The Relevancy Read

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

A Sampling

Shopping's existential crisis.

June 20, 2023

Consumption is in crisis. Can retail save the day?

As consumers we face the hard truth that online shopping has made us all addicts. With endless options and instant purchasing, the elements of identity, expression, discovery, and need that make shopping feel good have disappeared. Overconsumption filled our closets, but left gratification unfulfilled and wallets empty. Setting the stage for a retail renaissance, e-commerce player FWRD senses the shift, opening a new brick-and-mortar pop-up in LA. On Instagram, tastemaker Morgan Stewart raved about the space, after feeling “sick of ordering online” and wanting to “have an emotional experience with ordering clothes again.” Stewart speaks on behalf of many consumers. Prepare for a return to retail and set up your spaces to hit on these emotions through curation, service, and all things tangible.

Motels regain relevance with Millennial-ized branding and aesthetics.

After galvanizing a shift to on-demand rentals, Millennials and Gen Z now realize hotels are pretty nice, gravitating towards their amenities, ease, and lifestyle-specific atmospheres. Modern “motel-iers” step in to feed this demand with affordability in mind. On a recent trip to New Jersey, our creative director stopped by The Shore House, a beachside hotel rebuilt from a midcentury modern motel. Beautiful retro Americana design taps into good-ol-days nostalgia and sophistication, erasing any stigma surrounding motels. Read more about the uptick in glamorized motels in our Complete Guide to Travel & Leisure—look to these outposts for aesthetic inspiration and brand partnership potential.

The mental health industrial complex calls for more natural forms of therapy.

Consumers and experts alike are questioning all the online, on-demand, and app-based therapy saturating the mental health marketplace. Now fully normalized, everyone’s telling each other to get help. Therapy options are abundant—perhaps overabundant. At the SXSW tech conference, renowned therapist Esther Perel spoke on “Artificial Intimacy” and questioned the efficacy of instant talk therapy. Meanwhile, consumers are embracing and reframing age-old therapeutic activities like the “Walk and Talk” or Tai Chi. We’re not telling you to dump your therapist, but pay attention to this counter-current emphasizing movement and strong social bonds.

Boys and girls, clutch your pearls!

On track with a return to classicism and a cultural fixation on quiet luxury, grandma will be happy to learn we’re back in pearls. From red carpets to street style, the statement pieces are popping up everywhere with a hint of both old money sensibilities and individual flair. Timeless Pearly provides a modern take on the pearl tennis necklace, while Junya Watanabe turns the white sneaker into a jewelry lover’s dream. Simone Rocha gives pearls the oversized treatment with its now viral “Egg Bag.” Trickling into the masses, J. Crew takes the cue, debuting a pearl trimmed collared shirt in a collaboration with HommeGirl, also adding pearl covered hair ties and bags to their permanent collection. Consider this shift a pearl of wisdom when it comes to marketing, creative, and aesthetics.

When marketing pop-culture references, ask yourself, is it a meme? Or is it a moment?

Whether you’re a Bravo fan or not, if you’re in marketing, you should be paying attention to the recent viral cheating scandal on reality show Vanderpump Rules, aka “Scandoval.” The deluge of brand deals for scorned lover Ariana Madix provides a valuable lesson in harnessing pop-culture and social media trends. Bloomingdales’ quick-turn “revenge dressing” campaign and Duracell’s hilarious battery commercial both target specific nuances and references to the show in the context of their brand purpose, as opposed to slapping a hashtag or meme on social pages. With creativity, originality, and tact, there’s a way to get in on the action without coming off as purely capitalistic, contrived, or cringe. Call The Co. if you get stuck.