[SIC] 103: Strode Rode

August 27th, 2020

Hi all, 

I read something today that described yesterday as a year.  Seems about right to me. I’ll save analysis for right now because there’s so damn much of it, and hope that some of the stories below help you make sense of things like they’re doing for me.  Thanks to George, Ken, Ben, Martucci, Tim and Greg for your contributions. Always appreciated. 

This week’s [SIC] Talk is tea time with Steph Simon, polymath force of nature described by Culture & Code "as  pure multi-hyphenate (former college hooper, banker, lawyer, fashion exec, former Beats by Dre and ran Will I Am[’s] innovation lab." Steph’s a new friend and it should be fun.  It’s on by the time (4pm ET) you read this, on IG Live @dietznutz (sorry for the short notice) and thereafter in my feed. 

Xo

Ben 

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BIG Issues. Start here.

Via Maekan: Protect Black Business is an initiative that seeks to not only protect Black-owned businesses from immediate physical destruction originally brought on by looting, but also ensure their economic survival. 

Campaign Zero worked with Wieden Kennedy New York office on a campaign to Nix the 6, which are six frequent ways the group sees police departments protecting themselves from scrutiny. (Campaign)

From George Rogers: LeBron James and a Multimillion-Dollar Push for More Poll Workers (NYT). Very necessary. 

Via Blackbird Spyplane: Mask Oakland is a queer + trans-led non-profit that supplies masks to the unhoused and other vulnerable populations across Northern California. Very timely given the wildfires. 

From Ken Miller: Probably not newsletter-friendly but still interesting: Looking Glass Politics prompts the question:  is it possible to have a conversation about necessary social change and climate activism while also acknowledging that politics on both left and right have been consumed by free-floating rage? (Mercatus) 

Via Benedict Evans: Bloomberg’s Casey Newton being thoughtful about tech journalism, in an interview with OneZero (Medium) 

Please Art, Save Us: 

Via Ken Miller: Buy stamps get art @thislongcentury (Instagram)

Via GARAGE’s Friday email: Laia Garcia-Furtado co-signs Artists Band Together, an initiative in partnership with eBay where artists like Hank Willis Thomas, Rirkrit Tiravanija, and Barbara Kruger among others, designed cool bandanas, with the profits benefitting grassroots voting organizations.

American Artist boards up The Whitney.The artist’s online project enacts a daily fantasy of revenge – or reparation – for the Western history of institutional racism and colonialism (Frieze)

Meanwhile, Duchampian reference protests took over the Tate Modern’s bathrooms (Hyperallergic)

Basquiat’s Soundtrack (a lyrical review of his new show at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) (Art in America)

Ed Bereal: The Most Important Activist-Artist You Don’t Know (Hyperallergic)

032C interviews Lucita Hurtado, the so-called “Last Surrealist”. Key quote: I never said “no” to life. Looking back, I sometimes think, “My god, how did I get away with that one?”

The NY Metropolitan Museum of Art is going to offer a bicycle valet service. (Hyperallergic)

We don’t need no…

VICE Colleagues Dominique Delport, and Joy Jones were joined by Scott Galloway, Divya Gokulnath, Susannah Belcher, to discuss the future of education, tech's influence and inevitable takeover. (Vimeo)

Related: Tiktok’s (now shuttered) foray into e-learning is a good indicator of the upheaval happening in the education business (Next Web) 

Streaming of You: 

Bella Thorne made $2M in a couple days on OnlyFans, while she was researching her next project (a film about … OnlyFans). 

Netflix and complacency: "Netflix is testing a ‘Shuffle’ button, because you’re tired of picking what to watch."  Or is it serendipity? (The Verge)

Via RLab: Snap announced that it updated Lens Studio to support full-body tracking. Creators can now use Full Body Triggers - screen effects triggered by different body movements (here's a more detailed video)

Also Via RLab: a newly published report on the future of virtual reality, augmented reality and 360-degree videos in journalism, produced by Jano Gibson, a journalist at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Tick, Tock. 

How One CEO Dealt With the TikTok Taunts of Gen Z: He Hired Them (WSJ)

TikTok and the Evolution of Digital Blackface (Wired)

How the Hollywood Fix Cornered the Influencer Paparazzi Market (NYT)

TikTok launched a store selling $70 'Not Going Anywhere' hoodies hours before CEO Kevin Mayer quit. 

Speaking of, Fashion AND Accessories: 

Telfar’s bag program is changing the hype / resale model: (The Face)

And it’s emblematic of the ‘reverse pyramid’ system of value, according to Ana Andjelic (Andjelicaaa)

Is Fashion out of Fashion? (The Guardian)

Yikes! Will COVID-19 Kill the Drop Model Forever? (Hypebeast)

Yes (maybe), as a function of the “death” of street culture says Jian DeLeon in his farewell from HighSnob. Long live it. 

Nobody asked for it but Allbirds is getting into streetwear with adidas and Chinatown Market collaborations.  (Input Mag)

Corollary: Amidst Shifting Consumer Trends and Values, The Fashion Industry Looks Towards Sustainable Future (Pandaily)

Also related, Via Maekan: Tômtex is a new leather-like alternative made from seafood shells and coffee

Why hardware stores might be the future of fashion (CNN)

Why fashion brands are flocking to Depop (Glossy)

Gentle Monster made glasses with Diplo and with Huawei. Guess which ones control your speakers. (Hypebeast)

Print’s not dead. But it may be dye-ing.

VICE’s own Andrew Courtien’s made a new zine to benefit Bed Stuy Strong, called “How Was Your Day.”  And now he’s gotta do another one, cause it sold out…. (Nighted)

Separately, VICE’s “Algorithm Issue” is out now digitally

And Orange Crush: The Journal of Art & Wrestling is now available for purchase at Printed Matter!

Eric Yahnker's mega book "Ten Years" a near-catalogue raisonné covering ten years of works by the artist is out NOW from Anteism Books and The Hole.

The GQ Shop, including wavy garms tie-dyed by EIC Will Welch himself. GQ’s moving from recommending products to selling its own (Digiday)

Marketing Moves: 

From Ben Pruess: The Dodo Teams Up With Petco for Pet Wellness “Destination” (Pet Product News)

CVS launched a media network (AdAge) - and the Media Nutgoes deep with explanations + implications. 

High Snobietyseeks survey takers from its community.

Via Kouch Culture: Bombay Sapphire recently launched “Create From Home,” a multi-platform experience encompassing online classes, workshops, and cocktail-making sessions, to give imbibers the chance to dabble in the art of mixology—in collaboration with Skillshare, Society6, Hunker and  Saatchi Arts. 

From Eric Martucci:  How a former Nike exec leverages his experience in digital innovation at his new role supporting small businesses at Vistaprint. Key Quote: ”I think that's all anyone asks for everyday," Engelberg said. "To try to go and make something that puts a dent in the world.” 

Forbes profiled the recent launch of Refinery29’s home decor collection

US digital publishers are dialing back international expansion (Digiday)

How the Washington Post is creating impact through socially minded branded content The Washington Post’s branded content arm, WP BrandLabs, is making sure projects are effective and empathetic. (Digiday)

Disney’s Ad Sales team and Steve Stoute’s Translation agency are officially in business together to create non-traditional and innovative branded entertainment, anchored in Disney content. (The Drum)

Via Good is the New Cool: in a first-of-its-kind citizenship-driven partnership, P&G and the IOC pledged to take action to make progress in key areas: equality and inclusion, environmental sustainability and community impact. (BusinessWire)

Lean Back And Listen: 

Woah, design nerds: Typographic’s 3-day-long conference is on YT and its letterform porn at its finest, including work from old friends Julian Alexander and Kelli Anderson. (YouTube) 

Via Blackbird Spyplane: a new music discovery / streaming platform called “ISCHiFi”comes out of the LA “Hi-Fi” Bar  In Sheep’s Clothing, and its very chill. 

From Tim Fielding: “Here's the soundtrack from last week's “Journey to Jupiter” AR adventure, just posted onto Soundcloud. Hope you enjoy.” 

Duck Duck Goose is a new interview show by Duck Sauce (A-Trak and Arman Van Helden). Episode 1 is with house legend Todd Terry, who put out Jay Z’s first album. 

Mickey Drexler on the (brand new) A Continuous Lean podcast (Substack)

AI, EOU:

Morning Brew’s comprehensive AI guide with everything they think you need to know about artificial intelligence

When YouTube sent its moderators home for Covid, video removals doubled. (Protocol)

Oh good, now there’s an army of microbots that fit into a syringe. (CNET)

Events: 

WSJ’s Job Summit is a free online event on Sept 1

Knotch’s Future of Content virtual conference is coming Sept 24th. 

And WSJ’s Future of Everything festival is coming too, on a series of sequential dates. 

No ComplexCon this year so this year is ComplexLand instead; Running Dec 7-11, its a free, week-long virtual universe that will feature an expansive shopping experience, musical performances, food collabs and delivery, discussions, and screenings. 

And NYCMediaLab’s annual conference is all-virtual too, Oct 7-9

How to Actually Get Your Vote Counted in this hellscape of an Election (VICE) 

This is clever: Prada’s Fall Campaign hack is an auction of behind-the-scenes photos from their pre-Covid show featuring the work of Kevin Tachman, Daniel Arnold and Daniel Meech (Instagram)

Random Reads: 

A Plague (of Snakes) on Ibiza (VICE)

High Snobiety has a timely interview with Naomi Osaka.

The brand is strong: Desus and Mero have an ice cream

From Greg Bresnitz: “Artist list is pretty amazing - could be good SIC” [Japan’s quest to create beautiful places to pee]. (Fast Company)

Via James Jarvis: Really interesting John Zorn and Sonic Youth doc  (YouTube)

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