New Balance's pop-up had no photo-opps. So brilliant.
Plus: AI will force us to take new classes, and 'skin deep' has a new meaning.
Morning,
Stoked to be back to a regular edition. Thank you for the love on the NYC TOUR special. Some of you kindly shared it with a few of the businesses. Whoever you are, thank you!
If you only read one thing in this letter I recco: SILVERS, ALPHAS AND Z’S.
And, because I’m a link hoarder and didn’t have a FUN FOR THE WEEK last week, this week’s is extra long, it will get cut off. More to discover after the cut off. Enjoy!
As always, the lens of this letter is a best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What I’m dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands.
Let’s dive in!
CULTURE
ORGANIZED BY AI // Jasmine Bina, the founder of Exposure Therapy, posted this HBR chart that shows how AI is being used now compared to last year. ‘Therapy and Companionship’ is now 1st. ‘Organizing Your Life’ is 2nd. I have dozens of friends using Chat for therapy (democratized access could be good, but the risks are evident), so this tracks. And many friends use Chat GPT to gameplan everything from planning a dinner party to job searches. But it was Matt Klein’s (
) comment on the post that stood out to me. “Our prioritization for hyper-convenience across everything, from food-delivery to dating, eliminates what we ironically need most. Slowness, nuance, face-to-face synchrony, uneasiness. Grit.” And if you ever listen to , you know this is true. Frustration tolerance is a high predictor of success (in kids and adults). I’m certain that as we navigate this world in the next 2-3 years, the most important ‘courses’ at schools will be about the ability to think, the ability to spot things that are different from patterns (something AI isn’t great at), and the ability to be deeply uncomfortable. A business reached out to me recently to craft a keynote teaching how I think—the appetite is already emerging.ONLY GOING SLOW // Speaking of slowness,
shared that Outline, a BK women’s store, is “scrapping their online operation in favor of a print catalog.” There’s a section to jot down your picks, and then you can call, email, or DM to order. Much like butlers are making a comeback for brands, the good old phone call is returning. is all in on Sinners—and the rest of the world agrees. People are applauding everything from how Ryan Coogler executed his contract to the collectible film strips (analog = theme!) viewers get if they see the movie at an IMAX 700MM theatre. The IMAX release was so popular, more dates got added. They sold out so quickly that it crashed AMC’s site. All I can say: movies aren’t dead. People want to gather. I’m jealous if you got a ticket. // There’s a pendulum swing underway. Something to counter the ‘ease’ of AI. is teasing Optimised To Death, a “limited-drop” essay with just 250 slots. Visa is introducing the “World Visa card” but only offering it if you get your irises scanned by Sam Altman’s venture, World. Venture capitalists are only going to micro-conferences that you need a referral to attend. Friction is in.F&B
’s latest post about service as ‘brand’ aligns so well with the best of the NYC tour experience we had (though none of them were fast-casual). What makes your brand great isn’t always the branding. In fast food, service is king. And yet, many brands are outsourcing this key brand moment to self-service kiosks. The irony is that these kiosks lead to deeper dissatisfaction, lower volume orders, and slower lines. I experienced this at a Dunkin’ in the JFK airport 2 weeks ago. The experience was a nail in the coffin. Interestingly, Starbucks is taking the exact opposite approach. If you’re (re)branding and are not thinking about this insight, hire better help. says Monster Energy is going MAHA. They are hiring a director of Health and Wellness. Andrea thinks ”creatine, matcha, L-theanine, collagen”, and “perhaps paraxanthine” infusions are on the horizon. Creatine is everywhere right now, used for muscle strength and even depression, so I’ll put my money there.DRUGS & BOOZE
THC DREAMS // The team behind Amass Gin, De Soi, and Good Twin has released a THC beverage brand, After Dream. And it contains L-theanine (lots of themes in this letter). THC beverage sales are such a big market, lawmakers in some states are having to play mediator and pass laws because dispensaries and liquor stores are squabbling.
SILVERS, ALPHAS & ZS
SILVER POTENTIAL // Silver consumers of all varieties have massive potential that many brands are missing. Yes, I love talking about how Silvers are different from how they once were. Take, for example, half the cast of White Lotus, many of whom are 50+ and being cast by brands lately as thirst traps to the delight of every generation. Or La Double J’s excellent Mother of the Bride edit that proves elders still have taste. But it’s also true, the number of elders moving into assisted living is also skyrocketing. It’s not all just new-age, travel-packed retirements. Elder care is also a forgotten space with huge opportunities, the expectations are evolving rapidly. Brands are slowly starting to take notice. Lego is proving very popular at senior living centers. This Michael Graves x Pottery Brand collection, which has ‘furniture surfing’ tools built in, and notches for CPAP machine tubes, is so smart. The ‘recovery’ industry is already booming and will only get bigger as the focus shifts from ‘aging’ to ‘longevity’. ‘Bladder Botox’ for incontinence is getting bigger. Solace, a company that finds (human) healthcare advocates to navigate illness and age-related health issues, is also interesting. There’s so much room for brands to play in the Silver space. Every brand should be leaning in.
ALPHA ZONES // Brand should also be looking at Alpha Zones (spaces made for Alphas.) A new brand, Moot, in the UK is a great new example. They’re building a “new model for youth hospitality”. Think of it as a members' club for teenagers. Parents foot the bill. Members can have guests, access to “unmissable events” and good tween F&B (like a cool Soho House for teens). Not only do teens want it, but parents are desperate for it. Tune in mid-week for more on this!
RETAIL
INTENTIONALLY BANANAS // On the pod this week, we discussed how the best brands we experienced on our GOOD THINKING NYC TOUR nailed intentionality. Every moment, from staffing to fitting areas to how you book, and yes, customer service (theme), was considered. Jacquemus is also ‘worldbuilding’ in a similar way. Brands today can’t just launch a product; they have to unfold it over months, with intentional brand moments that are way more considered than a few social ads.
LEANING FASHION // New Balance is leaning in hard to its fashion credibility lately—love it. They have a new collection in partnership with Miu Miu. Coco Gauff is the face. There are cool sport jackets and, of course, two-tone laced sneakers. They also made a really interesting London Marathon pop-up, which was a townhouse with “energy, recovery, and connection” spaces (yet another theme) and zero ‘photo walls’.
TECH
RETAIL FUTURE NOW -> SuperHuman // I said it would happen, and it did. Open AI released an update, “experimenting with making shopping simpler and faster to find, compare, and buy products in ChatGPT.” With direct links to buy. “The chatbot can now deliver shopping suggestions, links, and product reviews based on custom prompts, like “What’s the best espresso machine within X price range, and with Y features?” If you’re not upping your brand awareness game yet (which will be mission-critical in this era) and rethinking the role of your website, consider this wake-up call you need.
SPORT
BUSINESS WHATSAPP // Marc Andreesens is loving the group chat. But private chat isn’t just for organizing warfare, and planning ventures, or finding out where your kids' next soccer match will be. Now,
says you can join private chats with F1 drivers. The F1 partnership with WhatsApp has custom emoji cars, mini films, and more. WhatsApp partnering with F1 is smart. It’s huge right now. says, Rhode, Elemis, Charlotte Tilbury, Liquid I.V., and Rochas are all activating at the Formula 1 Miami. had a really fun piece on sports brands that booming in China. On, the running brand, is expected to have 100 Chinese locations by the end of 2026. Cycling is going from strength to strength, too. But most interesting was this: “The Greater Firewall shields [Chinese consumers] not just from the political content but industry-specific know-how. They are hungry for content that can better their performance and deepen their knowledge.” Opportunity awaits.[This letter is too long this week, I had a big backlog! Aiming for shorter next week. The rest of WELLNESS & BEAUTY, TRAVEL, and FUN FOR THE WEEK after the cut off.]
WELLNESS & BEAUTY
SKIN DEEP // L’Oreal is launching an at-home micro-needling device to help infuse serums deeper into the skin. MediCube also has a popular device called the Booster Pro that pushes serums deeper into the skin. The best facialists,
, are using microcurrent chainmail masks (yes, it was crazy and I loved it) to get product to go deeper. The meaning of ‘skin deep’ is changing. Expect more here. // Scientists are developing advanced tools, such as proteomic organ clocks, to track how specific organs age and predict disease onset more accurately. Doctors will soon be able to create individualized disease prevention plans. Despite government spending cuts, preventive medicine is alive and well.SMELL-O-VISION // Billie, the razor brand, created a scratch-and-sniff OOH campaign where users could walk up to the billboards and scratch to smell the new scents of their deodorants / body washes. The team told me the ads got over $4M impressions on the physical locations alone, which they amplified on social for more reach.
coined this ‘ads within ads’—genius. This falls right into the ‘brands misbehaving' trend. And Billie says we can expect to see more of it.TRAVEL
CRUISE EVOLUTION // Cruises are continuing to get cooler. I’m not a convert yet, but this Nile cruise is getting me close. Virgin Voyages is offering monthlong season passes for remote workers (I’d consider this), and Royal Caribbean is experimenting with “mini cruises” for people who only want a long weekend getaway.
BORDEAUX RECCS // While I was on vacation, I found some fun things. 1) This adorable slipper brand (adults and kids), Angarde. 2) This herbal remedy brand, Ballot Flurin, has fun things like cold elixirs and solid toothpaste bars 3) This graphic soap brand. 4) Some amazing hotels. I’ve also started saving my top travel recs to AmiGo because my Google Maps is becoming unhinged. I’m working on getting a code that allows me to have unlimited invites for you all. Will share more in the midweek letter.
FUN FOR THE WEEK
Love
’s insights from her quarterly trend report for paid readers. “Packaging functions less as marketing and more as an emotional artifact.” “Rural life is being reimagined not as a step down, but as a flex.” You should sub.Stagecoach had more fun than Coachella. This pop-up was cute.
Instagram's new feature “Blend" lets you and a friend see each other's reels.
Nintendo brought back Paul Rudd for a commercial 34 years later—fun.
MDRDV is building a pool in an old church. I want to go.
Khloé’s protein popcorn only has 3g more than standard popcorn, but it will sell.
Coffee Mate’s self-deprecating humor about its White Lotus products is well done.
Tinder’s trash truck for what your ex left behind is funny.
The Ordinary’s installation showcasing the money they saved from not using celebrities in ads is clever.
Funny to see Artizia x Sperry’s trying to steal MiuMiu's signature laces—but it did sell out.
Mark my words, by EOY, every brand will sell tablecloths.
People are liking this Air Jordan mini-movie.
Madewell launched a Substack. It’s tough to launch a ‘culture’ channel when you aren’t part of culture.
Corteiz did a pop-up at a school in NYC. Unsurprisingly, the turnout was wild.
This new karaoke lounge looks fun. Of course, it serves nuggets and caviar.
Love this insight by Genie Gurnani. Simple but on point.
Dr. Deejay posts for The North Face are fun.
I like this campaign identity for Nike Liverpool FC.
An architect made a map so you know which pubs have sunshine. Love.
Lego x Peter Cook x the Serpentine Gallery?! Sad I will miss this on my visit in June.
The Nude Project store in Madrid has some fun interactive moments.
Really into this Eliou x Crown Affair hair tie charm bar.
This Instagram Premium content from Oysho feels nice (a change for them)
The face of the Met Gala—wow. I’m excited for this year.
This is the next Fazzits. Will be huge for summer festivals.
I’m mildly obsessed with this duo and hoping a hotel brand works with them.
Watch this Ok Go video with robots. Beautiful. Fun.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is giving all of its 850 student-athletes influencer coaching.
This Belgian beer brand is cute.
Panera’s croissant clutch is fun. I don’t like the color, but that’s me.
The Lululemon tennis club is nice.
That’s all, folx.
-Chris
If you read this and liked it, that little heart is there for that. The algo and I appreciate it.
Brilliant and very interesting culture spotting.