I’ve wanted to write this article for almost a year. The Notion page with the initial concept was created July 2025.
I started my career in product management, but then spent a while in the media industry where I had to navigate the rapidly fracturing media and content landscape every day.
I realised what I was seeing was just the tail end of a century-spanning shift in how we value information.
I wanted to document that change, consider where we’re headed, and explore more closely what the impact is on brands.
Today, every company is a media company, competing for attention and building trust through content channels. That’s the whole reason I started my B2B content studio, because what I’d learned from media, combined with what I’d learned as a Product Manager, was now existentially valuable to every founder and marketing team on the planet.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: AI isn’t replacing great writers anytime soon
anthropic is hiring:
> copywriter ($255,000–$320,000 a year)
> editorial lead for its eng team (up to $320k a year)
> art director (up to $385k a year)
they have access to the most powerful AI models on the planet, and they still need creatives
never been a better time to tell stories on the internet
I’ve read Link in Bio, Future Social, ICYMI and Marketing Brew for ages.
They’re the best newsletters in the world in this content marketing space.
I got a nice surprise to be tagged in a link roundup featuring all those heavy hitters…
Plus me! Talk about imposter syndrome!!
Brand Chemistry started because I’d worked behind the scenes to grow newsletters before, but I’d never written one myself, and I wanted a longer form outlet after seeing some initial success with content on Linkedin.
Wild to think how far it’s come.
Google don’t often directly attack Apple.
But when they do, they go hard!
Here's what happened 👇
Apple promised major AI updates in 2024.
Then pushed it to 2025.
Now it's maybe 2026.
Google saw the opening.
”If you buy a new phone
because of a feature that’s coming soon
But it’s been 'coming soon' for a full year…
You could change your definition of “soon”
Or you could just change your phone.”
They even used very Apple-like styling:
→ Bold text
→ Reflective lighting
→ Simple product shots
But my favourite part is the soundtrack.
Dr Dre's "The Next Episode”
As in, “Beats by Dr Dre” headphones
Which Apple bought for $3 billion in 2014
So Apple got roasted using their own affiliated music.
Google have been making AI a huge focus.
Apple have been famously slow in the AI race.
In Google’s 2023 keynote they said “AI” over 140x.
Apple said it zero times in theirs.
Look at Meta’s glasses presentation a few weeks ago.
The demo failed live on stage in front of thousands.
But at least they’re pushing boundaries.
I say fair play to Google for calling Apple out.
But what do you think of this direct jab?
Google updated their logo for the first time in 10 years.
Here’s why it’s a bigger deal than you think.
They’ve dropped the solid colours for a smooth gradient, inspired by Gemini’s dynamic brand.
Most will say it’s “just a minor refresh”
But this tiny shift marks the death of a design era.
Minimalist design gave us:
→ Clean lines
→ Solid blocks
→ Simplified logos
Apple’s iOS 7 update majorly shifted from skeuomorphic (realistic looking) to flat and minimal design.
The trend continued across the board. Logos all became block letters. Brands simplified.
But now the mood has changed.
→ Gradients are back.
→ Static is out.
→ Fluid is in.
AI brands like OpenAI and Gemini live in motion. The tech is generative, so the branding reflects that.
It’s adaptive.
It’s dynamic.
It’s alive.
Minimalism gave us clarity… but also a sea of sameness.
Now the next decade belongs to brands with soul.
So yes, Google “just” added a gradient.
But in doing so they’re aligning their brand with the next wave of tech and culture.