Hey all,
This is my email of things found over the last month of interesting reads/ listens/ watches. Sorry, it’s a little late - I took a little trip.
Since my last Cultural Current post on Nostal-ugh, there has been a lot of talk on the subject.
Last week Ana Anjalic explored how brands exploit time to make money. “For all the freshness of their cultural output, creators don’t make much new. Like brands, they turn to mining the past. Their actual output is interpretation and recombination. Being a Renaissance woman or man these days is a matter of necessity: to stay relevant, creators need to keep riffing.”
Ad Age reported 3 powerful nostalgia strategies to connect with consumers.
And I found OldWeb.Today a site that houses an emulator that connects to the Internet Archive’s record of websites, providing a full computing experience of the World Wide Web of three decades ago.
A brand that has nailed how to do Nostalgia is Loewe, where Dan Levy and Aubrey Plaza star in DECADES OF CONFUSION. Chefs kiss.
For those who haven’t yet hit the paid subscription button and read the whole piece, I have opened up the long-form read so you can read what you missed.
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Piper Sandler released their 47th Semi-Annual Taking Stock With US Teens Survey. I wonder how useful these reports are. In short, spending is up, Nike is still top (ish), and their path to purchase is a winding one, there is an infinite loop of inspiration, exploration, community, and loyalty. All things we already knew…?
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt released a book (I am yet to read) The Anxious Generation, that has caused quite a stir on the internet. He believes that “smartphones are causing Gen Z to drop out of life - he argues that between 2010 and 2015, adolescent life was rewired.” The Atlantic
DCDX released the “Pursuit of Unplugging report” on Gen Z. 57% of Gen Z’rs need to be physically separated from their phones to unplug.
They might struggle with their tech, but positively teenage girls are getting seriously into wrestling. It is the fastest-growing sport in US high schools. AP News
More sports - I loved this piece of content by Place Magazine. SPOTS: A Research Piece On Modern Street Skating. Excellent. YouTube
Growing wealth inequality between thirtysomethings could soon displace tensions between young and old. This is a data-heavy piece but an important read. FT
Following Matches liquidation, they are trying to shift the last of their product on Walmart… Yes, this is real you can buy Khaite on there right now - I am not sure how these brands feel about being there. Walmart
LN-CC is back with a physical store and club space L8te and is proving the multi-brand experience isn’t dead. Vogue Business That’s partly because ‘going shopping’ is due a comeback. The Guardian
My favourite brand story of the month (maybe year), John Deere is hiring a Chief Tractor Officer to launch its TikTok channel and help reintroduce John Deere to Gen Z and young millennials. The lucky candidate will be paid $200k to interview tractor owners/ farmers and make content. Genius on all levels. Ad Age
Could a video game win a Nobel Prize? Why not, a song can. The Conversation
James Blake announced a partnership with artist-to-fan startup VAULT.FM, where artists set their music prices via subscription. Blake, the platform’s first artist, offered three unreleased demos for $5 monthly. This opposes the current streaming model paying around $0.003 per stream. Variety
A really interesting theory - memes have changed the way we categorise music. A music compass made by the user @soundgeist is diagnosing us all. Listening to Fiona Apple makes you a Femcel, The Smiths might make you an incel. Dazed
I’m kinda a bit obsessed with Fetico a brand who are redefining sexiness in Japan. Vogue Business
A substack you should very much be following - Sota. Their recent essential guide to brand universes is an essential read.
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Paying subscribers, you will receive my thought piece on the shift in fandoms in two weeks.
For those who haven’t yet hit that paid button, I hope the last few months of thought pieces or curation of interesting links have persuaded you to type in that card number for next month.
Speak soon x