In a little over a year, Anna Kai went from 87 TikTok followers to more than a million. All it took to kick things off was one viral video.

That video, a “get ready with me” (GRWM) confessional where she discussed dating and commitment with humor and a steady eyeliner hand, was the first step in building a following that many creators—and brands—can only dream of. In addition to her TikTok following, Kai counts a million followers on Instagram.

Kai’s GRWM videos have become her mainstay, racking up millions of views and likes. But she doesn’t confine herself to just one box, also posting skits, throwbacks, and musings on dress pockets.

“I still don’t really quite know how to categorize myself,” Kai told Marketing Brew. “Elevator pitch, I’m a dating and relationship influencer, and I make a living talking about my exes on the internet. But from a more overarching, broader perspective, I think the underlying message behind all my content is empowerment, and, specifically, female empowerment.”

Kai’s openness to various forms of comedy and content also extends to her brand partnerships, which she said she started getting offers for almost immediately after she first went viral. To date, she’s worked with brands like Morphe, Lovesac, La Roche-Posay, Secret, and Free People.

Just as there are green flags to look for in romantic partners, the same goes for brand partners, and Kai walked us through what matters most to her.

Continue reading here.—KH

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Clean Creatives wants the industry to know which PR and ad agencies are working for one of the top oil producers in the world.

The climate activist coalition, which in September debuted an out-of-home (OOH) marketing campaign to name and shame agencies that work with fossil fuel companies, this week published its “COP28 F-List,” a report detailing the ad and PR agencies that worked with the United Arab Emirates on its campaign to host this year’s United Nations annual climate change conference, COP28. According to Clean Creatives, the UAE, which is reportedly expanding further into oil and gas production, worked with 10 agencies, including Edelman, over 20 years to engage in “greenwashing” to improve the country’s climate reputation.

Edelman, Clean Creatives claims, organized meetings with political leaders and facilitated the creation of the UAE’s buzzy zero-waste, zero-carbon Masdar City. According to the report, Edelman also spearheaded a campaign to have Masdar chosen as the headquarters for the International Renewable Energy Agency. “Since then, Edelman and other agencies have slowly helped the UAE build a larger political influence around climate and COP28 will be their crowning jewel,” the report reads.

Other agencies named in the report include communications agencies BCW and APCO.

Neither Edelman, BCW, nor APCO responded to Marketing Brew’s requests for comment by publication.

Behind the scenes: Clean Creatives compiled the COP28 F-List over the span of two months using data derived from PR and lobbyist government disclosures as well as previous reporting, Executive Director Duncan Meisel told Marketing Brew. The effort from the group draws attention to greenwashing efforts that suggest the energy transition needed to fight climate change is “a far distant possibility,” ignoring or obfuscating the need for large-scale, immediate action, he said.

Read more here.—JS

ChatGPT was the fastest-growing brand of 2023, according to a new report.

No, AI didn’t write it. Morning Consult’s analyst team did, after tracking the share of US adults who said they were considering purchasing from a brand in January versus the share who said the same in October in order to determine growth.

The OpenAI chatbot, which was released late last year, overtook TikTok as the fastest-growing consumer app ever by January, per the report. OpenAI also made the top 20, as did several social media and beverage brands, though the lists differ fairly significantly across generations.

Tech check: In addition to being the fastest-growing brand among all US adults, ChatGPT landed in the top five fastest-growing brands among Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X. It didn’t, however, appear to make it on the radar of baby boomers. (Probably safe to say your parents aren’t using AI to write their holiday cards.)

Facebook was the fastest-growing social media brand, ranking at No. 8 on the all adults list. Instagram Reels trailed at No. 9, with YouTube Shorts at No. 17 and Instagram at No. 18.

When breaking down brands across age groups, YouTubeTV was the fastest-growing platform among Gen Z, X for millennials, Instagram Reels for Gen X, and YouTube Shorts for boomers.

Generational differences: ChatGPT was No. 5 on the Gen Z list, preceded by Kraft, NYX Professional Makeup, cruise company Holland America Line, and Modelo Especial. The makeup brand in particular had a few products go viral on TikTok this year, Morning Consult Brands Analyst Ellyn Briggs noted in the report. As for the rest, Gen Zers are apparently dreaming of washing down some mac ’n’ cheese with a Modelo on a cruise.

Keep reading here.—AM

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

Twitter tips: Still striving for virality on X? Here’s how one B2B marketer “cracked the code” to make a successful post.

Reddit recap: Reddit posted its annual look back at what popped on its platform in 2023.

Podcast pros: Podcast hosts weighed in on the best way to do an ad read.

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