culture porn 1/27
our weekly playlist
screenshot me:
the last of us (hbo)
i love a good thriller, so was excited to tune into this video game-adaptation in the zombie apocalypse genre. i was even more interested given that the premise involved fungus causing the widespread decimation + zombie-dom (sidenote: several years back we had the idea of a mushroom horror piece! alas) regardless, i loved the first part of episode one -- knowing something bad is about to happen. i was hooked! the rest of episode one felt a little trope-ey, for my taste, and reminded my why i wasn't a WALKING DEAD fan. regardless, i plan to tune into episode 2.
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old enough! (netflix)
the japanese autonomous toddler show is back! and the final episode of the season - a young daughter on a solo venture to visit her mom in the hospital - really got me, emotionally. if you're a fan of the show, be sure to tune into the SNL sketch "Old Enough! Longterm Boyfriends!" which was perfectly executed.
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corsage (amazon prime) and the empress (netflix)
if you're a fan of THE CROWN or just an unabashed monarchist like my mom, you'll enjoy the juicy tale of empress elisabeth of austria (aka "sisi"), luminously played by vicky krieps (THE PHANTOM THREAD). covering the later half of her life, as she languished in an estranged marriage to franz joseph in the late 1800s, it's a surprising tale of an eccentric feminist in a time of repression that strongly resonates today. i'm now obsessed with her story, and immediately binged THE EMPRESS (NETFLIX), a soapy series detailing the early years of her marriage and reign.
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bones and all (apple tv+, amazon prime)
i’m a huge fan of director of luca guadagnino and timothée chalamet, but not a fan of horror. i gritted my teeth (!!) for this cannibal-romance film – and loved it as a metaphorical search for identity, belonging and dealing with the gut-wrenching anxiety of living in these times.
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nothing left to lose: everything but the girl (spotify)
with the new single from their first album in 24 years, tracy thorn and ben watt are still channeling the 80s vibes i first fell in love with in college. thorn's vocals now convey a wisdom and wistfulness that's both familiar and new to their work.
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southern cross (crosby, stills, and nash)
hearing the sad news of david crosby's passing i thought back to my most memorable C, S, & N song -- and flashed back to the imagery of david crosby, sitting on a boat with his bandmates. the song speaks of traveling to heal wounds and i always found the wanderlust themes appealing backed by an awesome melodic arc. crosby didn't pen this tune, but it was my first memorable exposure to him. of course, his earlier band, THE BYRDS, is iconic as well and his place in the ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME well-secured, despite a complicated personal past. rest in peace, and here's hoping there's music on the other side.
insights & inspo
we’re in a golden age of board games. it might be here to stay.
suffering from screen fatigue? you're not the only one. the board game industry is booming and may be an outlet to explore playful IRL connections & combat the isolation our digital world may be causing. the game WAVELENGTH has gone viral in the tabletop world & seems to take the cake for most fun to play.
more insights here
celebrity cannabis brands
we enjoyed this excerpt from volume 20 of
’s 3 trends on his substack discussing the role of celebrities in marketing and branding in the cannabis world with david paleschuck.DP: The cannabis industry is filled with celebrity brands – again, no different than any other industry. Celebs including Snoop, Jay-Z, Bieber, and Martha Stewart are already in.
Whether the brands are endorsed by the celebrity, or in the case of Seth Rogen, created by him, there’s no doubt: in some contexts, celebrities still work at winning attention and sales.
With over 60 celebrity cannabis brands currently in the market, we should ask, “What's the role of a celeb cannabis brand?”
In a crowded market, it can be hard for any brand to stand out. A well-executed celebrity license though can immediately increase sales and awareness.
Why? Trust.
Even though we don’t know the celeb personally, we still know their existence, and therefore trust them. Familiarity. And with that, trust is mapped to the product.
From packaging to dosing — rules and regulations differ from state to state, making it incredibly difficult for brands to build consistently dosed and packaged products. (See above.)
But a celebrity offers instant recognition, uniformity and trust – they’re a fast track to recognition and safety... and sales. Normalizing and socializing cannabis, a celeb’s halo remains lucrative and effective in this market.
MK: Within many circles, and particularly for Millennials and Gen Z, it can feel as if the traditional celebrity is dead.
Celebs’ ad effectiveness is in decline and their social media influencer replacements are on their way out too.
In light of the bottoms up, power to the people energy, struggling Creator Economy and decline of institutional trust, it’s a tough pill to swallow that the celebrity may still in fact carry cachet in advertising.
But with this, it’s critical for us to remember: it’s not that George Clooney, himself, is the best face for Nespresso.
He’s just a means to an end.
Celebrities are mere vessels of communication.
George Clooney, a celebrity, is what’s effective.
Put another way: Brands don’t partner with Lil Miquela, the problematic virtual influencer, because of her personality or that she’s the best possible fit for their brand. They do it because of the aura of novelty and innovation around the concept of a virtual influencer. The energy of an emergent communications channel is what a brand wants, not Lil Miquela themself.
So with this... with crypto ads off the table post-FTX, are drugs celebs’ last life raft for consumer relevance?
read the rest here
#LOokforward🌅 with linda ong
chinese astrology says THE YEAR OF THE WATER RABBIT brings a peaceful, patient energy to 2023. to make the most of it, strengthen relationships across all aspects of life. take advantage of networking opps, tapping into the wealth and prosperity associated with the rabbit. lastly, leverage the animal's positive vibes by unleashing your inner artist and prioritizing your wellbeing. (for your personal horoscope, check out thechinesezodiac.org)
the lunar new year's festivities were sadly marred by more horrific gun violence. at the same time, hollywood is debating the responsibility of firearms on set. i hope this leads to a deeper questioning of content's addiction to gun-fueled narratives in the first place
i loved this terrific campaign by GREENPEACE that broke just as billionaires on private jets converged in davos to talk climate change.
for linda’s full debrief, head here