The top September 2018 media ideas explore the many new ways in which people of all ages are being invited to consume content, specifically with a focus on interactivity and bite-sized formats.
Short attention spans and the ease with which content can be consumed has created a demand for snackable content, which is exemplified by GIF film festivals, short-form video apps and text-based storytelling formats that offer a convenient alternative to reading a book.
In the same way that kids have been able to consume content from Barbie as a vlogger on YouTube, Hello Kitty recently launched her own channel as a new positive role model for kids sharing words of inspiration and motivation. The rise of the digital influencer can also be seen in Balenciaga's Virtual Army, which introduces diverse CGI supermodels.
Top 25 Media Ideas in September
From Cartoon Vlogger Influencers to Short-Form Video Apps:
Laura McQuarrie — Sep 29, 2018 — Pop Culture
25
Empowering Lifestyle Entertainment Companies
Kin Delivers Content to Motivated Women
24
Nostalgic Cartoon Street Apparel
ASOS Design and The Simpsons Joined for a Collaborative Range
23
Online Encyclopedia-Inspired Apparel
The Wikipedia Collection by Advisory Board Crystals is Chic
22
Home-Style Movie Events
Bumble and HBO's 'Stay Home' Activation Played Up Indoor Comforts
21
Wizardly Home Decor Collections
Pottery Barn's New Harry Potter Collection is Magical
20
Virtual Luxury Fashion Models
Balmain's 'Virtual Army' Features Diverse CGI Supermodels
19
Intergalactic Theme Park Cantinas
Oga's Cantina is Set to Serve Booze and Otherworldly Dishes
18
AR Cartoon Home Experiences
Samsung's 'Doorways' Shows Smart Products in the Family Guy Home
17
Motivational Male-Focused Digital Platforms
The BroBible is a Community-Driven Platform for Males
16
Short-Form Video Apps
TikTok and Musical.ly Build a Platform That Enables Creativity & Expression
15
TV-Inspired Browser Extensions
The Good Place Chrome Extension Lets Fans Enter 'The Good Place'
14
GIF-Centric Film Festivals
The GIPHY Film Festival Explores Stories Told in Just 18 Seconds
13
Politically Informed Fashion Ads
SHOOP's Collection is Accompanied by a Playful Fake News Ad
12
Engaging Digital Book Alternatives
Yarn Offers Entertaining Chat & Text Stories to Digital Nomads
11
Mouse Ear Ice Creams
Ample Hills is Rolling Out Three New Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Flavors
10
Villainous Halloween Tea Parties
Disneyland’s Steakhouse 55’s Halloween Tea is Based on Villains
9
Inclusive Content Digital Platforms
The Uproxx Site Caters to the Digital Male Demographic
8
Cartoon Vlogger Influencers
Sanrio's Hello Kitty Just Got an Incredibly Adorable YouTube Channel
7
Theatrical Open-Air Festivals
Secret Cinema's 'Secret Festival' is a 5,000-Person, Five-Hour Event
6
Traditional Pasta-Making Webseries
'Pasta Grannies' on YouTube Makes Authentic Recipes Accessible
5
Behind-the-Scenes Beauty Commercials
In Its New Ad, Dove Gives a Shout Out to the Women Off-Screen
4
Music Streaming Service Podcasts
Spotify is Launching Its Own Branded Podcast, 'Ebb & Flow'
3
Portable Comic Readers
The InkyPen App Will Let Nintendo Switch Owners Access Plenty of Comics
2
Craft Beer Networks
BrewDog Launched Its Own Beer-Centric TV Network and Subscription Service
1
On-Demand Streaming Experiences
The Top-Rated PlayStation Vue Allows for a Multi-Device Stream
Related Ideas
Virtual Fashion Contests
Bratz and ZEPETO Launch a Four-Week Avatar Styling Challenge
Gen Z Storytelling Campaigns
Coach is Running the 'Explore Your Story' Campaign for Spring 2026
Gen Z Advertising Initiatives
Tubi Targets Younger Viewers with Ad Innovations at IAB NewFronts
Social Media-Inspired Retail Apps
Depop Outfits Lets Users Create Moodboards and Collages
Festival-Inspired Luxury Fashion Campaigns
Burberry Celebrates the Energy of British Music Culture
AI Video Creators
StoryShort AI Generates Short-Form Videos From Simple Text Prompts
Mobile-First Microdramas
TikTok and Hoorae Media Launched the Screen Time Series
Real-Life Mood-Board Transformations
Pinterest Launches the 'Bring My Pinterest to Life' Series
Fashion-Inspired Food Marketing
Magnum Blends Beauty, Music and Luxury Culture into Its Brand
Content Performance Prediction Platforms
Presaige™ Targets Creators, Influencers, and Marketers
Themed Snack Collectibles
Kinder Joy Evolves its Treat-And-Toy Format with Themed Collections
Fashion-Branded Café Experiences
Vogue Blends Retail with Immersive Hospitality Spaces
AI-Matched Creator Partnerships
YouTube Creator Partnerships Links Brands & Creators with Gemini
Fashion-Forward Cultural Infrastructure Initiatives
THE FASH APP Debuts Founding Benefactor Circle
Dedicated Social Event Apps
TikTok Pro Events is Arriving Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Social AI Video Lenses
Snapchat Brings Photo-To-Video AI to Lens Studio
Expressive Hair Campaigns
Wavytalk's Main Character Hair Campaign Makes Everyday Styles Memorable
AI-Personalized Short Lessons
Coursera Launches Its Short-Form Content With AI Curation
Immersive Video Shopping Experiences
ASOS Live Blends Creator-Led Content with Real-Time Shopping
Entertainment-Powered Retail Experiences
AT&T Brings Toy Story 5 to Interactive Store Activations
Cross-Industry Insight Networks
The Think Party Explores the Future of Socialization
Cross-Platform Aggregator Apps
Flipboard Surf Aggregates Social Media, And More For Browsing
Customer-Starring Billboards
Bobbie's Campaign Spotlights Moms as "the OG Influencers"
Connection-Centered Bag Campaigns
Kate Spade's Spark Something Beautiful Stars Gen Z Icons
Reality-Themed Dating Campaigns
Tinder Launches a YouTube Reality Show to Appeal to Gen Z
Marketer-Targeted Albums
The Spotify Tunetorials Campaign Blurs Education and Entertainment
Next-Gen Teen Magazines
WYouth is a New W Magazine Publication for Gen Z
Bold Beauty Campaigns
IPSY Reframes Beauty as a Hobby with the 'I Play Beauty' Campaign
Curated Newspaper Storefronts
Shreeji Unveiled 'The Village News' as an Offline Summer Ritual
Play-Based Family Campaigns
Pirate's Booty Encourages Screen-Free Family Adventures
Sensorial Soda Campaigns
Sprite's 'Hurts Real Good With Sprite' Targets Gen Z
Comprehensive Fast Food Reports
Yum! Brands, Inc. Explores Food Trends Influencing the Industry
Playable Brand Universes
adidas and Brawl Stars Connect Gaming, Apparel and Live Fan Experiences
AI Influencer Platforms
Statusphere Raised $18 Million to Scale Micro-Influencer Marketing
Interactive Juice Boxes
Suntop's Mega Back to School Campaign Integrates Connected Packaging
Ephemeral Photo-Sharing Apps
Instagram Instants App Introduces Single-View 24-Hour Photos
Burger Ad Campaigns
Burger King’s New Campaign Suggests Even Babies Can’t Resist the Whopper
Digital Well-Being Updates
Tiktok Adds Mindfulness Tools and User Controls Over Ai Content
Livestreamed Travel Campaigns
IShowSpeed and Expedia are Engaging and Inspiring Gen Z Travelers
Animated Pop Revival Shows
Paris Hilton’s Paris & Pups Brings Her Playful Persona to Youtube
Social Media Entertainment Apps
The Instagram Reels Fire TV App Turns Content into Entertainment
Cultural Newsletter Subscriptions
American Eagle Launches Gen Z-Focused 'Off The Cuff' Publication
Anti-Algorithm Social Platforms
Buzzfeed’s Branch Office Creates Interactive AI-Powered Apps
Production-Led Live Commerce Events
P.Louise Launches Get Unteddy With Me on TikTok Shop
Social-First Gameshows
This Year's Walkers' Do Us a Flavour Campaign Was Reimagined for TikTok
Experiential Grocery Campaigns
No Name launches a multi-city grocery goss campaign
Feedless Social Platforms
Bond Eliminates Feeds to Focus on Real-Life Experiences
Short Video Marketing
Viral Pulse Helps Businesses Generate Engaging Short Videos Quickly
Social-First Retail Commerce
Shoezone expands TikTok Shop through creator-led shopping
Agentic Video Platforms
D-ID Agentic Videos Enable Real-Time Interaction Within Content
Youth-Focused Educational Adventure Series
Lala’s Place TV is Expanding Its YouTube Offerings
Video Podcast Expansion
Netflix and iHeartMedia Bring Video Podcasts to the Streaming Platform
Video Content Summarizers
SnapSummary Uses AI to Turn YouTube Videos into Searchable Summaries
Next Gen Multimedia Platforms
Hello Sunshine Launches Sunnie, a Gen Z Media and Lifestyle Platform
Vibrant Cafeteria-Inspired Campaigns
Lunchtime Becomes a Joyous Time in 'The Lunchables Effect'
Shoppable Reel Features
Meta Expands Reels with Product Tagging on Instagram and Facebook
Short-Form Video Previews
Vertical Feeds Help Members Discover Content on Netflix
Creator-Boosting Platform Features
The YouTube Hype Feature Boosts Smaller Creators in Explore
Reimagined Creative Campaigns
Marc Jacobs Dropped its '26 Summer Campaign and New Visual Identity
Product-Inspired Halloween Looks
Aldi and EllaDoesFX Created a Look Inspired by Professor Peppy
Peer-Powered Gifting Initiatives
indu and SoPost Encourage Customers to Share Samples with Friends
AI Viral Video Generators
Sisif.AI Turns Text into Short-Form Viral Content for Social Media
Video-First Food Ordering Experiences
CookUnity Acquired flavrs to Enhance Its Meal Service
Youth-Led Holiday Campaigns
Where are You Going? Showcases a Global Portrait of Young Creators
Customized Restaurant Campaign Platforms
OpenTable Has Launched OpenTable Media
Shoppable Microdramas
Crocs and SuperOrdinary Turn TikTok Storytelling Into Shopping Experiences
Localized Retail Media Platforms
Snappy Shopper Launches Connect, a Retail Media Network
Startup Idea Newsletters
Easy Startup Ideas Delivers Business Roadmaps For Aspiring Founders
Social Travel Booking Platforms
TikTok GO Turns Creator Travel Videos Into Bookable Trips
Quality Short-Form Platforms
Keith White Launches Loopi For Its Cinematic Shorts Platform
On-Demand Content Creation Apps
Social Agent Connects Users to Certified Content Creators
Branded App Takeovers
TikTok Introduces Logo Takeover Ads That Dominate the App’s Opening Screen
AI-Generated UGC Ads
Influencer AI Produces Fast, Scalable Content For Performance Marketing
AI-Driven Demand Gen Platforms
Google Has Unveiled Demand Gen That Absorbs Display Ads
Interactive Content Sharing
STIK App Lets Users Publish Content Directly On Physical Products
Shopping Center Advertising Partnerships
Hello! Magazine and Limited Space Announced a Partnership
Celebrity-Supported Luxe Fashion Campaigns
BOSS Taps Renowned Public Figures for Fall 2025
Vibe-Coded Entertainment Apps
The Gizmo App Cycles Through Vibe-Coded Mini Apps
Social-First Beauty Retailers
Sally Beauty Joins TikTok Shop
Accessible Video Podcasts
Spotify Eases Partner Program Requirements For Video Creators
Mascot-Forward Newspaper Campaigns
Ellie the Elephant Becomes a New York Times Subscriber
Conversational Video Discovery
Youtube Introduces AI-Powered Search with Interactive Responses
Focused Fashion Feeds
Clone Helps You Stay Updated with Fashion Trends Sustainably
Parental Social Media Alerts
This Instagram Alert Will Let Parents Know of Troubling Teen Searches
Global Product Launch Events
Uber Unveils a New Go-Get Exhibit Featuring Interactive Vignettes
Audio News Briefings
BriefPod Turns Newsletters Into A 10-Minute Personalized Daily Podcast
Attention Economy Agencies
VaynerX Launches Tamara Group to Drive Social-First Brand Relevance
Shoppable Swimsuits
Sports Illustrated Launches Its Shoppable Swimsuits
Pop-Up Mini Malls
The Disney+ Hulu Throwbacks Mini Mall Revisits 90s & Y2K Classics
City-Focused Influencer Platforms
Storytime Launches Storytime Marketplace in Cities
Social-to-Outdoor Campaigns
Tribesigns Extends TikTok's Super Wish Campaign to Times Square
Niche Club Apps
Phictly Connects Fans of Books, Movies & Shows in Small, Engaged Groups
Ad-Friendly Vertical Video Feeds
Instacart Debuts the Immersive Feed Feature on Its Platform
AI-Powered Creator Platforms
Android Added Advanced Mobile Editing and Creator Tools
Entertainment-Driven Direct Mail
Valpak and Hallmark Turn Mailers into Movie Experiences
Insightful Short-Form Talk Apps
TED Shorts Allow for Short, Snappy Snippets of Popular Talks
Instant Commerce Dessert Drops
Gopuff Launches Selena Gomez’s Exclusive Ice Cream Bars
Interactive Streaming Ads
Spotify Turns Listening into Engagement with Carousel Ads
Publisher-to-Platform Content Ecosystems
HarperCollins and Toonstar Turn Books into Animations
AI-Generated News Podcasts
Your Personal Podcast Delivers News to Younger Audiences
IP-Based Kids Games
Netflix Turns Shows into Play Experiences
Content Creation Tools
Content Niche Finder Helps You Discover Your Ideal YouTube Niche
Audio Journalism Platforms
Spotify Converts Long-Form Magazine Articles Into Audio Experiences
Digital Event Invitations
BigLittle Simplifies Creating and Sharing Kids’ Party Invitations Online
Custom AI Social Feeds
Bluesky’s Attie Lets Users Build Feeds with AI
Social Media-Inspired Streaming Apps
The Netflix App Feed Will Introduce a TikTok-Like Style
Conversational Streaming Apps
Tubi Launches a ChatGPT App for Easier Content Discovery
Real-Time Sharing Apps
MomentsHub Lets You Discover And Share Nearby Experiences Instantly
Expressive App Icons
The Instagram Teen Icons Deliver Vibrant Customization for Younger Users
Media Literacy Programs
YouTube x Institute for Strategic Dialogue Launched 'Be Internet Citizens'
In-Store Retail Media Networks
Raley's Expands Shopper Advertising Through Grocery TV
Faceless Video Creation Tools
Super Shorts Makes Engaging Faceless Videos for Social Platforms
Adjustable Video Feed Limits
YouTube Adds a Zero-Minute Shorts Feed Option
Personalized Media Creation
TuneStory Creates Custom Songs & Videos For Meaningful, Personal Gifts
Streaming-Inspired Toy Lines
Moose Toys Expands Netflix Stories Into Toy Collections
Layered Online Content Reports
YouTube Defines Creative Maximalism as the Key Point After 20 Years
Swipeable Content Discovery Experiences
Verts is a Fun Way to Explore What to Watch on Disney+
AI Video Creation Tools
AI Shorts Pro Generates Faceless Viral Short Videos For Social In Minutes
Faceless Video Creators
ShortFactory Generates Engaging AI-Powered Short Videos Quickly And Easily
Creator Search Profiles
Google Search Profiles Give Creators a Hub for Content and Social Link
Paired-Down Social Media Platforms
Month Friend Boasts a New Experience in the Hyper-Digital World
Bespoke DOOH Storytelling Channels
Hello! And Limited Space Have Launched Orbit Channel
DIY Inspiration Apps
Daily DIY Reminder App Delivers Creative Upcycling Ideas And Reminders
AI-Powered Voice Effects
Instagram Voice Effects Turn Conversations into Content
Teen Content Filters
Instagram Expands Age-Rated Experiences with Stricter Parental Controls
Video Repurposing Tools
AI Clips Makes Repurposing Long Podcasts Into Short Videos Effortless
Social Media Design Tools
Graphionica Makes It Easy To Create Stylish Instagram Stories & Visuals
Multilingual Media Expansion
L'OFFICIEL Expands Chinese-Language Editions Across Asia
AI Social Creators
Pic Post Transforms Photos And Videos Into Social Media-Ready Content
AI-Powered Animation Tools
Facebook Adds AI-Powered Animation And Restyle Tools
Media Intelligence Tools
Media Watcher Tracks Global News And Social Buzz In Real Time
Smart Content Aggregators
Smashing’s Personalized Article Discovery App Helps Users Stay Informed
Adaptive Notification Systems
YouTube Filters Push Alerts Based on Recent User Engagement
Visual Discovery Campaigns
Pinterest Autumn-Winter Ads Highlight Castlecore Dreams and Fuzzy Vibes
Smarter News Consumption
NewsBang Makes Staying Informed Easier And More Interactive
Media Tracking Tools
Media & Learning Tracker Organizes Books, Courses, And Podcasts
Personal Audio News
Hypermedia Play News Delivers Tailored, Instant Audio News Stream
Event Memory Platforms
Media Vibes Makes Group Photo Collection Simple And Collaborative
Custom Storytelling Apps
MyHero Creates Bedtime Stories Where Your Child Is The Main Character
Short Audio Platforms
Thirty Three Seconds Lets Users Share 33-Second Audio Clips