Jan 13, 2026
The brands that win in 2026 won't be doing what most people think. They're not running single accounts. They're not chasing likes. They're not trying to go viral in the traditional sense. Here's what's actually working.
Prediction 1: Creator Networks Replace Single Accounts
Cluely figured out something most brands miss: one account doesn't cut it anymore.
They hired hundreds of creators instead. Accounts are treated as disposable.
If one gets flagged, another picks up where it left off.
Employees run their own TikToks. Micro-creators run more.
Someone scrolling sees the app from different faces throughout the week.
By the fifth recommendation, it stops feeling like a marketing push.
They hit over a billion views in months.
This is the shift happening now.
Stop thinking about hiring one influencer and start thinking about building a network.
Prediction 2: Shareable Formats Will Drive Growth
Morning Brew is a business newsletter.
It's not the kind of content people expect to go viral.
But they built an 8-figure company because they understood something simple:
People forward content they think others should read. That's it.
Their newsletters are short. Witty. You can scan one in thirty seconds. The charts are clean enough that you screenshot them and drop them in a group chat without hesitation.
That's the whole strategy. Make something worth forwarding.
Prediction 3: Long-Term Authenticity Will Matter Most
Red Bull doesn't run ads in the traditional sense.
They build relationships with athletes that last years, not months.
They fund events and let creators control the content. What comes out feels real because it is real.
Equinox approached it differently.
They saw all the AI-generated content flooding feeds and made a choice.
They put photos of real, strong human bodies next to grotesque AI images.
The message landed: we celebrate real effort.
People are burned out on polish.
Burned out on fake.
Burned out on algorithms designed to manipulate them.
What actually breaks through is consistency over time.
Showing up repeatedly. Being honest about what you do.
What's Actually Changing
The brands building multiple networks will win.
The ones making shareable content will win.
The ones willing to show up consistently will win.
Everyone else figures it out too late.
About Masterhooks
Masterhooks is a UGC partner for DTC apps and brands. We build hook-led content systems that drive installs, trials, and purchases, not just views.
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