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- The Zeitgeist: March 29, 2024
The Zeitgeist: March 29, 2024
Today's Edition: Substack, Jarvis and Shrimp Jesus
Good morning. This week’s reputational crisis at NBC gave us a good look at the role communications can play in business strategy and execution. On a more positive note, consumers are projected to spend $22.4B on Easter this year - the second highest amount since the National Retail Federation’s survey began in 2007, just behind last year’s $24B. Also, April Fools’ Day is Monday. Brands are already soft-launching their pranks, from Sour Patch Adults to 7-Eleven’s hot dog-flavored sparkling water, but not everyone’s into it.
Campaigns
Earned-friendly campaigns & clever moments
Also, Liquid Death x e.l.f. Cosmetics’ Corpse Paint makeup kit, Cup Noodles’ 3D dancing cup billboard in Times Square, Elmo’s mental health PSA, Talenti’s Talentini for National Gelato Day and Sheba’s March Madness-style tournament for its new Gravy Indulgences cat food.
Culture
Snackable bites of consumer culture
Corporate
Trends at work and for good
Commerce
Shopper society snapshot
Connections
Feed intelligence
Media Moves:
Sharon Goldman, formerly senior reporter at VentureBeat, is now reporter at Fortune covering AI.
Anita Ramaswamy, formerly tech and finance analysis columnist at Reuters Breakingviews, is now financial analysis writer at The Information. She starts April 29.
Rocio Fabbro, formerly breaking news reporter at The Messenger covering labor, workplace, markets and banks on the business team, is now staff writer at Quartz - the outlet’s sixth new hire in the past eight weeks.
Tony Hồ Trần, formerly senior editor at The Daily Beast covering innovation and tech, is leaving the publication and has yet to announce his new role.
Jael Rucker, formerly pop culture editor at ONE37pm, is now associate commerce strategist at PureWow.
Alexis Berger, formerly deputy editor at Well + Good, is now freelance for outlets like SheKnows covering wellness and beauty and contributor at SELF.
Also... take a look inside this museum in Malaysia housing 70,000 McDonald’s toys and other memorabilia via Gastro Obscura.
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