1. Hot Wheels' ode to your first clunker.

Remember that first car you owned? You know, the one with mismatched wheels, a cracked windshield, and more personality than horsepower? Hot Wheels has teamed up with MSCHF, the provocative art collective known for their viral stunts and controversial products, to immortalize that beloved beater in miniature form.

Their "Not Wheels" collaboration is a $30 Hot Wheels car that looks like it's been through hell and back - and proud of it. This tiny tribute to automotive underdogs comes complete with parking tickets, a seatbelt hanging out the door, and even a "Wash Me" message scrawled on its dusty rear window. Oh, and one wheel is missing. It's exactly the kind of delightfully absurd, conversation-starting product we've come to expect from MSCHF, the folks who brought us shoes filled with holy water and toaster-shaped bath bombs.

For a company like Mattel, creating such a car might seem counterintuitive. But by celebrating the 'project car' aesthetic, Hot Wheels taps into a deep well of nostalgia and authenticity. It's a reminder that in branding, sometimes the most powerful move is to break from perfection and celebrate the beautifully flawed realities of life.

2. IKEA's latest assembly: a bag that puts commuters to rest.

IKEA's famous Frakta bag has evolved into a cultural icon in recent years, inspiring everything from a Balenciaga knockoff to a giant sculpture. Now, it's ready for its coziest role yet: a pillow. This padded, huggable version of the iconic shopper is designed for Singaporeans who've turned their daily commute into nap time, often using their bags as makeshift pillows.

But this isn't just about selling more bags (or pillows, for that matter). IKEA demonstrates how brands can stay relevant by adapting iconic products to solve real, local issues. By recognizing Singapore's sleep deprivation problem and offering a quirky solution, IKEA positions itself as a brand that understands and cares about its customers' everyday lives beyond just furnishing their homes.

3. Pandas, plumbing, and pre-war Kyiv: A$AP Rocky's fever dream music video.

A$AP Rocky has finally dropped the official video for "Tailor Swif," and it's a wild ride from start to finish. Every frame of this music video surprises, from a man with a giant toe for a foot to Rocky cruising in a bathtub-turned-motorbike. The track, which cheekily plays on Taylor Swift's name was filmed in Ukraine, just two months before the Russian invasion, adding an unexpected layer of poignancy to its zany visuals.

The masterminds behind this visual spectacle, Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia, are no strangers to mind-bending music videos. Heymann, an Israeli director and artist, gained fame for his interactive video for Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone"and has worked with artists like Coldplay, along with directing a series of Apple commercials (including this gem). Their signature style blends surrealism with technical wizardry, often using visual effects to create impossible scenarios that feel strangely plausible.