.idea / November 22, 2022
.idea / Thanksgiving!
The holiday season has arrived and brands are thirstier then ever to catch some of that inflation ignorance before it dissipates alongside our annual New Year reality checks.
Below are topics I found most interesting this week:
1. Ye takes matters into his own hands.
After resale platforms rejected goods related to the artist, Kanye decided to go rogue. Again. Threaducation posted a video of Kanye talking about how he is now planning a “sample sale” with archive hoodies from Yeezy, Balenciaga, Gap and adidas for just $20 each. In the video, he is shown saying:
“So what we do here is, I’ve cut up like 100 hoodies. From Yeezy, from Balenciaga, stuff we did with Gap, stuff we did with adidas, and everything we do is gonna cost $20. We need to make sure that everyone can receive the same level of cut, the same level of food, same level of water and the same level of education… we’re beings with engineering opportunities. We’re getting past the past. We’re focused on the future.”
Where I’m from, we call this a garage sale. Just sayin.
Related and potentially the catalyst for this move.
2. Bloomingdales launches virtual holiday experiences
The virtual department store will feature floors that can be accessed through the virtual elevator experience. Users can explore virtual brand experiences from Ralph Lauren (a virtual ski chalet - very chic), Chanel and Nespresso (a Parisian Cafe experience), as well as a beauty and spa room, and a party room.
This isn’t the first time Bloomingdales has played in the virtual space. In September, they partnered with the same company, Emperia, to create a virtual store experience surrounding New York’s Fall Fashion Week.
3. Pickle Ball is so hot it’s now inspiring fashion.
I don’t get it but I’m definitely into it.
4. Heinz finds a clever way to get the attention of restaurants.
Imagine getting a brief that asks you to get more restaurants to consider serving Heinz ketchup instead of another brand. Oof. That’s a juicy one.
Kudos to the team who uncovered the insight that while 77% of consumers say the prefer Heinz ketchup and feel disappointed when it’s not available where they’re eating, 44% also said they feel they have no control over this problem.
The solution? Leave a tip for Heinz.
Starting on November 30th, diners at restaurants will be able to leave a $1 “Tip for Heinz” on their receipt. To participate in the program, diners need to submit a photo of their receipt through a landing page, or by sharing it on Twitter or Instagram with #TipforHeinz and #sweepstakes hashtags.
5. A virtual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? Again?
Do you just love the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? I don’t. But that’s okay.
Macy’s has announced they will be once again hosting a virtual experience surrounding their 96th Thanksgiving Day Parade. But wait! There are NFTs!
This year’s experience will include ‘virtual galleries’ from five NFT projects, and will give fans the power to select the first-ever NFT Macy’s Parade balloon.
I’d love to see the engagement metrics on these efforts. Just for fun. If you’re curious, stay tuned by going here.
6. Barbie x Balmain go virtual too.
Speaking of NFTs, Hot-wheels has been in the game for a while now — giving Mattel the proof they needed to bring Barbie into the fold. But they’re doing it with a Balmain twist.
Regarding the collection, the site says:
We’re giving your closet a luxury, digital upgrade. Our NFT auction features three unique Barbie and Ken avatars wearing exclusive pieces from the Balmain x Barbie collection. The highest bidders will win both the avatar and a physical, one-of-a-kind Barbie-scaled version of the outfit their avatar is wearing.
P.S. The site experience isn’t great and I’m not completely sure who the intended consumer is for this based on the site’s content. Oh well! Good try!
7. PETA is willing to pay for a more humane solution over wool.
One million dollars, to be exact.
This week, PETA announced they’re so serious about finding a more humane alternative to wool (because it’s not great for the sheep), they’re willing to award a $1 million prize to to the first entrant who develops a vegan wool material that’s “visually, texturally, and functionally akin or superior to sheep’s wool and is adopted and sold by a major clothing brand.”
Enter here, innovators!
8. Dumpster diving is a thing on TikTok.
No, seriously. The New York Times recently covered this topic.
Apparently, TikTok users like @trashwalker are diving into dumpsters around the country and finding a treasure of discarded goods — exposing a serious problem surrounding how wasteful individuals and even organizations have become.
People are posting everything from half-used candles, air pods, unused roles of toilet paper, to designer handbags from the dumpsters behind retailers instructed to discard old merchandise.
See more of these trending TikTok videos here.
9. Your Dunks are ruining the planet.
Sorry to break some hearts here but turns out consumers’ love for their most iconic footwear models are holding the company back from achieving their sustainability goals. But why???
According to a recent article, Nike’s use of leather — with one the highest carbon and waste footprints of any material — increased by 35% due to demand for their most iconic shoes, like your Dunks, your Jordans, your Blazers, and your AirForce1s (I see you Nelly).
This has been a large contributor to the company’s lack of progress between 2015 and 2020 against their 10% carbon footprint reduction goal.
Sneakerheads! C’mon!