Together with
The new #hotgirlwalk. The latest trend to grace TikTok’s big (err, phone-sized) screens? Taking a walk without your headphones. That’s right — videos tagged #silentwalk are going viral as TikTokers discover the power of putting their phones away and just… walking. Sometimes you just gotta go back to the basics.
In other news… Erewhon’s culture splash, full stream ahead for Nascar, and “kidults” love their toys.
Top Trends
Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe
FOOD & DRINK
Grocery store or social club? // Courtesy of Erewhon via Instagram
Erewhon stocks culture
The Future. Erewhon Market has made the grocery run a “see and be seen” affair. Although the buzzy LA-based chain has been around since 1966, its recent redesign under owner entrepreneur Tony Antoci has transformed it into the supermarket of the stars. Now, with dips into fashion and celebrity collabs, Erewhon may be evolving into a lifestyle brand that just so happens to sell food.
Groceries, but make it fashion
Erewhon is the Supreme of supermarkets, says Highsnobiety.
The LA-based chain has it all:
Celebrity. Besides being the daytime hangout of the city’s moneyed artistic community, A-list names like Kourtney Kardashian, Bella Hadid, and Hailey Bieber have even partnered with the chain on their famous (and famously expensive) smoothies.
Streetwear. Erewhon has not only dropped a coveted in-house apparel line, but it’s also inked collabs with exclusive brands like Casablanca, Sky High Farm, and Cactus Plant Flea Market (which also designed a $22 smoothie), crashing its merch site.
Wellness. Oh yeah, Erewhon is also a grocery store that sells food. Its focus on wellness, clean ingredients, and natural foods makes it a favorite for the health conscious… and the well-off (16oz of raw coconut milk costs $13).
Erewhon has become such a part of the cultural conversation that the grocery store’s tag on TikTok has clocked half a billion views with a crop of “Get Ready With Me” videos of people showing off their fits to peruse the produce isle.
Well, when your branded grocery tote costs as much as The Tote Bag from Marc Jacobs, style has no choice but to be on the menu.
    |
SPORTS
Fighting for the lead // Illustration by Kate Walker
Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery race to secure Nascar races
The Future. Nascar might be getting into the streaming game with a new batch of races that are up for grabs. While it’s a small package to start, top streamers are already circling, showing an appetite for any sport with wide appeal can attract platforms looking to supercharge growth. And with racing in the spotlight due to the explosive popularity of Formula One, a really ambitious platform could try to create their own Drive to Survive moment around the exhibition of the races.
Streaming flag
The broadcast rights of a handful of Nascar races are up for grabs, and streamers want to take the wheel.
According to Bloomberg, Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery are vying to secure the package of six to eight summer races for their Prime and Max streamers, respectively.
Additionally, a third unnamed company is also in the mix but has decided to remain private.
The move would give Nascar a lane in streaming, following a similar strategy that the NFL (with Amazon and YouTube) and the MLB (with Apple) have done, clearing a path for a bigger streaming play down the road.
And the deal could prove extremely lucrative for Nascar, which already counts NBC and Fox as broadcast partners in a combined deal of about $820 million a year. It also sold a package of over 30 races to The CW for $115 million annually in a deal that starts in 2025 and goes through 2031.
| |
Baby, you can drive my car
It’s the perfect car, thanks to Edmunds.
Edmunds is a reliable and trusted resource for anyone looking to buy a new car or sell their current one. With helpful tools and nearby listings, Edmunds makes it easy to navigate the sometimes tricky market.
For sellers — the free appraisal tool makes it super easy to find out the value of your current ride.
For buyers — check out Edmund’s EV incentives page that outlines which incentives are available based on the type of electric vehicle purchased.
And even if you’re not looking for an EV, Edmunds has all the reviews and rankings you need to make sure you get the car that’s right for you.
ENTERTAINMENT
Come to mama // Illustration by Kate Walker
Adults love their toys
The Future. Adults, not kids, are the ones who want toys this Christmas. As kids gravitate to screens, adults want to reconnect with the tangible interests of their own childhoods. The surge in demand could be a lifesaver for the struggling toy industry… and may even pique the interest of kids who have grown up in an era when playing with action figures or dolls isn’t as cool as it used to be.
Figurines for father
Axios found teenagers and adults who like cartoons, action figures, board games, building sets, and puzzles (aka “kidults”) are driving toy sales.
The Toy Association reported 41% of parents have bought toys for themselves in the past year.
During the holiday season, 43% said they’ll buy toys for themselves, while 89% said they’ll buy them for another adult.
Adult interest in toys has been sparked by a wave of nostalgia fueled by the popularity of collecting during COVID and new theatrical releases like Barbie and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
And now, those adults want to share their favorite childhood toys with their kids… which just so happens to reignite their own love for them.
Toymakers have been pivoting to meet the moment — Lego’s “Icons” series has complex products meant to be displayed, Mattel is in full-on Barbie marketing mode as the movie breaks records, and even McDonald’s has rolled out Happy Meals aimed at parents.
But it’s important to not leave grandma out of the fun — “eldertainment” is also taking toy stores by storm, with things like animatronic pets and updated versions of board games like Trivial Pursuit becoming favored stocking stuffers.
| |
Highlights
The best curated daily stories from around the web
Media, Music, & Entertainment
Late-night hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver are teaming up on a new Spotify podcast limited series called Strike Force Five, with all of the proceeds going to the striking staff of their shows. Read more → deadline
Taylor Swift has become the first female artist to hit 100 million monthly Spotify listeners… and with her tour still going strong and more album re-releases still to come, she could beat The Weeknd’s record of 110 million. Read more → variety
HYBE and Geffen Records have teamed up on a competition series to build the next big K-pop girl group, comprised of international talent… and the training and development will be documented on YouTube and Netflix. Read more → thr
Fashion & E-Commerce
Diesel’s Fall 2023 campaign is rolling out a Where’s Waldo-like scavenger hunt, dubbed “Find the D,” to give fans the opportunity to win bags and apparel. Read more → hypebeast
Chanel is celebrating the launch of its newest fragrance with the opening of a pop-up diner in Brooklyn, offering a free-of-charge fragrance testing experience (no food, unfortunately). Read more → thecut
The Toronto International Film Festival tapped Ticketmaster as its ticketing partner for next month’s event, and admission for top titles are already being resold for 10x their face value. Read more → variety
Tech, Web3, & AI
Google’s DeepMind unit is rolling out an experimental watermark for AI-generated images called SynthID, which can’t be erased or cropped out. Read more → axios
Despite teaming up to avoid a TikTok ban in the US, Oracle and ByteDance are reportedly not getting along, with accusations of spying and grifting being thrown around. Read more → forbes
The SEC is now coming for NFTs in its war to label every crypto token as an unregistered security. Read more → theinformation
Creator Economy
Rhett and Link’s creator fund, Mythical Creator Accelerator, is pouring $5 million into the operations of The Sorry Girls to help them move into DTC products. Read more → tubefilter
Snapchat is introducing a generative AI tool, “Dreams,” to up your selfie game. Read more → engadget
If you break YouTube’s content guidelines with an uploaded video, the platform will let you take a class to waive your violation warning… like ensuring you don’t get points on your license for that ticket. Read more → theverge
Like what you see? Subscribe Now or Partner With Us
Keep the editorial team going! Buy the team a coffee! ☕️
Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Melody Song. Copy edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.