The Marketing Bestie Podcast with zoeunlimited - “we’re 𝒏𝒐𝒕 about the male gaze”

Episode Date: July 31, 2025

Can't afford Sydney Sweeney? Don't worry-  @shopify  can make YOUR DREAM BRAND come true TODAY https://tapthe.link/zoeunlimitedshopifyJoin membership for full dives:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmq99a0Q5La7UmP0kYbUeQ/join✍🏻ALL RESOURCES https://tapx.it/stanzoeunlimitedLearn & Grow with me.💖 Instagram: https://tapthe.link/zoeunlimitedig💜 TikTok: https://tapthe.link/zoeunlimitedtiktok🖤 Listen on Apple & Spotify: https://tapthe.link/zoeunlimitedapple https://tapthe.link/zoeunlimitedspotify🪭 All my outfits https://tapthe.link/zoeunlimitedltk👩🏻‍💻 LinkedIn https://tapthe.link/zoeunlimitedlinkedin🛒 Amazon Essentials https://tapthe.link/zoeunlimited👉use code ZOEUNLIMITED for 10% off ALL travels on Klook https://t.ly/aA76T📸My gear: (Sony A7Siii) [ZOEUNLIMITED15] https://tapx.it/lensrental 📧 Business inquiries: [e-mail] //🕙Timestamps: 0:00 Intro4:43 Sydney 1.06:44 branding crisis 1,2,313:26 branding SOS

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How? Did you blam? No. The Devil Wears Prada 2. He's the movie event 20 years in the making. Honestly, can't with the secrets anymore, so I think we just should tell her. Will you two please spit it out already? This Friday, be the first to experience it only in theaters. In light of the recent scandal, I'm here to restore your credibility.

Oh, because we're a team now? That's a nice story. The Devil Wears Prada 2 in Theaters Friday. How far? and being hot, take you. Sydney Sweeney. Sydney Sweeney. Sydney Sweeney.

You guys only want one thing. And that's apparently Sydney Sweeney's bathwater. You asked for it. So you know what we did? Our team and Sydney kept her bathwater. From this bath, and made soap with it. With Sydney's permission, Sydney's bathwater bliss.

This is not a prank. Her bath water is in every brink. And it smells incredible. We did this to help you wake up and pay attention to the ingredients in yourself. There's never been a better time to switch to natural. You can take the dude out of the country. You can't take the country.

out of the two. You can't take the country out of the two. This video is brought to you by Shopify, but more on that later. If there was someone born to be a role model, it must be Sidney Sweeney. The biggest stuff. Casually in major HBO shows. Okay. Bye. The darling of Mummy Armani Lenej.

Nobody wants dry, flaky lips, am I right? A star in Forbes. And the Bathwater Bliss soap commercial that became the best thing that ever happened to millions of teenage boys to creepy old men. the old men. Hello, you dirty little boys. Are you interested in my body? Wash? Well, you can't have it. Because this isn't for boys. It's for men. Which for a limited time is 20% off at only $1,600. That's $103.61 per month. And completely sold out, boy math. And let's not forget being the aspirational model of Hey Dude Shoes. These are the shoe of my people, the hey dudes.

Hey dude. Except there is one small problem. Even the hottest perfect image worth $40 million can crumble. If the magic of hot girl marketing becomes a curse instead. I have an unexplainable hatred towards Sidney Sweeney. I feel like people only see me as the girl on TV who screams, cries, and has sex. Sometimes it's all three at the same time. The curse of being desired but not respected.

Known but not defined. A brand with flashy packaging but no one cares about the substance. Except as history has whispered. In the cases of earth-shattering sex symbols, Britney Spears, Megan Fox, Marilyn Monroe, How soon will this pretty package rot away? What is the difference between a Beyonce and a Britney Spears? Why do girls love Sabrina Carpenter, but not so?

much Sydney Sweeney and how can you build a brand that lasts longer than just a teenage face. This is such a hard question for me. That's exactly the mystery we'll uncover today, but not only that, as your marketing investing, who graduated top 1% who graduated top 1% UCLA business economics. We're going to explore how no matter if you have a bombshell body or not, you, yes you, can build a successful brand to help you down your career. Because by brand, I don't just mean slapping your name on a soap. Branding is about how your future client, future boss, future boyfriend sees you.

And yes, you have one. I'm creating this series to analyze pop culture brands from a marketing perspective because I want all of us to unlock the potential to build businesses and personal brands. I have gained so much confidence and self-awareness through Cassie. I think that the female body is a very powerful thing. Join the free email list below for additional marketing knowledge. And let's break down the three branding crises of Sydney Swede. and the branding SOS in the end.

But how do you build a business if you're not Sydney Sweeney? Well, even if you don't have the body or bathwater, just like Jim Shark skims Kylie Cosmetics, you could start a business on Shopify. And you won't believe how easy it is. Anyone could start a business on Shopify. Guests on the podcast like Cassie from Blogalates and Sarah from Satri Beauty are crushing it on there. Shopify is designed to make life easier for entrepreneurs from beginners to big brands

by providing tools that simplify selling, such as, Shopify's sidekick that creates content and executes tasks for you like a pro. Not to mention the simple drag-and-drop store editor, easy-to-use marketing tools, and a back office that oversees all your operations. Imagine having a digital assistant that helps you sell products seamlessly, both online and in-person. Even if you can't hire Sydney's whiney,

Shopify can bring the same magic to your business. To turn your business dream into a reality today, go to Shopify.com slash Zoe Unlimited and see what is possible for you. As this Reddit post suggests, who actually is Sydney Sweeney? What is so special about her and why are people talking about her? Most people know Sydney Sweeney is famous

without really understanding why. Everyone hates Sydney Sweetney. Well, Sydney Bernice Sweeney wanted to become a serious actress. At just 13, she presented her parents with a five-year business plan to pursue acting. They realized I was very serious about what I wanted, what my dreams were. And acting, she did.

From 90210, Criminal Mind's Grace Anatomy, Handsma's Tale to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, it wasn't until Cassie in Euphoria, a teenager with a promiscuous reputation that brought Sydney to the main light of pop culture. I have never! Except was a Sydney in the spotlight or Cassie? The first impression fallacy as we touched on in the episode about Millie Bobby Brown is when your initial image is so strong it becomes impossible for people to see anything else, no matter how much you evolve. It's the...

She's so hot, she must be. must be not so deep, or she's hot but she can't act syndrome. The biggest misconception about me is that I am a dumb blonde with big tits. Even worse, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, where the role keeps perpetuating in everything you do. And Sidney, she walked into the Hollywood room as the internet's dream girl. I feel like people only see me as the girl on TV who screams, cries, and has sex. Sometimes it's all three at the same time. So now, no one wants to believe she's also the producer, the business,

this woman, the otor, leading to branding crisis number one. Oversexualization without control. Oh my god. That's an unbelievable thing. I'm never going to see the end of this on Twitter. Sydney became known for how she looks before what she does. The euphoria and white lotus personas blurred into her public image. Having a hot girl image is not the problem.

Sabrina Carpenter also leaned into this hyperfeminine persona with sarcasm. The branding crisis that Sidney's Sweeney faces is that the image controls her, not the other way around. There is a marketing win here and that is controlled controversy. Whether you love or hate the bathwater campaign, you're talking about Sydney-Sweeney. Hence, a lot of free organic marketing towards her profile, such as this Kevin Durant review that's as five stars,

money well spent, warm, peaceful, no noise. Is he getting commission or what? But this comes with a caveat. Marketing without a good product is just wasted eyeballs. If Dr. Squash soap is the be-all and end-all highlight of her career, then so be it. Cindy cleaning this down! Dr. Squatch body wash for men who prefer natural. But what happens after you sell out this batch of soap?

Or another? Or another? Do you launch a meme coin like the Huck Tua girl? What's one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time? Oh, you gotta give him that Huck Tud! With a beautiful bright future. Either way, it's a win for Dr. Squatch. Because even after Sydney, they can just use another bombshell blonde and continue selling soap or whatever appeals to the male fantasy. But for Sydney, what happens after the soap?

Is she ready to retire as a soap girl? Ork finally confront the fact that despite all these commotions, no one really is here for her true talent. And not only is she being exploited like an object right now. She affects me. You're swooning over Sweeney. I'm swooning over Sweeney. She also lost respect and connection.

with a female demographic. Sydney, what are you doing? What the fuck? Are the bills really that high you had to become Cassie in real life? Sydney previously complained so much about the public objectifying her. Why is she objectifying herself? Leading to branding crisis number two, the male audience trap. Congratulations, I'm probably, I would say,

one of the biggest launches of the year with Bathwater's list selling out instantly today. Having a male-centric audience might get you fast fame, but it is rarely suspicious. sustainable for a long-term brand equity, especially for women in entertainment, fashion, or business. And here's why that kind of fan base can become a liability rather than legacy. A, validation-based branding is a trap. Face card never declines, except in an age where Marco Robbie can be called mid, do we realize that it is the fastest depreciating acid anyone can own?

For not that long ago, Marco Robbie was in the exact similar situation as Sidney Sweeney, Seen as the blonde bombshell of the moment and severely undervalued for a talent. Stand up and give me a twirl. Now? When your appeal is built on being desired, not understood, your value becomes external. Subject to trends, aging, and attention spans. The second you stop catering to the male gaze, they squirrel. And suddenly, the engagement dips.

We'll talk about how Mark or Robbie broke this curse in a bit. But B, no buying power, just viewing power. Mimai double tap, but they don't. Convert. The Bathwater Sub collab is an exception. But luxury, fashion, skincare, wellness, aspirational media, these markets are driven by women. If your audience is 70% men and you're trying to launch a lifestyle brand,

good luck moving any product. It's probably one of the reasons that Dimeleus had a hard time selling neon heels to the little teenage boys who followed them for their looks. I love you so much. We love you. So much. Charlie, let's go. I love you, Charlie, to go.

Hence for Sydney Sweeney, she'll be stuck in selling soap or anything sexual. C. No community flywheel. Women build community. They talk, common tag, recreate the makeup looks, buy the outfit, start a Pinterest board or thread. Men, they lurk, they consume, they don't co-create. That means no fandom, no movement, no brand moat. Sabrina Carpenter has fans. Beyonce has fans. These are also hyper-feminine women. But Cini Sweeney, she has followers who only follow her because she's hot. But the minute her followers, find someone hotter to spend their soap money on, or God forbid she has any slight changes to her appearance, these are the first ones to do.

No wonder Cassie gets up at 4 a.m. for an anxiety-filled marathon of beauty routine. And that's a difference between Hepburn and Monroe. Both are iconic gorgeous women, but one embraces aging gracefully without ever losing queen's status, and the other is constantly harassed because of her pretty privilege, and serves as a cautionary symbol for most women rather than an aspirational figure. This is why, why Beyonce is still crushing it on her world tour as a queen she is at 43. While Britney Spears feels like a distant memory, who are the most powerful influencers who can withstand time and aging in the digital age?

Oprah and Martha Stewart. One's a billionaire and the other is worth $400 million. And that comes with the accumulation of time, the arch enemy of hot girl privilege. Because remember, hot girl privilege is not a real business plan. It's a depreciating asset that can get you in debt, even Kim Cardi who started out as a sex symbol, eventually pivoted to the girl's girl's side by becoming somewhat relatable.

Because it's iconic, and I love to do iconic shit. And aspirational as a female entrepreneur. I have the best advice for women in business. Get your fucking ass out to work. And that is the biggest difference between Sabrina Carpeter and Sydney Sweeney. One appeals to the female audience, one appeals to male. One has true fans, the other is reliant on her body to sustain followers. One is in control of her hyperfemininity and mocks the male gaze

Which yes, I know the internet is mad about the man-child cover, but I think it's an interesting and sarcastic play on the male gaze, which in itself is a genius marketing strategy. More on that later. And the other is being controlled within the realms of the gays, never having much to say or a voice at all. Leading to branding crisis number three. Playing it too safe.

Ironically, while playing a risque image, The brand underneath is a bit bland. Sydney is undeniably stunning, but so are thousands of other it girls on your 4-U page. What makes her different? What does she stand for? She's playing characters, not showing character. And that's the issue.

She does not drive the conversations. Sydney-Sweeney trends when others write the narrative. Rolling Stone Shoots, Euphoria monologues, bath water soaps, but when was the last time she posted, said, or did something that shifted the culture on her own terms? And when terms defined by others aren't exactly making her like a bowl, like the soap, that is quote unquote, setting women back a thousand years, that's an issue. What is asking about your suit?

Where did that idea come from? It just came out of the air. And for someone who actually wants to be taken seriously as an actress, producer, a creator, not just a muse known for her nude scenes, here are some rebrand thought starters. First, Tower Shift. Margarabi faced the exact dilemma. Naomi and the Wolf of Wall Street was stunning, sexualized, and underestimated.

But instead of milking that role forever, she used it as a launch pad, not a life sentence. How? While everyone was still casting her as the hot blonde, she stopped waiting for serious roles. Funded and produced them herself. I-Tanya 2017, incredible performance. And repositioned her as the underdog anti-heroen started building a relatable girl's girl brand, Promising Young Women 2020, genre blending feminist revenge. Barbie, 2023, postmodern brands a virgin, she created culture IP and signed off with her own name.

She let the work speak louder than her words. The lesson here, if they don't give you the role, create the role yourself. Second, hyperfeminine as a weapon of choice. Here's what Sabrina Carpenter gets right. Pretty is expected. Personality is addictive. Yes, she's hot, but the personality hits first. The humor, the camp, the drama, she's a walking punchline with main character energy.

Man, this is not a beauty character. I'm going to be a huge plot. And makes jokes out of the bad girl trope. In a smart, software, and hilarious way. Now, control controversy is always a slippery slope because even Sabrina Carpenter can draw misunderstandings, especially with her new album release. But the difference is, she already built a strong enough foundation where her core fans understand. The main message behind her girlliness is always a play on her appeal and that she is in control. Whether that's men fighting over her to their death, her at her ex's funeral to her newest music video,

with a bird landing on the turtle symbolizing that she, as the bird, can fly away any minute and will not let the men slow her down. She has a choice to pick the next ride, the next man. Sabrina doesn't reject the feminine. She chooses it as her weapon. Sydney Sweeney is on the wrong side of that weapon. But the good news is the revolver is actually in her hands. Third, association. This is everything and anything that she is associated with from the people to the brands.

The soap collaboration of bathwater bliss and dude shoes just further removed her from the aura of an it girl. And any potential aspiration from the female gaze. I have never thought you could describe a shoe as looking punchable, but these look absolutely punchable. It's an easy cash grab and sure can be a cheeky joke, but damages the long-term brandability of the Sydney universe. Doing something unconventional does not need to damage your brand. Look at Charlie X-EX.

She moved from forgettable mainstream pop to Brett, yet that only added to her brand. Addison Ray began doing very campy bits, but that only made her a mystery. Don't play with sarcasm if you have to explain it. Girl boss, sh-it! You can do it! You go, girl! You were born to shine. And we're kind of just having fun being a bit sarcastic with it.

It's very slapstick. Whether you're an entrepreneur or building your own brand for homework, take out your notes app. Ask yourself first, what is your first impression trap? What trait, roll or label are you still boxed into? Second, scroll through your own content if someone cropped out your face, would your brand still be recognizable? Third, write a caption or bio without mentioning your job, looks, or niche.

Can you still make people feel something? If you learn something here, send it to someone you love. Give it a five-star rating. Free email list, resources, all links are below. This is your marketing bestie, Zoe Unlimited. Episodes are available on all podcast networks, Apple, Spotify, YouTube. And if you like this video, make sure to check out these other two I make just for you. Rosen lasagna, medium power, 15 minutes.

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