This week the Internet was an extra wacky place to be. From strange criticism of Disney’s “Turning Red,” to a series of salacious statements by Kim Kardashian and Jane Campion, and Elon Musk taking to Twitter to challenge Putin to a fistfight – read on for a generous dose of both humor and “huh?”
💡ON OUR MINDS
Dolly Parton… but when is she not?
A quick catch-up—back in February, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2022 nominations, including, among others: DEVO, Judas Priest, Eminem, Rage Against the Machine, A Tribe Called Quest, and Dolly Parton.
Country icon Dolly Parton tweeted out a statement declining her nomination. She writes that she doesn’t “feel that [she] has earned” a nomination but would love to be considered if she is “ever worthy.” Dolly seems to be saying that she’s a country artist, not a rock star, and thus shouldn’t be in the Rock Hall of Fame.
The move calls attention to the troublesome question at the heart of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Who gets in, and why? Nominees and inductees are often ambivalent about inclusion. Artists like Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Dire Straits’ have skipped their acceptance ceremonies. Others have criticized the selection process and lack of inclusivity. The Rock Hall has attempted to expand its purview in recent years, inducting hip-hop artists like Jay-Z and LL Cool J. Dolly’s decision to opt out, however, suggests that the question of who the Rock Hall of Fame is for is still open.
As the institution’s relevance wanes, Allison Hussey rightly points out at Pitchfork, “the Rock Hall needs Dolly Parton more than Dolly Parton needs the Rock Hall.” Perhaps that’s why, in response to Dolly’s statement, the Rock Hall is leaving her on the ballot despite her wishes.
🏆 BRAND FAIL OF THE WEEK: THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTING
It was a week of twists and turns for women in the media, none more so than Kim Kardashian and Jane Campion. While both women have won positive coverage in the media in recent weeks for their handling of men’s criticism, Ye and Sam Elliot respectively, it all washed to the wayside due to their thoughtless comments about other women.
After sitting down for an interview with Variety with her sisters and momager Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian’s comments about women in business enraged the masses and sparked a Twitter firestorm.
Many were quick to point out how the comments were out-of-touch and insensitive as women across the U.S. attempt to rebound from the pandemic’s major blow to women’s participation in the labor force. But, even more so than that, as Liz Plank writes, the comments are merely “perpetuating outdated myths about ‘bootstraps’” instead of acknowledging the role wealth, luck, and privilege play in success.
Meanwhile, Jane Campion drew criticism for her Critics Choice Awards acceptance speech, which included a dig towards the legendary Williams sisters.
While she has since apologized, the damage was done, having used a moment of celebration to patronize two Black women whose accomplishments are extensive and well-known.
It all goes to show: the media’s tides can change at any moment, and oftentimes, it’s because someone’s decided to needlessly rock the boat instead of sitting still. Reputation management is an ever-evolving challenge and sometimes our worst enemies are ourselves – as was the case with these two women this week.
📡 ON OUR RADAR
In the latest corporate communication challenges, Uber struggles to message its latest customer surcharge tied to the current soaring gas prices. In an attempt to make a dent in public perception of the company’s unfair treatment of drivers, the announcement emphasizes that the flat fees per trip, ranging from $0.35 or $0.55, goes directly to drivers. However, critics are both saying this isn't enough to make a real impact and also deters drivers from accepting longer trips, contributing further to rider frustration.
“I am back,” says Tom Brady. After being “retired” for two months, the legend announced he’ll return to Tampa for his 23rd season. Brady and his marketing team have a history of clever tactics, this announcement perfectly timed to the unofficial start of NFL free agency.
Another day, another Pixar movie that people have found a reason to be mad about. Their latest film “Turning Red” is a coming-of-age story that follows 13-year-old Mei, as she experiences puberty and celebrates her Chinese ancestral heritage. For as many educators are heaping the film with praise for its portrayal of teenage girlhood, some parents are angry about the film’s depiction of menstruation, claiming that it’s too mature of material for their young children to be exposed to. But as Aja Romano of Vox writes, “Turning Red’s biggest offense may just be its unapologetic weirdness.”
Grift isn’t the only trend in television. Three new shows interrogate tech culture and the problematic charisma of founders. Showtime’s Super Pumped casts Joseph Gordeon-Levitt as Uber’s Travis Kalanick, Hulu unpacks the Theranos scandal with Elizabeth Holmes (played by Amanda Seyfried) in The Dropout, and human chameleon Jared Leto portrays WeWork’s Adam Neumann in Apple’s WeCrashed. Of note: two of these three shows are produced by tech companies. Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise then, that while these shows make great content out of founder folly, they don’t really dispel any of the mythology of the tech industry.
Bob Iger, the former Disney CEO, announced he’s joining the board of a metaverse startup called Genie. Genie is best known for creating avatars and NFTs for celebrities like Justin Bieber. As talent moves into the digital world space, is the content about to get a whole lot more compelling?
What’s in a name? The Latvian vodka brand, Stolichnaya, is distancing itself from its Russian-sounding name amidst the current crisis by changing its name to Stoli. We know branding is everything, but especially when global events are negatively impacting sales.
Two weeks ago the information war between Russia and Ukraine was on our minds, now we’re seeing the local government is playing a vital role as well. Throughout Ukraine, regional governors and mayors are playing an equally prominent role as President Volodymyr Zelensky using social media and short video clips to keep residents apprised of Russian advances in local areas, what roads are safe, and the availability of essential services. This is in stark contrast to Russia's official stance with its citizens, where it's illegal to use the word "war" to describe what the Kremlin calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine.
An unlikely partnership between Starbucks and Volvo is stirring up positive PR for both brands. Starbucks is installing Volvo-branded electric vehicle charging stations outside of 15 stores, a win-win-win for the popular coffee chain, EV drivers, and the environment.
Ever felt tempted to get a branded tattoo? (No, not that kind of brand.) You’re not alone—not by a long shot. According to coupon website Deal A, Disney and Nintendo lead the pack, with hashtag searches showcasing 474,458 and 43,548 tats respectively, followed by brands including Harley Davidson, Lego and Nike. These and the rest of the top 10 illustrate the power of brands in people’s lives—and their ability to become representative of value systems and fandoms.
Crowd-sourcing consumers for ideas is officially a “thing.” As user-generated content becomes more of the norm, agencies are turning to average consumers across social media for inspiration on their campaigns. The latest example is Old Navy. But in other instances, like Saks Off Fifth, the brand is using consumer input to rebrand their reputation as a fashion-conscious retailer.
Look out! There’s a cultural boon coming: State legislatures more than doubled the money appropriated to arts agencies this fiscal year, according to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA). That adds up to more lifted spirits, more inspired souls, more moved minds, more… ah, you get the point! Art is Capital I-Important. And this year state legislatures set aside $820.8 million to art agencies. While these agencies are still 30 cents short of a quarter, let’s celebrate this investment — it may very well help us process our combined emotional/physical/mental wreckage from the pandemic, economic turbulence, war, and ecological collapse. Thanks, state legislatures!
🥊QUICK HITS:
In case you missed these stories this week.
The Madness has begun and we’re saying “finally” to the women’s teams receiving equal benefits and funding. Enjoy all 72 games this weekend!
Pete Davidson was set to make Saturday Night Live’s “Chad on Mars” sketch a reality when he headed to space on Blue Origin’s 4th human flight – but reportedly had to back out “due to a scheduling conflict” after the mission was pushed back.
Only Elon Musk would challenge President Vladimir Putin to a fist fight on Twitter.
Ukraine’s most famous cat cashed in on his social status to escape to safety.
We’ll see you here next week! 👋
HL
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The fine print: This week’s newsletter is brought to you by “capitalism for animals.”