Together with
Mystic meerkats. Move over, Punxsutawney Phil; there’s a new clairvoyant critter in town… or critters. A mob of meerkats at a UK zoo has successfully predicted the outcome of England’s national team during the Women’s World Cup knockout games. And now, they have their eyes set on Sunday’s championship match against Spain. Depending on the results, don’t be surprised if this furry, little marketing stunt becomes a new, beloved tradition for the country.
In other news… studios replace background actors with AI, Latino groups help promote Blue Beetle, and Topgolf lets it rip.
Top Trends
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Background algos // Illustration by Kate Walker
Background actors are getting cloned by AI
The Future. Some high-budget, VFX-driven shows may already be digitally cloning background talent to be used in future productions… and that could spell bad news for both working actors and the craftspeople who support them. With the practice going on for years, it’s no wonder SAG-AFTRA has made the regulation behind the use of AI a major sticking point in the ongoing contract negotiations with the Hollywood studios… a battle that may only end when “informed consent” and proper compensation are generated by the tech’s use.
He’s here, he’s there, he’s everywhere
Background actors, who make up to $187 per day, represent a large majority of SAG-AFTRA’s membership (most union actors don’t make a living from acting)... and are the most vulnerable group that could be replaced by AI.
Some shows are pressuring background actors to undergo full body scans during shoot days, seemingly without forewarning.
The worry is these scans can be used to populate shows so productions don’t have to hire humans for as many days, using the scans however they please.
That would not only impact how many days background actors work but also the costumers, makeup artists, and prop masters who are assigned to extras.
These fears seem to already be materializing (but pretty hush, hush). Union extra Nicole Kreuzer revealed to Fast Company that she, along with almost 200 other extras, were told in the middle of the shoot that their bodies needed to be scanned… and they didn’t have access to their phones to call SAG and ask for advice.
Without leverage to push back, Kreuzer consented to the scans, which she was told could be used to make her leap over buildings or fight. Kreuzer alleges The Mandalorian gig seemed like a long-term job, but after the scans, she and others weren’t called back — leaving them with just a day rate of $170.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Latino advocacy groups are stepping in to promote Blue Beetle
The Future. Since stars Xolo Maridueña, George Lopez, and Bruna Marquezine can’t stump for this weekend’s release of Blue Beetle due to the actors strike, Latino advocacy groups are filling the void. The hope is the latest DC entry can be a cultural moment for the community the way Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians were for theirs. While the jury is still out on whether audiences will rally around the film, long-term awareness may be strong since the character will continue as part of James Gunn’s and Peter Safran’s DC-universe reboot.
Support the roots
Latino advocacy groups are making sure word gets out about the first superhero movie that represents the culture.
The National Association of Latino Independent Producers is joining other nonprofits in buying out theaters for community members and kids.
27 organizations, including the Latino Film Institute and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, signed an open letter urging moviegoers to support Latino creatives by seeing the movie.
And of course, every Latino group (and even the AAPI-focused Gold House) is blasting the film’s marketing materials via social media.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros. has been hosting screenings in Latino-heavy metros like Miami, Los Angeles, and San Antonio, sending director Angel Manuel Soto on a cross-city tour.
Despite tracking to open at $30 million this weekend, if Blue Beetle can capture the Latino audience (which Warners’ own In the Heights wasn’t able to do in 2021 due to COVID), it could prove to be a huge windfall — Latinos make up 19% of the US population but buy roughly 29% of movie tickets.
And with only 5.1% of lead roles in films going to Latino talent, a movie like Blue Beetle is a diamond in the rough.
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E-bike glow-up 🚴♂️💨
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Let’s roll… e-style! 🚲✌️
SPORTS
Courtesy of Topgolf
Topgolf aims high for cross-generational love
The Future. Topgolf, which mixes gamified driving ranges with the vibe of Buffalo Wild Wings, has become a go-to destination for younger players, converting a new generation to the game. The key to that strategy has been making golf as fun and accessible as possible, reversing its stigma as an old, stuffy pastime of the country club set. Expect a wave of funding to sink into companies that hope to be the Topgolf of any other sport.
Swing for the fences
Topgolf is at the forefront of turning golfing into an entertainment spectacle.
Topgolf has become a hit among millennial and Gen Z players, with nearly half of the 12 million players aged 18 to 34 playing at “off-course” venues like Topgolf.
It did that by mixing beers, wings, and high-tech driving ranges at 95 venues, making golf more of a rowdy Friday night outing than a quiet Sunday afternoon game.
Topgolf has additionally scored some savvy partnerships, such as a featured level in the PGA Tour 2K video game, and is moving into apparel, starting with a line of golf gloves.
Also, the brand is embedding further into culture, becoming a venue for the 2024 Special Olympics and hosting the influencer-heavy Topgolf Open to celebrate the US Open coming to LA for the first time in 75 years.
Topgolf serviced some 31 million players last year and grew 20.5% in revenue during the first half of this year. And it’s no wonder Callaway, which purchased the brand back in 2021 for $2.6 billion, renamed itself Topgolf Callaway — Topgolf now represents 40% of Callaway’s overall revenue.
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Highlights
The best curated daily stories from around the web
Media, Music, & Entertainment
After the WGA and AMPTP met again yesterday to negotiate a new contract, the WGA fired off a missive calling for the government to reign in the “anti-competitive practices” of Disney, Netflix, and Amazon. Read more → deadline
Barbie has passed The Dark Knight to become Warner Bros.’ highest domestic-grossing film, nabbing $537.5 million… and counting. Read more → thewrap
As Netflix winds down its DVD-by-mail business, it’s giving out 10 randomly-selected discs to customers who have stayed faithful to their physical media subscriptions. Read more → variety
Fashion & E-Commerce
Japanese streetwear label BAPE has given US soccer club Inter Miami a cultural makeover, remixing the club’s famous pink jersey in its signature camo and debuting an entire collab capsule. Read more → highsnobiety
MSCHF is dropping a slip-on version of its AC.1 boot… which, yes, is still a hilarious sneakerhead version of a medical cast. Read more → complex
Amazon is charging sellers who don’t use the company’s logistics operations a 2% fee. Read more → bloomberg
Tech, Web3, & AI
While the SEC continues its legal action against Coinbase for allegedly acting as an exchange for unregistered securities, the company has secured approval to act as a merchant for crypto futures. Read more → theinformation
Peloton is moving from your living room to your office break room by becoming a workplace perk. Read more → bloomberg
ByteDance’s research arm has discovered ChatGPT is trying to avoid generating responses that show the AI has been trained on copyrighted material. Read more → insider
Creator Economy
YouTube is rolling out its own Hot Ones-esque interview series with In A Pickle, where users have to take a shot of pickle juice if they choose not to answer a question. Read more → tubefilter
Influencer marketing platform Mavrck found 51% of the creators they surveyed earn less than $500 per month. Read more → insider
Merch firm Fanjoy is filing for bankruptcy as it owes nearly 200 creators money. Read more → tubefilter
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Copy edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.