FRESH MINDS #009
July 2025
Friends, industry peers, esteemed Juniors,
Welcome to another edition of FRESH MINDS!
We have our next meet up lined up, wooo! We will meet on the evening of Tuesday 19th August in London. As it is graduation season we are super keen to meet recent graduates, as well as our usual Juniors. Whether they have just started their first role or are still looking to get started in the industry. Please spread the word and/ or join us to chat, exchange advice and join our network. For more info, join our lil Whatsapp community. See you there!
In our ninth newsletter we are discussing:
The remake of cult classics
Three TikTok trends brands could learn from
Job benefits Juniors actually want
On a more serious note I, Zoe, have taken it upon myself to write a piece on an ever resurfacing topic: When is a joke not just a joke? I’m not here to define rules. Jokes are very much subjective. But for the times you have felt uneasy with a ‘joke’, I’ve attempted to uncover what can hide under the disguise of a joke and explains that feeling of unease.
We are curious to get your thoughts and feedback, so don’t hesitate to reply.
Fare thee well,
A&Z
Have you ever left a conversation feeling uneasy but couldn’t quite put a finger on why? Something didn’t sit right with you but ‘it’s just a joke’ had been said. How do you respond? And it was not said about you, so you don’t let yourself take it too seriously … until it happens again. It happens online, in person, in a conversations with a stranger or with people you might know. Sometimes it’s very subtle and sometimes the wolf is staring you right in the face.‘It’s just a joke’ a pathetic attempt at sheep clothing.
When is the phrase ‘it’s just a joke’ hiding something else underneath? Why do some jokes work and others … leave you feeling uneasy? How is one different than the other? Obviously the topic is subjective. There are many reasons why people laugh at jokes. The topic in itself is huuuuuge. I’m focusing on the phrase itself.
Let’s start with the dynamics of a joke; the concept of punching up or down. Key to this is the status of the person who makes the joke, and it’s punchline. ‘Punching up’ means making fun of people who are more privileged or powerful than the person who is making the joke, while ‘punching down’ is making fun of people who are less privileged and powerful. It goes without saying that the latter can be quite harmful and often is the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
There are different types of people who will go for this style of joke. Most common is ignorant type. You don’t initially expect a down punching joke from this type, which is why this type can cause initial confusion. Motivated by external validation, they like to show off how daring, bold and cool they are, often testing people’s limits. When in reality it’s a direct reflection of their lack of self-worth, needing to feel bigger than they actually are. Overall ignorant of their privilege.
But worst of all, these people are not funny. The jokes are lazy, repetitive and based on boring stereotypes. In some cases these people will try and sell it as dark humour. Now, the definition of dark humour,“a humorous way of looking at or treating something that is serious or sad” can be interpreted in many ways. That still doesn’t make jokes that punch down fall under that. I myself enjoy dark humour and distinguish between the two as one being smart, the other lazy. Dark humour is a form of art, and offers a different perspective by touching upon taboo subjects in a different light. That different perspective is what makes it humorous. But by running head first into the reasons why a topic is taboo with the same old perspective, is not only harmful, it is quite frankly boring. But I’m afraid asking the ignorant type to change their perspective may be asking for too much.
Their ignorance is often used as an excuse or shield. Providing context to the situation. ‘They were just making a joke. They don’t know better’ is often used to shut people up who point out the obvious flaw or are affected by it. This enables the way of thinking and further feeds into the privilege of this type of person. I’m tired. Tired of hearing that same old phrase. Tired of people lacking basic empathy and tired of people simply not being funny.
That being said, there are no rules to making jokes. It has been and always will be a subjective topic (which is why I purposefully left out examples). Stay ignorant, but don’t be surprised when people start thinking you’re a bigot, racist and/ or misogynistic. And don’t get sensitive when they do.
- Zoe, Strategist
“We should prioritise promoting the new stories that speak to our strange times”
Please no more!
Every other new show seems to be a version of a past success. And by past, I don’t even mean decades ago. The last Harry Potter was released in 2011!
These shows clearly aren’t just aimed towards children. They’re pointed at young adults too. And apparently (as the box office figures for the latest Wonka film show, for example) we're loving them.
So, why have we got to this place?
Young people are more anxious about the future than ever. It’s scary to think about what the coming years hold. There’s plenty of uncertainty, with questions about education, employment, finances, climate change, and political instability.
So for our generation, a return to Harry Potter, to Lilo & Stitch, to Narnia - the stories and characters that we grew up with on screen - can feel like a return to comfort. A welcome retreat to a perhaps safe, worry-free time.
But by continuously re-producing and re-consuming, we’re also actively disengaging further and further from the present reality. And removing thoughts about whatever the future holds from our minds.
Is that a worrying place to be for society? I think so. The more copies of familiar narratives and worlds we see, the harder it becomes to engage with relevant issues and discover fresh solutions.
So yes, of course it is fun to re-enter Hogwarts from time to time, or get lost in Narnia. But we should prioritise promoting the new stories that speak to our strange times. That look around us, look forwards, and not solely backwards. That is how we can grow, and how we can make (not re-make) our own classics.
- Alex Cowan, aspiring strategist
This trend, set to the deeply-infectious, dulcet tones of Pinkpathress, has produced over 800K TikTok videos, and sees two people shake hands and question whether, based on differences between the two, their relationship / partnership should be “illegal”. As with most social trends, the humour doesn’t survive explanation sorry…
Brands could have fun leaning into the clearly enduring appeal of iconic, unlikely duos — as McDonalds did with their ‘Rogue Dip’ chips + milkshake ads. Could this spark some fun brand interactions or collabs (e.g. pineapple & pizza; running & Vaseline; toothpaste & white trainers).
2) “Be nice”
Another wholesome trend, in which someone (usually a woman), offers faux-menacing threats to “be nice” before encouraging their partner / pal / sibling, to enthusiastically present their niche passion or interest. From fossil collections and crochet skills to herb gardens, internet boyfriends have been encouraged to take pride in their stereotypically uncool hobbies. But as we increasingly turn to previously niche hobbies for a source of simple pleasure, escapism and community in an otherwise disconnected and difficult era, brands too can play a part in recognising and encouraging no-longer-so-niche passions. It’s fun to see Parkruns being platformed by Kenco coffee, Francis Bourgeois fronting Gucci collections, Lego crowdsourcing new set suggestions.
And a wonderfully bonkers one to end. Comedian Dan Boerman is going viral once again for folding a fitted sheet — this time, following a guerrilla poster campaign, he attracted over 1000 people to Edinburgh’s Calton Hill to literally just watch him fold a fitted sheet. And the internet LOVED it. Simple, relatable, unserious fun, this example demonstrates our desperate need for brevity and connection.
- (another) Alex, Strategist
Aside from the basics (opportunities for growth, a supportive boss / team, meaningful work [not just booking rooms…] and a liveable wage that doesn’t have you questioning you questioning your life choices daily…), what “perks” or extras actually feel compelling to today’s juniors?
Here’s a couple:
AI training — feels like this should become a prerequisite for helping Juniors succeed in the workplace
A degree of flexibility — whilst a Junior expects on oncoming grind and (in our experience) will definitely benefit from structured hours in the office learning from experienced colleagues, enabling some flexibility in hours & working location will be a massively appreciated vote of confidence. Many (not all) Juniors will be fairly fresh out of uni so accustomed to managing their workloads at often unusual times. They will need to learn to adapt to the working-world’s timelines, but a degree of flexibility may play into their strengths and shows you respect them as people with lives and lifestyles outside the [insert your regions standard office ours]
Perks we can afford — discounts at £70 / month gyms or private healthcare aren’t relevant at our pay grade yet, so please prioritise benefits we can use (e.g. free eye test vouchers, affordable gyms)
Resources & tips from our FRESH community:
Check out this wicked (9min) read full of tips from Rob Estreitinho, founder of Salmon Labs: “Practical Advice for Junior Strats”
Thanks for supporting FRESH MINDS
Have some POVs to share? October’s newsletter prompts will go live Tues 29th Aug, HERE
We’d love to hear your feedback: freshminds2024@gmail.com