PARTNERSHIPS | COMMUNITY | PODCAST | FRIENDS
Mazda Debuts CX-5 Short Films
Courtesy of Mazda // Illustration by Kate Walker
Mazda released a series of five short films showcasing the latest iteration of its popular CX-5 SUV.
The Big Picture: In the early aughts, car companies experimented with Hollywood-quality, star-driven short films that aimed to be the coolest advertising in the world. Spoiler alert: it worked. But as the rise of social media pushed brands toward internet-native content, high-gloss commercials took a back seat. Now, as social media’s popularity begins to decline, we may be entering a new era of ultra-premium advertising designed to cut through the noise.
Behind The Scenes: Mazda tapped filmmaker Paul Hunter to direct its 5 Sides of the CX-5 series.
Each short stars Jessamie Waldon-Day and highlights a specific aspect of the vehicle in a different genre — romance, action, sci-fi, musical, and horror — tapping into Mazda’s finding that the typical CX-5 customer is a “multi-dimensional woman.”
The company debuted a “trailer” commercial during the Academy Awards last month and plans to distribute the shorts across YouTube, TikTok, and Hulu (Mazda has already released four).
Mazda is now hoping to place the shorts in theaters during previews, matching each short to movies in similar genres.
Last Take: The company is reopening a playbook used by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Ford 10 to 20 years ago. BMW’s The Hire series, starring Clive Owen, featured a lineup of top-tier Hollywood action directors that racked up millions of views and ultimately helped fuel a 12% increase in car sales. Mazda would love to see similar results, especially as the automaker transitions into a more premium brand.
Coming Soon: While “authenticity” has driven much of marketing in recent years, the next era may be all about “entertainment.”
Together with Pique
Vesper Starts Your Spring Right
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed while scrolling through your newsfeed.
Which is why Pique was founded — to help you slow down, take a breath, and intentionally unwind.
The company crafts teas, botanicals, and minerals rooted in Eastern medicine, connecting you with the natural world. Each product is made with high-quality ingredients for people who want to perform at their highest level.
As we transition from winter to spring, Pique recommends sipping Vesper, the world’s first wellness aperitif.
It’s made with natural ingredients like L-theanine and gentian root to support the nervous system and promote social ease — without numbing or overstimulating.
It supports better sleep, clearer mornings, and calmer, more grounded evenings — especially helpful during daylight savings transitions.
The flavor is sparkling, tart, herbaceous, and deeply sophisticated — something you’ll actually want to savor.
Vesper is the next evolution in Pique’s mission to create rituals that support how you want to feel — without compromise. Now you can sit back, relax, and keep scrolling.
PARTNERSHIPS | COMMUNITY | PODCAST | FRIENDS
Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Polled and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.