This month’s social feeds have been buzzing with fresh formats, pop-culture tie-ins, and playful brand battles. From TikTok pushing Stories to the rise of The Summer I Turned Pretty fandom wars, creators and brands are finding new ways to grab attention and spark conversations.
We’ve pulled together five of the hottest trends making waves right now, all with practical ways marketers can adapt them to boost engagement, visibility, and cultural relevance.
1. TikTok Stories Are on the Rise
TikTok’s algorithm is giving extra visibility to accounts that make use of Stories. Unlike regular posts that live on your feed, Stories disappear after 24 hours, creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity that drives higher engagement.
Creators are embracing Stories to share more casual, behind-the-scenes content, updates, and even teasers for longer videos. With a blue ring signalling to followers that new Stories are available, this feature offers a fresh way to connect with audiences in a more intimate, low-pressure format.
For brands, Stories are an opportunity to:
- Showcase quick product moments or tutorials.
- Give sneak peeks into launches or events.
- Build stronger connections with communities through day-in-the-life content.
Why it matters: TikTok is rewarding brands and creators who use Stories with increased visibility. Incorporating Stories into your TikTok strategy now could be the key to getting ahead while the platform is actively pushing this feature.
@madisonknowsbest Post to your Tik Tok story, trust me! How to post to your Tik Tok story #tiktokgrowth #tiktoktips #tiktokstories #story
2. Riding the Wave: The Summer I Turned Pretty
The hit TV show The Summer I Turned Pretty has exploded across socials, dominating feeds and search rankings. From TikTok to Instagram, fans are debating Team Conrad vs Team Jeremiah, while searches for characters like “Belly” are spiking.
For brands, this trend presents a clever SEO and cultural hack. By weaving these popular keywords into your content, you can piggyback on the buzz and tap into the online conversation.
Think about how the Team Conrad vs Team Jeremiah dynamic could play out in your category:
- Tourism brands: “What destination would Conrad travel to vs Jeremiah?”
- FMCG brands: “Which snack or drink is perfect for Conrad vs Jeremiah?”
- Beauty & fragrance: “Which scent would Conrad choose vs Jeremiah?”
Why it matters: This trend is flexible enough to work across niches, and it’s a golden opportunity to insert your brand into a cultural moment while the algorithm is actively favouring these search terms.
@nirhuc Door dash knows what’s up 😂🤣🤣 #teamconrad #thesummeriturnedpretty
3. The Milkshake Dance: When Brands Join the Battle
What started as a playful TikTok dance has escalated into a full-blown brand showdown. Argos kicked things off, and soon after, Currys jumped in with their own take featuring Henry Hoovers, turning a simple trend into a battle for visibility.
This type of trend shows how brands can lean into cultural moments with humour and speed. The more unexpected the participation, the bigger the impact. When a brand known for appliances suddenly starts dancing with vacuum cleaners, people notice.
For marketers, the lesson is clear:
- Don’t be afraid to show your fun side.
- Get the whole team involved to create energy and authenticity.
- Move quickly, these trends burn bright but fade fast.
Why it matters: TikTok audiences love when brands aren’t afraid to get playful. Jumping into a trend like this shows your brand is culturally aware, agile, and not taking itself too seriously.
@currys we heard you callout @Argos 🙊 dw “it’s better than yours” #milkshake #milkshakedance
@argos
4. “Send Pics Before I Come In”
A simple but powerful TikTok format is trending: customers asking for photos before visiting a store. It’s taken off across car showrooms, gyms, pet stores, and more, with businesses jumping on to showcase their products, staff, or facilities in a playful way.
The beauty of this trend is that it’s ready-made for any business with a physical product or space. All it takes is leaning into the relatable scenario of customers wanting to “see before they shop.”
Ways brands can make it their own:
- Retailers: Show off a display or new collection.
- Hospitality & fitness: Spotlight the venue or team vibe.
- FMCG: Share product close-ups, packaging, or flavour reveals.
Why it matters: This trend blends humour with practical product showcase, making it a clever way to highlight what you sell while jumping into a viral moment.
@we.auto I sent the pictures you asked for 😅😂 #saleshumor #sales #carsales #fyp #dealership
5. The Mini-Me Effect
One of Instagram’s most creative editing trends right now is the Mini-Me effect. Using simple cutouts, creators layer two photos together. For example, a close-up of their face with a tiny, full-body version of themselves posed in the shot. Variations include enlarged hands or shoes, or even adding a cartoon version of yourself for a playful twist.
This trend is all about experimenting with scale and perspective, and it’s surprisingly versatile for brands:
- Fashion: Shrink a full outfit shot into a close-up detail (like a sleeve, shoe, or accessory).
- Food & beverage: Create a mini version of yourself enjoying the product layered into the hero shot.
- Lifestyle & entertainment: Add a cartoon or cutout character version of yourself into product, event, or location imagery.
Tools like ChatGPT (for generating cartoon avatars) or basic background-removal apps make it easy to join in without heavy editing skills.
Why it matters: This effect stops the scroll with its visual surprise factor, while giving brands a chance to showcase creativity and playfulness in how products or experiences are presented.
@mazbaby [shouldve used the fur boot clips but just preferred these🥲] outfit inspo but with a little mini cartoon me🌻🐆🤠 love these sorts of fashion edits so much !! 💋 #outfitinspo #bratz #fashion #outfitinspiration #creatorsearchinsights
TL;DR – September Trends at a Glance
- TikTok Stories → Extra algorithm love for brands using Stories, quick, casual, and highly visible.
- The Summer I Turned Pretty → Tap into fandom debates (Team Conrad vs Team Jeremiah) to ride a pop-culture SEO wave.
- The Milkshake Dance → Brand battles show audiences love when companies lean into humour and jump on TikTok trends.
- Send Pics Before I Come In → A fun way to showcase your products or spaces before customers arrive, perfect for retail, fitness, or FMCG.
- Mini-Me Effect → Creative photo cutouts and scaling effects that surprise and delight, offering endless playful brand applications.