ShortTake

A digital journal on culture & creativity, curated by and for modern storytellers.

Entries for author "Jeff Barrett"

#ShortTake: TikTok Sale Talks, OpenAI vs Meta, and IRL Makes a Comeback

By Jeff Barrett  • Published June 30, 2025

TikTok Sale? Again??

We’ve been here before, folks. Trump teased a pending TikTok U.S. sale involving "very wealthy people," supposedly within two weeks. Is it happening? Is this real life? Is this... not a drill? Cue The Office fire alarm meme. If the sale goes through, it could rewrite the platform’s rules, revenue models, and potentially what shows up on your FYP. Until then, continue doomscrolling responsibly.

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#ShortTake: All Eyes on Creators. Cannes, VidCon, and Beyond

By Jeff Barrett  • Published June 23, 2025

Cannes Recap: Creator Economy Steals the Spotlight

Cannes Lions is known as the ad world’s Oscars—but this year, creators were the headliners. Over 12,000 attendees (including influencers and athletes) showed up, and creator-led campaigns were woven into mainstage panels and award categories. The LIONS Creators Programme expanded, and major brands leaned in on creator-produced content and AI-powered storytelling that still hit with emotional authenticity. As Axios says, “dominant beach parties …

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#ShortTake: VidCon, Cannes Lions, and "No Kings"

By Jeff Barrett  • Published June 16, 2025

ShortTake is your weekly FYP from The Shorty Awards for quick, new and thought-challenging takes on culture, creativity and TLDR. Things that need a closer look and things that need a completely different perspective.

VidCon 2025

VidCon lands in Anaheim June 19 - 21, and it’s growing up, fast. With creator ad revenue expected to surpass traditional media this year, the Industry Track is now bursting with pitch-ready creators, brand …

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#ShortTake: Cannes Lions Buzz, Kansas City Current Breakthrough, The Information’s Future of Influencers Summit

By Jeff Barrett  • Published June 9, 2025

ShortTake is your weekly FYP from The Shorty Awards for quick, new and thought-challenging takes on culture, creativity and TLDR. Things that need a closer look and things that need a completely different perspective.

Future of Influencers Summit: Less Vanity, More Value

The Information’s Future of Influencer Summit made one thing clear: the creator economy is maturing fast. The real flex now? Niche mastery, recurring revenue, and business-building over …

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#ShortTake: Instagram’s $20K Reels Push, Cash App’s ATL Collab and and China’s Short-Form Boom

By Jeff Barrett  • Published June 2, 2025

ShortTake is your weekly FYP from The Shorty Awards for quick, new and thought-challenging takes on culture, creativity and TLDR. Things that need a closer look and things that need a completely different perspective.

Oura Gives Us the Finger

Oura’s cheeky new campaign, “Give Us the Finger,” reimagines aging and wellness with sass. Featuring seniors proudly rocking their Oura Rings, the campaign is a refreshing spin on self-care, proving you’re …

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