👉🏻 SUM NEWS: 8.13.25

August 13, 2025

Taylor Swift just broke the internet (again) with an album tease, a podcast cameo, and more Easter eggs than a Target aisle in April… and marketers everywhere are in awe of how a simple announcement was strategically spun into such a global frenzy.

Meanwhile, YouTube’s doing a victory lap, Reddit’s scheming its next power grab, and we’ve got your VIP pass to the trends worth stealing.

IN THIS ISSUE

✍️ Take The State of Startup Marketing Survey
🔥 From The Ink Well: How to Optimize Your Content Distribution
🎧 SUM Podcast: The CMO Reality Check
🌎 Around the Web: YouTube, Reddit, Pinterest, and more
✍️ SUM Poll
📌 ICYMI: Bite-Sized Insights
😂 In the Meme Time

⏳ Last Call: We Need Your POV

We’re mapping out what startup marketing really looks like in 2025—from the impact of AI to shifting team structures—and your perspective is a key piece of the puzzle. The State of Startup Marketing survey takes just 3 minutes, and the more voices we have, the clearer the picture becomes.

FROM THE INK WELL

How to Optimize Your Content Distribution

Cranking out content that gets lost in the void? Justin Simon’s “distribution first” method flips the script so you start with your channels, then create only what will land. His 3C framework, repurposing tactics, and AI tips will help you get more traction with less effort.

Interested in sharing your POV? Submit your pitch to get published in The Ink Well.

SUM PODCAST

The CMO Reality Check

"Be careful what you wish for."

That’s the advice from 3x startup CMO Miriam Kendall to anyone eyeing the top marketing seat at a startup. With an average tenure of just two years and 52% of B2B leaders planning to replace their marketing heads in 2025, it’s a role where the pressure is relentless and the scope is “literally everything.”

Still, Miriam loves the job. In this episode, she shares the turning point that made her leave Under Armour for startup life—and why she hasn’t looked back—plus the no-nonsense playbook she’s used to hit the ground running as a CMO.

AROUND THE WEB

YouTube has been named the most enjoyable social media platform, with 34% of U.S. adults ranking it No. 1. [Morning Consult]
Taylor Swift’s latest album drop, The Life of a Showgirl, is a masterclass in marketing. Autumn Hunt, VP at Resi, breaks down the strategies behind the frenzy and the timeless principles any brand can use: know your audience, build anticipation, spark conversation, and keep them coming back for more. [LinkedIn]
Despite political pushback, 62% of consumers support brands speaking up on social issues. And when a brand scales back its DEI efforts? Two out of five consumers lose trust in them. [Marketing Dive]
LLM-driven traffic increased 527% in the first five months of 2025, according to an analysis of 19 GA4 properties. ChatGPT still dominates, but Perplexity, Copilot, and Gemini are gaining real traction. [Search Engine Land]
Pinterest’s male audience is booming and now makes up over a third of the platform’s active user base. As a result, the platform has launched a “Pinterest Man” hub. [Fast Company]
You probably aren’t using Reddit enough in your comms. Reddit’s daily users have nearly doubled since its 2024 IPO, Google referrals are up 650%, and major AI models have trained on its content, meaning it’s already shaping how brands are seen (whether you're joining the conversation or not). [Substack]

SUM POLL

Be honest. Is Reddit on your comms radar?

SUM POLL RESULTS

ICYMI: BITE-SIZED INSIGHTS

"I don't invite AI into the process too early, because it starts to lay the tracks for me to write and create and think in a certain way. Instead, I need that wilderness."

– Ann Handley

“You don't need more content. You need a point of view that actually resonates."

– Lindsay King

"A CMO is like a conductor of an orchestra. If you get all the instruments singing together, then you will have the most powerful, beautiful output."

– Miriam Kendall