E.l.f is sick of all these Dicks 👔
Plus: Mixtapes are back, Scorsese delivers what we all needed and closed communities are heating up.
Welcome back, Scanner!
When was the last time you made a mixtape (like, a real mixtape)? Maybe never for some of you? Between “dumb phones,” growing interest in IRL experiences (like sports) and now a pivot on our audio tech (more on that below), it might feel like we’re at the start of an analog revolution. But could all of these changes and shifts indicate something else? You know our POV on that – there’s always room to dig deeper. Today, along with a look at Gen Z’s fascination with “old school” tech, we’re also looking at signals around cinema quality ads and the U.S.’s obsession with men named Dick.
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Let’s get into it.
📅 CURRENT
CHANEL, Martin Scorsese and Timothée Chalamet Team Up
What’s changing?
Okay, honestly? We’re geeking out about this one. After years of perfume commercials primarily depicting women running through fields of flowers, this commercial shook things up. The ad spot featured Timothée Chalamet going on a late-night talk show, with shots of him in the car, getting rejected by a fellow celeb and being interviewed on-air. It’s the latest in an ongoing campaign by CHANEL (if you haven’t watched the one where Chalamet answers “if you were” answers in French… you should).
Why does it matter?
During a time when many brands are opting for shorter and simpler ads, this Scorsese piece delivers something different. It’s beautiful and really a work of art as a commercial. Despite it being an ad, it is something you want to watch (and the comments back that up). Not only has it received positive reviews, but it’s also something audiences were looking forward to. Some commented that they’ve waited a year for its release. Plus, being part of a more extensive video campaign feels like world-building to us.
What could happen next?
Where could this partnership go next? A Scorsese full-length film starring Chalamet? A real-life activation that brings this video world to reality for fans? And how could your work be inspired by what CHANEL has done here? Where might it make sense to boost production quality? Are your audiences really looking for shorter content experiences, or do they just want better experiences? How can you get Chalamet to do an ad for you?? These are the questions that keep us up at night.
Scan-o-meter: 📅 📅 📅 📅 / 5
😲 SURPRISING
The Cool New Thing in Music: Cassette Tapes!?
What’s changing?
Would you be surprised to hear that cassette tapes are still very much in demand (and not only by older generations)? This year, Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department sold 1.64 million physical units, 21,500 were cassettes. Record shops that made a hard pivot from CDs to vinyl years ago are also seeing growth in cassette sales. Surprisingly, the majority of sales seem to be coming from younger people.
Why does it matter?
Physical units are still an important part of how the music industry generates charts. Dave Rowntree, the drummer for Blur, shares that the band’s 2023 album, The Ballad of Darren, was more affected by cassette sales for chart position than streams. For reference, they got millions of streams on Spotify and only 3,000 cassette sales. And it’s not just smaller artists that release cassettes; powerhouses like Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar still release their music on tape. Artists with younger audiences tend to sell more cassettes than those with older ones. So why are Gen Z fans scooping up tapes? For one, cassettes are cheaper to produce and purchase, making them an achievable way to get a physical collectible. Second, shows like Stranger Things and Guardians of the Galaxy show characters using Walkmans, making the tech’s sales soar.
What could happen next?
It seems like entrepreneurs are already catching on to the cassette resurgence. In March, Chinese audio company Guangzhou FiiO Electronics Technology Co. launched the CP13 – an elevated, modern-looking cassette player. We Are Rewind is another cassette player launched in late 2022 after a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2020. So, is the cassette just another passing fad, or does it signal a broader need to slower, softer times? It’s too simple to say analog is back. Is this really a sign of analog tech filling a gap for those exhausted by the internet? Or does it signal how objects can create belonging or “signal” to others that you are part of the same community? Like the hipster movement of the past, what other objects might create community and connection?
Scan-o-meter: 😲😲😲
/ 5
🎯 SPECIFIC
E.l.f. Shows Corporate Boards Have Too Many Dicks
What’s changing?
Apparently, there are nearly as many men named Richard, Rick or Dick as women from diverse groups on U.S. corporate boards. The finding spurred E.l.f.’s latest campaign, “So Many Dicks,” which is primarily shown on digital screens at transport hubs around Wall Street. The campaign, made in collaboration with purpose-driven agency Oberland, is part of the larger “Change The Board Game” initiative around corporate diversity. While there’s a lot we could say about the campaign’s content, putting on our “futurist” hat – what could it mean seeing a beauty brand do a campaign that has no ties to beauty directly?
Why does it matter?
This campaign doesn’t have anything to do with beauty, aside from E.l.f.’s mention of their board. It’s more about how they run their business and stand on their message. In a way, they’re creating a world or an experience for their community. The campaign exists in a real space that a large portion of the audience they are speaking to (executives, board members, decision makers) access daily. It’s interesting how they’ve honed in on the exact location their audience frequents yet are still bringing in the broader audience with the funny slogan. These choices hit on themes we’ve been discussing for months – and it’s cool to see them applied. Will more brands get on board?
What could happen next?
Aside from immediately working with Megan Boni, the creator that inspired the “Hampton’s song of the summer,” (and editing it to I’m looking for a woman in finance, on a corporate board…), where could E.l.f. take the campaign or style of campaign next? What impact will it have on what their customers expect from them? For yourself, what causes or messages could your brand lend their influence to? Is there a way to partner with a cause that aligns with your values over your product or service? Could you meet your audience in a specific place and in a way that speaks directly to them? There’s a lot to consider.
Scan-o-meter: 🎯🎯🎯
/ 5
🔍 TREND REPORT IRL
Updates from our Trend Forecast
We loved sharing our first Trend Report with you back in January. As the year goes on, we’ll continue investigating signals that further the conversation around our forecast. Here’s what we’re watching this week:
People want close friends only: Ready or not, it’s time to embrace employees as social ambassadors.
People (really) want close friends only: Instagram says “share rates” are driving your reach.
People want a whole new world: Snapchat brings their iconic filters to Chrome.
🤔
BEFORE YOU GO
To help keep these signals top-of-mind, we share 1 question to ask yourself (or your team) in each edition. Your question to mull on this week is:
See you next time 👋