👑 How Khaby Lame took over TikTok

Plus: the startup taking the best pics on the internet, Spotify but for earth sounds, and more. [The Hustle] Do you pay rent? Do you collect it? The rental market has been bonkers this year, and we want to hear your stories. Please fill out our [five-minute survey on the state of the rental market](. In today’s email: - Khaby Lame: The king of TikTok. - Chart: Can a corporation “own” a color? - Soona: A startup creating “the best photos on the internet.” - Around the web: Finance tips for small businesses, nature’s radio, eyebrow trends, and more cool internet finds. 🎧 On the go? [Listen to today’s podcast]( to hear the crew discuss the unlikely rise of TikTok’s biggest star, the hot business of on-demand stock photos, and the economics behind Uber drivers’ love affair with Tesla. The big idea [Khaby Lame]( Khaby Lame is the king of TikTok Instagram’s most followed accounts belong to folks like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylie Jenner, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. TikTok’s belong to Bella Poarch, Charli D’Amelio, and Khaby Lame — a 22-year-old Senegalese creator with 145m followers. Last week, Lame passed D’Amelio for the title of most-followed account, a title she’s held for years. What’s Lame’s story? In March 2020, after Lame lost his job working at an Italian factory, his father insisted he apply for a new one. Instead, he [started]( posting videos to TikTok, per The New York Times. In his [videos](, Lame often pokes fun at elaborate life hacks and trends from the perspective of the Everyman. Besides his content theme, differences between Lame and other top TikTokers include: - Production value: While many top TikTokers have embraced high-quality production, many of Lame’s videos are filmed in his bedroom with poor lighting. - Relatability: While many influencers strive for aspirational appeal, Lame resonates with viewers by [being relatable](. His videos are also perfectly tailored for viral growth. YouTubers have generated millions of views with compilation videos of his clips, and meme accounts on Instagram often repost his videos to drive quick engagement. His success… … suggests a wider shift toward authenticity across social media. Lame’s lo-fi clips often don’t even feature his voice, only facial reactions, which he refers to as a “global language.” In a sense, he’s like a modern day Charlie Chaplin. - Demand for authenticity on social media fueled the recent [rise of BeReal](, a social app that only lets users post once a day at random times, preventing them from curating highly stylized feeds. But Lame’s rise proves how lucrative authenticity can be on mainstream social platforms, too. [Share on Facebook]( [Share on Twitter]( [Send as email to a friend](mailto:?subject=The%20Hustle%20wrote%20something%20I%20think%20you%27ll%20like...%0A&body=Khaby+Lame+is+the+king+of+TikTok%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fthehustle.co%2F06292022-TikTok-Khaby-Lame%3Futm_campaign%3DKhaby%2BLame%26utm_content%3D06292022-TikTok-Khaby-Lame%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Ddaily%0A%0AYou%20can%20subscribe%20with%20my%20link%20here%20to%20get%20the%20latest%20in%20tech%20and%20business%20daily:%0A [View on our website]( SNIPPETS Plan B: Amazon [implemented]( a limit on how many emergency contraceptive pills consumers can buy, capping orders at three units per week amid surging demand. CVS [removed]( its limit, with their sales returning to normal. Remote takeover: A new [survey from McKinsey]( found that 92m American workers (58% of the workforce) now have the option to work remotely at least one day a week. The study found 35% have the option to work remotely full time. Just for kids: The NBA [joined an investor list]( that includes Serena Williams, Jimmy Kimmel, and the D’Amelio sisters for Zigazoo, a social media app for kids. The short-form video app has 1m+ users, and was valued at $100m. Caught cheating: Ernst & Young, one of the “Big Four” accounting firms, was [fined $100m]( after admitting some of its auditors cheated on an ethics exam. The fine is the largest ever imposed on an auditing firm. (Guess the auditors need auditors.) From pod to screen: Pushkin Industries, Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast production company, [reached an agreement]( with A24 that will give the independent film studio the first look at adapting Pushkin’s projects for the big screen. $170k in 20 days: Learn how Trendsters Lori and Kelsey [executed]( a ridiculous affiliate program and product launch for a cannabis company. 10 Google Sheets templates: For smooth content planning, marketing budgets, and more. Take our word for it — [tidy spreadsheets]( help teams get sh*t done. --------------------------------------------------------------- Hey — enjoy getting quick updates on what you care about? Take [20 seconds]( to personalize your Snippets. Pick your preferences👇 and we’ll send you more of what you love. Boom. [Personalize my Email →]( Feature story [colors]( Zachary Crockett Can a corporation ‘own’ a color? On a summer day in 2019, Daniel Schreiber opened his mailbox to find a threatening letter from one of the world’s largest telecom companies. In the letter, Deutsche Telekom AG (the parent company of T-Mobile) accused Schreiber’s insurance startup, Lemonade, of trademark infringement. - Schreiber was confused: He hadn’t used T-Mobile’s name. He hadn’t appropriated the company’s logo or tagline. Hell, he wasn’t even in the cellphone business. But as he read on, he realized his “crime” was using the color magenta. In recent years, companies like T-Mobile have achieved something once thought to be legally impossible: They’ve successfully trademarked individual colors. When a color becomes synonymous with a brand — think Tiffany blue, or UPS brown — a company can claim a certain form of “ownership” over it. But how is it possible to call dibs on a color? And what effect does it have on competitors? [Read the full story →]( Free Resource TikTok vs. YouTube for business growth? Young vs. old, short vs. long. Gotta love the matchup. Both video platforms are all about the billions — uploads, views, even users — which naturally makes them certified gold mines for marketers. But despite TIkTok getting hot, YouTube is still the playback powerhouse it’s always been. So, which is most beneficial for your business? The answer lies in your audience. Watch [the six-minute video]( to learn more. The quick on both: - YouTube: Great for diverse content, driving traffic, and growing revenue. See why GoPro has 10m+ subscribers and how they leverage videos to serve calls-to-action (at ~2:30). - TikTok: Great for reaching young people, capitalizing on trends, and the viral potential. Micro-influencer engagement on TikTok is over 4.5x higher than on Instagram, and 11x that of YouTube. Subscribe to HubSpot Marketing on YouTube for weekly heat. [The Tok or The Tube? →]( Say Cheese [product photography]( Credit: Soona The company creating ‘the best photos on the internet’ If you sell physical products, you probably want flawless images for your website, ads, and Insta. But if you’re a small business, you likely don’t have an in-house team for that. [Soona](, a startup that raised a $35m Series B in January, seeks to solve this issue through affordable stock photos with a 24-hour turnaround. How it works Founders Liz Giorgi and Hayley Anderson initially focused on in-person product shoots. Since Soona’s launch in 2018, it’s opened studios in Austin, Denver, Minneapolis, Seattle, and, most recently, Los Angeles. But during the pandemic, Soona began offering remote shoots. - Brands ship their products to Soona, then “attend” online photoshoots. Images appear as they’re captured, opening the door for real-time feedback. - Customers can buy individual pics for $39 each or purchase a package. Soona’s pivot saw revenue grow 400% from 2020 to 2021, and 300% from 2021 to 2022, per [TechCrunch](. Brands like it because it’s fast and easy [Exoh]( founder Emily DeLapp has used Soona for pics of the company’s scented lip balms. - “I’ve been running ecommerce brands for 10+ years,” she told The Hustle. “Having an option to outsource product photos inexpensively and with such a quick turnaround was something I would’ve killed for years ago.” Carla Sancho, founder of bridal accessories company [Wedding Collectibles](, tried Soona out at its Los Angeles launch last week. - She told The Hustle she was impressed with the photographers’ eye for “showcasing products for the ecommerce environment in creative, eye-catching ways.” That can include colorful backgrounds, styling, props, and models — Soona’s model database includes hand and full-body models, and even pets. Fun fact: According to Giorgi, one of Soona’s most popular models is [this pomeranian]( named Bubba. [Share on Facebook]( [Share on Twitter]( [Send as email to a friend](mailto:?subject=The%20Hustle%20wrote%20something%20I%20think%20you%27ll%20like...%0A&body=The+company+creating+%E2%80%98the+best+photos+on+the+internet%E2%80%99%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fthe-hustle%2Fsoona%0A%0AYou%20can%20subscribe%20with%20my%20link%20here%20to%20get%20the%20latest%20in%20tech%20and%20business%20daily:%0A [View on our website]( AROUND THE WEB 🎭 On this day: In 1613, London’s famed Globe Theatre [burned down]( during a performance of Shakespeare’s Henry VIII due to sparks from a canon used for special effects. A modern reconstruction was built in [1997](. 💰 How to: From Inc., some recession planning [tips]( for small businesses owners. 🤨 That’s interesting: Hyperallergic [examines]( women’s eyebrow trends through centuries of art. ⛰️ Useful: [Earth.fm]( describes itself as Spotify for natural soundscapes. Chill out to a variety of serene sounds from around the world. 🐴 Aww: And now, a [horse]( with great hair. Meme [Khaby Lame TikTok meme] Pure dopamine. (Source: [imgflip.com]() SHARE THE HUSTLE Hey. Stop keeping us a secret. Refer just 3 people and we’ll start to send some goodies as a thank you. [all prizes]( Spread the news. Help us grow 🌱 [Share The Hustle 🤠→]( Or copy this custom referral link: [ Your referral count: 0 How did you like today’s email? Today's email was brought to you by [Jacob Cohen](, [Juliet Bennett Rylah](, and [Rob Litterst](. Editing by: Jennifer “Can I buy a color, please?” Wang. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here](. [PODCAST]( [JOBS]( [CONTACT US](mailto:news@thehustle.co) [Facebook]( [Youtube]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( 25 FIRST ST. 2ND FLOOR, CAMBRIDGE, MA 02141, UNITED STATES  +1 888 482 7768 Never want to hear from us again? Break our hearts and [unsubscribe](list=thehustle). [The Hustle logo](