Toilets are the new wellness trend to watch

Plus: Hotels are offering psychiatry, non-alc + tennis could be big, and elders are getting into good design.

Hi,

This week’s letter is coming to you late from a delayed train in Italy—it’s good to be home! For a minute. Next week there will be no letter for the first time since starting. I’m turning 40 (hooray? gasp? both?) and turning off my phone for 5 days (definitely yay).

Thanks again to all of you who have tagged me on LinkedIn as a letter to read. It’s very kind and much appreciated.

If you only read one thing in this letter I recco: TOILET-DERIVED DATA—fascinating.

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

ELDER CARE JUST GOT SEXY // Remsen is a new line of design-forward ‘objects’ for aging. There’s an enormous number of folx entering an era that will require ‘objects’ like these but who have zero interest in making their homes feel like a hospital. Watch this space. Serious question: Should I make a Gen-X / Silver Gen category for the letter? 

HOME IS WHERE THE BRAND IS // Sephora is now selling Canopy humidifiers and shower heads, diversifying into ‘home’. Zara Home is bigger than ever. Just about every brand you know launched a candle this year. Fancy tableware is all over my feed. It’s not 2020’s homesteading vibes. This is more affordable-yet-indulgent vibes.

F&B

OH, BABY, THAT’S NOT GOOD -> The Hustle // The WHO recently announced that ~57% of US baby foods failed to meet nutritional standards. ~44% had too much sugar, and ~70% missed protein percentages. Nearly all used “misleading” marketing terms. Opportunity here for sure. As a side note, more brands would win if they just put nutritional info in one spot on the front of the box. Label reading in-aisle and online is zero fun.

GOOD MOVES -> The Hustle // 87% of Americans have ordered pizza during a move, and 79% admitted to eating it on the floor. Or so say Pizza Hut. And they want to help. This week they launched a limited-edition pizza box that turns into a table. I do love stuff like this. But take a look at the hero image, clearly, they should have partnered with a wine brand to make this even bigger. 

DEAD COOL CASKET // Liquid Death loves a stunt (and so does their audience). This week they launched a single cooler, shaped as a casket, in collaboration with Yeti. They auctioned it off for $68,200.

DRUGS

MOOD DRINKS // The former co-founder of Boisson has a new store concept: bardelia. This time, it “isn't focused just on alcohol replacement but [on becoming] the place that you go to find a drink that matches your mood. It could be cannabis, adaptogens, nootropics, or a whole host of other alternatives that are coming down the line.“ The widening of the category is interesting.

DRUNK ON TENNIS // The internet is obsessed with the US Open Honey Deuces. The cocktail generates enough money to cover the prize for the men’s and women’s singles champions. A signature drink for an event of this scale is pretty genius. That said, tennis is struggling with drunk fans. Next year is a big opportunity for a non-alc brand to move in with an N/A drink of the season.

RETAIL

GETTING PAPPED IS THE NEW UNBOXING -> Retail Diary // Coach is taking notes on Ugg’s playbook. The brand has been seeding its Brooklyn bag with celebrities and getting beautiful paparazzi shots that feel natural. 

THE MODERN HEIRLOOM -> Magasin // Magasin referred to these Goods by Laura Chautin as “the vanguard of what will be Zillenial heirlooms” that might replace crystal classics. Perhaps, but if you’ve been a reader here for a minute, you know Christofle recently refreshed. Italian home goods brand Ginori 1735 went through a revamp. True ‘heirloom brands’ could be ready for a moment. That said, Baccarat doesn’t feel nearly as fresh—yet.

TECH

REGULATIONS IN THE WATER -> The Information // California will likely pass SB 1047. If so, developers will have to monitor what their customers do with their AI to ensure it does not cause harm. Expect AI tools to start charging more.

AI ARTISTS WANTED // Open AI is hiring a community manager for visual arts. The person hiring has quite the pedigree and a history of working with cool artists (RIP Pop-Up Magazine). Meta’s Open Arts program used to be good. They got downsized. Maybe OpenAI can steal the name and the mantle.

AUTO, TECH, BOTH? // Auto companies are shifting from vehicle sales to service sales. Tesla has led the way with their chargers and insurance program. Ford recently hired an ex-Tesla, ex-Apple CTO. Expect to see a lot of marketing around ‘personalization’ in auto real soon.

SPORT

PARALYMPICS FIGHTING FOR PARITY // This year’s best Paralympics campaigns like Nike’s ‘Winning is Winning’ and Channel 4’s ‘Considering What’, are focused on dispelling tropes. Yet, this portion of the games hasn’t had the collective interest I’d hoped for. Consider this a call to action for LA28.

STRONG & BEAUTY // Sports Illustrated read the room and put Ilona Maher on their September cover. I adore seeing this lady’s rise to fame The comment section and I were in love with it. This was my favorite:

WELLNESS

BIG HAIR & BOTOX -> Feed Me //

Emily Sundberg

had a fun deep dive on the rise of hair loss clinics and hair loss treatments this week. The most interesting bit, besides all the great examples, was this: “these male-focused clinics might also become a space for other aesthetic procedures like Botox and filler for men.” Men’s ‘self-care’ has long been ‘coming’ but 2025 really could be it.  

TOILET-DERIVED DATA // According to

Snaxshot

(whose track record is unmatched) your pee is about to be a big wellness trend. Brands like Throne Science, Withing, and Vivoo are using your toilet to track everything from hydration levels to gut health. As Andrea says: “urine is the new blood” and the next big biometric to determine wellness.”

TRAVEL

HOME IS WHERE THE BOAT IS // The World is the world’s only residential cruise ship (currently). Apartments onboard sell for $2.4m to $15m + maintenance. The boat even has its own democracy, with residents voting on destinations each year. Many Gen-X / Silver Gens want to keep traveling as they age but find it harder. Versions of this could become more popular. If you’ve seen the cost of senior living, these prices aren’t as insane as they sound.

HOSPITALITY WITH A SIDE OF PSYCHIATRY -> FOUND LA // Sensei Porcupine Creek is a new hotel near Palm Springs. Their specialty, beyond the standard golf and tennis fare, is wellness. Most interesting is the in-house psychologist that specializes in “unwinding deep-rooted habits and re-wiring oneself”. Specialized amenities are in!

AIRPORT LOUNGE UPGRADE -> FOUND LA // PS is a new company is essentially a private 1st class lounge. Currently, in ATL and LAX, PS guests get “a back door to commercial aircraft, private TSA and Customs clearance, luxury private suites” for waiting solo or with up to 3 friends and white-glove service before and after your flight—sounds nice.

FUN FOR THE WEEK

• I love this campaign and desperately want a period brand to collaborate. 

• Naomi Osaka’s US Open outfit was amazing.

• This Paralympian is going viral.

• Dad sneakers but make them $1000. 

• Aman made Novak a wellness ambassador and will have programs designed by the athlete. The comment section was, unsurprisingly, very divided.

• Australia is the latest country to institute a new “right to disconnect” law protecting employees on the weekend/evenings.

• Sezane is the latest brand to launch a kids line—it’s out today.  

• This Italian beach meal situation feels like a brand opportunity. A tableware company needs to get in on this.

• On made a ‘Clubhouse’ for the US Open that was part tennis, part dance club.  

• DVF operations are coming back in house to try to make a comeback—I like this move.

• Resale marketplaces are benefiting from GLP-1 drugs—called this a while back. 

• Only 3% of consumers believe corporations put their customers' needs front and center—not great.

• Charli XCX is performing at the H&M AW’24 party in London. Quite the headliner for a seasonal celebration. 

• Liked this from Stratscaps this week:

  

• EPR laws are coming into effect in several states soon-ish. If you’re +$2M/year, it’s time you have a fully recyclable or compostable single-use-plastics plan. Zipper, can, lid and all.

• Love this Hermes process video.

• Sober Curious in Emily in a Paris. We’re beyond mainstream now. 

• If you want a little industry humor, this made me laugh.

• If AI humor is more your speed—later legacies made me giggle.

• Hyundai released a concept vintage-inspired electric car. Love.

• This Sandro post is fun and funny in the right way for the brand. 

• Low waste, 3D printed milk anyone? 

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.