Britney Spears: Following TMZ's report that the pop princess is divorcing from husband Sam Asghari, fans are showing their support for her and discussing theories around the couple’s marriage.
S. Coups: Fans are sending well wishes to the rapper of popular K-Pop group SEVENTEEN after he tore his ACL while creating content for the band and will be inactive during upcoming appearances.
Christopher Morel: The Chicago Cubs' designated hitter is making headlines today for his epic celebration after hitting the winning walk-off home run against hometown rivals, the Chicago White Sox.
Girl Math 💅👩💻👛💵
What it is: “Girl Math” means never having to worry about purchases under $5. The latest viral personal finance trend pokes fun at justifying purchases by breaking them down into smaller units. It was first popularized by the New Zealand podcast Fletch, Vaughan & Hayley. In an episode that has since been viewed over 1.6M times on TikTok, the hosts told a caller her $400 wedding hair extensions were "basically free" because of Girl Math. Since then, the hashtag #girlmath has amassed 50.9M views on the platform. But how does it work? Well, let's say you choose not to buy $50 shorts. In that scenario, you've just "earned" $50 you're free to spend elsewhere. Now what if you bought a $330 dress? If you plan on wearing it at least 3x, it really costs $110. This is all to say that "Girl Math" is the latest iteration of trying to rationalize luxury purchase behavior. It feels very similar to the "buy now, pay later" trend that breaks down big-ticket items into multiple installments.
What brands can learn: Why does this all matter, brands? Well, it’s the summer of mostly made-up microtrends involving the word “girl.” The internet started talking about their "girl dinner," then "hot girl walks." They're having "feral girl summers" and attempting to determine whether they're "strawberry girls," "coconut girls," or "tomato girls." There are almost TOO many girl distinctions to make right now. Are you an "okokok girl" or a "lalala girl"?
With all of this discourse emerging around girl trends, it makes you wonder why all of the buzz? And, moreover, why has some of the commentary around these trends been so divisive? It all comes down to modern women referring to themselves as girls. Not only does it free us from traditional modes of womanhood, but evokes something more lighthearted, childlike & fun than the serious, responsible woman. These clickable, trendy bits of girlhood feel accessible and nostalgic despite their infantilizing nature. It's a way of categorizing a habit or aesthetic; normalizing something we may be doing en masse that suddenly feels novel. But why girl this, girl that? Because, it sells. Brands, if you decide to hop on one of these trends, know that they can quickly come and go, and many are normalizing behaviors that could be problematic: overspending, disordered eating, etc. Be cautious, keep an eye out for additional social chatter and cultural commentary, and be aware of what girl you're overtly and inadvertently promoting.
Examples: 1, 2, 3
NYC is the latest location to ban TikTok on city-owned devices 📱
Celsius is now the official energy drink of Major League Soccer ⚽️
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