New TikTok challenge: Try to scroll the app for 10 minutes before a creator attempts to stop finger traffic by proclaiming that they’ve found “the PERFECT [insert product here] dupe!”

There are more than 320,000 videos under #dupe on TikTok (plus all the niche and brand-specific tags, like #makeupdupe or #skimsdupe). And while the dupe-culture trend started taking off in the last few years, it’s been around far longer, previously under the less-chic “knockoff” moniker.

Amid broader economic volatility and tariff-related price increases, though, the dupe is finding more resonance, and brands like eyewear retailer EyeBuyDirect and clothing and homeware company Italic have leaned into dupe culture, emphasizing the cost-effectiveness and can’t-spot-the-difference qualities of their products. But shaping messaging around being a good dupe (glamorous, but responsible!) while not coming off as cheap (the horror!) is a delicate balance to strike.

“Today’s consumers, they are smart, they want quality service, but they never want to break their bank account,” Sunny Jiang, CEO of EyeBuyDirect, told Marketing Brew. “Dupe culture plays a critical role to shape people’s approach when they interact with online [stores].”

Read more here about how brands are engaging with the trend.—JN

Marcello Hernández doesn’t normally wake up before 2pm, at least not according to his mom. But for T-Mobile, the SNL star was on stage bright and early—though with sunglasses firmly on.

On Tuesday, the telecom made its second-ever appearance at NewFronts to announce new data-backed advertising solutions from its advertising arm, T-Mobile Advertising Solutions (T-Ads), and Hernández and his mother, Isabel Cancela, who star in a T-Mobile ad spot as part of a partnership with the brand, teed off the morning presentation. After Hernández spoke about his personal connection to T-Mobile, execs segued into how they plan to deepen marketing connections with a new collection of ad offerings, including highlights on its lifestyle app, expanded in-store retail media opportunities, and AI-powered data analysis.

“We’ve created this very compelling suite of solutions across app ecosystems,” JP Colaco, SVP and chief T-Ads officer, told Marketing Brew. “Because of the unique data that we have and the ability to apply that data to your marketing campaigns, we can provide atypically high results for marketers across the group.”

Read more here about T-Mobile’s pitch to advertisers this week.—JN

Alongside the well-dressed execs who appeared onstage at the Tubi NewFront presentation in New York on Tuesday was TikTok star Noah Beck.

Beck joined Tubi to hype up the upcoming original movie he’s starring in for the streamer, Sidelined 2: Intercepted, the sequel to Sidelined: The QB and Me, which premiered on the streamer in November, and is part of the Fox-owned streamer’s growing slate of original content. Tubi also held a panel featuring young creators creating long-form content for the streamer through its Stubios program.

As it highlighted several new ad products tailored to specific advertising verticals, Tubi execs doubled down on the message that it’s a platform for reaching younger audiences.

“Whether they’re tuning into a shoppable red carpet at the Super Bowl or flocking to a Wattpad-inspired original, we get the next generation,” Tubi CEO Anjali Sud said onstage.

Continue reading here about Tubi’s pitch to advertisers.—JS

Marketing news moves fast—luckily for you, The Refill is faster. Check out the audio recap of the latest Marketing Brew stories, narrated by AI and backed by your favorite industry reporters. This week’s episode covers topics such as upfronts and NewFronts, tariffs, and a New York Liberty brand partnership.

Listen to new episodes every Thursday, wherever you chose to listen.

Stories we’re jealous of.

• The Cut wrote about the sameness of the “West Village Girl,” including her shopping habits, and how it’s reshaping one of NYC’s most historic neighborhoods.
• The New York Times Magazine wrote about the societal implications of the decision to make so many AI-generated voices feminine.
• ModernRetail wrote about how consumers are increasingly looking at—but not necessarily buying—products that are “Made in America.”