APG Sideways
About our guest: Joey Andraos
Hey, I’m Joey! Nicknames include Jo, Jojo, Mojo Jojo (although my favourite is buttercup).
I’m a Community Manager at GUT Toronto, with 3 years of experience turning trends into conversations. Outside CM life, I used to be a makeup artist and I’ve taught myself silversmithing, beading and pottery. My jewelry even got a British Vogue moment in June 2025, which was a wild dream come true.
I’m an artist at heart, endlessly curious about social media, trends, and the cultural shifts that keep the internet spinning.
Brilliant Weird Best
Strategists are curious folks, so we asked Joey to tell us the most brilliant, weirdest and best things she’s come across recently.
BRILLIANT: Don’t Go to the Basateen at Night
Kotn’s “Don’t Go to the Basateen at Night” flips childhood warnings into invitations. Growing up, we were told to fear El Basateen (= the woods) at night, but the campaign encourages audiences to question those old tales and see the place for themselves.
Stretched across 4 films and created in collaboration with Emil Wakim, the intimate, unfiltered scenes capture Cairo’s life, charm, and energy, while the FW25 collection reflects that same spirit
Beyond aesthetics, it hits a personal chord for Middle Eastern and North African audiences, blending nostalgia, culture, and storytelling to challenge assumptions.
WEIRD: The Heinz tomato twist
Heinz shaped tomato leaves into tiny athletes in different sports poses, and somehow, it works. While the brand isn’t officially tied to the National Games, they teamed up with creative agency Heaven & Hell Shanghai to tap into the national energy. The clever concept links athletic performance and tomato quality, summed up perfectly in the line: “Every tomato that strives to win is in Heinz.” It’s unexpected, a little strange, and completely captivating. A playful, memorable visual that sticks with you long after you’ve seen it.
BEST: Jacquemus “Le Valérie”
Jacquemus’ “Le Valérie” campaign is intimate, poetic, and deeply intentional. The films show the designer as a child exploring his surroundings, with the camera lowered to his point of view, reflecting his memories of his mother. The bag, named after her, becomes a vessel for storytelling, nostalgia, and emotion. This perspective feels whimsical yet heartfelt, perfectly capturing the essence of being a woman: the strength, nuance, and tenderness of femininity.
For Jacquemus, a brand known for playful yet personal storytelling, this campaign aligns beautifully, blending fashion, memory, and artistry into a single narrative.
Top Guilty Pleasures
Not all of our consumption habits can be academic. That's why we asked Joey to give us the sources to her creativity.
I am currently loving those cringy-but-cute “good morning” WhatsApp pictures our grandmas love. I used to roll my eyes at them, and now I’m obsessed. So I started making my own or hunting for new ones online to send them to my friends. There’s something so wholesome and earnest about them. They’re kitschy, nostalgic, and oddly comforting. Sorry for not acknowledging your game sooner grandma!
(Literal translation of image: May your morning be as sweet as apples so you can spend a relaxing day.)
Sex and the City Comfort Watch
There’s just something about that show that’s endlessly comforting. It’s dramatic, chaotic, stylish, and always the perfect background noise after a long day. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, it still feels like a warm, sparkly escape into a world of friendship, fashion, and questionable decisions.
This month on Slack
Over on our Slack, strategists are supporting, debating, and shitposting. Click on a link to see the full convo.
Contributors: Jon Crowley, Ben Percifield, Spencer MacEachern, PK Lawton, Jasjiv Singh
This month, we saw a candid debate on the real utility of trend decks. Jon argued they are mostly noise and often redundant, calling them "the artisanal version of asking AI for your strategy," though he still values foresight work that maps plausible futures. Conversely, we also saw praise for the usefulness of consulting firm outputs like McKinsey’s, which effectively anchor trends in business impact. Trend reports aren't perfect, but they can be a useful tool in a strategist's back pocket, provided the data being pulled is paired with relevant context.
Contributors: Shannon Hunter, Christine Tolton, PK Lawton, Hayden Lawton, Spencer MacEachern, Jon Crowley June Findlay, Michelle Lee
Shan kicked things off by sharing a job posting that asked Marketing Director candidates to submit a full campaign brief, complete with creative execution ideas, a go-to-market strategy, and key messaging, just to land an interview. The group's reaction was swift and unanimous in deeming this as NOT OK. The conversation quickly evolved into a broader discussion about exploitative hiring practices in the industry. The thread served as a reminder that our work has value, and that the industry still has a long way to go when it comes to respecting candidates' time and creativity.
Contributors: Trevon Daley, Sanny B, Jasjiv Singh, Spencer MacEachern, Param Saini