Edition 64.

This brand glow-up took 36 years. While this couple lost 3 hours to AI.

From brands playing the long game, to AI playing tricks...

Here are 5 brand bytes to elevate, inform and inspire you this week.

1. Turn the world into your (brand) runway.

Brand swag isn’t just cool merch.

It’s a walking, talking ad that sparks conversation and builds loyalty.

Put your logo (or clever brand phrase) on a soft tee or water bottle, and you’ve got free marketing that travels IRL.

Picture this: earlier this year, I was on an oversold flight and forced to check in my carry-on bag.

Inside?

Two Spoken Flames candle gift sets: fragile, but branded.

No way I was letting that bag get tossed into the plane’s underbelly.

So, with my brand-tee showing, I slow-paced down the plane aisle holding those boxes like a Price Is Right show model.

(Just kidding, but not really.)

Eyes turned, heads tilted.

Small win, big impact.

That’s brand swag’s magic. ✨

Even for a moment, it captures attention and sparks conversation.

Fun fact: a single t-shirt generates 5,053 impressions over its lifetime. 👕

That turns strangers into curious prospects.

But don’t keep the love for brand swag to yourself.

In 2025, 83% of consumers say they actively use the brand swag they get, up from 54% in 2024.

People love and use brand swag.

So, plan giveaways or loyalty incentives.

(Don’t forget: *you* can earn The Brand Bloc swag below!)

Reward your customers, or yourself, with useful swag that travels from coffee shops to slow-paced plane aisles.

Be your brand’s biggest fan. And let it show.

2. Travel, altered: AI tourism and the trap.

While my flight was real, unfortunately, for one couple, their road-trip destination was not.

Could you imagine taking a 3-hour drive to a place that doesn’t exist?

Well, that’s what happened to a Malaysian couple who drove from Kuala Lumpur to Perak.

They were lured by a nearly three-minute TikTok video showcasing a picturesque cable car attraction.

The Kuak Skyride, it’s called.

But.

It doesn’t exist.

The polished footage featured a journalist (also AI-generated and fake) riding through lush forests, interviewing “satisfied” tourists.

All fake.

But in *real* life, this couple arrived at the alleged hot-spot to find a quiet town.

And across the street from this exists-only-in-AI attraction, a hotel worker explained that both the journalist and scene were entirely AI-fabricated.

The woman (likely reeling from confusion, disappointment, and outrage) allegedly threatened to sue the journalist.

Then she learned that wasn’t possible either.

Can’t sue a thing that’s not real. 🤷

This incident highlights AI’s growing role in everything, including tourism traps (light-hearted or not) that fooled two people into an hours-long trip to nowhere.

But what about you?

Can you easily spot video made by AI?

3. Space is real, let’s go.

On a less deceptive, AI tourism note, above is cool footage from a popular attraction that *actually* exists: the Sphere in Las Vegas.

(Tap above to watch the whole video.)

This incredible surround screen scene shows a clip from “Postcard from Earth,” an immersive film at the Sphere that uses the venue’s giant LED dome to simulate a space journey.

With stunning Earth views and cosmic effects, this setup offers a genuine, feel-real experience, where it’s clear to the audience the experience is a simulation.

Unlike the Malaysian couple’s misguided trip, this is a real-world spectacle that transports viewers without the risk of disappointment.

The Sphere’s technology recreates an authentic, awe-inspiring journey through space, making it a good example of how not all AI and immersive media is bad.

When done right, it can enhance our human experience.

Not trick us into 3-hour road trips. 🙃

4. Oatly’s 36-year brand glow-up.

I came across a thread that detailed Oatly’s 36+ year journey.

It’s a wild brand ride about how this Swedish school project from 1985 turned into a $13 billion IPO nearly four decades later.

A refreshing reminder that not *every* brand needs to be an overnight sensation.

Building for longevity can lead to a “success” that pops up over decades, as we’ll see with Oatly’s case.

Oatly’s brand story began at Lund University, where research scientists created oat milk as a sustainable dairy alternative in the 1990s (building on 1985 research).

The thread highlights how Oatly launched its “Barista Blend” strategy in the 2010s by targeting niche and high-end coffee shops, empowering baristas to promote the product directly.

This approach planted the early seeds of change in consumer taste preferences.

And a decade later, Oatly saw a 295% growth boom during the pandemic (2020 to 2021). 💥

When it came to marketing, Oatly went bold.

So bold, that its “It’s like milk, but made for humans” tagline was banned in some regions and sparked controversy.

But the brand leaned in.

Oatly went on to make ads mocking advertising and turned challenges, like a protested investment, into cultural relevance.

From billboards to baristas to online sales, Oatly hacked its way into the culture.

Could you see yourself brand-building like that (and for that long)?

5. Feeling inspired: I might glow-up, too.

Curating all these brand stories and insights each week leave me inspired (and informed), and I hope the same for you!

So much so, that I made time to update email flows for Spoken Flames this week, too.

Here’s why.

Automated email flows are a game-changer for brands with an online presence.

You might already know this.

Prospective customers enter your funnel (via a lead magnet or abandoned cart, for example), and the automation works its magic.

No heavy lifting, just smart systems.

But don’t leave it on auto-pilot for too long.

(I’m guilty of this.)

Constantly A/B test and optimize to match shifting consumer trends.

So, this week, I swapped my “Savings, samples, and more” pop‑up (on Spoken Flames) for a punchier “Free samples with your first order.”

Too early for conversion data, but it’s looking promising.

My 5‑email welcome series is also getting a refresh.

Email 1 now highlights the sample offer, new UGC images, and sharper brand visuals with a more succinct, but elevated tone.

Email 2 is now text-only with a specific and personal (dare I say, poetic) story of why I started Spoken Flames.

No pretty pictures.

Just an honest, relatable story to connect with my customers.

Why?

I’ve been spying on billion‑dollar brands’ emails (plus, I’ve observed much more from personal brands’ email tactics in recent months). 🕵️‍♀️

And I’m seeing the trends (particularly among brands I aspire to align Spoken Flames with).

Their welcome series emails are clean, succinct, and singular-focused.

Pro tip: VC‑backed and celebrity brands hire top‑tier agencies, designers, and copywriters.

So, sign up for their emails, study their flow cadence, style, and frequency.

It’s a secret masterclass in conversions for any brand, product or service.

Here’s why *optimized* email automations are worth it:

• 81 % of companies use email marketing automation (you’re leaving money on the table if you don’t).
• 4 out of 5 marketers would ditch social media before email (email is *that* more effective).
• Welcome emails boast a 50 % open rate (perfect for making a great first brand impression).

The TL;DR: Optimize your email flows, and let your brand shine on auto‑pilot—but, keep testing.

And if DIY’ing your email automations isn’t working for you, or you want more trend‑based email insights specific to your brand or category, consider this 1:1 working session to audit, optimize, and refresh your flows.

More brand bytes next Sunday at 5 (ET) - see you then!