The Relevancy Read

Hot takes, early calls and astute observations, carefully curated.

A Sampling

Scream queens and F1 fangirls.

March 14, 2023

Scream queens reclaim the silver screen.

With the horror genre's popularity rapidly rising, it’s no surprise the scream queen role has regained reverence and relevance. The OG, Jamie Lee Curtis, has revived the iconic Halloween franchise, while a new generation of leading ladies have captured the attention of the entertainment and fashion worlds. Mia Goth, who’s made a name for herself in gory slasher films like the new cult classic, Pearl, just opened Miu Miu’s Paris Fashion week show. Jenna Ortega dominates the headlines promoting both Wednesday and Scream VI. A perfect representation of current rebellious and sinister sensibilities, the scream queen personality is ripe to resonate with consumers. Consider tapping into this talent or trope for your next campaign. The gorier, the better.

In a post-Ozempic world, the body positivity movement moves moderate.

From a diabetes treatment to a weight loss secret for the rich and famous, Ozempic has gone mainstream, and Weight Watchers is getting in on the movement, purchasing a subscription service offering telehealth visits to doctors who can prescribe the drug. While catering to those who medically need it, the iconic brand’s entrance into this space hints at a future where getting the treatment is both accessible and the norm. The drug’s capabilities have already quickly snapped society back into a world where skinny is the goal. Guest of a Guest’s recent article jokes about diet culture feeling like it reemerged from the early 2000’s. While the strides of the body positivity movement won’t be erased, the effects of this wonder drug will be significant, moving ideals toward a happy medium.

The pendulum swings back on wokeness.

Joe Rogan’s new cancel-culture-proof Comedy Mothership club opened this weekend with a lineup of exiled comedians from Ron White to Roseanne Barr, selling out in minutes. The club encourages guests to research the comedians before purchasing tickets to avoid negative experiences. Chris Rock’s new Netflix special echoes the sentiment, calling brands like Lululemon to go back to simply making good products, not sweeping social statements. It’s not just fodder for comedy; new research from Baylor University and the Copenhagen Business School suggests politicizing business takes away from bottom lines, as “woke” initiatives shift focus away from concrete performance benchmarks like profitability. Social progress and aligning with consumer values are important, but an evolving mindset is signaling to brands: it's okay to just do business.

Consider the Formula 1 driver cultural muse du jour.

The Cut—"the 2022 F1 season was the most viewed, ever, in the U.S., and the largest demographic growth was seen in young people, aged 12 to 17 and 18 to 34, and women. Women made up 352,000 viewers per race, a 34 percent growth from 2021, meaning they made up 28 percent of the 2022 audience." The automotive sport's fanbase has grown massively thanks to Netflix's docuseries Drive To Survive, inspiring legitimate fan fiction, enthusiastic discourse, and aesthetic shifts. As an emerging interest among Americans, it presents a fresh space for sports newcomers and one that isn't totally saturated in traditional masculinity. In line with NBA players' embrace of high fashion, F1 stars like Lewis Hamilton accelerate progressive Men’s styling for a mass consumer. Take note of Formal 1's light-speed growth and tap into its influence, fast.

Anime is cool now, and quickly mainstreaming.

The once niche subculture is surging as more people become fans of the genre for its signature style and approach to storytelling. The recent opening of a Studio Ghibli theme park in Japan has generated excitement amongst enthusiasts and rookies alike, expecting to become a global tourist destination in the coming years. Luxury fashion brand Loewe collaborated with the animation company to create limited-edition collections inspired by their iconic films Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. Streetwear label Void uses popular anime franchises like Naruto to create coveted merchandise, with Billie Eilish seen donning one of their t-shirts on stage during her latest tour. Remember the “Big Red Boot” by MSCHF that seemed to be showing up in literally every corner of the internet? Those were also inspired by an anime series called Astro Boy (although not formally announced for obvious legal reasons).