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Author: Gianna Mancini

  • Forecast vs. Reality

    I am aware that my last post was about Pinterest, but as a company they are doing some really neat things that are too hard to ignore. With Pinterest dropping their 2026 predictions soon, now feels like the perfect time to revisit what they forecasted for 2025. While they released many trend calls, three stood out and shaped the year: Fisherman Aesthetic, Aura Beauty, and Goddess Complex.

    Fisherman Aesthetic

    The Fisherman Aesthetic is a blended natural, whimsical, ocean-inspired styling such as cable knits, raincoats, nautical stripes, and sea-themed accessories. This summer the trend felt inescapable, even for people living nowhere near the coast.

    Sardine and fish charm necklaces became a major accessory trend and appeared in both local boutiques and major retailers like Free People. Parke’s sweatshirt campaign photographed by Madison Lane drew heavily on coastal imagery, including fishing docks and knee-high Hunter boots. Boat shoes also resurfaced in a significant way. Vogue highlighted this revival in the article “Ahoy! Boat Shoes, a Polarizing Summer Style, Are Here to Stay” written by Christian Allaire and published on May 8, 2025 (Allaire).

    Aura Beauty

    Aura Beauty also rose in popularity exactly as Pinterest predicted. This trend focuses on bright, bold, neon-inspired colors. Examples could be seen across beauty culture, including Kylie Jenner’s revival of her King Kylie palette which featured neon teals and metallic tones.

    The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show also incorporated this trend through a segment called “Magic Hour Aura” where models were dressed in colors inspired by sunsets, dreamy gradients, and vibrant colors (Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2025).

    Goddess Complex

    The Goddess Complex trend became especially visible through holiday beauty packaging and within this year’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Although gold is always popular during the holidays, The New York Times reported a significant increase in its presence. They explained that gold became a dominant aesthetic in 2025 beauty products not only as a color but as a symbol of comfort, luxury, and emotional stability during a time of economic uncertainty (Clark).

    Beauty brands leaned into gold packaging and gold-toned formulas to create a sense of “tiny luxury.” Brands including Bath & Body Works, Olaplex, Kiehl’s, Charlotte Tilbury, Diptyque, Oribe, and Pat McGrath Labs all launched gold-themed gift sets and collections. Pinterest reported that Boomers and Gen X were the primary drivers of this trend, embracing gold as a symbol of value, confidence, and comfort.

    The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show echoed this aesthetic with its “First Light” segment which featured amber, gold, and warm glowing hues (Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2025).

    I am so excited to see what they predict for 2026!

    Works Cited

    Allaire, Christian. “Ahoy! Boat Shoes, a Polarizing Summer Style, Are Here to Stay.” Vogue, 8 May 2025.

    Clark, Colin. “In Beauty Buys, Gold Is the Standard.” The New York Times, 2025.

    Lnae, Madison. Parke Sweatshirt Campaign Photography. 2025.

    Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. “Magic Hour Aura” and “First Light” Segments. 2025.

    Pinterest. Pinterest Predicts 2025. Pinterest, 2024.

  • It’s Crowded In Here

    There was a time, in the 60s, where the highways were littered with roadside signage, billboards, and commercial clutter. President Lyndon B. Johnson and first lady, Lady Bird Johnson found this to be a problem, so much so that they started an initiative to change this. Eventually in 1965 The Highway Beautification Act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson (History.com).

    I could not help but draw a connection from our past to the present landscape of advertisements. As brands compete for attention in an increasingly saturated digital space, content fatigue is setting in across nearly every platform, pushing marketers to find new ways to capture genuine attention.

    Companies, big and small alike, have discovered the effectiveness and low costs of ugc and has grown by and micro influencers are a much more cost effective and authentic way to convert sales. 82% have either purchased, researched or considered purchasing a product or service after seeing friends, family or influencers post about it (Matter). It is extremely effective.

    In addition to this, access to marketing has dramatically been democratized, and the power has been given to anyone that owns an iphone. The barrier to entry has been lowered. AI content, drag and drop websites, and tik tok template creation make creating and marketing a small business accessible and fairly easy.

    As a result, many users have begun tuning out these messages by skipping video ads, closing pop-ups, and unsubscribing from promotional emails (Spartan Marketing). Big companies are pushing out so much content as fast as they can to get in front of the consumer to be honest
    UGC is not going anywhere, in fact it will probably continue to grow because it is easy and effective.

    For marketers chasing something different, it can be seen that they are taking a different approach. Saturation is driving the resurgence of high-quality content and print media because consumers are craving depth. This shift isn’t dramatic but it is something to pay attention to.

    Print ads have begun to reclaim value by offering a sense of uniqueness in tangibility and value because it offers a unique experience in contrast to the digital clutter.

    But just because people are sending out flyers and magazines here and there does not mean that digital ads are going away. There is a lot of chaos in that industry and its growing and reshaping. To cut through the noise I have noticed people creating high-quality content that focuses on depth and storytelling. Audiences are seeking substance and authenticity over quick, disposable content. Independent brands are also leaning into creativity, with a resurgence of short films and cinematic ads replacing thousands of UGC videos.

    Like everything this rise of quality content may be another swing on the pendulum that it seems we live on in the world of consumption. As a fashion and beauty lover I have noticed this in other industries as well.
    Just as Lady Bird Johnson cleared the highways I believe we will see more marketers trying to clear and cut through the digital clutter. Brands that focus on storytelling, quality, and user experience are the ones that will truly stand out.

    work cited

    History.com Editors. “President Lyndon Johnson Signs the Highway Beautification Act.” History, A&E Television Networks, 27 Jan. 2010, http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/october-22/president-lyndon-johnson-signs-the-highway-beautification-act
    .

    Matter Communications. “Matter Survey Reveals Consumers Find Influencers More Helpful and Trustworthy than Brands During the Pandemic.” Matter Now, 26 May 2020, http://www.matternow.com/blog/matter-survey-reveals-consumers-find-influencers-more-helpful-and-trustworthy-than-brands-during-the-pandemic
    .

    Spartan Marketing. “Why Print Advertising Is Making a Comeback in 2025.” Spartan Marketing Inc., 2025, https://www.spartanmarketinginc.com/learn-more-about-digital-marketing/why-print-advertising-is-making-a-comeback-in-2025
    .

  • Americas Biggest Addiction

    This was written and publish first in February 2025, but was adapted here.

    Despite his recent controversy, Kanye West once said something in an interview that has stuck with me ever since: “Americans are addicted to convenience.”Ever since I heard that, this statement has proven itself to be true time and time again, especially among my generation.
    Convenience has become an expectation, and it goes hand in hand with instant gratification. Our phones have trained us to want things and get them immediately. TikTok is the biggest supplier of this, it is an endless scroll of content designed to keep us engaged.When we look beyond our screens, this “addiction” isn’t just digital- it’s everywhere. Fast food? You can have a full meal in under five minutes. Amazon? A package is probably sitting on your doorstep right now. Meal services like HelloFresh? They eliminate the need for meal planning, grocery shopping, and decision-making. Everything is designed to save time and effort.


    Does Convenience Make Us Lazy or More Efficient?
    Some people claim my generation is lazy. I don’t completely disagree, but is that really true? Or do we just hate wasting time? We avoid unnecessary meetings, use AI to automate tasks, and streamline workflows for maximum efficiency. Convenience doesn’t necessarily mean we aren’t working hard, it just means we prioritize working smarter.
    This past summer, I visited my friend Serena in Italy, and my addiction to convenience became even more obvious. It was almost a rude awakening. There wasn’t a Target on every corner. Getting around wasn’t as simple as calling an Uber. At first, it was difficult to adjust, everyday tasks required more effort than I was used to. But it made me wonder: Are we so accustomed to instant solutions that we struggle with anything less?

    This whole idea kind of ties in with this concept that I also think about often. Our generations desire for personalization. We don’t just want things fast, we want them to feel unique and ours.

    Using the same examples, this becomes even clearer. HelloFresh isn’t just about skipping the grocery store, it’s about receiving meals tailored to your preferences. You can choose meals based on what you like to eat, dietary restrictions, and how many people you’re feeding. AI tools learn your voice and habits. Amazon and other online stores don’t just deliver, they recommend products based on your interests. TikTok curates videos on the For You page to match your exact tastes.

    This is where something like Spotify Wrapped comes in. It’s a personal reflection of our tastes. And we love it. Why? Because it feels like it was made just for us.

    We crave customization in everything, buying things with our horoscopes on them, iPhones in color we want, necklaces with our birthstones.

    So what do you think? Does personalization make convenience more addictive? Have we become impatient, or are we just adapting to a world that moves faster?

    So maybe Kanye was onto something…are we addicted to convenience, or have we just evolved to expect it?

  • Insights from Pinterest Presents 2025

    I signed myself up for Pinterest Presents because, duh! It was the self-proclaimed “marketing event of the year.” Truthfully Pinterest Presents 2025 was basically a cinematic sales pitch, they actually dropped a lot of insights worth paying attention to.

    The main takeaway from this keynote was that Pinterest wants us to see it as a personalized discovery engine for users and a personalization-powered marketing software for brands.

    Pick Your Color

    As consumers, we love to personalize everything, make things unique to us. Whether it’s picking the color of your phone, changing your background, or customizing a sneaker, personalization is often the most exciting part of a purchase. In marketing, personalization is everything. Thanks to AI and data, it’s only getting more advanced. “As more consumers seek tailored online interactions, companies can turn to AI and generative AI to better scale their ability to personalize experiences.” (McKinsey, 2025)

    We’ve seen this for a while with cross-web tracking and personalized email campaigns. So what’s new? And why is Pinterest at the forefront?

    “Structured Wandering”

    What makes Pinterest so engaging is that it’s not just an app for 20 year olds like me to craft thor dreams on, it’s an experience. Unlike a traditional search engine where you know exactly what to type in, Pinterest thrives in that hazy space where you don’t yet know what you’re looking for. They even coined it: “structured wandering.”

    At the center of this experience is visual search. You don’t really know what you’re looking for until you see. Pinners “intuitively discover, refine, and shop” styles they hadn’t even thought to describe, turning inspiration into precise matches…which is great for businesses, because people follow through on purchases at a higher rate.

    Machine learning is tapped into every move. Every interaction fine-tunes the algorithm, much like other social platforms. Pinterest will suggest visually similar products from its catalog, refined by engagement data. The algorithm is curating personalized images that feel like your own. Pinterest almost anticipates intent, surfacing signals of what you might want before you even know to ask. It’s less transactional and more like a brainstorm partner pushing you to create.

    The Frictionless Effect

    This way of searching is engaging, interesting, and almost fun. In The Sirens Call, Chris Hayes describes the concept of frictionless experiences, where tech companies deliberately remove barriers to keep users perpetually engaged. That’s exactly what Pinterest has nailed. Just images, pulling you closer to inspiration without making you work too hard.

    And the numbers prove it: 39% of Gen Z now start their searches on Pinterest because of its visual-first nature (Pinterest Presents, 2025). “Seventy-one percent of consumers expected companies to deliver personalized interactions, and 76 percent got frustrated when it didn’t happen.” (McKinsey, 2025). It’s less about answering a question and more about sparking an idea.

    Why Marketers Should Care

    Pinterest was basically saying: if you’re not using Pinterest to market your business… why not? And honestly, they weren’t wrong. Their platform is pioneering personalization in a way that is especially popular with younger audiences like me.

    With a suite of martech and analytics tools, Pinterest is positioning itself as a marketing software. If you’re in CPG marketing, with all the emphasis on personalization, it would almost be stupid not to leverage it.

    Works Cited

    Bughin, Jacques, Eric Hazan, and Lars Fæste. Unlocking the Next Frontier of Personalized Marketing. McKinsey & Company, Apr. 2025, https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/unlocking-the-next-frontier-of-personalized-marketing
    .

    Hayes, Chris. The Sirens Call: Frictionless Tech and the Future of Engagement. HarperCollins, 2023.

    Pinterest. Pinterest Presents 2025. Pinterest, 2025, https://business.pinterest.com/pinterest-presents

  • Clicks Were So Last Year 

    I love making my parents feel old by saying that I’ve only ever known google. What do you mean you went to the library to do research? The internet has always been ubiquitous in my life.

    For as long as we have known websites have been the final destination. We type in a query and click our way through links to then reach a final website destination. Over the years with improved SEO and technology usually what we were looking for could be specific and a click away. It wasn’t long ago that you’d Google something and click through to find a website. These days, many queries are answered right on the search page.  This is the rise of zero-click search where users see a snippet or AI-generated answer at the top of the results and never actually leave the page . Suddenly, SEO is different, it’s no longer just about getting clicks, but about being that one answer snippet. Now, websites are just data sources feeding AI. 

    Think about it, Google’s new AI summaries will answer questions directly. Traditional SEO tactics (meta tags, back linking, and keywords) help, but the real goal is being part of these AI answers. The effect is dramatic. Analysts estimate over half of Google searches might now end with no click (Mortensen) . So if a reader instantly gets an answer, they’ll ignore everything else including  your carefully written title and description.

    Increasingly in this world, loyalty and brand matter even more. So double down on brand-building because having  strong brand equity can still attract eyeballs even when answers come from AI. Brand equity lives in the minds of customers. It’s intangible and difficult for competitors to replicate, and creates a durable moat around your business (Xu).

    So how do marketers play this game and get a seat at the table? How do they get their information to be a part of the AI answers? All of this leads to a new SEO strategy which is to optimize for AI. Expect to write concise answers, organize content with clear headers and schema markup, and offer real extras so people still click through. Remember that search engines today fetch and summarize info for you. Our mission as content creators is to be the best source chosen.

    The Rise of Tech Fluency as a Core Skill

    This is the point that made me want to write this blog.

    A couple years ago, students were putting “Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel” on their resume. Now these are just expected. This shift shows that the definition of “tech skills” is changing. Today the bar is higher. Employers want candidates that understand this new technology. This is important beyond just marketing.

    School being slow to adapt to the real world, is nothing new, but its starting to become so apparent and frustrating to me. Nobody reads, nobody stays up to date.

    Today, these essential skills look different. AI literacy is at the top. Employers want people who are comfortable using tools like ChatGPT. If you’re in marketing, the new SEO is generative engine optimization (GEO), answer engine optimization (AEO), and artificial intelligence optimization (AIO). But traditional SEO tools like schema markup, bullet lists, and logical site structure help AI systems find and interpret your content and are still useful. This is basically “SEO for the AI era.” Data awareness is also important. Knowing how to work with data analytics and predictive tools like Power BI and Tableau is crucial. Today’s marketing depends on data-driven insights, so understanding how AI filters and uses that data matters.  Last but not least, the ethics behind AI. As AI plays a bigger role, awareness of bias, privacy, and responsible use becomes critical along with being conscious of the energy AI consumes. Every company has different policies, and since the rules are still being written, it’s essential to stay up to date with regulations.

    Tech fluency today means adaptability and curiosity. It is going to become key to understand beyond just using the application but also to have a general understanding of how they work if you want to stand out. Staying relevant means asking questions.

    Why are IT and AI at the Front of Business Strategy?

    For example Ric Lewis the Senior Vice President of Infrastructure said on a podcast recently, 

    “The IT industry, I think it’s the golden age. And what I mean by that is, for 20 years of that career, IT is kind of in the back office…IT is at the forefront of all business revolutions. This is front and center, this changes everything about all businesses, not just technology businesses.” 

    Marketing today is not what it used to be even a few months ago. Digital marketing revolves around paid search, seo analysts, and campaigns, but this is changing as incidental damage of Ai. AI is shifting how businesses work and changing how we interact with one of the main functions of their phone, search.

    Ric Lewis of IBM wasn’t joking about a “golden age”, tech really is driving growth now. For

    For example, AI-driven personalization is already a game-changer. Businesses using AI-tailored content see much higher retention and revenue,  one source reports a possible ~15% boost . We’re talking personalized recommendations and ads that fit each customer like a glove. I mean take a look at Pinterest.

    At the same time, humans still crave human judgment. DATA is the shiny new toy. Elizabeth Preis, former CMO of Anthropologie and now the Chief Marketing and Customer Officer of Victoria’s Secret & Co reminds us that creativity and critical thinking are “irreplaceable” . AI can optimize tactics, but the vision comes from us. She highlighted the importance of having data make decisions but to also use intuition and creativity in every aspect because that touches our human side. 

    So IT and AI aren’t sidelines anymore. They’re front and centerIn a way, we really are in a golden age of tech, where opportunities come to those who adapt and those who stay curious.

    At this point, I’ll admit I’m still just a student connecting the dots, its easy to sit back and point fingers, but i dont have a space to talk about this stuff (so im making one). 

    Lewis, R. Smart Talks with IBM. 2024. IBM.com

    Mortensen, R. “Over Half of Google Searches End Without a Click.” Search Engine Journal, 2024, searchengineland.com/google-search-zero-click-study-2024-443869

    Xu, Y. “Building Brand Equity in the Age of AI.” Harvard Business Review, 2023, hbr.org/insight-center/the-age-of-ai

    Blake Morgan. “How Anthropologie Balances Customer Data and Creativity.” Blake Morgan Podcast, 22 Feb. 2022, blakemichellemorgan.com/podcast/how-anthropologie-balances-customer-data-and-creativity/