KIMP’s Picks October 17th: Weekly Highlights In Design, Marketing, AI, & More

As the week closes, when you finally find some time to catch up on all the buzz you missed on your social feeds, do you feel overwhelmed? Let’s change that! How about a quick recap of all the highlights that matter? Marketing inspiration, changes to advertising and marketing landscapes, AI updates that matter, social media algorithm changes, and other buzzworthy content wrapped up in one place? That’s precisely what KIMP’s Picks is all about. 

Are you ready for the KIMP’s Picks October 17th edition? Time to unpack this week’s social media frenzy. 

In the Marketing Realm 

Google is working on new tools for Google Ads 

Google is reportedly working on revamping Google Ads with new features to boost engagement and measurement. 

First up, Discover Ads now lets brands showcase more visual, story-driven ads directly in the Google app. It makes it easier to connect with new audiences using stronger brand imagery.

Next, “Lookalike Audiences” is in open beta for YouTube and is built to help advertisers reach users similar to their best customers by analyzing first-party data. Google plans to expand this feature soon to Google Ads and DV360.

Finally, integrated conversion measurement for App Campaigns brings more accurate, real-time insights into app attribution and performance.

Google’s Q4 checklist for marketing success 

Q4 gives marketers plenty of opportunities to look back at the year that was and rethink any strategies that help boost growth in the year ahead. So, Google recently shared a Q4 checklist to elevate marketing strategies. 

Accordingly, Google highlights 3 key features. The Scenario Planner lets you test different media spend levels and predict ROI before finalizing your campaigns. It’s a smart way to forecast outcomes and make better budgeting decisions.

Real-time reporting gives you instant visibility into site performance during high-traffic moments like flash sales or major promotions. You can monitor live user activity and conversions to ensure everything runs smoothly.

And with predictive audiences, you can pinpoint users most likely to make a purchase within seven days, helping refine retargeting efforts and boost conversions.

Why OOH advertising still makes sense in the digital age 

Digital and social ads have dominated budgets for years, but their returns are starting to slow. With near saturation levels across these digital channels, The Drum shared a post discussing the need for traditional channels like OOH (out-of-home) advertising during such times. Bradley Keefer from Keen Decision Systems argues that out-of-home (OOH) advertising in the form of billboards, transit ads, and other real-world placements is now the most underfunded yet high-performing channel in marketing.

Research from Keen shows OOH delivers a marginal ROI of $7.58 for every dollar spent, far above the media average of $5.52. In addition to driving awareness, OOH also strengthens other channels, boosting the impact of search, social, TV, and radio. Yet despite this, OOH receives less than 1% of total ad spend.

Digital still gets priority because it’s easier to measure and has historically dominated budgets. But with better attribution tools and more flexible buying options, OOH has become both measurable and scalable.

Global brand rankings and Apple’s stance on the list 

According to Interbrand’s 2025 Best Global Brands ranking, Apple has maintained its position as the world’s most valuable brand for the 13th consecutive year. The top five brands, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Samsung, remain unchanged from the previous year. However, a crucial detail is that a significant shift is occurring further down the list.

Nvidia has experienced the largest brand value increase in the history of the ranking, soaring 116% to reach $43.2 billion. This leap propelled Nvidia from 36th place in 2024 to 15th in 2025. This shift highlights the growing influence of AI in the tech industry. Despite this rapid ascent, experts caution that Nvidia must invest in long-term brand storytelling to sustain its growth and fend off emerging competitors.

Want to learn from Apple about the art of building a strong brand image? Read our blog here. 

Social Media Today’s social media marketing predictions for 2026

Social Media Today’s recent article outlines 36 predictions for social media marketing in 2026, highlighting significant shifts across major platforms. 

Facebook remains the most used social platform globally, with over 3 billion active users. However, a Dutch court ruling mandates Meta to provide users with a permanent option to opt out of its algorithmic news feed, potentially shifting Facebook’s content delivery model. This change could impact user engagement and the effectiveness of algorithm-driven advertising strategies.

Instagram is anticipated to implement stricter content restrictions for teen accounts, aligning with PG-13 movie standards. TikTok is set to expand its AI capabilities, offering marketers more advanced tools for content creation and audience targeting. This advancement could lead to more personalized and effective advertising campaigns.

YouTube’s plans to introduce UI updates, LinkedIn’s gaming leaderboards, Snapchat’s evolving beauty shopping trends, and Pinterest’s improved SEO features – the post covers several more such pivotal trends for social media marketing in 2026. 

In the Content Marketing Realm 

Time to update your Search strategies 

Tweaking your content for the ever-evolving Search landscape feels challenging. With AI Search now in the mix, things are changing faster than anticipated. Google highlighted a recent post from Business Insider delving into some shifts that help marketers keep up with the transformation that Search is experiencing currently. 

First, reconsider Search’s role. Traditionally seen as a lower-funnel tool, Search now serves as a discovery engine, driven by AI, visuals, and multi-modal queries. This shift encourages brands to create content that engages users earlier in their journey.

Second, leverage AI-powered campaigns. Tools like AI Max automate creative development, expanding reach and improving engagement. Reportedly, implementing AI has led to a 14% increase in conversions at similar costs.

Third, view bidding as a growth engine. Smart Bidding Exploration broadens conversion opportunities and audience segments, moving beyond mere cost control.

Lastly, expand safely. The Search Partner Network now offers greater safety, transparency, and cost-effectiveness compared to Google Search, allowing brands to extend their reach with confidence.

In the Design Realm 

Time for some rebranding inspiration 

Working on brand identity design or a rebranding project? Here’s a project to inspire you. The Brand Identity explores some of the most creative design projects, and in a recent post, they discussed the rebranding of Ornikar, a French driving school startup.

Notably, the rebranding aims to evolve the brand’s image from a bold disruptor to a trusted companion for learners. 

Initially, the brand’s identity was youthful and rebellious, appealing to a younger demographic. However, as the company expanded its audience to include older learners and parents, it became evident that the existing brand image needed refinement to resonate with this broader group.

The updated identity balances Ornikar’s innovative spirit with a sense of reliability and trustworthiness. This involved updating the logo, typography, and color palette to reflect a more professional image while maintaining the brand’s core values.

This rebranding project demonstrates the need for a new look or a brand makeover when a brand grows or its target audience changes. 

Packaging design with a lot of character 

Packaging of the World is a great place for some quick ideas and inspiration when it comes to designing packaging. Their post here explores the creative packaging design for Amor de Bellota, a Spanish gourmet brand.

This packaging blends traditional Iberian heritage with a rebellious, tattoo-inspired aesthetic. The design features bold, illustrative elements that evoke the spirit of rebellion, while maintaining a connection to the brand’s roots in Iberian culinary tradition.

The packaging utilizes a vibrant color palette and dynamic typography to create a striking visual presence. This approach not only differentiates the brand in a competitive market but also appeals to a younger, trend-conscious audience seeking authenticity and boldness in their food choices.

This packaging design highlights the power of visual storytelling in packaging design. 

In the AI Realm 

Google is giving Veo a major upgrade 

The AI video generation segment has evolved tremendously this past year. And Google’s Veo has undoubtedly been one of the crucial players in the segment. Google is now adding more updates to Veo with the Veo 3.1 version and some tweaks to Flow as well. 

Veo 3.1 introduces improved audiovisual quality, capturing true-to-life textures and enhancing realism. The updated model also offers stronger adherence to prompts, producing more accurate and detailed video outputs. The Veo 3.1 model is now accessible through the Gemini API and Vertex AI for developers and enterprise customers.

In addition to this, Flow, the AI filmmaking platform, now includes advanced editing capabilities, allowing users to craft scenes with greater precision. New features enable the addition and removal of elements within scenes, offering more flexibility in video creation. Google is also expanding the audio support across all features, including “Ingredients to Video”, “Frames to Video”, and “Extend”,  enabling users to synchronize sound with visuals more effectively.

OpenAI announces Sora 2 updates 

Earlier in October, OpenAI launched Sora 2 for enhanced video generation and made headlines. And now there are two big updates coming to the platform. 

Firstly, Pro users using Sora 2 on web can now access Storyboards. Navigate to the “Storyboards” option in Composer to start merging scenes and creating videos with cohesive frames. 

Secondly, the most exciting update for free users is the extended video length. Free users can now generate videos up to 15 seconds long, a notable jump from the previous 10-second limit. This extension allows for richer and more complete scenes within a single clip.

Automatic memory management comes to ChatGPT 

OpenAI has rolled out a small but significant update for ChatGPT Plus and Pro users – automatic memory management. This feature addresses the common “memory full” error by automatically deleting older memories based on priority, ensuring that the system retains the most relevant information. 

Of course, users can still manually manage their memories, marking certain entries as more important to prevent them from being deleted. Additionally, the update allows users to search and sort their saved memories by recency, providing better control and organization. This enhancement is currently available to Plus and Pro subscribers on web and can be enabled in their memory settings.

Qwen can now remember your preferences 

Alibaba’s Qwen is picking up pace and has been introducing features to keep up with the other AI chatbots in the segment. The next new feature introduced in the platform is the memory feature. 

This feature allows this AI assistant to remember user-approved details across sessions. This development aims to provide more personalized and context-aware responses. With Chat Memory, users can specify which information they’d like the assistant to retain, allowing for a more tailored experience in future interactions. 

Runway allows for more streamlined workflows 

Runway has introduced a suite of “Apps” designed to simplify and expedite specific creative tasks using its generative tools. Users can access these apps within a Generative Session. They cater to both video and image editing needs, offering targeted functionalities that save time and enhance productivity.

For video creators, Apps like “Remove from Video” allow users to upload footage and specify elements to be eliminated, while “Upscale Video” enhances any video up to 40 seconds to 4K resolution. Other tools enable users to add dialogue to subjects, change weather conditions, adjust backgrounds, alter the time of day, or relight scenes, all with simple, intuitive prompts.

These Apps are optimized for specific tasks, making them ideal for creators who need quick, one-off edits without delving into broader generative workflows. To access them, simply switch to the Apps mode within a Generative Session.

Anthropic unveils Claude Haiku 4.5 

Anthropic just launched Claude Haiku 4.5, a compact AI model that rivals Sonnet 4’s coding performance. Notably, this new model is available at one-third the cost and more than twice the speed. 

According to Anthropic this new model surpasses Sonnet 4 on some coding and “computer use” tasks, making it ideal for developers who need both speed and accuracy. 

Haiku 4.5 is available to all users via the Claude API, and it’s already rolling out in GitHub Copilot. Its pricing is set at $1 per million input tokens and $5 per million output tokens. 

Social Media Feature Updates and Algorithm Changes

YouTube’s dedicated Mental Health Hub for teens 

YouTube is introducing a new mental health and well-being section tailored specifically for teenagers. This initiative aims to provide age-appropriate, evidence-based content on topics like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and eating disorders. The platform has partnered with organizations such as The Jed Foundation, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, and the Child Mind Institute to curate videos that are both informative and relatable for young audiences.

According to YouTube, this new feature will be available in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, France, and Australia, and will be expanding to more countries soon. To ensure the content is suitable, YouTube has established criteria requiring videos to be evidence-based, teen-centric, and engaging. The platform has also implemented safeguards to protect teen users, including specific guidelines on content recommendations and monetization policies.

Threads gets Group Chats 

If you have been following some of the major feature upgrades from Meta, most of them are focused on nurturing stronger online communities – like the broadcast channels on Instagram and WhatsApp, for instance. 

Following this trend, Meta is now introducing a Group Chat option in Threads as well. Notably, Threads first got the DM option in July, and now it’s taking a step forward with Group Chats. 

Users can message up to 50 followers in a single conversation and name each group for clarity. Only users who follow each other can be added, and admins control who stays or goes. 

View on Threads

Instagram strengthens teen safety

Instagram has introduced a significant update to its Teen Accounts in order to align content exposure with PG-13 movie ratings. According to this update, teens under 18 will now see content similar to what is deemed appropriate for a PG-13 audience by default. 

This change aims to provide a safer and more age-appropriate experience for younger users. Additionally, a stricter “Limited Content” setting has been introduced, allowing parents to further control the content their teens can access. This setting will also restrict AI interactions and commenting capabilities. 

In terms of availability, the update is currently rolling out in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada, and is expanding to more countries by the end of the year. 

Local Jobs are back on Facebook 

Meta is reintroducing a dedicated “Jobs on Facebook” feature in the US to streamline local employment searches. This tool primarily focuses on connecting job seekers with entry-level, trade, and service industry roles in their communities. 

Job listings are easily accessible through a new tab in Facebook Marketplace. These opportunities will also appear within relevant local Groups and business Pages, ensuring high visibility.

By utilizing the platform’s integrated tools, businesses can streamline their hiring processes and connect with potential candidates more efficiently.

View on Threads

Let’s Wrap Up…

Time to bid adieu! With that whirlwind of updates, we wrap up the KIMP’s Picks October 17th Edition. To catch up on more such updates without having to scroll endlessly, stay tuned! Or better yet, sign up for The KIMP Scoop newsletter to get a 2-minute recap delivered to your inbox!