#Drake: Drake dropped a surprise album last night (probably had the same original release date as Beyonce, so I get it) titled "Honestly, Nevermind", his 7th studio album
How brands can jump in: Champagne Papi fans, now's your time to shine! Any lyrics or themes from the album stand out for your brand? Turn it into content!
#JonSnow: Kit Harrington is back reprising his role as Jon Snow for a Game of Thrones sequel in development with HBO. A redemption arc for a series finale we all deserve!
How brands can jump in: Jon Snow may know nothing, but if your brand knows something about GOT - this is your chance to make predictions!
#StephanieMcMahon: WWE has announced that Vince McMahon has 'voluntarily stepped back' from his responsibilities as CEO and Chairman of the Board during misconduct investigation. They have confirmed Stephanie McMahon will serve as interim CEO and interim Chairwoman
We need an American Girl Doll
What it is: Continuing the internets obsession with Nostalgia, we move away from butterfly clips and razors into a more wholesome narrative: the American Girl Doll. Commonly known for representing one of two themes (either a classic AGD from a historical moment in time complete, or the AGD you could get customized to look just like you, and represent a more current time period... spooky!) the AGD always has a story to tell. Started by the Instagram account @Hellicity_merriman, the internet has taken a liking to these stories and they are getting... niche to say the least. Following the format "We need an American Girl Doll who..." users are finishing that sentence with the silly, the specific, and the down-right twisted.
How brands can jump in: With a super simple format that can take a wild turn, this is a fun one to experiment with. Keep it simple by looking at a fan behavior you want the AGD to replicate or go a little off the beaten path by giving it a controversial opinion. Either way, use this moment to play, test, and take small risks. This trend is also manifesting itself on TikTok and Instagram, but stay away from using actual images of the dolls.
Examples: 1, 2, 3
Urgency level: Hot! We need an American Girl Doll to jump on this one ASAP as repetitive formats like this can get old quickly so go, go, go!
New Singles:
"DON'T YOU WORRY" - Black Eyed Peas, Shakira & David Guetta
"Surprise" - Chlöe
"Honey" - John Legend ft. Muni Long
New Albums:
Ugly Season - Perfume Genius
HONESTLY, NEVERMIND - Drake
The Storm Before The Calm - Alanis Morissette
Songs About You - Brett Eldredge
Here is a list of movies to watch that celebrate Black joy this Juneteenth.
Penguin Random House released a Juneteenth reading list to celebrate the holiday.
One of the books featured on the list is the 1619 Project which is a collection of essays and creative works by journalists, historians, and artists illuminating the legacy of slavery and highlighting the vast contributions made by Black Americans to society. Learn more about the 1619 Project at their official website.
This author reflects on how Juneteenth acts as collective therapy for the Black community.
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