#05: Stephen Curry, Circular Economy & Nike
Kanye’s anti-zeitgeist new album. The Argos catalog archives. The latest NYT piece condemning the advertising industry. Kylie Jenner trademarks “Rise and Shine”. Jane Fonda accepts a BAFTA while being arrested. When so much happens in a week, the challenge is to not let the criteria of what is relevant/interesting/useful expand uncontrollably. Here are a few highlights, and get ready for a *long* list of extra links at the end of this post.
⚡️Fast culture (something popular/trendy this week)
Gradient is a celebrity look-alike app that has gone viral in a similar way as Faceapp did back in July. Endorsed by the Kardashian family, people were quick to download the app and share their results online.
Even though the promise of the app was to find your celebrity look-alike, the app doesn’t really work: most results are ridiculous, which I think it’s what made it even more popular and encouraged social sharing for the lols. The app is also being blamed for scamming users - even though it can be used for free for three days, users are charged $19.99 a month to keep using the app, even if they’ve deleted it (most recent ratings of the app in the iOS app store are from users requesting their money back). This might become a new modus operandi from viral apps trying to make money off distracted consumers.
🌎Slow culture (change in behaviours or values in society)
Brands like Boohoo, Pretty Little Thing and Misguided are super popular with the environmentally-concerned younger generation, but fast fashion giants are also big polluters. Adidas has released a new service called “Infinite Play” to incentivise a circular economy. The video is a first-person appeal from young people to change their habits regarding throwing away clothes.
When I moved to the UK I was surprised to see that donating clothes isn’t normal practice - people usually resale their clothes or throw them away, ending up in landfills or ocean waste. With Infinite Play, you can trade-in your used clothes and receive an eGift Card for the value of the items to spend in the adidas shop. The brand picks up the items, cleans, repairs, resells them, or turns them into something new, owning the whole cycle. Adidas can invest in a programme like this, but I’d love to see a solution that brands can adopt, customise and deploy easily to make it available for more people.
🖌Unusual pattern (the relationship between the unrelated)
I learned last week that Stephen Curry, the NBA legend turned golf player, has signed a partnership with Callaway Golf. Celebrity endorsement deals are fairly standard but this one is different: it includes a commitment from the brand in creating strategies to grow golf participation in underserved communities.
Curry will fund Howard University’s men's and women's golf programs for the next six years, and Callaway will be the official golf equipment provider for it. They have committed to partnering on various initiatives Curry will undertake with a strong focus on expanding the game by making it more accessible to underserved and underrepresented youth.
This is a good example of celebrity endorsements evolving into something that goes beyond a name stamped on an ad. His unique approach of negotiating community relations into his deal acknowledges that he is a brand with purpose and influence beyond sports, and helps the brand get involved in projects that otherwise would be deemed unauthentic.
🎯Cultural insight (the insight from culture behind an advert)
Weiden+Kennedy and Nike are back with another City Manifesto. They did it with Nothing Beats a Londoner and now they’ve written an ode to the city of Chicago.
They’ve done a marvellous job of encapsulating the city, the culture, the spirit while showcasing their athletes. The tradition of the Chicago Hot Dog is the vehicle to communicate all that makes this city unique: extra heart, tough, and with a dash of swagger. The order-caller at the diner makes the perfect narrator, he’s seen it all and experienced it all, with the highs and lows of the city, and is part of history in the making. I can’t wait to see what other cities will get the Nike and W+K treatment.
🕶 Bonus track
TikTok of the week: College football is very popular in the US, and this video from the Lousiana State University shows an epic entrance to the football field from a parachute. This type of content is ideal for TikTok, as many Universities are using it to recruit students, showcase the culture and engage with current students.
Extra links:
What makes an ad iconic? They tap into a cultural tension. Here are some iconic ad campaigns, recalled by creatives who made them
BBH back it at with a fantastic article on strategy paradoxes for 2020
When catchphrases become bigger than the ad and penetrate culture
The PR strategy behind that Tory Comic Sans tweet
Oh, how things change: The Company That Branded Your Millennial Life Is Pivoting To Burnout
The music industry is relentless and only the most creative succeed - Selena Gomez and Coldplay: How two music releases reflect a changing industry
The Outline again with incredible cultural analysis: It’s all reality TV on the internet
Some really good points about how company culture is not easy to copy on Ten Cultural Fallacies we must stop
The word “bitch” is back in a big way, we can thank Lizzo for that.
Steal her look: Felicity Hoffman in prison
Under digital surveillance: how American schools spy on millions of kids
Thanks so much for reading, and if you want to share any thoughts on this week’s edition, just hit reply to this email and I’ll get back to you, or connect with me on Twitter.
Flo
Cultural Patterns is a newsletter by Florencia Lujani about cultural insight, creativity and strategy. If you’ve enjoyed it, consider subscribing :)