1. Kamala is brat

After Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race this week, Kamala Harris received a very important endorsement from British singer-songwriter Charli XCX. The artist fired off a single tweet that’s single-handedly turned Kamala Harris into a meme queen.

It’s been the tweet heard round the world, or at least, the tweet heard by the tastemakers of internet culture. It’s not putting it mildly to say that overnight, people decided Kamala is cool.

2. Is the era of earnest brand ‘authenticity’ over?

Strategist Zoe Scaman posted this question on LinkedIn last week about a tone shift in brand land: from earnest brands to the silly and surreal. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.

If 2014 was Patagonia, Toms, Dove Real Beauty and Warby Parker. 2024 is Liquid Death, Vacation, Brat and Oatly. A water brand that crafts its marketing in an SNL style writers room is worth $1.4B. A sunscreen brand that makes whipped cream sunscreen goes viral. Is the self-serious being replaced by the surreal? I’m inclined to agree with Zoe. Sound off in the comments.

Side note from Shachar: we’re seeing this shift on the agency side as well. Some of the newer shops out there are choosing to go for the absurd and funny, instead of the serious and stuffy.

3. Sports stars are the new superstars

It’s Olympic season and the brands are on it. The content coming out of the Olympic village is already popping off: notably, with athletes unboxing and trying on gear from sponsors like Nike, Lululemon, Ralph Lauren and Skims and posting it to TikTok.

Athletes are increasingly seen as influencers, and there’s something quite fun about seeing the enthusiasm of real people (ok, elite athletes) modeling gear that symbolizes the achievement of a lifelong dream.