[SIC] 354: Articulated Particulars

Vol. 7, No. 44. New HIP REPLACEMENT, Steel Pan Fete and other events, Lincoln's Proboscis and all the liiiiinks of the week. Except for the ones in [SIC] Day.

Jul 18, 2025

[SIC] Weekly is a digest of developments in trends, tech, media, marketing, fashion, food, places and events, published free on Thursdays. Feel no compunction to open every item in a new tab; [SIC] is intended to be read as you would a bulleted list.

This digest was sent free on 7/18/25 to 7715 subscribers. Original source is cited. Corollary sources are listed at the end of each digest.

I'm Ben Dietz, longtime media/entertainment business guy, and now advisor-for-hire to brands, publishers and agencies. 

[SIC] is made possible by its paid subscribers. It's $8/month or $80/year. 

Paid subscribers also get "[SIC] Day" most Ma/Tu/W/F & a [SIC] Sundays mini-digest.

Many recipients expense subscriptions as research in marketing, advertising, entertainment + tech. You can too. It's sincerely appreciated. 

If can't pay, help [SIC] proliferate by sharing with friends, family and colleagues.

New original art each issue is courtesy of Gordon Hull.

Special thanks this week for stories: Ken Miller, Zaira Stefani Vallejo, Piers Fawkes, Celeste Blewitt and Iolanda Carvalho.

Comments, Questions and Contributions are invited from everyone.

Hi all,

Back this evening from a couple of events - an artist talk put on by the roving Spinello gallery at WSA for the painter Reginald O’Neal - a new discovery for me, and then the release of the new Byline print issue, which featured a few quite excellent songs from Kelly Zutrau of the band Wet, who I’d heard of but not really listened to. Both were great. Thanks to [SIC] subscriber Joel Linkewer for pointing me to the Spinello event, and to Gutes and Megan for the invite to the Byline release.

In that spirit, a trio of things that might light up your brains, especially if you’re local to NYC:

The Sothebys “Arcade” sale is a wide ranging collection of No-reserve art works and ephemera (The first ‘real’ art I ever managed to buy was from a similar sale and it changed my POV on a number of things. This one’s got Rauschenberg, Nara and oddly, a model tank built by Robin Williams) among many other things - it’s on until July 23rd. / Sotheby’s

Also on the 23rd, the Artist's Choice: Movie Nights kicks off film series at the FLAG Art Foundation, programmed by the artists Ana Benaroya, Awol Erizku and Cynthia Daignault and running for the next three Wednesdays, July 23, 30 and Aug 6th.

And then onSunday the 27th of July: Brooklyn Steel Pan Fête at the Barclays Center Plaza, a massive celebration of steel pan music with performances by large band steel drum orchestras plus hands-on workshops, youth pan orchestras, soca music, over 80 musicians performing. And it’s all free.

HIP REPLACEMENT EP.18 Campbell Dietz

Back in the lab this week, we had a last minute cancellation this week and so for Episode 18 Kyle and I drafted the nearest 18-year-old, Series Producer Campbell, and (dispassionately) he did a great job.

Among the stuff we dug into (loosely): Justin Bieber’s “Messy, Improbable Masterpiece” per The New Yorker, The Gen Z stare and if an entire generation abandoned small talk (link courtesy of Embedded), The Lost Zillennial (sort of), per Dirt and the NYT’s How the Summer Interns are Making it Work, and of course how Campbell’s own internship is going (pretty good, I’d say). It’s a good one. Have a look. Or a listen, if you prefer.

Last thing: there’s been a bunch of press today about Substack’s series C fundraise, and it reminded me to explain the way [SIC] is working these days. Basically, I’ve started sending the first 20 links that attract my attention every day to the paid subscribers only - and then populate the weekly with the stuff I land on afterwards.

Which is to say, if you benefit from access to my pattern recognition on Thurs, it might be worth $8 a month to get first access every day. If that’s not you, all good. But the support’s appreciated.

OK, now the links.

Ben

[SIC] 354: Articulated Particulars

The Modern Condition

The Near Collapse of the American Myth / Product Lost
Corollary: Matt Levine is a national treasure and explainers like his LQR House edition yesterday are constant reminders of the fact / Money Stuff
Speaking of the monies: Anduril’s Palmer Luckey, Palantir’s Joe Lonsdale and Peter Thiel have filed a bank charter for providing services for high-risk industries like AI, crypto, and defense tech / Wired
In response?! Bank of America is planning to launch a stablecoin / Reuters
Apropos of stability: What could Zohran Mamdani mean for NYC’s prime property market? Some homeowners are worried by the prospect of a ‘radical socialist’ mayor — but they underestimate the resilience of this high-stakes, high-reward city / FT
More Zohran Adjacent content: Youthquake. This is society’s Napster moment / Lefsetz
Apropos, Day One FM is joined by Rachel Janfaza (as featured on HIP REPLACMENT) / Apple Podcasts
Corollary: Trolling Democracy. If you want to know where Republican politics is heading, look at the memes / NYT
Case in point?! There's No Evidence That Climate Change Has Increased the Rat Population. A widely reported study relies on weak data, inaccurate statistics, and misleading references to support its claims / Reason
Related to that: How A Disaster Expert Prepares For The Worst / The New Yorker
Also the worst? Flattery, Firmness, and Flourishes. World leaders and diplomats quietly swap strategies for managing Trump / The Atlantic
The fight to revive Europe’s shrinking rural areas. Across the continent, remote villages are fading amid declining births and residents departing for greater opportunity in urban centres / FT
In the meantime, France may cut two public holidays to stave off a budget crisis / NYT
While From Celeste: Melbourne carpark becomes $55m hospitality wonderland under billionaire’s ambitious vision / Beat.com.au
Related to that: Craig Mod on overtourism in Japan / Craig Mod
Meantime, Digital Nomads Are Getting Caught in the War on Tourism. Countries are welcoming remote workers with digital nomad visas—while cracking down on the very lifestyle that makes nomadism possible / Reuters
Also seriously nomadic: A narco-sub remote-controlled over Starlink. Paging William Gibson / Marine Insight
Related: Drones Are Key to Winning Wars Now. The U.S. Makes Hardly Any/ NYT
Wild Corollary: The US Army will end all non-ceremonial use of horses / Semafor
But, like, Are DMT Aliens Real? A Leading Scientist Says Yes / Doubleblind

The Trends

Answering the phone by saying “hello” is out (for Gen Z apparently) / Business Insider
Related: Wordpilled slangmaxxing: How incel language infected the mainstream internet — and brought its toxicity with it / The Verge
So… Is human language at an inflection point? Linguist Adam Aleksic on the impact of algorithms on how we speak / Embedded
Or is it just another grift? The Hidden Financial Market Behind Gen Z Slang / User Mag
In any case, The real “millennial pink” is algorithm green / Deez Links
But, like, Can you "age out" of social media? / Link in Bio
Related, from Piers: “Love this share. I actually read it too. Lots to ponder and steal and use as my own thinking ;): [Tension Branding: How to Capture Our Conceptual Mood] / Concept Bureau
More capture: The cultural hitmaking playbook A reading list from Barr Balamuth and Ana Andjelic / The Sociology of Business
My nominee for the list: Ways of Raving: Geoffrey Mak on Empathy and Psychosis. The politics of status, cancel culture’s evangelical roots, collective psychosis, and why the dance floor remains one of the last spaces for true community and solidarity / 032c
Apropos of nightlife: Bompas & Parr’s P-Leisure Report for 2025 is out and full of predictions of note / Bompas & Parr
While The New Consumer’s Consumer Trends report is a 125-slide presentation that you can view and download for free / The New Consumer
Apropos of new trends: No Sad Beige Onesies. “My wife and I spend a lot of time thinking about our baby’s happiness. Which is why we dress her like a “maximalist clown.” / The Cut
Ergo?! Marital Status Shifts in the United States / Flowing Data
One byproduct: the Popularization of Egg Freezing Has Created a New “Fertility Wealth Gap / fortune
So now, fertility policy has a big missing piece. Men Might Be the Key to an American Baby Boom / The Atlantic
Also key? Sex For Sex's Sake. Something is still missing from the sexlessness discourse, especially surrounding Gen Z / Many Such Cases
Instead of congress? Gen Z is embracing aura photography /i-D
Oh also: Witchcraft and spellwork have become an online cottage industry via Etsy / WSJ
And Gen Z is bringing movie theaters back (with bells and whistles) /Hollywood Reporter
Case in point, from Ken: the best movie theater in Manhattan / Google Maps
Next Gen up? From Iolanda: The Alphas, explained [Gen Alpha unfiltered. A deep dive into the minds, values, and behaviors of the youngest generation] / GWI

AI-AYE-AI

New in summer 2025, ‘AI eats the world’ from Benedict Evans, now with video / YT
Case in point: Both OpenAI and Perplexity are teasing AI-based on browsers / Reuters
Which … OpenAI and Perplexity's New Browsers Make the Monopoly Claims About Google Look Foolish / Reason
On the flip side, from Iolanda: “Traffic lottery... “[Inside the Media’s Traffic Apocalypse] / NYMag
Nevertheless: Creative Commons wants to keep sharing alive in the age of AI / LowPass
Which prompts Koebler and co to note: “The media’s pivot to AI is not real and not going to work” / 404 Media
What IS working?! : AI “nudify” apps and sites have been making millions of dollars / Wired
And Delta is increasing its AI use in determining airfares / AdWeek
While: Autonomous farms are using robotic pickers, drones, and AI / WSJ
Which brings us to: An ongoing exhibition in the UK explores how design might look with non-human life at its center / Semafor
A Conversation with Machine Berlin, which has built an agency around an AI, NOT built AI around an existing agency/ Strat Monday’
Building Viral AI Projects and Reading the Whole Web. Greg Hochmuth's approach to AI experimentation, from his viral Methaphone project to his vision for AI-powered Google Alerts that monitor everything / BRXND

Arts And Artists

When Does Something Become Something Else? / The Brooklyn Rail
How the Pandemic Shaped a New Wave of Digital Art / The Art Angle
Sun Yitian Is the ‘It’ Girl of the Chinese Art Market. She Doesn’t Always Believe It / Artnet
A Conversation With Jonathan Glazer / Il Cinema Ritrovato
The Talks Talks To Kenny Scharf / The Talks
The Best Art Books of All Time (According to Us) / Artnet
Also all time: Pamela Anderson Forever / The Atlantic
The Art of Dailiness, by Michael Bierut / It’s Nice That

Fashionz

Luxury Enters Its J. Crew Era . Notes on nostalgia, prep, Obama-era #Hope aesthetics, and sincerity / Add 2 Cart
So… Can the French Reinvent America’s Broken Department-Store Model? / WSJ
Corollary: Global sportswear brands such as Asics, Nike, Adidas, and Puma are increasingly adopting hyper-local strategies to stay competitive against rising domestic brands like Anta and Li-Ning / JIng Daily
Also hyper-custom: Swedish brand Blugiallo uses an algorithm to cut you a suit starting from £650. Is there a catch? / HTSI
Which brings us to: ‘We’re a technology company’: Oakley’s Caio Amato on designing with Meta, Prada and astronauts / Vogue Business
Apropos, from Celeste: How Sporty Sunglasses Became Super Smart / FT
Also smart? From Piers: What if Your Next It-Bag Was Your DJ Booth? / Hypebae
Speaking of bags: Inside the Wild Secondhand Birkin Market / Back Row
More second hand markets: The Monstrous, Charmed Rise—and Rise—of Labubu / Vanity Fair
Products by Demna at Balenciaga that shifted luxury / Jing Daily
No shortage of opinions on that: Menswear Mindshare w/ Lawrence Schlossman / The New Garde

Musicalities

Why it seems like there’s: No New Music (Culture After Youth Culture / NEMESIS
but in contrast: The 2025 Jazz Recs Edition. It's all happening—right here, right now / WITI
Also: Songs of the year so far?! Herb Midyear MMXXV A global survey of Herb faves of 2025, first ascent / Herb Sundays
And since we’re reco;ing new songs: Welcome to Lizard Season (NYT Amplifier Playlist) / Spotify
Separately: The Too Much Soundtrack Is Unreal / Glamour
More Looking backwards there’s also the The Jonathan Fire*Eater Edition. On nineties New York and the perils of being the template / WITI
Apropos of templates, from Celeste: Oasis Are The Greatest Irish Band Of All Time / The New Statesman
So… The Next-Gen Gallaghers Are Cashing in on the Oasis Reunion / The New Garde

Divertisements

Spectacular design has become TV's secret weapon. This year's Emmy nominations prove it / Creative Bloq
While NonDē filmmaking is the beating heart of Hollywood / Hope for Film
Lena Dunham's New Show 'Too Much' Is Emotionally Stunted. Regressing from the maturity and insight of 'Girls' / Salieri Redemption
Perfectly Imperfect: LENA DUNHAM / PI.FYI
Speaking of lists (also in all caps): The NEMESIS WRITING STACK / Nemesis
Why Slutty Cheff’s Tart Is the Memoir Everyone Will Be Talking About This Summer / Service95
Publishing without a spine: A new exhibition showcases “the power of print unbound” / It’s Nice That
Two “printheads” have built magazine nirvana in Manhattan’s Financial District / NYT
Four New York Times culture critics will be reassigned as paper seeks replacements / Variety
Jeff Carvalho spills in The Material Review / The Material Review
While Director Josh Swade discussed the film “Empire Skate,” which dives into the history of New York City’s skateboarding scene. / WNYC

Platforming

From Cooking Tips to X-Rated Fare, OnlyFans Has Revolutionized Content Creation and Now Looks to an $8 Billion Sale / New York Sun
The Lesson from OnlyFans? There’s no substitute for Hard Work / Lefsetz Letter
Then again?! 🤦‍♂️ Grok's new porn companion is rated for kids 12+ in the App Store / Platformer
Corollary to that: Amidst The Market Panic About "AI Slop", YouTube Is Playing Chess / The Medium
But Could Substack Challenge YouTube? Eight predictions on who will win the battle for your eyeballs / The Honest Broker
It’ll probably be some of the Fashion content on Substack [that] has doubled in the last year, with big brands, founders and influencers launching newsletters / BoF

Marketeering

Wifey got some press for her big Medialink presence at Cannes Lions (well done, Boo!) / The Drum
Also from Cannes: Curb Your Enthusiasm’s JB Smoove on why he’s launching his own ad agency / The Drum
Apropos of that: The rise of indie media agencies and the strategies helping them win new business / AdAge
From Iolanda: maybe not for the newsletter but for your media gigs hahahah, it's very interesting.[The ‘attention equation’: Winning the right battles for consumer attention] / McKinsey
So like, What is brand strategy and why is it so vital? / Creative Bloq
Corollary, from Piers: “Merch Team Vibing” [ Minneapolis-Area IKEA recreates actual customers homes with in-store Vignettes] / Linkedin
The new morning economy: As health-conscious professionals embrace 05.00 starts, researchers discover a thriving pre-work economy worth billions / Monocle
School supply purchases were up 175% during last week's Prime Day. Parents are shopping earlier than past years out of concern for rising costs of supplies and clothing due to tariffs / Axios
Why JanSport revived its cringeworthy back-to-school ads to reach Gen Z / Retail Dive

Comestibles and Potables

"From the island of Capri pants" J.Crew is Making Pasta / Snaxshot
And Von Dutch is coming out with a line of alcoholic Ready-to-drink products/ Bevnet
From Piers: Virgin Atlantic to ditch in-flight bars, saying ‘the world has moved on’ / The Drinks Business
A History of Bar Tabs at the Tour de France / Blackbird
Trump Says Coca-Cola Agreed to Use Cane Sugar in Coke Made in U.S. / NYT
More sugar, from Celeste: Unpacking Swedish Candy's Viral Success With BonBons Leonard Schalz / This Is Taste Podcast
And, The Story Of Brickell's Homegrown Ice Cream / Slop Magazine
Americans are consuming more protein than ever. It’s transforming the U.S. dairy industry / NYT
From Zaira: David launches cod…marketing stunt or for real? / David Protein
Coke, Twinkies, Skittles, and … Whole-Grain Bread? What counts as an ultra-processed food can be perplexing and arbitrary / The Atlantic
There’s a coffee shop inside of the Chrysler building selling a $28 coffee / TimeOut

[SIC] 354: Articulated Particulars

Corollary Sources This Week: Gothamist / Dealbook/ Public Announcement / Retail Dive / Garbage Day / After School / Politico Future Daily / Champion Weekly / Ben-Evans / After School/ Jimmy / Feed Me / Nieman Lab / Marginal Revolution / Brendan’s Communications Miscellany

[SIC] 354: Articulated Particulars

Vol. 7, No. 44. New HIP REPLACEMENT, Steel Pan Fete and other events, Lincoln's Proboscis and all the liiiiinks of the week. Except for the ones in [SIC] Day.

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