Open Tabs

Happy Friday 👋

Welcome to this week’s episode of Open Tabs [like the new name?] where we talk about the news and cultural moments that have been taking up real estate in our Google tabs and brains.

If you’re looking for a fun, slightly meandering conversation with real digital strategy takeaways to listen to while you work, you’ve come to the right place.

Tune in for our next Substack live conversation next week. In the meantime, let us know if there’s anything in your Open Tabs that we should talk about 👇

Here are the topics we cover:

* Dancing with the Stars is winning Gen Z on TikTok [1:04]. The show’s resurgence isn’t just about casting influencers—it’s the result of a long-term strategy targeting younger audiences. By bringing on Gen Z stars, pros and integrating TikTok content, the show is reaching viewers who may not tune into traditional TV.

* Media mentioned:

* The Hottest Show On TV is 20 Years Old, Vulture

* @popculturedata on Instagram

* A spontaneous conversation about Nobody Wants This on Netflix [6:02]. Nobody Wants This wasn’t originally on the agenda, but we have a lot of opinions about the show and couldn’t resist. In season 2, the story and characters feel too thin. It feels unrealistic, leans on stereotypes, and don’t even get us started on the product placement. For brands and content creators who are interested in storytelling to their audiences, it’s a reminder that narrative clarity, believable stakes, and character development are critical for keeping audiences invested over multiple episodes or campaigns.

* Media mentioned:

* What’s with the sponcon slop in Nobody Wants This? Netflix, nobody wants this., The Guardian

* Anonymous and faceless creators are reshaping social content [22:01]. With the rise of AI video and privacy concerns, creators who remain faceless or anonymous—like Deuxmoi or @things.i.bought.and.liked—are building communities and trust through perspective, aesthetic, and voice rather than identity. This trend highlights opportunities for brands to engage with audiences in ways that prioritize content experience over influencer personality.

* Creators mentioned:

* Deuxmoi

* @things.i.bought.and.liked on Instagram

* Lofi Girl on YouTube

On Wednesday the #ForYou team hopped back on Substack live to talk about the cultural moments and news that caught our eye throughout the week and the takeaways for brands, creators, and marketers.

We’ll be back on Substack live next Wednesday, 11/5, at 3:15p ET / 12:15p PT! In the meantime, drop a comment if there are any specific topics you want us to discuss 👇

Here are the topics we dive into:

* Justin Bieber is officially a Twitch streamer now [00:15]. Justin has promised to livestream “pretty much every day” leading up to his headlining performance at Coachella 2026. While celebrities have appeared as guests on Twitch livestreams before, Justin is the first major celebrity we’ve seen create his own profile and livestream. We share our predictions on if more celebrities and brands will start making their way to the platform.

* Netflix is investing in real-time streaming and engagement [8:16]. Netflix is investing more in their livestreaming, from WWE matches and Nasa launches to interactive, real-time voting for live content. And this isn’t just about engagement; it’s a strategic move to scale their ad-supported business as new subscriber growth plateaus.

* Scarcity is driving hype with Halloween costumes [12:43]. Netflix underestimated the popularity of KPop Demon Hunters, which led to high demand for costumes and merchandise that weren’t widely available in stores. This scarcity drove audiences online (e.g., Amazon) to seek products, amplifying the franchise’s visibility and creating a self-reinforcing loop of hype and sales.

* If you’re also fascinated by the cultural phenomenon that is KPop Demon Hunters, check out this Who? Weekly podcast episode diving into the REAL members of the FICTIONAL KPop group, Huntr/x

In case you missed it, we took our Culture Chats series to Substack live this past Friday! 🎉

For those who may not know: every week, the M.T. Deco team dives into the cultural trends and moments that are catching our eye for a free-flowing conversation—usually over Google Meet. Now, we’re bringing those weekly chats to Substack Live.

While our Substack live conversations will always be free for anyone to tune in, on-demand access to these conversations and transcripts are exclusive for paid members.

Here are the topics we dive into:

* The Halloween costumes that will be taking over our feeds this year - Google Trends Frightgeist is using Google Trends data to identify the most popular and trending Halloween costumes nationally and by region. Megan Collins shares her prediction on the role that trends will play in this year’s costumes and how retailers are leaning into curation.

* For further reading, check out Megan’s Halloween deep dive: Halloween is to Gen Z what Christmas is to Millennials

* What Group 7 can tell us about the desire for community online - To promote her song “So Unfair,” artist Sophia James made a series of seven TikToks assigning viewers to groups under the premise of a “social experiment.” The last video, assigning viewers to “Group 7,” went viral, wracking up over 75 million views. The team discusses why Group 7 struck such a cord with audiences and the growing desire for community online.

* Are family photos on Instagram over? - A recent article by The Cut explores the evolving dynamics between parents and their teenage children regarding the sharing of family photos on Instagram. We discuss how Gen Alpha kids [the ultimate digital natives] are pushing back against their parents, the content creators who are keeping their kids offscreen, and how iMessage and private groups may be the future of sharing family moments.

* We’ve been tracking this for years. Check out our write-up on ‘sharenting’ [the practice of parents sharing their kids’ lives online] and resources on how to safely share you kids online.