SUBSTACK: Barbie, Blackpink & Butter

The Hype Edit

Dollmania: AI Barbie box trend takes over 👱‍♀️💄

People have been flocking to ChatGPT of late, asking the generative AI tool to make them into action figures. The Barbie-style dolls have taken over social media, beginning with LinkedIn. Using specific prompts, ChatGPT can re-create a user’s likeness from a photo which is then packaged in plastic alongside blister packs containing ‘accessories’ relating to that person. Influencers and brands quickly adopted the trend, sharing their miniature replicas. The fad has now been reported across BBC News, Cosmo, Forbes, USA Today and more - proving that life in plastic really is fantastic.

Sensory marketing: Consumerism tastes sweet 🍩

Now this one’s been going strong for a while now. Sensory marketing, with a particular focus on taste, has proven to be one of the most robust marketing and advertising tactics in recent years. The beauty industry is leading the charge with brands like Rhode plastering its channels with ooey-gooey images of cinnamon swirls and whipped cream to launch its cinnamon peptide lip gloss. Meanwhile, Summer Fridays dips its Brown Sugar lip balm in cups of hot chocolate, Elemis markets its latest pro-collagen cleansing balm nestled amongst a sea of black cherries, and Laneige tickles the tastebuds with sprinkle-covered doughnuts. The theme doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon with fashion brands picking up the baton and a host of fashion x food collabs on the menu.

BLACKPINK fly the coop: Lisa, Jennie, Jisoo and Rosé’s solo stardom 🌟

You’d have to have been living under a rock not to have charted the meteoric rise of South Korean girl band, BLACKPINK. One of the best-selling girl groups of all time and the first Asian act to headline Coachella, they are somewhat of a phenomenon. Now, its members have embarked on hugely successful solo projects. From Rosé’s monster smash hit ‘APT’ with Bruno Mars, to Lisa’s acting debut in The White Lotus, Jennie dropping viral track ‘Like Jennie’ and making history with her follow-up ‘Mantra’ and Jisoo becoming a global ambassador for Dior, the girls have proven their idol status both collectively and apart and spawned a host of new fans in the process. Watch this space.

One small step for feminism, one giant leap for air pollution 🚀

Speaking of space. This week, Katy Perry managed to make a public spectacle of herself with a tone-deaf stunt that is likely to haunt her career. Working with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, the singer and other celebrities became the first all-female team to travel to space since 1963, embarking on a (wait for it) 11-minute round-trip journey to the edge of Outer Space. The voyage has come under a huge amount of fire for being out of touch, due to the fact that it cost millions of dollars whilst economies are on the brink of recession, served absolutely no purpose in scientific research terms and contributed major harm to the planet, all the while putting more money in the Amazon founder’s pockets. They’ve got a point there. What’s more, the brains behind the operation have labelled it a huge stride for feminism. Call me crazy, but packaging up unnecessary and wildly self-indulgent space tourism as a progressive and empowering move forward for women, doesn’t land so well with me. I can’t imagine it does with the brilliant, history-making female astronauts and scientists already moving the needle within astronomy either.

That’s all for now. Check in next time for more hype. 🖤