2025 was the year of sardine tees, filthy martinis and red leather – but we already knew that thanks to Pinterest Predicts' trend forecasts for Fisherman Aesthetic, Pickle Fix, and Cherry Coded. For 2026, Wilderkind, Poetcore, and FunHaus are among the many trend predictions our favourite visual discovery engine has in store for us this year. To tell us about how brands, marketers and creators can all leverage this year's biggest vibes, we're joined once again by Pinterest's Director of Marketing, Louise Foley. Expect to discover why your audience is turning to imaginative escapism, why trends are growing 4.4x faster than seven years ago, and the difference between a shoppable and a successful trend. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com 

Pinterest Predicts - 

https://business.pinterest.com/en-gb/pinterest-predicts 

On our 100th Social in Six episode, SocialChain influencer executive Rachel Lea joins Mil in the studio to cover off the top six need-to-know updates from the world of social. This time, that includes two updates from Instagram: a new watch history feature and a crackdown on duplicate content that's got some news accounts rattled. They're also talking all about Sora, the latest AI video/social platform from ChatGPT's parent company OpenAI. 

Plus, new AI tools from TikTok that let creators streamline both the edit and video scripting process; Reddit's guide to optimising for AEO (not a typo, that's Answer Engine Optimisation), and finally...find out which platform marketers ranked top priority in Emplifi's State of Social report.    

Got a question or suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.  

On this week's episode of Social in Six, senior creative Eve Young is back with Mil in the studio. Together, they recap the top headlines from social, including Bulletin Boards, TikTok's answer to Broadcast Channels; Instagram and TikTok developing connected TV apps; and YouTube's new shoppable stickers for Shorts. 

They also discuss Meta's plan to train chatbots to send follow-up messages unprompted; X making advertisers literally pay by the pixel, and Reddit's new Recommendations tool. Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com. 

Got a question or suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

Tone of voice documents and brand guidelines are the business staple that most brands don't have. And if they do, it's probably not as thorough or as thoughtful as it needs to be. Today's guest, copy chief and brand and TOV consultant Vikki Ross, has written for or created brand books Nando's, Harvey Nichols, Sky, Sony, ITV, and more. In this episode, she shows us how copywriting goes beyond captions for the brands that really get it, and how words can be your best friend when building your brand - which is what advertising is all about. Expect to learn Vikki's copywriting principles and how to apply them, why you have to get granular when crafting a persona for your brand, and how to make words count, make words work, and make words dance.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, we break the latest on Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition as the story develops and advertisers watch carefully. We also discuss the rollout of Pinterest's app Shuffles, shopping integrations on Snapchat, separate tabs for YouTube's various video formats, and Meta's upcoming NFT toolkit - along with new wallet options.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

WeAre8 is a new sustainable social platform that promises to curtail hate. It also wants to offer 'green' advertising solutions, reward users for watching ads, and empower creators who share positive content. But do we need another platform? Here to tell us what made brands like Heineken, Nike, BT, and lots more, partner with the new platform, is Sue Fennessy, founder and CEO. Expect to learn how it's defining hate speech vs free speech, how their ad model differentiates itself, and what a platform looks like when it's not designed to keep you there.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

On this week's Social in Six, we mourn the demise of Facebook Instant Articles and Bulletin (sorry, journos) but welcome TikTok as the news kid on the block, as a new study shows the increase in its use for news content. We also discuss what Pinterest's new partnership means for video-first advertisers, new TikTok ad formats that charge brands only if users watch, how Instagram is adopting Linktree's USP, and a time-saving feature possibly coming to LinkedIn that's sure to be a crowdpleaser.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com. 

Brand Twitter has subscribed to one way of doing things for the last few years, following brandter trends and popular text meme formats. Now Twitter is politely asking us to stop. Here to walk us through its #RealTalk report among other learnings is Sophie Trinder, head of the company's UK brand strategy team Twitter Next. She warns of drowning in the sea of same and, instead of following the platform's supposed rules, has tips for brands on their tone, topics and community to ensure your brand stand outs by being uniquely itself. Expect to learn best practice for the bio, how the humble follow feature made a standout campaign execution, and what data says people really want to hear from brands (it's not a RIP tribute to Her Late Majesty the Queen).

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com

On Social in Six this week, we're covering TikTok Photo Mode and two updates from Twitter, including the new Link Spotlight module and reports that hashtags could become pay-to-play. Plus there's updates for advertisers as Meta rolls out an enhanced ad offering for both Instagram and Facebook Reels. Finally we discuss Meta's survey on what consumers think of the metaverse. Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Social media no longer competes with traditional for budget. As digital natives take on agency and in-house leadership positions, it doesn't have to. To tell us how this has changed social sales strategies, Social Chain UK's managing director Pete Metcalfe joins us - six months into his role at Social Chain. Expect to learn how to navigate working with clients' other agencies, whether social will soon influence TV and OOH, and what competitive pitches look like now brands have no choice but to defer to specialists.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, we're talking TikTok's solution to business accounts and trending audios, YouTube's answer to the demand for 9:16 ads, and Twitter's continued push to get more people using Communities. We also cover Instagram's badge for popular businesses, Meta's new Collaborative Ads, and possible branded AR effects on Instagram Reels.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

We're celebrating 200 episodes of the Social Minds podcast! In this very special episode, Eve and Calum look back on 10 top moments where our guests shocked us, shook us, inspired us or changed our outlook on the industry. And this time they're getting a word in. Hear from guests from the IPA, Weetabix, Pinterest, Meta, TikTok, and more as we talk about our hot topics and how recent updates have since seen predictions come true or plans put into action.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Ryanair wants to be the most talked about brand on social - and it's well on its way. Its distinctive irreverence on social has recently been backed up by a solid social media strategy, courtesy of this week's guest, Michael Corcoran - the airline's head of social media. In this episode we find out how the brand earned 111m organic impressions in a month through low-fi TikTok memes and reactive Twitter gags, how it keeps the integrity of its snarky TOV when dealing with angry customers, and how far a brand can push it before the backlash gets too big.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Dr. Oetker is a brand that has a place in every household's cupboards, but it's also found its place on everybody's social feeds - particularly for its baking category.

Today's guest is Josephine Keller, Dr. Oetker's head of digital marketing, and she joins us to share how the brand has successfully built out its in-house social production capabilities, what the power of both UGC & EGC has been for them (and when to use each) and why old cult classic Facebook Groups is still worth the investment.  

Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com. 

This week on Social in Six, we're covering the news that advance scheduling for Facebook Reels is finally open to all users. Plus, two updates for advertisers: TikTok Shopping Ads and Meta's enhancements to its Advantage ad suite. LinkedIn is gradually introducing a new text formatting tool, and multimedia tweets are rolling out to some users. Finally we discuss Snapchat's shoppable Dress Up stickers.

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

LinkedIn is a favourite for personal brands and B2B lead generation, but the value doesn't end there. In this episode we're joined by senior content marketing consultant at LinkedIn, John Williamson, to find out what marketers might be missing in 2022. We discuss why personal profiles outperform Company Pages, which ad products and features are often overlooked, and where the opportunities lie outside of traditional corporate content.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

On this week's Social in Six episode, we discuss the latest feed changes from Instagram, reports of a TikTok Music app, and the news that Google won't kill off the third-party cookie just yet. There's also two new updates from LinkedIn including native carousel posts and a possible Discover tab in the works. Finally, we cover Facebook's Music Revenue Sharing programme that benefits both creators and artists. 

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

How many brands have said 'we want to sound like Innocent?' For Innocent Drinks, while others' replication tactics are flattering, they have a tone of voice and personality to preserve. In this episode we're joined by its social media manager, Marcus Dean, to hear about the three content pillars, rigorous writer training, and ethos' that keep Innocent one step ahead of its brand fanbase. We find out how to make your visual assets look like how your tone of voice sounds, how Twitter jokes translates to in-store purchases for Innocent, and whether or not that smoothie was actually blue.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, we're talking about Twitter's new CoTweet feature after its first rollout stage, YouTube's expansion of tagged products in creator videos, and an update that lets TikTok users choose the ads they want to see. We also discuss LinkedIn's public beta launch of Business Manager, the new ability to boost Instagram Reels, and Pinterest's latest shopping tools for brands and retailers.

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

We call social the ever-changing landscape for a reason, but with that, our roles must change too. In this episode, we're joined by Social Chain vet and current senior creative Jake Thompson, to discuss how creatives and strategists have had to evolve and what those roles must mean within modern agencies today. Expect to learn how to put together a watertight brief, how to let creative strategy inform everything from seasonal campaigns to BAU, and how you can examine your processes and keep your team motivated.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com

On Social in Six this week, we're talking about two crypto features coming to Meta despite the market crash, the API update that'll let you post Instagram Reels from Sprout Social, and what Community Managers will do for Facebook LIVE. We also discuss Twitter's Branded Like ads and its new Campaign Planner, and TikTok's new Attribution Manager in its ads platform.

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Meta's goal on social is to engage international markets and monitor adoption of its many products across the globe. That hasn't changed since Facebook's rebrand to Meta, but it has brought plenty more products to inform and inspire its users - both business and personal. In this episode, we're joined by Meta's social media and creators lead, previously Facebook's international social media marketing lead. She reveals what really happened at headquarters when the company decided to rebrand, what it means about the future of our digital lives, and how brands can prepare for the next five years of advertising with them. We also discuss which of its products are performing best globally, and how to adapt your strategy for different markets.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, it's updates to Instagram's profile display, TikTok's new ad format Branded Mission, and Twitter Notes that have us talking. We're also breaking down news from Facebook's solution to a no-cookies future, YouTube's lift on gambling and booze bans, and new research into LinkedIn post performance.

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Gen Z's favourite messaging app isn't just that anymore. Since Snap Inc. pivoted into a camera company, the Snapchat platform has become a destination for brands to make the kind of creative they can't elsewhere. In this episode, we're joined by Snap Inc's director of emerging for EMEA, Samuel Bevan. In this, he explains how Snapchat is improving its organic products and ad tools to meet brand and shoppers' evolving needs. Expect to learn the best combination of its ad suite for retailers, how its AR tech is solving business problems like returns, and how to reach people up to 34yo when they're being their true self online. Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week, Mil is joined by The Fifth's associate creative director Joel Newman to break down the need-to-know headlines from the world of social. This time, they're discussing a suite of new ad tools from both TikTok and Meta, LinkedIn's new First Impressions Ads and a promising update on Instagram's trial Reels. We also cover Pinterest's midyear trends report and, finally, unpack a WPP Media report that says creators are set to generate more revenue than traditional media channels this year.

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

On this week's episode of Social in Six, we're talking about Instagram's redesigned feed and a Stories test that could hide some content. We also discuss new business tools for Facebook Messenger, YouTube Ads and WhatsApp, as well as Snapchat's recent eBay integration. Finally we cover Twitter's update to incentivise replies.

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Sprout Social's annual Index is popular in the States, but for the first time new data this year explores the state of social for British and Irish brands - and there's plenty of opportunity to gauge from it. To talk us through the report, we're joined by Cat Anderson, Sprout Social's head of marketing for EMEA. In this, we learn which platform most consumers are on but marketers aren't, why the pandemic has led to social teams restructuring, and why British and Irish consumers want to see more distinctive assets and less societal issues from brands on social.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, we discuss TikTok's new Friends tab - which is replacing the Discover page - new ad placements for Twitter in Tweet replies, and the arrival of new YouTube Shorts ads. We also talk about the updated Instagram profile grids still in testing, Instagram's new lead generation tool, and LinkedIn's algorithm change that will see engagement bait down-ranked.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Weetabix is a staple household brand with 1000 employees and prompted awareness of 97% - and it's one of the brands for which traditional TV advertising remains highly lucrative. So what is it doing on social? In this episode, we're joined by Weetabix head of marketing Gareth Turner, to talk about the brand's social objectives and successes. We cover the optimum channel mix for a campaign, Weetabix's approach to social TOV and reactivity, and how the heritage brand is embracing new channels to adapt for modern audiences. Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, we talk about TikTok's new search ads, the updated editing tools Instagram has added to Reels, and the latest on Twitter's collaborative tweets feature. Plus we discuss Snapchat's public profiles for brands, which will see the platform's permanent organic content, Meta's new consequences for videos that fall foul of watch bait, and of course the news that Twitter is actually testing an edit button. Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Sports brands have to prepare for every possible outcome in live football. One that does it better than most is PUMA, whose personalised reactive assets have stepped up the standard on social from stock imagery to bespoke illustrations that its athletes love to share. In this episode we're joined by Abigail Rogers, PUMA's team head of global creative content, to find out why PUMA talks more about key moments in sport than it does about its products. Expect to hear what's sitting in the brand's content graveyard, how to plan for reactive content, and how PUMA's response differs between new player sign-ups, club sponsorships, and major tournaments.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, we discuss YouTube's new LIVE features that let hosts invite guests to a stream, Pinterest's new shopping features including sponsored Idea Pins, and the new update for iOS users that lets you create GIFs on Twitter. We also talk about TikTok's long-awaited Stories rollout, Twitter Shops live test, and the return of Instagram's chronological feed. 

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Product reviews are 12x more trusted than product descriptions and sales copy. But lots of brands fear, undervalue or don't actively invest in reviews. Trustpilot is on a mission to change that, all while improving their own brand trust on social. In this episode, we're joined by its global head of social media and community, Leah Silverlock, to find out why it's so important that businesses priorities reviews. We cover managing expectations, listening to different customer perspectives, and making the most of a bad reputation.

Got a question or suggestion for Social Minds? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, we're covering TikTok's 10-minute uploads update, as well as its new Agency Centre for creators. At Twitter, a podcasts feature has been spotted in testing, and at Instagram, replies on sponsored posts have been, too. We also discuss LinkedIn's latest acquisition of marketing platform Oribi, and Reddit's new Discover tab.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com. 

Since 2006, effectiveness in creative advertising has been on a steady decline. While the industry at large speculates as to why, this week's guest, Orlando Wood, in partnership with the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), has completed two works of extensive research on the subject: Lemon, and Look Out. In this episode, Orlando reveals the visual trends causing audiences to detach, the styles and formats brands should adopt to remedy it, and all the data to back it up.

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Procurement isn't just about cost-cutting anymore. It's about chemistry, collaboration and long-term value. That's the message from this week's guest, Tina Fegent – one of the UK's first marketing procurement specialists and a leading voice in agency-client relationships. 

In this episode, we explore how procurement has evolved from tactical to strategic, why "fit over flash" matters in pitches, and how agencies can build lasting partnerships with brands. Tina also shares her take on the future of social media, the role of AI in marketing, and what makes campaigns like Holland & Barrett's Strong for Life resonate beyond the scroll. 

Whether you're agency-side, brand-side or somewhere in between, this one's packed with practical insight on how to pitch better, partner smarter and plan for what's next. 

Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com 

On this week's Social in Six, we cover Facebook Reels' global rollout, Twitter's reported untagging test, and the recommended best practice for more accurate ad conversion rates in Met-owned platform campaigns. We also reveal the details of Snapchat's new mid-roll ad placements for public Stories, and its latest addition to the Snap Map feature. Finally we discuss YouTube's plans to integrate NFTs into its content offering for creators.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com

Boosting posts can be a simple advertising solution for small businesses with limited skill and budget, but we've seen boosted posts contribute between just 3 and 7% to their KPIs compared to over 90% for dark ads. In this episode, Pollyanna explains how the two advertising tools compare and which is right for your brand.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, we're talking about new platform features including Twitter's long-form native articles, shopping tools for YouTube Shorts, and Pinterest's virtual Try On feature for home decor. We also cover two key updates from Meta: its status as member of the Crypto Open Patent Alliance, and concerns over its social apps' presence in Europe due to data laws. Finally we reveal why you aren't seeing in-stream Instagram video ads anymore. 

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Organic reach is dead. Heard that one before? One business that has the numbers to prove the opposite is Thursday - a new dating app whose LinkedIn and PR-centric launch got the whole of London talking (and dating). In this episode, we're joined by its co-founder and COO, Matthew McNeill Love, to find out how you can still win big with organic in 2022. Learn the role of the anti-personal brand, when performance marketing and OOH are best deployed, and what makes an epic PR stunt, plus much more.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

Organic social content may be short lived, but does that mean your social ads have to be? In this episode, Pollyanna analyses the success rate of long-term vs short-term campaigns to find out what actually works best.

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, we're talking about Instagram's expansion of its Remix feature, Newsletters for LinkedIn Company Pages, and TikTok's new landing page option for ads - Instant Page. We also cover Twitter's new cookie policy for UK and EU users, including how this will affect advertisers. And we're discussing Instagram's test to hide follower lists for some business accounts, as well as TikTok's plans for its own Stories feature.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

NFTs. It's the term on every marketer's lips, but are they an asset to brands or the next passing fad? In this episode we're joined by Zoe Scaman, co-founder of MCX and has worked on several top-tier brand NFT executions. In this, she explains what NFTs actually are (not JPEGs), when brands should and shouldn't create one, and the many different ways to make use of these smart contracts. We also discuss how to navigate the metaverse, how to profit from NFTs' secondary market, and what the internet will look like when creators can own their audiences and ideas.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

It's estimated that people are exposed to at least 6000 ads every day. If you took the caption and logo away from your social ads, would they be recognisable as your brand? Creating distinctive assets is crucial to being thought of at the time of purchase. Today we're answering how you can do that.

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com

The Brave Bison team sit down to decode what's next — from search and social to technology and experience. No jargon. No fluff. Just unfiltered insights, bold opinions, and the real stories behind the strategies shaping growth today. Whether you're scaling campaigns or rethinking the funnel, if it moves the needle — we're talking about it.

Hit follow to be the first to listen to Decoding Discovery — a two-part series diving into how AI and social are reshaping the way people search, discover, and decide.

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brave-talk-podcast/id1813356507
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PrZpvQgYz9qqylkF20N7u

In 2021 Pinterest Predicts got 8/10 predictions correct, from the rise of the mighty​​ jalapeño pepper jam to film nights in home cinemas. This year we're kicking off 2022 with a brand new set of predictions, as we're joined by Pinterest's director of marketing for Europe, Louise Richardson. From the rise of Black-owned businesses to the return of subcultures, expect to learn the sectors growing on Pinterest, what search reveals about modern consumer mindsets, and how any brand can use these 2022 trends, aesthetics and consumer data in their content and campaigns. 

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com

SPORF shows sport through the eyes of the fans, and like all fandoms the sports sector is constantly changing. To fill us in on everything the modern sports fan wants from brands, content, and sports coverage on social, we're joined by Greg Rowell, head of SPORF - Social Chain's owned sports brand. In this, we learn how sports coverage now merges social media with traditional, and how sports-focused brands should speak to fans. We also discuss the importance of brands producing branded entertainment rather than content.

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

The metaverse is an inevitability. But that doesn't mean brands should rush to jump on the hype without stopping to understand it. In this special episode of Social Minds, recorded LIVE, a select group of our top experts talk all things NFTs, Web3 and blockchain technology, and answer real questions from real brands. Expect to learn the difference between genius branded NFTs and gimmicks, the implications of crypto for sustainable brands, and what digital marketing will look like in a decentralised landscape.

Got a question or a suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.