Jack Schlossberg will win and everything will be fine
This Week Wrapped
In today’s letter: Microsoft is working with influencers, TikTok Shop is a monster, you can get into college without even applying, digital creators are investing in offline businesses, Netflix wants you to chill with them at the mall, the court of public opinion is now global, Build-A-Bear stock is up 50x, my dermatologist outworks all of us, and more
Microsoft Bets on Influencers Like Alix Earle to Close the Gap With ChatGPT (Bloomberg)
Microsoft is trying to drive consumer awareness for their AI assistant and “life coach for everyone” so who better to tap than influencers? While Copilot downloads lag way behind ChatGPT, the consumer-centric marketing approach for the 75-year old enterprise business seems to be paying off. According to Microsoft’s Consumer CMO, the company is getting “more bang for the buck with influencers than with traditional media.” No receipts, but I believe it.
[Alix] Earle and Microsoft brainstorm ideas together, but she’s free to ad lib. For example, on the way to a shoot in May, Earle asked Copilot how to appear younger because some of her followers had said she looks 40. The chatbot told her to “focus on a good skincare routine.” The video generated 15.4 million views on Earle’s TikTok, almost twice the number of people who follow her on the social media app. She captioned the video, “Copilot is my mentor & therapist” with the hashtag #copilotpartner.
TikTok Shop Is Now the Size of eBay (Wired)
TikTok Shop is only two years old but already doing the same sales volume as 30-year old e-commerce giant eBay. And the scale of sales is staggering. According to recent data, TikTok Shop sold $19 billion worth of products globally from July-September of this year (insane) while eBay did about $20.1b in the same period. Livestream shopping hasn’t taken off in the US in quite the same way it has in China but if the Ellison’s succeed in buying the clock app, they’ll probably figure it out.
YouTubers aren’t relying on ad revenue anymore — here’s how some are diversifying (TechCrunch)
I’m a broken record on this topic but I’ll say it again: the most savvy content creators capitalize on escape velocity, bridging social media success to offline businesses and physical products. Exhibit A: a 13-year old YouTuber known for his toy reviews and unboxing videos leveraged his online success to create a line of toys and apparel that reportedly generated over $250 million in revenue in 2020. I didn’t even know what the word revenue meant when I was thirteen, so color me impressed. The open question is whether you can build anything new today in the physical world without being extremely online first.
Local news goes over the top: OTT app viewing is growing in US markets (Nielsen)
According to data from Nielsen, over half of U.S. adults now consume their news through digital platforms. But while streaming platforms and social media have made global news more accessible and desirable—everyone wants to be informed—people still crave and even need local news. When a major storm is brewing in your neighborhood, nothing can replace local reporters showing you what’s happening on the ground versus telling you from afar.
How people really use ChatGPT, according to 47,000 conversations shared online (The Washington Post)
According to OpenAI, over 800 million people use ChatGPT each week. But while it’s primarily promoted as a productivity tool, 1 in 10 people use the chatbot to engage in “musings and abstract discussion.” Even though it’s not mentioned once in this article, loneliness is jumping off the page.
Why Build-A-Bear Has Been on an Nvidia-Like Run (Bloomberg)
There are Disney Adults and then there are Build-A-Bear Adults. Yet again, nostalgia is a big business because if you had bought Build-A-Bear stock ($BBW) at its pandemic low in 2020 and held, you would have 50x your money. This is an awesome turnaround story led by a very impressive woman I’d never heard of but I hope she writes a book.
A Political Litmus Test: Can You Hang With the Boys? (NYT)
There are a lot of takeaways from Mamdani’s media strategy but one of the biggest for me is the globalization of public opinion. Even though it was a local election, everyone, everywhere, had strong feelings about the candidates. And when you can’t control what your brother’s girlfriend in Ohio proselytizes at the dinner table about the NYC mayoral candidates, the only way to win in the global court of public opinion is to be everywhere all at once. That’s a big change from the politics I grew up in, but perhaps we were always destined to end up here.
Netflix wants to build a home for its fans — at the mall (Los Angeles Times)
The MAG7 have been trying to bridge the online and offline worlds via experiential events, pop-ups, and IRL activations for a long time. But things are in high gear now as these multi-trillion dollar companies hit saturation points with their respective audiences. Netflix’s new concept is Netflix House, an amusement park meets shop in shop, replete with food, games, immersive rooms, a theater, and more. Sounds fun and capital-intensive.
Michael Pachter, a managing director of strategic planning at Wedbush Securities, was skeptical, because brand awareness is not an issue for a company as well known as Netflix. “This is a solution in search of a problem,” he said.
How an $11 Billion Beauty Company Built a Suburban Empire (Bloomberg)
Have you ever seen a more beautiful graph? Despite wobbly consumer confidence, sticky inflation, and confusion around tariffs, the lipstick effect is real. As Jeff Lee, Founder and CEO of Dibs Beauty explained, “America has a lot going on…but it all loves beauty.” He’s right and his blush-bronzer duo is legit.
Using Your Credit Card at the Checkout Is Set to Get a Lot More Complicated (WSJ)
Visa and Mastercard have been at antitrust war for the better part of two decades. If this new settlement gets court approval—and that is still TBD—it will be more of a win for merchants than consumers.
You got accepted and didn’t even apply? Why college ‘direct admission’ is growing nationally (Los Angeles Times)
A long time ago, I applied to a handful of colleges I never visited and never planned to attend (sorry Barbara but your strategy was no bueno). But I did spend a lot of time on all of the applications. Today there’s a program called direct admissions whereby colleges and universities admit students before they even apply. It makes sense as a tactic to combat declining enrollments but in a world where we constantly have to package and sell ourselves to others, it’s good to start building that muscle early on.
Holiday 100 (Google)
According to this year’s trending Google searches, being a homebody is in, everyone is wearing Glossier Eau de Parfum, and people want to travel in style (honestly, same). The Our Place cookware sets are all over my algorithm, so that one tracks, but I thought we left initial necklaces in 2005.
You can’t make me move in with my boyfriend (sex happens and Ella Emhoff)
If you want to understand the state of modern relationships, this will take you on an emotional rollercoaster up, down, sideways, and back up again. Someone once told me that smart people always have options and I think the sister statement to that is good people always have happy endings. More content like this, pls.
“No one wants to be the one single friend in a sea of steady relationships, but is that worth it when you are genuinely not getting what you need? No. No, it’s not.”
Zillow Just Released the Biggest Home Trends Buyers Want in 2026 (House Beautiful)
What do home buyers want right now? According to Zillow’s home trends report: color drenching, reading nooks, sustainability and self-care features, sports simulators, and more. What’s not mentioned but would have been high on the list a few years ago: home offices and home gyms.
Jack Schlossberg, Social Media Provocateur, Gives Politics a Try (NYT)
My senior year superlative said that in 20 years I’d be married to a Kennedy. I’m not counting the days. Onto Jack since people have asked: a few years ago, I’d say the chances were slim. Today, we’re living in The Wild West. He will win and everything will be fine. Are there better candidates? Yeah, is the sky blue?
TikTok Launches Podcast Network with iHeartMedia (Adweek)
TikTok and iHeartMedia are launching the TikTok Podcast Network, a portfolio of up to 25 podcasts hosted by TikTok creators. And that’s just the beginning—the two companies also plan to collaborate on traditional broadcast radio and live events. I wonder how Dear Media and Unwell feel about all of this…
The World’s Biggest Brands Tap This Agency to Sell Desire (WSJ)
Chandelier is a creative agency most people have never heard of but you have probably seen their work. Responsible for the vibes inside the Khaite SoHo store, and Rhode’s logo, typography, and packaging, they help brands bottle their ethos and sell it with style. As Chandelier CEO, Eileen Eastburn, explained: “You can’t really manufacture cool. It’s more about an emotion, a taste filter. It’s about creating something that connects with someone.”
Meet Spotless, a One-stop Shop for Acne Treatments in New York City (WWD)
Shout out to my dermatologist, Dr. Amy Wechsler, for outworking all of us. A board-certified dermatologist and psychiatrist, she also got an MBA from Columbia last year all while running her very busy practice. Brick-and-mortar, out of pocket clinics are a tough business—if you remember the Redesign Health era, you know—but Dr. Wechsler is the real deal.
Night People: How to Be a DJ in ‘90s New York City - if you too are nostalgic for Thursday nights at The Darby, this will transport you to a whole other place
Pastrami Queen - this shit is smacking
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