VOL 2. Can Beyonce Sell Denim?
What Stopped My Scroll Vol 2 .
What’s up, everyone! I hope the week treated you well, and welcome back to another edition of “What Stopped My Scroll.” Before we dive into it, I want to discuss finishing the year strong. There are only three months left in 2024 — crazy, right?!
I firmly believe how you finish the year carries over into the next. So, go after it. Whatever it is that you’re working on, get it done. Forget about being perfect; that doesn’t matter. What matters is the confidence you gain after putting yourself or your project into the universe. Yes, I know; it’s a vulnerable feeling, but trust me, it’s rewarding in the long run.
Alright, let’s get it.
FAVORITE CONTENT OF THE WEEK
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“You cured my social anxiety.” These are the comments left under NYC-based creator @Aiyannace's videos. Her content is infectious. It's bold, unapologetic, and downright hilarious. The POV structure is executed flawlessly. It's like she takes you along a random trip, with ups and downs and unexpected turns. Her videos consistently hit over one million views.
BRANDS & COLLABORATIONS
@stockx and the @detroitpistons have officially announced a Jersey partnership for this season — a brilliant move to increase the online marketplace's visibility. The partnership feels authentic, especially considering Stock X is headquartered in Detroit.
Successions’ Brian Cox stars in Asics’” World’s Scariest Boss “campaign. The new campaign urges employees to incorporate movement into the workday to improve their mental health. Arguably the best Asics ad of all time (too soon?), the spot is strong. It captures Cox’s Logan Roy-esque dominant personality on screen while spotlighting a pair of Asics. I appreciate that the product doesn’t come into the frame until the near end of the video, which feels like a special unveiling. Well done, Asics.
Levi’s teased a collaboration with Beyonce by releasing an image that appears to show Bey riding a horse, à la “Cowboy Carter.” If you’re part of the Beyhive, you know that on her recent album, there’s a track featuring Post Malone called “Levii’s Jeans,” which likely led to this collaboration. I’m looking forward to seeing this collab rollout, with a particular focus on how it’s received by consumers. It’s worth noting that Bey’s Adidas IVY Park line struggled with sales and was less successful than expected.
HOT TAKE: I don’t think Beyonce can sell clothing like her counterparts. There are theories about why that’s the case, but I believe her inaccessibility and mystique hurt the ability to build cultural relevance around her products in today’s social media-first world. Fans need to see the real Beyonce outside of the music. I would love to see Beyonce take a page from Rihanna’s Fenty marketing playbook or even Hailey Beiber’s Rhode strategy. Beyhive don’t come for me 😅
Seoul-based glasses company Gentle Monster teams up with Tekken 8 on limited edition shades inspired by the game’s iconic antagonist, Kazuya. The creative campaign for this collaboration blows me away. It merges the distinctive aesthetic of Gentle Monster with Tekken 8’s universe, producing stunning visuals on social and IRL activations to drive awareness.
Gap and Disney partner on a limited-edition capsule encompassing ‘90s varsity-inspired pieces. This is one of the many collaborations from Gap this year as the American brand works on a refresh. I like what they’re doing, but this collab feels a bit random, mainly because of its lack of storytelling. The “why” behind the partnership doesn’t stand out. It just feels like a random collection decorated with Mickey & Friends characters.
Nike’s Web3 .SWOOSH imprint links with Kai Cenat to unveil the "Low Poly” Nike Air Max 1. Nike cooked on this one by recreating Kai’s streaming setup to highlight the shoe. I also loved how Kai pretended to be live on camera interacting with the chat. What’s interesting though, is that just a few days earlier, the first streamer signed to Nike found himself in hot water. Asics sent him a box of sneakers, and Kai shared the gift on his stream to thousands of viewers, which seemed to be a mistake. It’s highly likely that Kai’s deal with Nike explicitly prohibits the promotion of competitors. This idea circulated the internet, to the extent that people started mentioning Asics in the comment sections on some Nike social media post featuring Kai.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram unveils the signature sound of Reels. You know that sound effect you hear once a TikTok ends? Well, Instagram just introduced its own version in the next episode of “what Instagram will copy next.” I like the sound. It’s part error warning, part futuristic? I don't know. But what I do know is Instagram’s attempt at refining the identity of Instagram Reels has been fascinating to watch.
TikTok launches expanded subscriptions for creators. It’s an answer to Patreon, a creator platform that allows users to share exclusive content with paying subscribers. I’m curious to see which creators will quickly experiment with this.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Kyrie and Anta are building something special. Seeing the love Kyrie received in China was reminiscent of Kobe’s iconic tours in the Far East. Given all he’s been through with the league and media, you can’t help but root for the success of his new product line. It seems the culture is behind Kyrie, and with the right brand executions, ANTA can start to make noise in the sneaker industry. During the tour, Kyrie unveiled his line of Hela Style shoes. They’re fire and reportedly $70 retail. I have high hopes for these sneakers once they hit the market.
Former MVP Derrick Rose is retiring from the NBA after a 16-year career. D Rose is an inspiration to athletes around the world. He’s one of the biggest “what if” s in NBA history. He battled so many injuries but still made it back to the league, which is iconic in its own right. I absolutely loved the tributes from the Chicago Bulls and Adidas.
Til next time, folks ✌🏿.
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