Open AI's Super Bowl ad failed at humanity

THIS WEEK’S PODCAST EPISODE:

* Fans are coming for the content and paying for the community

* Move over shoppy-shop, hype-grocer is here

* Michelob Ultra’s Super Bowl ad is ultra good

* Gen-Alpha aren’t just digital-natives; their AI-natives

* Thom Browne and Doechii are the perfect couple

* Open AI should have asked ChatGPT how to make a good ad

* The Open changing the golf game

* Freaks of Nature’s simple but effective campaign

* An insight for local hospitality brands and education start-ups

Enjoy!

What we get into:

CULTURE

1:00 — CASHING IN ON COMMENTS // Kirsten put it perfectly: “comment sections have become the main attraction, the place where the real magic happens.” Substackers and YouTubers are finding that people are subscribing for content but paying for the community. Creators are gatekeeping gold: like-minded spaces with a common purpose. This is a space I’m eagerly watching evolve, and we unpack why.

Communities we mention: Heather Cox Richardson, Culture Study, Totally Recommend, Emily Sundberg, THE BOARD, Breakfast Club LA.

F&B

11:00 — STAPLE –> HYPE MART // Family Mart’s is going hype-grocer mode. And they aren’t alone. Happier Grocer is giving an edge to the basics. We’re entering a new era of shoppy-shop. It’s no longer about curating great goods; it’s about becoming great, too.

DRUGS & BOOZE

14:44 — ULTRA GOOD // Michelob’s ad won the Super Bowl. Though I think Taco Bell’s was a close second (more on why Sunday!). We unpack all the winning moves.

SILVERS, ALPHAS & ZS

20:13 — GEN-AI // If you think Gen-Alpha skincare brands aren’t worth tracking, think again. Beyond the cute packaging, you’ll find brands on the frontier of the biggest shift people aren’t talking about enough yet: Gen-Alpha is being raised on AI. While Gen-Z is the digital-native generation, Alphas will know the internet as it is today. They are voice-first, using Google Lens 10 billion times a month. This interview with Coach’s CEO, Todd Kahn, on this paradigm shift is a must-read no matter your industry. Kahn expects AI to play a major role in driving consumers to authentic brands, and if you read my interview with The Stories We Sell Ourselves, you know we agree.

RETAIL

27:20 — THE PERFECT COUPLE // While Doechii’s voiceover in the Nike Super Bowl ad was great (more on that on Sunday), the Thom Brown pairing was great. We get into why and gush over this Vogue x Doechii interview.

TECH

31:14 — NOT MY TYPE // Not long after hitting send on the Sunday letter did Open AI announce their rebrand. It perfectly exemplifies what OpenAI is getting wrong. While Google is showing us the meaning or the power (and fun) of AI, OpenAI is centering the story on itself, not the user. Their Super Bowl ad was just one giant, soulless motion graphics reel. While they are the big fish now, it’s the brands that showcase what AI can do for humans that will win this race. We don’t buy feature. We buy feelings. The brand loyalty race in AI has begun, and OpenAI is falling behind.

SPORT

35:59 — HOLE IN ONE? // I do my very best to explain way The Waste Management Open has become golf’s hottest ticket. I think this picture helps; this video helps more. By all accounts, the changes the team put in place this year kept things calmer. And it had record viewership, too. We’ll see more tournaments and sports looking at this model, for sure.

WELLNESS & BEAUTY

39:35 — NICE WORK // Nice simple campaign from Freaks of Nature. That’s all.

TRAVEL

40:42 — NO SCHOOL, NO TRAVEL // SO many parents are priced out of vacations due to school holidays. It’s an insight many local hospitality brands could tap into. But it’s also an opportunity for alternative education start-ups like 2-Hour Learning.

FUN FOR THE WEEK

Since we ran out of time to dive into Fun For The Week, I’m sharing a few extras for Valentine’s Day. xoxo

* I told you the brands are fighting! Hatch showing no love to Apple.

* Type humor for Valentine’s Day.

* Pandora’s love letters vending machines (more to love than Poppi’s 👀)

* Taco Bell is offering $777 weddings in Vegas (just wish the swag was better)

* Casablanca’s tennis courts are heart-worthy.

* This is my kind of Valentine’s Day date

Missing the letter this all ties back to? This way:

That’s all folx.

-Chris

If you read this and liked it, that little heart is there for that. The algo and I appreciate it.

PS. If you prefer Apple, Spotify, or YouTube you can listen there too.

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