Putting a big yellow text over your video is not going to save you creative career.

If you are here, welcome to our "Public Service Announcement" series, a practice aimed to reflect the current times in culture and how we interact with it, brought to you by the staff at The Mercer Edition. “Opinionally based.” A few times every month, a new trend pops up on our feeds, and creatives and internet users are quick to adapt and rely on this one trend like it's going to change their lives and their careers - which it probably won't. But we have to say, if you're approaching it in a fun way, of course, go for it. We'll be the last ones to stop you from doing so. Also, it's not really our business, so... But if you're trying to further advance your skill by relying on fleeting moments that show up on your feed without your discretion even, then we're sorry, but we don't think that's going to advance your work at all, to be honest. You might be better off actually progressing your core skills, so when something happens, instead of following it blindly, you can adapt yourself, see yourself through the thought process that birthed it, and make it yours, a completely new version, at least. The thing is that following a trend just because it's performing is like a band aid for creatives // it's not really advancing your work or your skillset in any way. So why do it? Really, it's not contributing to what you're doing anyway, just like how a band aid is a timely solution and not a permanent one when you get injured. Same thing here. you feel like your work is injured, and how do you treat it? By others' solutions (pun intended)...

We get it. Of course, you have to "keep up" with the algorithm machine and make sure people find your work. In a sea full of creators, how do you stand out? Well, not by following the herd. That's step one. There's nothing special about people who do the same thing that everyone around them is doing. The most exciting people are those who aren't following blindly, and are instead curating a new vibe - one that's unmistakably theirs, which they believe in and can build on, without relying on others' creativity. Today, as the audience grows fatigued by everything they see on the feed every day, the last thing they want is another video that looks like the one they saw three minutes ago, ten minutes ago, an hour ago. The whole week, honestly.

Examples???? We got you. Think of it like music. If everyone made trap music, could any of those artists really say "no one gets my vision"? Not if their vision sounds exactly like everyone else's. Now apply that to social media. Jazz was so good, and still is, simply because it doesn't really "follow structure" or templates; it's free to explore itself through the player. Think of it like T-shirts. If everyone's slapping logos on them the same way, could any of those brand owners really say "no one gets my vision"? Not if their vision looks exactly like everyone else's. Now apply that to social media. Same thing, different world.

Ok, test time. Quick! bring up one trend you recently saw. Do you know who started it? Or the purpose behind it? Before the rest of the world caught up and made it theirs too? Hard, right? We totally understand. To wrap it up: when it comes to Social Media (capital S), you have to create with your audience's point of view too, not just with what's trending, hoping it'll stick.