Edition 99.

Platform power moves, consumer self-expression, and the rise of the $99 “AI CMO.” 👀

5 brand bytes to inform and inspire you this week:

1. When influence pays.

Meta is paying creators to post on Facebook. Its new Creator Fast Track offers three months of guaranteed pay, with established creators eligible for $1,000 a month if they have 100,000+ followers, and $3,000 a month for 1M+. They also get extra reach on Reels. Key takeaway: platform distribution is now so valuable that Facebook is no longer just offering exposure. It’s buying creator supply.

2. Content strategy and Pinterest trends (tap in to what sells).

Pinterest’s trend reports are not talked about enough. Great resource for content angles. I’ve used them for SEO and content strategy. And they’ve driven evergreen articles that still drive site traffic on autopilot. Latest example: Pinterest Spring Trend Report. Relevant for lifestyle, home, or design brands and creators, the Spring report points to a self-expression economy. A report like this will tell you that searches for “comfy reading chair small spaces” are up 455%, and be your cheat code for long- and short-form written and video content.

3. The selective scroll.

A leading social CRM tool says that people are getting *far* more selective about what earns their attention online. And AI is part of the reason. According to Sprout Social’s State of Social Media: 66% say they’re more selective about the content they engage with than a year ago, educational content is the top content-type consumers want from brands, and 27% want more community-focused content. Key takeaway: social in 2026 will reward usefulness, intention, and human judgment over filler and AI fluff.

Not exactly what your AI CMO wants to hear...

4. The “world’s first AI CMO.”

Okara launched what it calls the “world’s first AI CMO.” It’s a $99/month tool that deploys AI agents across SEO, GEO, writing, Reddit, and other platforms after you plug in your site. The pitch is compelling: daily marketing execution without the agency invoice (or six-figure C-suite hire).

But there’s a catch. Aside from the site going down on launch day due to demand, early users (over 100,000 users already, they say) seem to view it more as an assistant than a replacement. The trend, as with most LLMs: AI can help with distribution tasks, but it still struggles to replicate strategic taste and genuine human engagement.

5. Boundaries, and your customers’ inboxes.

Mailchimp’s new report, The Art of the Opt-In, shares pretty good insights on how to create more effective opt-in strategies and stronger customer relationships. One of the biggest: quality over quantity. 56% of subscribers stay for content that adds value, and 40% stay for a frequency that doesn’t feel spammy. That tracks with why I keep The Brand Bloc on a consistent Sunday at 5PM(ish) cadence. It gives readers (like you 🙂) a rhythm they can expect without turning their inbox into surprise spam. The report also shared why most people unsubscribe from your list (68% of unsubscribes were tied to *too* many messages), and how high quality email programs are 3x more likely to be *automated.* Restraint is the new retention strategy. And automations drive quality, and results while you sleep.

More brand bytes next Sunday at 5, plus a special announcement for the 100th Edition!