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Rewards refresh. Happy Monday, FutureParty people. We’re kicking off the week with a flash sale on our referral rewards program, making it that much easier to score one of our coveted TFP sweatshirts (and more!). To get in on the action, just check out the referral section below. And remember: the more you share, the more you earn.
In other news… the metaverse drives real-world sales for brands, #CleanTok gets a corporate sponsor, and Fanvue bets big on AI influencers.
Top Trends
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FASHION
Gen Z’s digital drip // Illustration by Kate Walker
Digital fashion inspires Gen Z’s physical style
The Future. As Gen Z has grown up in the digital world and spent over a decade expressing themselves in immersive spaces like Roblox, many acknowledge their avatar style means more to them than their physical look. If this generational shift proves anything, it might be that authentic self-expression in the metaverse has the power to not only impact physical style trends and purchasing decisions but also help people build confidence IRL.
Metaverse-savvy consumers
Gaming platform Roblox’s annual report, “Digital Expression, Fashion & Beauty Trends,” examines how digital identity is playing an increasingly dynamic role in people’s lives.
54% of respondents say their physical style is “very” or “extremely inspired” by what their avatars (and others) wear in the metaverse.
56% confess that styling their avatars is more important than styling themselves in the physical world.
84% say after wearing or trying on a popular brand’s item virtually, they’re “somewhat likely” to consider the brand IRL, with 50% “very” or “extremely likely” to do so.
A less judgmental world
When picking out their avatar fits, Zoomers strive to be unique, experimenting with hair colors and styles and even gender-fluid clothing.
Many acknowledge dressing up in digital spaces has helped them comfortably express themselves in the physical world, leading to improved relationships, self-esteem, and overall mental well-being.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
A clean house is a happy house
Unilever capitalizes on the viral #CleanTok trend
The Future. During the pandemic, Gen Zers engaged with cleaning in a way they hadn’t done before, giving rise to #CleanTok (currently the largest community on TikTok). Now, TikTok and Unilever are partnering on two campaigns — the #CleanTok Awards that honors creators and an animated video series that reimagines Unilever products as soap opera characters — geared towards the #CleanTok community. If successful, these campaigns might encourage other brands to tap into niche TikTok communities to connect with Gen Z consumers.
Partners in grime
TikTok and Unilever entered into an ongoing global partnership in June that will run through January 2024, with Unilever becoming the exclusive sponsor of the #CleanTok hashtag across Europe, Asia, and South America, reports AdAge.
The #CleanTok hashtag has increased by over 35 billion views since the two companies announced their partnership five months ago.
Sales of Unilever’s Cif Cream Cleaner among UK consumers jumped by 38% after the product was used to clean white sneakers in a viral #CleanTok trend.
When in doubt, clean it out
Unilever and TikTok are also holding a “Spotless Creator” competition, where one TikTok user with the “most creative cleaning transformation” will win $4,888 in cash.
That could shake out to be a tight race, as even the subgenres of #CleanTok are wildly popular on their own. The hashtag #SundayReset, for instance, which shows “cleanfluencers” eliminating the messes that accumulated in their homes, has amassed more than 4 billion views.
Scrub-a-dub-dub, cleaning is what TikTok users love.
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Transfer your balance ASAP
Some credit cards may help you get out of debt faster.
But which credit cards? Cards with a “0% intro APR” period for balance transfers.
Here’s how it works: Get a card with a “0% intro APR” period. Transfer your debt balance. And pay it down as much as possible during the intro period. With no interest, you have a chance to pay things off faster.
Need more expertise in this subject? Well, you’re in luck. The folks at Finance Buzz reviewed the sh*t out of these kinds of cards, and they have thoughts.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Fanvue’s bot babes // Illustration by Kate Walker
Fanvue is making an OnlyFans for AI models
The Future. OnlyFans has found a new rival in Fanvue, a subscription platform tailored to adult content featuring AI personalities. While the technology is popular and profitable, widespread adoption could have serious consequences for our well-being… and the prevalence of damaging deepfake technology.
Talk d1rty to me
For better or for worse, Fanvue is providing something that people want.
Fanvue hosts AI models like Emily Pellegrini, Sika Moon, and Sarah Jordan, whose accounts post photo and video content.
These accounts are profitable. Pellegrini made $9,600 in the past six weeks for her creator, and with image generators like Unstable Diffusion creating over half a million AI model images daily, production costs are tiny.
Fanvue is also developing a message generator and audio tool trained on models’ data to mimic them in real-time to subscribers.
OnlyFans allows AI-generated or modified content to be posted to its platform, but only by a verified OnlyFans content creator.
Apex predators
Fanvue’s founder believes AI models give creators the freedom to embody avatars that look nothing like them. However, the proliferation of these unattainable female bodies will only reinforce impossible standards while taking income away from real people.
AI model creators agree that regulations should prohibit the creation of child pornography and deepfakes. But maybe it’s better to leave some cans of worms closed entirely.
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It’s good to be good
You know The Webby Awards? The same people created the Anthem Awards to celebrate purpose and mission-driven work!
Over the past three years, they’ve built an amazing community of inspiring advocates, movement leaders, and impact-driven companies. And we’re psyched about it.
The official call for entries is now closed. But (and this is a big but) they like TheFutureParty people, so they invite you to submit your work before Friday!
Highlights
The best curated daily stories from around the web
Media, Music, & Entertainment
Unexpectedly strong Q3 earnings in the media sector leave some wondering whether the industry hurdles are smaller than many feared. Read More → variety
The Hollywood strikes are finally over, but their effectiveness could lead to more very soon. Read More → puck
WeWork’s catastrophic fall sheds light on the flaws of CEOs who know how to market their ideas to garner media attention. Read More → fastcompany
Fashion & E-Commerce
Swedish textile recycler Renewcell is failing as the fashion industry scorns the recycled cellulose that could minimize their footprint. Read More → bof
“Digital passports” are being issued to luxury goods in the EU to fight forgeries and resale. Read More → bof
The rise of TikTok influencers (particularly in the fashion industry) has made consumers savvier and forced brands to get more transparent. Read More → bof
Tech, Web3, & AI
Apple has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a Department of Justice probe into the company’s discriminatory hiring practices. Read More → fastcompany
AI Zoom bots now allow people to skip meetings, but it’s insulting to coworkers and generally counterproductive. Read More → fortune
Many of AI’s downsides aren’t inherent to the technology as much as the profit motive of Big Tech… and regulating them would change that. Read More → fastcompany
Creator Economy
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) believes the creator economy will grow rapidly in 2024. Read More → adage
Independent creators are outshining legacy media institutions as consumers doubt mainstream outlets and seek personalized content. Read More → washpo
Companies like Futureverse and NVIDIA are working on AI tools that streamline creators’ production pipelines. Read More → nftnow
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Today’s email was written by Kait Cunniff and Luke Perrotta.
Edited by Nick Comney.
Published by Darline Salazar.