SPILL accuses global ad agency 72andSunny of launching a UK Gen Z news platform that mirrors SPILL's name, branding, and audience. SPILL Chief Growth Officer Kenya T. Parham flagged the similarity on LinkedIn and presented screenshots after 72andSunny's announcement was deleted following heavy user backlash. Parham highlighted matching language such as "made for young people, by young people," "diverse perspectives," and the claim of building the platform "from scratch." Parham emphasized SPILL's July 2023 Apple App Store number-one ranking, Black-owned status, notable financial backing, and extensive media coverage.
On Aug. 21, SPILL Chief Growth Officer Kenya T. Parham called out 72andSunny on LinkedIn after the agency announced SPIL*, a Gen Z news platform in Europe, "built from scratch" by its Amsterdam team. The post was quickly deleted after SPILL users flooded the comments with backlash over the striking similarities, prompting Parham to slam the agency for what she called an "attempted theft." "They tried it, we clocked it, and instantly. And thank God the culture always keeps receipts," Parham said in a video explaining the controversy.
With video playing behind her, Parham showed 72andSunny's since-deleted post, which advertised SPIL* as a platform "made for young people, by young people" that offers "diverse perspectives" on today's news and information. "Interesting choice of words," Parham said, also noting their claim of building SPIL* "from scratch." She followed up by highlighting SPILL's 2023 launch and rapid rise as a successful Black-owned social media platform, which includes securing financial backing from notable figures such as Kerry Washington.
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