Happy Fourth of July weekend to my US readers and first Oasis concert weekend to my UK ones!
In this post Glastonbury return issue of Sunday Strategy, we look at four stories to think about next week, including: AI and Our Own Tastes, Climate Change & Modern Sport, Performative Reading and What US National Pride Looks Like.
In addition, we have ads from: Nike Football, Polaroid, Superman, IKEA Norway and PNC Bank.
// Stories of the Week:
1.) AI and the Increasing Power of Taste.
In a world of increasing AI generated content and creativity, what role can humans uniquely play? It might be found in our own personal taste and discretion. A recent MIT study has created news around the mental impact of AI use – highlighting that students who used AI to write essays showed less identification with their papers and less cognitive connection. While a causal relationship between effort and retention is to be expected, the wider cognitive implications have led to some ringing the alarm on the effects of AI use.
So is AI poised to offer us ease in return for our intellectual ownership and unique thought? Or is there a balance to be found in how we can collaborate with machines? The answer may come from recognizing the power of individual taste, aptly described by the Atlantic as ‘judgement with style’. Similar to how producer Rick Rubin describes his creative process, where hard skills are limited but taste is decisive – our defensible value may come from how we pull intangibles together to edit, re-arrange and remix. Similar to creative direction, Rubin may not have created his songs, but his stamp and ownership is clear due to applying taste. In a world of limitless generativity, being the guardian of the ‘intention’ behind the content may be our most valuable role.
2.) Climate Change Takes the Field.
Sport is often claimed to be a form of escapism, but recent news from sporting events like Wimbledon and the FIFA Club World Cup have made climate change news inescapable. With news that next year’s World Cup final is considered to start at 9am due to heat and Wimbledon players giving out water to spectators due to temperatures, climate change has taken center stage in sport.
As night time marathons increase and FIFA’s Club World Cup suffered significant delays due to extreme weather, changes in sport mirror changes in the wider environment they’re played in. While 85% of athletes recently said that athletics has been affected by climate change, the open question is climate’s impact on sport will drive spectators to also think differently about the issue?
3.) When Does Reading Become “Performative”?
Is it ok to read the ‘Infinite Jest’ in public? Social media has honed in on ‘performative readers’, who are accused of reading titles in public for their appearance vs. their content. While Pynchon is easy to pick on (I lost a copy right after buying it in a cab and assumed it was a sign to give it a pass – sorry if you’re reading Thomas), it highlights a wider shift from an age of celebrating reading on social accounts like ‘Hot Dudes Reading’ to public shaming. However, with almost half of America reportedly not reading a book in the last year and 40% of Brits saying the same, is even ‘performative’ reading something we should be holding on to?
// Chart of the Week: What Does American Pride Look Like?
As the Fourth of July comes during a time of crisis and hyperpolarization in the US, how do Americans feel about their country, state or hometown?
Gallup recently reported a decrease in national pride but there may be more to the shift at a community level. YouGov has explored this in their latest research, showing that people feel more connected to their communities than they do their country. Overall, 47% of Americans surveyed were ‘somewhat or very’ proud of their country vs. 58% for their state and 64% for their hometown. City pride didn’t change massively between city dwellers or rural dwellers either (as shown above), with local connections generating a sense of place that the nation currently lacks.
// Ads You Might Have Missed:
1.) ‘Scary Good’ – Nike Football:
Nike Football’s new campaign rolls out a brand position that’s as much about terrifying your opponents as winning. “Scary Good” uses Alexia Putellas, Kylian Mbappé, Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Giulia Gwinn, Erling Haaland, Kerolin, Sam Kerr, Cole Palmer, Salma Paralluelo and Vini Jr as athletes so good, they don’t just score, they terrify with their skills. While the campaign hero video is part anonymous internet video and part athlete vignette, each star also receives different specific ads.
From a law firm ad targeting those embarrassed by Cole Palmer to a ‘Celebrity Deathmatch’ style Erling Haaland video, a crime noir Kylian Mbappe horror story and a fortune teller ad for Alexia Putellas, the campaign is deep in internet culture and player fandoms. Each video is built to work independently around a different fan base and format, while all delivering the fear skill can create on the pitch. It also continues a shift for the brand, away from the aspiration to feel victory yourself, through years of player debate, to a more hard nosed view of vicariously celebrating how your favorites win.
2.) ‘The Camera for an Analog Life’ – Polaroid:
Instant camera brand Polaroid’s latest campaign for its new ‘Flip’ camera takes digital photography head on. ‘The Camera for an Analog Life’ features OOH ads across New York city that extoll the virtues of actual photos vs. social media and smart phone pictures. Polaroid doesn’t have much of a choice but to fight smart phones, as its ‘Flip’ camera weighs 1.4lbs and wouldn’t fit in any pockets. However, while the campaign taps into both nostalgia, similar to Kodak’s unlikely resurgence, and a desire for a less connected life, does the brand fall into the trap of ‘or’ instead of ‘and’?
Anti-smartphone and social media campaigns run a risk of tapping into angst around these devices, without recognizing that many consumers still begrudgingly use both. In positioning the Polaroid as an alternative to our more convenient phones, it may pick a fight it can’t win – generating head nods with its copy over sales and camera swaps. Would carving out a specific occasion vs. smart phones have been more probable vs. going for it all?
3.) ‘Look Up There!’ – Superman:
DC’s new relaunch of the Superman franchise is about to arrive and to promote it, the studio has put the titular character out into the real world in a unique way – as an 11ft tall Superman has been placed ‘hovering’ on top of London’s Shard tower. Similar to previous OOH stunts from Barbie, Mission Impossible and Ghost Busters, the activation underscores the ability of OOH to tie the fictional and real world together. It also gets us to look up and wonder, if that could just be a bird or a plane?
4.) ‘Made for Life’ – IKEA Norway:
IKEA has embedded itself in daily life and living for years, but often the brand has been focused more on the ‘wonderful everyday’ vs. the full spectrum of life’s moments. IKEA Norway’s new campaign ‘Made for Life’ turns into new territory for the brand in a series of ads that tackle everything from toddler’s wasted meals through to the grief of a lost partner and infertility, all while still hero’ing a product.
While an affordable retailer’s shift to some of the largest issues we may face as people is risky, it shows a realism that many brands pay lip service to but don’t engage with. The objects they sell, regardless of price point, are witnesses to good and bad aspects of our life – so the potential to talk about both is a bold choice, though the price point alongside larger issues is still an open question for me personally.
5.) ‘Naming Rights’ – PNC Bank:
Strange times can make even the most outlandish things seem possible – something PNC bank’s latest ads highlight when it comes to the cost of parenthood and children’s education. In ‘Naming Rights’ PNC Bank talks about absurd money moves through parents giving up their children’s ‘naming rights’ to local businesses.
While NIL deals for college athletes haven’t made it this far, ‘Kool-Aid’ McKinstry’s partnership with the similarly named beverage brand wasn’t planned that far in advance, the ads do reflect a time where extreme measures to ensure financial security feel more appropriate than before.
// Sunday Snippets
// Marketing & Advertising //
// Clean Creatives released their ‘Off Ramp’ report, laying out a case for agencies to abandon fossil fuel brands [Environment]
// LIONS has released an AI tool built on top of their database of awards submissions, contagious pieces and WARC articles [AI]
// BBC Creative takes claymation to the pitch for their Women’s Euro tournament creative [Ads]
// Burberry’s leadership wants to take it back to its British roots [Fashion]
// Hot Sauce brand Texas Pete introduces the ‘Yeehaw Straw’ – a spiced straw to add kick to any beverage [Products]
// Snack brand Goldfish aims to be the snack of roadtrips with its ‘Goldfish retrieval service’ – a branded carwash aiming to clean and replenish Goldfish on roadtrips [Brands]
// Lululemon takes Costco to court over claims of product ‘dupes’ [Fashion]
// Not everyone is fan of US folksy restaurant brand ‘Cracker Barrel’s modern ‘glow up’ [Brands]
// To celebrate its 25th anniversary, JetBlue is challenging travellers to hit 25 destinations by the end of 2025 [Ads]
// Technology & Media //
// New IPA Touchpoints data shows that more Brits spend time on their mobiles than in front of the TV set [Media]
// H&M celebrates the success of the their branded playlist on Spotify, now the most popular organic branded playlist on the platform [Media]
// Would you let a dating app match you based on your browsing history? [Social Media]
// The AI vs creative conflict has come to the voiceover and dubbing industries [AI]
// How do we deal with “alert fatigue” on our phones? [Media]
// Apple is introducing a family safety feature to pause Face Time calls when nudity is detected [Technology]
// Americans will do anything but pay for news according to new Pew Research [Research]
// The ‘Princess Treatment’ trend has sparked debate on whether its harmless or fuel of misogyny [Social Media]
// Life & Culture //
// Move over ‘Brat Summer’, ‘Vow of Silence Summer’ is now here as Gen Z women are reportedly booking stays in convents in increasing numbers [Culture]
// SF employers are hiring etiquette coaches for Gen Z employees [Work]
// A generation having reportedly less sex is still shifting attitudes towards it [Sexuality]
// The big draw of tiny Kei cars in the US [Auto]
// Inside the Hampton’s ‘elite’ fitness scene [Fitness]
// TikTokers are using makeup to ‘fake’ sun damage and tan lines [Fashion]
// With changing weather, should Britain acknowledge its new status as a ‘hot country’ [Environment]
// Delta has begun trialling ‘last mile’ private jet travel in Europe this summer [Travel]
// As Oasis tour starts, UK brands like Gregg’s and LIDL have gone all in [Music]
// Inside San Francisco’s sold out ‘Baby Rave’ [Music]
// Inside the rise of ‘Listening Bars’ [Nightlife]
// Until Next Sunday
As always, let me know what you think by email (dubose@newclassic.agency), on our website or on LinkedIn.You can also listen to an audio summary and discussion of each week’s newsletter on Spotify. We’re also on TikTok!
