a lot of bad marketing tips out there. These aren’t those.

Pass it on: Tips for making social content that’s shareable.

Watch this: 13 SEO tips for YouTube.

Follow me: How one creator grew a following of more than 200k.

Crushin’ channels: Wanna scale your ads and online selling across all channels? Channable can do that. Their all-in-one platform will help you boost sales and increase POAS. See for yourself.*

^{*This is sponsored advertising content.}

Which headlines are real marketing news, and which one is fake?

1. Corona is giving out ‘Corona-tion’ crowns ahead of Prince Charles’s big day on Saturday
2. Yung Gravy collaborates with Dr Pepper for Strawberries and Cream merch collection and soda-inspired tribute rap song
3. E.l.f. debuts ‘Vanity Table Talk’ series with Jennifer Coolidge
4. Heineken connects gamers through ’Beer Matchmaking’

Keep scrolling for the answer.

Catch up on a few Marketing Brew stories you might have missed.

• Hollywood writers’ strike begins, casting a shadow over upfront negotiations
• A data-driven look at the state of NIL deals
• Twitter and NBCUniversal renew Olympics partnership