This month, we've been exploring what authenticity really means for brands, whether employees should have to declare their promotional posts as advertising, and why jumping on the latest social media trend isn't always a good idea.
There was plenty happening beyond our screens, too. From bringing California Walnuts to life with Sorted Food and heading out to California to experience the walnut harvest first-hand, to catching up with the organic food industry at the Barbican.
Here's a selection of the stories, perspectives and projects that caught our attention during October.
Maddie on AI slop and why the human touch still matters
LinkedIn has quietly introduced what might be my favourite new feature.....
You can now flag a post as "Seems like AI slop." 😂 You know the one's.
"Here are 7 things my toddler taught me about the B2B sales."
"I failed. And then I realised failure was actually my greatest strength."
And of course, the suspiciously long dash.
But jokes aside, I actually think there's something quite interesting about LinkedIn introducing this. It's not an anti-AI button. LinkedIn is specifically targeting low-effort, generic content that lacks an actual point of view. Which feels like quite an important distinction.
At Ceres PR, we very much treat AI like a sandwich: human, AI, human 🥪.
Start with your own idea, use AI to help edit, brainstorm or challenge your thinking, then put the human back in before it goes anywhere near publish.
Anyway, thoughts and prayers for the 'LinkedIn thought leaders', it's going to be a tough week.
Read Maddie's original LinkedIn post
Ceres on putting California Walnuts to the test with Sorted Food
How do you get people to think differently about an ingredient they already know?
That was the challenge behind our latest work for California Walnuts UK, teaming up with Sorted Food on a new YouTube video designed to show walnuts in a more modern, unexpected and entertaining way.
The aim was to move beyond some of the more familiar ways people think about walnuts and show just how much potential they have across different dishes, cuisines and occasions. And to do it all through content people would genuinely want to watch.
Members of the Sorted Food community arrived at the studio expecting to taste-test a few recipes. What they didn’t know was that they were actually taking part in a game, with increasingly unexpected walnut dishes, hidden challenges and a pretty incredible prize waiting at the end.
Chef Robert Danhi joined the Sorted team to bring some serious walnut know-how, from walnut cream to simple ingredient swaps that make walnuts an easy addition to everyday cooking.
The result is a brilliant mix of genuine reactions, entertainment, and practical food inspiration, with the California Walnuts story naturally included as part of the fun.
A brilliant project for the Ceres team to be part of from start to finish, and one we’re very excited to finally see out in the world.
Watch the full video here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eyWSAsD2
Read Ceres' original LinkedIn post
Naomi on why brands need to find their own version of authentic
Marks and Spencer’s Kathryn Turner has got a lot of people talking about the role of brand spokespeople on social media. But what happens when other brands try to recreate that success?
Iceland Foods has recently put its frozen food director, Lauren Metcalfe, in the spotlight, with a format that draws obvious comparisons to Kathryn. And the response has been mixed, including some pretty personal comments directed at Lauren.
It does raise a question for those of us working in comms; are brands really looking at why Kathryn works, or simply trying to recreate the format?
Her success isn't just about putting a senior food executive in front of a camera. It's her personality, her knowledge, her genuine enthusiasm for the products and the team supporting her behind the scenes.
I also read a interesting post from Desola F. that raised another important point. When brands encourage employees to put themselves in the spotlight, what happens when the audience reaction becomes personal?
It's something we perhaps don't talk about enough. Who is looking after those employees, managing the comments and making sure they feel supported? It's a real reminder that employee-generated content needs to involve more than just the marketing team.
Perhaps the lesson isn’t that every food brand needs its own Kathryn Turner, but that every brand needs to find its own version of authentic.
There's a difference between learning from what works and trying to copy it.
Read Naomi's original LinkedIn post
Maddie on whether employee-generated content should carry an #ad
Should employees have to put #ad on posts promoting the company they work for? 👀
I've spoken before about Kathryn Turner and the incredible success she's having on social media for Marks and Spencer. And I think she's a brilliant example of employee-generated content done well.
But I've recently seen a debate that made me think about it a little differently.
In 2024, Grace Beverley had an ASA ruling upheld over posts promoting her own brand, TALA, without making it sufficiently clear they were ads. The ASA considered her role as a founder, director, AND paid employee when assessing the posts.
It made me wonder how the same principles apply to the growing number of employees becoming the public face of the brands they work for.
Both have a commercial relationship with the businesses they're talking about. Both are passionate about their products. And both have built audiences who genuinely want to hear what they have to say. Of course, there are differences between the two, and whether an individual post needs an ad label depends on its content and context.
But it raises an interesting question about the rise of employee-generated content. We love EGC because it feels authentic. Less scripted, less salesy, more human.
But does that authenticity change how we perceive something that's ultimately promoting a business?
I'm a big fan of what Kathryn and M&S are doing, and I certainly wouldn't want brands to shy away from putting their people front and centre.
But as EGC becomes a bigger part of brands' marketing strategies, are we always clear enough about where genuine employee enthusiasm ends, and advertising begins?
We've just explored the rise of EGC and what brands can learn from Kathryn Turner's success in our latest Ceres PR article, here -> https://shorturl.at/kmYNI
⁉️Debate below: If influencers have to declare #ad, should employees too? I'm interested to hear what you all think, because I can see both sides of this one! 👀
Read Maddie's original LinkedIn post
Ceres on renewed optimism for the organic food sector
There's something rather wonderful about the Barbican Centre.
Big, bold and unapologetically brutalist, yet somehow peaceful and reassuring once you're inside. It's been a while since our Kathryn last visited, and she'd forgotten quite how impressive it is!
A fitting setting for this year's Soil Association Organic Trade Conference, which brought together people from across the organic food and farming industry to talk about the opportunities and challenges ahead.
And there was plenty to feel positive about, not least the launch of the government's new Organic Action Plan for England, which seemed to give everyone a welcome spring in their step.
But as ever, one of the best parts of attending events like this is catching up with people.
It was lovely to catch up with clients Tracy Kane from Community Foods Ltd and Clare Marriage and Thomas Barkholt from Doves Farm Foods Ltd , as well as fellow PR and all-time superstar Liz Williams. Sadly, Kathryn missed Liz's session, although we're sure she smashed it!
A good day of conversations, connections and renewed optimism for the organic sector.
And we're glad Kathryn captured the Barbican Conservatory in all its glory, ahead of a major three-year restoration project expected to begin in early 2027! 🌿
Read Ceres' original LinkedIn post
James on experiencing the California walnut harvest first-hand
Not every day your commute to work takes you to a walnut orchard in California…
Feeling very blessed to have had the opportunity to join the California Walnuts Global Media Harvest Tour 2026 earlier this month! Having worked on California Walnuts UK for over a year now, it was amazing to finally see where it all begins, from walking through the orchards and watching the harvest in action to learning about the whole process of getting walnuts from tree to table.
A real highlight was meeting the growers and hearing first-hand about their passion for farming, sustainability and everything that goes into producing California Walnuts. Safe to say I've come back with a whole new appreciation for walnuts! A big thank you to Rachel Blaine too for such an interesting talk on walnuts and their health benefits (I've been convincing everyone I know to eat a handful a day 😆).
Another highlight was getting to spend time with Jack Munn, Sophie Gastman RNutr, and Mary Comber, who I learnt so much from throughout the trip! It was also so lovely getting to know everyone from the different markets around the world, hearing about their experiences and the work they do. 😊
A huge thank you to Pamela Graviet, Samantha Avina and Sunny Porter, MBA and the wider California Walnuts team for putting together such an incredible experience. It was so lovely to finally meet you all in person!
And of course, in between all things walnuts, there was plenty of time to explore San Francisco, enjoy some amazing food and experience California life ☀️
Lastly, a big thank you to Kathryn, Emily and everyone at Ceres PR for giving me this opportunity.
I've come home feeling inspired, full of new knowledge and with some amazing memories. Definitely a trip I won't forget! 🙌🏽
Read James's original LinkedIn post
Naomi on why everything is suddenly being 'maxxed'
First we were all 'in our era'. Now we're apparently maxxing absolutely everything!
Dictionary.com has named 'maxxing' its Word of the Year for 2026, and I can't stop seeing it.
Sleepmaxxing, fibremaxxing, proteinmaxxing, nonnamaxxing, hiremaxxing, luckmaxxing, and even poopmaxxing. Yes, really!
And this weekend The Guardian published a piece on veg-maxxing. Which, as far as I can tell, is eating more vegetables. Whatever happened to just having your five a day?
Interestingly, Google Trends data shows that some of the leading related searches are 'maxxing meaning' and 'what is maxxing'.
So apparently we're all maxxing, even if we're still Googling what it means.
Every generation brings its own expressions and humour, and social media has made the whole process faster, funnier and sometimes completely baffling.
But you can almost hear the marketing brainstorms starting: "How can we get involved in maxxing? What's our brand's maxxing moment? Can we make a campaign out of it?".
There's absolutely a place for brands in cultural conversations. Some do it brilliantly, but others arrive late to the party, try a little too hard and make everyone feel slightly uncomfortable.
Just because you can stick 'maxxing' on the end of something doesn't mean you should. And it certainly doesn't make it a brand opportunity.
Besides, by the time you've organised a meeting to discuss jumping on a trend, hasn't the moment probably passed?
Read Naomi's original LinkedIn post
We'll be back with the next edition of The Ceres Edit, bringing together more of the ideas, insights and conversations shaping our thinking at Ceres.
