Inside Deegan: Family roots, fierce drive
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Forbes
2 minutes ago
- Forbes
The Sydney Sweeney Ad Did The Impossible — It Got People Talking About Advertising Again.
Outside of what has become an annual American tradition of reviewing Super Bowl commercials, it has been years since I've heard or been sent so many reviews, opinions, and hot takes on a :15 or :30 second commercial spot. Until now. Last week, American Eagle came in hot with a series of ads featuring one of America's most popular rising stars. Actress Sydney Sweeney, 27, launched her new collaboration with the retailer, titled 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans'. And it did not disappoint (or perhaps it did, depending on who you ask) From the South China Morning Post to the Daily Mail, and Vanity Fair to NPR - outlets across time zones, age brackets and industry verticles are chiming in on their thoughts and perspectives and symbolism of the ad. On social media, the ad is the talk of TikTok, X, and Instagram with influencers and everyday people eager to record videos to share their opinion, all while replaying the ad for their users to see, of course. Even the President commented! What's all the talk about? The pun/double entendre of language between genes and jeans, the intersection of visual identity and sex appeal, and the pretty privilege of "traditional" beauty. Quite simply, this ad has unlocked America's culture war about looks, influence, and eugenics? American Eagle Is An Unlikley Catalyst American Eagle Outfitters, while a longstanding international retail brand and manufacturer, is an unlikely catalyst for this moment. But what their story tells you is that GREAT ADVERTISING is effective when done correctly. In recent years, advertising has been an industry under siege by both clients, who hire out the creative agencies that make the work, and by consumers who have multiple ways they can avoid watching ads. Recent trends are continuing to accelerate this. Last month's Omnicom's much anticipated $13.5 billion acquisition of rival Interpublic was approved by the FTC, creating the world's largest advertising agency. In the U.S., the firm would become the largest media buying ad agency as well. The new Omnicom will have over 100,000 expert practitioners with the combined entity forecast to yield $750 million in annual cost savings, highlighting the ongoing drive toward consolidation on Madison Ave. Some argue that this consolidation hurts creativity due to the red tape and corporate-leaning culture. It's not to imply advertisements aren't all around us. The average person sees hundreds of ads every day, but the reality is that due to the squeeze from both sides, the creative product is not as memorable as it could be. When asking people if they can recall the ads that they see, the response is only between 1%-10%. From AI, to ad-free streaming to 'skip now', advertising has seemed to become "in the way" of what we are trying to consume vs enhancing the experience of the time we are forced to commit. And as algorithms become more powerful in serving custom ads, it's become more complex and harder for brands and audiences to be able to recall advertising as they once were immediately. Gone are the days of 'Yo Quiero Taco Bell', 'The Geico Caveman', 'Mac vs PC', or 'Spuds McKenzie' Opposing Voices Don't Hold as Much Weight As the dust settles, American Eagle has stood by their ad campaign despite the criticism and controversy. Saying in a recent Instagram post, they shared their ad campaign "is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone." The 'Sydney' jeans which the commercial was advertising, have completely sold out, and the stock price is at its highest point in nearly 6 months ($13.39 at the time of writing), showing that a great ad holds value for companies. Beyond that, the brand is now in minds and lips of millions across the world. Could this American Eagle campaign be the tipping point to inspire a new era of creativity? And could the formula of painting the line on social issues surrounding privilege and race be the new formula? I believe the answer is yes, and I for one am looking forward to actually watching them - regardless of what side of the debate I'm on.
CBS News
2 minutes ago
- CBS News
San Francisco's last video rental store tucked away in Noe Valley neighborhood
Once a staple of neighborhoods everywhere, video stores all but vanished in the age of streaming. But tucked between a Supercuts and a nail salon in San Francisco's Noe Valley is a surprising survivor: a small, independently owned video shop where movies are still picked by hand and watched on disc. Welcome to Video Wave, it's believed to be the last remaining video rental store in San Francisco. It has rows and rows of DVDs and a loyal crowd keeping an old ritual alive. Owner Colin Hutton said he never thought he'd be the last one standing. "There's been many, many moments when I thought I wouldn't survive it," he said. The trouble began around 2008, when streaming services took off and video stores across the country began to fade to black. But then, something unexpected happened: Customers started to come back, some drawn by nostalgia, others by curiosity. For 23-year-old Kailxn Xephyr, it was a refreshing experience. "When it comes to things that are streaming on your phone, it feels like everything's demanding your attention right away, and these other things are like a step removed from that," Xephyr said. Believe it or not, DVDs are having a moment. Not quite a blockbuster comeback, more of a cult-classic rewind. While overall DVD sales dropped more than 23% last year, 4K editions jumped 10 percent, and collector versions climbed 25 percent, according to the Digital Entertainment Group. "There's been a real resurgence in tangible media," said Lucas Hildebrand, chair of Film and Media Studies at UC Irvine. Hildebrand said for Gen Z, part of the appeal isn't just the films. It's the boxes, the artwork, even the act of browsing. "There's also hunger for people who grew up with social media, who grew up with the Internet, to actually have in person interactions," he said. Ironically, the future of the store may depend on the very thing that nearly wiped it out: a subscription model. Hutton said he had 556 subscribers, just enough to keep Video Wave from avoiding the final cut. "With my business model being subscription, if I had 150 more subscribers, that would be the difference between not making it and making it," Hutton said.
CNN
12 minutes ago
- CNN
Intense scene from Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver's film ‘Marriage Story' is great for scaring away wolves, apparently
A tense scene between Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver in their 2019 film 'Marriage Story' was great bait for 2020 Oscar voters but apparently there's another wild species that's not a fan. According to a report published by the Wall Street Journal, a fight scene from Noah Baumbach-directed drama is among several audio clips that are being broadcast by the US Department of Agriculture on a loud speaker over farmlands across the west coast to scare off wolves that have been eating livestock from local farms. Part of the inspiration for using the fight scenes between Driver and Johansson from the film are to illustrate to the wolves that humans are to be feared, Paul Wolf, a USDA district supervisor in Oregon, told the WSJ. 'I need the wolves to respond and know that, hey, humans are bad,' Wolf said. CNN has reached out to a representative for Baumbach for comment. The WSJ reported that gray wolves are 'terrorizing livestock herds across the American West,' and that the USDA has been attempting to save the cattle by broadcasting alarming sounds from drones, including fireworks, gunshots and select pieces of pop culture. They have also played AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' and Five Finger Death Punch's 'Blue on Black' to try to scare away wolves they spot from their positions overhead, according to the publication. CNN has reached out to the USDA for more information. 'Marriage Story' premiered in theaters in 2019. It stars Driver, Johansson and Laura Dern, and follows a couple who are struggling through an intense divorce. The film was nominated for six Oscars, including best picture and original screenplay, with Dern winning the statuette in 2020 for best performance by an actress in a supporting role.
