10/21/22
This week: A throwback Halloween rec that reigns supreme, the ~perfect~ fall series, and a seven-episode binge to take down over the weekend (btw, Jennifer Coolidge is involved).
TRENDS THIS WEEK:
Youtube Spot the short king
Letterboxd HALLOWEEN ENDS
Spotify UNHOLY - Sam Smith & Kim Petras
Netflix WATCHER
Twitter $SNAP
Trailer WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES
Shopify It’s Been A Week
Life & Culture
Anyone else been extra sneezy and sniffly lately? Well, we’re not alone. I hate to report it, but this is yet another thing that’s been worsened by climate change. According to Kenneth Mendez, the president of the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, “allergy seasons have almost doubled in length and gotten more intense because of climate change.” Higher carbon dioxide levels are causing plants to release more pollen, and with higher temperatures throughout the year, plants have more time to grow and produce allergens.
I do have good news for most taxpayers, though. The IRS has adjusted tax brackets and increased the standard deduction most people can take, to make up for the nearly seven percent increase in consumer prices driven by inflation. The biggest change is the shift in income brackets, as the IRS raised the income thresholds for each seven income brackets. These shifts will not affect the tax rates of folks whose salaries have kept pace with inflation in real time, over the past year. But, according to The NYT, for many Americans, that hasn’t been the case. “Inflation-adjusted weekly earnings declined nearly 4 percent from September last year to this September.”
You can expect to be targeted with personalized ads while traveling in a rideshare service pretty soon. Uber has plans to expand into the ad business projected to generate $1B in revenue in the next two years, displaying ads in-app, on the backs of seats, and on top of cars. According to TechCrunch, over 40 brands, including NBCUniversal, Heineken and United Artists Releasing, have already signed on.
—Darlene Kenney, Director of Brand Marketing
TikTok
Okay, I must share this series I’ve been loving. The marketing department of this adult-sized electric tricycle company makes a series of addictive videos, where they go up to random people on the street and ask them to sing karaoke on the back of their bikes. Seeing the individuals go from being unsure if they want to participate to belting The Little Mermaid on the back of the bike just has not gotten old, even after 40+ videos. Start with this one. I also loved this wholesome video of a baby turtle on his voyage from the sand to the ocean, and this one of a spider at work on quite a large dinner.
—Darlene Kenney, Director of Brand Marketing
Film
Okay, I’m here to admit that I finally watched a Halloween classic this fall season, and I’d like to convince anyone else who hasn’t yet seen PRACTICAL MAGIC (trailer here) to pencil it into their schedule in the next ten days. Let me start off by saying the cast is stacked. We’ve got Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, and Stockard Channing. It also has a great soundtrack (two Stevie Nicks songs!). The 1998 film tells the story of two sisters from a small coastal town who grapple with a curse, and are forced to lean into the world of witchcraft that they denied for most of their lives. It’s just a lot of fun to watch, and quite frankly, everything I wanted in a Halloween movie night. The best scene of all: this one, where the sisters and the aunts are drinking and dancing around and singing along to LIME IN THE COCONUT. It's quickly followed by the sets of sisters hurling insults at each other, which is just so funny and real. Make your weekend a little more fun and chaotic by putting this gem on.
—Darlene Kenney, Director of Brand Marketing
TV
Netflix's new hit limited series THE WATCHER is my kind of mess. Loosely based on a true story covered by New York Magazine in 2018, the series follows Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale as Nora and Dean, an in-over-their-head couple who spend their life savings on a New Jersey mansion only to quickly learn that they–and their new home–are being watched by an anonymous stalker who desperately wants them out. A quick seven-episode binge, THE WATCHER is a star-studded, campy whodunnit in which everyone is a suspect. Most importantly, Jennifer Coolidge gives peak Jennifer Coolidge, which should be more than enough reason to check it out!
—Dustin Sloane, Development Coordinator
Fall, which is questionably arriving here in LA, means different things to different people. For me: latte foam art, tiny pumpkins, and fuzzy comfy socks. But above all else, it’s an excuse to rewatch OVER THE GARDEN WALL. The 2014 Cartoon Network mini-series follows two young brothers, Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg (Collin Dean) as they traverse an otherworldly forest called The Unknown in search of a way home, all while avoiding an ominous, hope-sucking creature known as The Beast (Samuel Ramey). It's a sweet, heartfelt story that taps into the chilly unease and childlike wonder of autumn without being overly scary (but if you're a horror wimp like I am though, you may want to skip Episode 7, "The Ringing of the Bell"). OVER THE GARDEN WALL is best enjoyed with a cat on your lap, a pumpkin spice latte in your hand, and your best friend on the couch next to you. The whole thing clocks in at around two hours from start to finish, so it makes for a great cozy evening in. Happy watching! And beware the beast...
—Carrie Smith, Executive Assistant
This last week I watched the new Australian Netflix series, HEARTBREAK HIGH. The show is about a group of high school students in Sydney who are all exposed after a map of all their past sexual exploits is graffitied on one of the halls of the high school. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say: The show is incredible and I highly recommend you watch it if you have a little free time on your hands. It’s one of the rare teen shows that accurately captures the social dynamics of high school—and the effects those can have on teens’ mental and physical health.
— Saad Hamid, Digital Intern
Have a great weekend! And as always, be kind, stay healthy, and stay creative. ツ