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Friday the 13th. That’s right, FutureParty people. It’s that wonderful time of the year again when Jason Voorhees slashes his way into our lives (and screens). If there was ever a moment to curl up and binge this horror classic, tonight’s the night. It is almost Halloween, after all. Speaking of, did you know October is actually one of the most unlikely months for this superstitious day to fall? Talk about killer irony.
In other news… Reebok basketball drafts Shaq as its president, US Senators take on unauthorized deepfakes, and Netflix Houses come to a city near you.
Top Trends
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FASHION
Shaq takes the podium as president of Reebok basketball
The Future. NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal is joining Reebok’s executive roster, captaining the company’s basketball division. It’s not only a headline-grabbing play by Reebok that could translate to transformative change, but it’s also another example of top sports players joining the corporate class as part of their second acts… which may soon become a rite of passage for famous personalities looking to flex their skills even after they’ve retired from the field or court.
Celebrity C-suite
Reebok has cast its vote — “Shaq for president!”
Shaq has been named president of Reebok’s basketball division, where he’ll be focusing on overall basketball strategy, product development, brand partnerships (like more with MSCHF), player development, and building player organizations.
Also, Allen Iverson, another legendary Reebok-wearing player, will be VP, tasked with player recruitment, athlete activations, and “building grassroots and community-based initiatives.”
The division plans to launch a performance product next year and an official consumer launch in 2025.
Shaq has a long history with Reebok, signing with the famous footwear brand in 1992 during his rookie NBA season with the Orlando Magic. He went with Reebok over other brands because they offered him his own shoe line — which became a bestseller.
Now an accomplished businessman and investor, Shaq is the second-largest individual shareholder in Authentic Brands Group, which bought Reebok from adidas for $2.5 billion after the company couldn’t revive its struggling fortunes. To be fair, Reebok isn’t what it used to be, which is exactly why Shaq and Iverson feel compelled to trade in their jerseys for suits (but keep their sneakers on).
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Senators generate bill to outlaw unauthorized deepfakes
The Future. A bipartisan team in the Senate has introduced a bill to protect individuals from unauthorized digital replicas, building on current name, image, and likeness laws. The bill is still a discussion draft, so plenty of work will be done on it before it ever comes up for a vote. But with Senator Chris Coon’s involvement (he’s the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Intellectual Property Subcommittee), it’s safe to say the provisions have been thoroughly vetted and will likely be the framework for eventual legislation.
The Law of Likeness
Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) are dropping their latest collab — the NO FAKES Act.
Any person or company caught doing so would be liable for damages caused by the deepfake, which could include lost income or settlements for defamation or copyright infringement.
If digital replicas are to be used, companies must be granted permission by the individual via informed consent, with that permission even needing to be obtained by the individual’s estate or heir within 70 years of their death.
There are a few exceptions to the rule due to First Amendment freedoms, including sports broadcasts, documentaries, biographical works, or for purposes of comment, criticism, or parody. (We’re sure South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone will be happy about that last bit).
The bill has already been endorsed by SAG-AFTRA (which is still on strike) and the Recording Industry Association of America.
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Rent like a landlord
For many of us, landlords are the people who take eight months to fix a leak but won’t waste a minute telling you rent’s late. But, hey, guess what? “Landlord” vibes don’t have to be so harsh.
Meet Roots: the real estate fund disrupting real estate stereotypes by giving their tenants a piece of the pie.
Here’s the cool, little model:
You invest in the Roots fund (get started with as little as $100!)
Roots buys properties, fixes them up, and rents them out
Renters get invested in the fund for paying on time, taking care of the property, and being good neighbors
And it’s really working. The fund is up 40% since July 2021.
ENTERTAINMENT
Netflix plans to build physical entertainment hubs
The Future. Netflix plans on opening themed stores around the world, dubbed Netflix Houses, where fans can shop, dine, and maybe even try out branded experiences. The concept will start with two locations in the US, and we wouldn’t be surprised if they’re developed as outgrowths from the recently renovated Egyptian Theatre in LA and Paris Theater in NYC — both owned by the streamer.
Bodies in the queue
Netflix House aims to be the Disney Store of the streaming industry… but with a few more flourishes.
According to Netflix’s VP of consumer products, Josh Simon, they’ll feature retail space, dining options, and live experiences, such as Netflix’s popular Bridgerton ball.
The first two US locations will open by 2025, and the concept will eventually expand to international locations (the data points to Seoul, London, and Madrid as top options).
Food-wise, it’s an extension of the company’s recent Netflix Bites pop-up in LA and will include a range of “fast-casual to more high-end dining,” reports Bloomberg (and expect the menu options to be tied to original programming).
Netflix House likely won’t matter much on the streamer’s balance sheet. But, as a way to market films and shows and take steps toward building revenue-rich entertainment destinations like Disney and Universal, it could be an important seed.
However, Netflix may need a few more successful franchises to really cement the foundation.
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FARFETCH for your fall staples
You know those boots you’ve been eyeing online?
Well, FARFETCH is the best place to score them. FARFETCH is your one-stop shop for luxury fashion. They add hundreds of new pieces (from over 800 boutiques and brand partners) to their site every day.
And guess what? As a FutureParty subscriber, you can enjoy a 15% discount on select full-price designer pieces with the promo code USBR15.*
Highlights
The best curated daily stories from around the web
Media, Music, & Entertainment
Multiple studies have found Latino representation in popular film and TV is so low that only ten Latinos had leading roles in the top-grossing 100 films last year… and it doesn’t look to be getting better this year. Read more → variety
Spotify struck a deal with Alex Cooper’s The Unwell Network that’ll have Spotify’s enterprise podcast platform, Megaphone, host and distribute popular shows like Hot Mess with Alix Earle and Pretty Lonesome with Madeline Argy and act as the network’s sales partner. Read more → thr
Leonardo da Vinci looks to have developed a painting technique centuries earlier than previously thought, thanks to X-rays and infrared spectroscopies of his masterpieces, Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Read more → forbes
Fashion & E-Commerce
KidSuper designer Colm Dillane impressed The Rolling Stones so much with his remixes of the band’s iconic tongue logo that the legendary rockers hired him to design an entire merch capsule for their upcoming album. Read more → hypebeast
Ed Sheeran opted to go tactical instead of luxury with his first watch collaboration, partnering with G-Shock, shopping site Hodinkee, and musician John Mayer on a bright yellow timepiece. Read more → thr
Wendy’s redesigned its restaurant to help distribute 400x more delivery orders than previously — call it the DoorDash design. Read more → fastcompany
Tech, Web3, & AI
JPMorgan Chase completed its first major tokenized transaction on its proprietary blockchain, Onyx, demonstrating that even though the crypto industry is cratering, the tech it helped build may be here to stay. Read more → theinformation
Starlink is developing a direct cell-to-satellite service that can be added to your phone. Read more → theverge
Block announced it acquired Hifi, a music-focused fintech startup that helps artists track their royalty payments across various platforms and can distribute them on accelerated schedules. Read more → techcrunch
Creator Economy
A federal judge is pouring some cold water on Montana’s TikTok ban, saying it seems strange in its isolation and potentially overprotective of consumer data. Read more → bloomberg
Lanch has ordered up $6.9 million in financing to help influencers launch food-delivery brands. Read more → techcrunch
TikTok Shop is gearing up to get serious about its first Black Friday. Read more → theinformation
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney.
Copy edited & published by Kait Cunniff.