Let’s get right to it. We’ve changed names. While I hold the concept of “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” near and dear, this is an evolution — one that goes beyond dissecting campaigns and sharing the inner workings of my marketing-obsessed mind. It’s becoming a space to speak to cultural moments, share deeper personal takes on travel and lifestyle, while continuing to be a voice on what actually makes influence work.

Which leads us here.

The idea behind the name.

In my day-to-day craft of working with beauty brands and reviewing content amongst influencers, a thought kept surfacing: what actually goes into creating the pieces of content that lands? The viral trend, the outfit, the one-liner that takes off — none of it feels accidental from the outside.

And then I remembered.

Before the camera is rolled out, before the Pinterest-planning takes place, there’s a starting point. That starting point is the curation. A brief curated to the goals of the brand or person behind the vision coming to life.

Curation is what takes place before the influence can occur. Curations and curators give ideas legs.

Having an eye — a vision for what could be, and what is, from a different perspective — that is what makes someone a curator.

I’ve always been the friend coined as the resident photographer: “I don’t need to take pics bc I know you got some.” “I’ll just repost whatever you put up.”, and it’s because I, to some degree, have a creative eye and a foresight to what works.

This same natural instinct is what drew me to marketing.

The creative freedom that different aspects of marketing encompasses has always pulled me in, and from a young age when deciding on a career path, it was the idea of having creative freedom in my adult life that cemented it.

And in the ever-evolving space of influencer marketing specifically, the sky often feels like the limit in such grand ways that you truly have to reel it back in — put some strategy, and sense, behind it. Because random placement and whimsy don’t automatically generate sales or make the CFO your best friend.

Whether you’re an influencer, a marketer, a photographer, a storyteller, the outfit planner in your social circle — you too curate some form of influence. Within your immediate circle. To the people who read and view your work. The people who come to you for advice. This happens in an endless multitude of ways.

Which makes you, and me, a curator of influence.

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New York, always.

This weekend I found myself on yet another gone-too-soon New York trip — 20,000 steps a day, sacrificing nearly every app just to make room for more photos.

Shots of Central Park through the skyline, that particular angle where the city feels both enormous and intimate all at once. Dimly lit sushi in the West Village, the kind of restaurant where the lighting alone earns a reservation. A small shoe boutique on the UES with more personality than most flagship stores twice its size.

Sitting at a Monkey Bar reservation I couldn’t believe we snagged, looking around and wondering: how did they curate such an iconic place, open since 1936, that leaves everyone scanning the room. A place to see and be seen, monkey bread so good I’ll be thinking about it for the next six months — and realizing that almost every part of New York carries some heavy form of influence that shapes the culture of our weekends, our habits, and our interests.

The city, at its best, is one long act of curation. And it gave me the writing edge back.

Back to the brief.

The beauty and fashion media world has been in an endless buzz, and honestly — I hadn’t known where to begin or what felt worthy of pen to paper. (You most certainly didn’t need another SWAN Beauty x Brigitte Pheloung dissection — and if you’re new here, just know the discourse was very real.) But there is so much to come, and I’m so glad you’re here for it.

What’s next:

• Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing my spring NYC itinerary for those of you longing for great meals, great company, and a locals-led experience enough to make you seriously consider bicoastal living.

• Campaign breakdowns are back in full swing. There’s been no shortage of moments worth dissecting, and we’ll no longer be letting letting the good ones expire in a Google Doc.

More for you, more often.

Meeting adjourned. Let me know what you’re curating this week to bring creativity into your life — it’s needed.

XO,

S♡

P.S. I made us a Substack-dedicated IG.🔗

So that means we’re official, right? Come join the party.

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And while I’m glad I ripped the Coachella bandaid off almost 10 years ago (?!?!), it remains the event of the year not just to watch, but for brands and festival-goers alike.

Now more than ever, every brand wants to be the one creators are talking about at Coachella. The competition to stand out has never been louder.

And then comes along tarte.

No, not with another #trippinwithtarte moment, but with arguably their best work yet.

Custom. Printed. Justin. Bieber. T-shirts.

Everyone wants one. Everyone who received one was over the top excited. And the best part? It may just be the most low-cost PR activation of all time.

This is the level of creativity to be operating on in a sea of content overload. To revisit one of my favorite activations that held simplicity at its core: the mini mics from Miu Miu.

Low lift and a necessity for content.

The Bieber t-shirt is no different. A necessity for pre, post, and mid-event activity, and one that can be worn well after, keeping the tarte name alive and well.

Yet with every great marketing moment, there is often a lapse.

And a big one has been spotted here.

Creators are posting all over social with the shirts — but where is tarte to take heed of this moment? With one look at their Instagram and TikTok, you’ll find product promos and a few loose social trends.

But what’s missing is the BTS thread that would’ve made this campaign certified gold IMO.

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Who pitched the Bieber idea internally? How did they source and print custom Bieber tees for a PR mailer? This is a whole story arc that would’ve kept tarte as the author of the moment, rather than a footnote in someone else’s festival content.

Because here’s the reality: every creator who posted the shirt is giving tarte their nod, but keeps towards the Bieberchella discourse, which is already a major given. So to rewind - yes, genius to tack onto this to start. BUT without tarte anchoring the conversation on their own channels, they’ve stopped the funnel from going any further.

The shirt lives on creators’ pages momentarily, waiting to be washed down the festival prep pipeline.

So then.. who’s actually winning the brand equity?

These major viral moments have a 48-72 hour window before the internet moves on, and if your channels are quiet during that window, you’ve let the momentum expire on the table.

Gifting is the spark. Your channels are supposed to be the fuel. Will tarte have more up their sleeve?

The shirts started the conversation. Now we wait and see who continues it.

Until next time,

S♡

🗞️Note from the Editor:

While housekeeping items such as this should typically be at the top of the piece, I wanted to save it for the very end. So… big news! A new title is coming to BTCGC.🤭 Although I hold the ideation behind before the coffee gets cold very near and dear, something that more closely aligns with our space over here has never felt more right. And I am very, very excited to roll this out shortly.

With this, I’ll also be enabling subscriber chat as well. A space to discuss amongst each other. Throw in suggestions for future articles. Most importantly, continue the community together.

As always, thank you for being here.

🔗Find me on Instagram + TikTok for BTS + the latest
🔗Connect with me on LinkedIn

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“Influencer marketing is dead. It’s just not worth the consistent ROI.”

And so came the immediate thought — respectfully, genuinely — maybe you’re just…. bad at it?

Because it’s quite actually the opposite of dead. What is dying, though, is a very specific, lazy version of it. And the brands still conflating the two are the ones quietly bleeding their own budgets into the void.

The biggest problem I see with CPG brands right now isn’t their product, and it’s rarely even their paid strategy. It’s that there is absolutely no personality (or real human to be seen) behind their socials. Your subscription bundles can be beautifully structured. Your Meta ads can be dialed in.

But if no one knows whether a real human works there, uses it, or believes in it — why would anyone trust you enough to convert? Let alone return. Let alone stay.

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Community marketing is already the hottest topic this year, yet it isn’t built through IRL activations alone (though we do love to see them).

It’s built in a snowball of all the quieter moments combined.

The latest “this is who you’re asking to run a business” posts, the BTS of a campaign coming together, the b-roll that gets swept past in the day-to-day. Those are exactly the moments that build something real, and allow your community to feel in tune with you.

To pull from global brand builder ’s latest piece, which you should go read:

“They don’t just buy from you — they advocate for you. They feel like they’ve found something that was made for them. That’s the difference between a transaction and a community.”

🔎Small is almost always better.

Smaller creators. Smaller brands. Smaller, tighter communities. The relationships built there have a magnetism and repeated energy that the big leagues genuinely cannot replicate — and that’s not a consolation prize, that’s a competitive advantage.

Honestly, and maybe this is just my brand-obsessed brain, any paid partnership I view from a larger influencer is an immediate swipe past for me. It catches the eye, sure. But the trust isn’t there, and consumers are more than smart enough these days to feel that — no matter how carefully you try to frame it.

It’s especially important to note that the best large-scale partnerships don’t start with a contract. They start with organic use, a genuine relationship, and a full-circle acknowledgement moment that feels earned. Find your brand love first, then reward it accordingly.

If the caffeine hasn’t hit quite yet and you’re thinking, please woman just give us a real time example, allow me to assist. While most of these are no longer considerably “small”, I want to note that their growth has been exponential because of the strategies they’ve put in place.

🪞A round-up of brands doing it well in my book:

• Eadem — a cult-favorite lip product I’m dying to get my hands on.

• Cyklar — speaks entirely for itself. Their growth trajectory is something I’d love to see a proper case study on. Next in line once I work through my current Saltair rotation.

• Vaseline — “from your grandmother’s nightstand to the cool kids’ routine.” Fabulous. Genuinely no notes.

• Set Active — drops that actually excite people, backed by quality and pricing that make it feel warranted. That combination is rarer than it should be.

.. And a special mention in this week’s newsletter to a personal favorite: — a small recipe-focused platform rooted in Italian heritage and paying special homage to Nonnas everywhere. With so much expansion potential beyond their niche, I’m rooting for them the most.

As always, I’ll leave you with this to ponder:

The brands that are winning are those building something people want to belong to. And that, more than any daily Meta Ads spend, is what actually compounds.

Until next time,

S♡

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Not influencer content.

Content about becoming an influencer.

It feels like we blinked and the feed shifted from inspiration to instruction.

(We’ll get back to campaign breakdowns shortly — like Brightland’s perfectly timed pre-spring launch of their Sumo Citrus flavored olive oil. Launch timing is a criminally overlooked art, and capitalizing on the sumo citrus craze is impeccable. Adding to cart, immediately.)

But alas. Something even more interesting than olive oil infusions is happening.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve played a hand in making a few TikToks here and there, purely as a creative experiment. Within days, my feed transformed into:

• “How to get out of 200-view jail”

• “Your plug-and-play content strategy”

• “How I gained X followers/views in 30 days”

The energy behind these wasn’t to create something meaningful. It was to optimize the machine.

And that’s when I started wondering: when did influence become instruction? And why is this SO utterly exhausting?!!

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Influence used to be natural.

The most magnetic creators weren’t teaching you how to grow. They were just… growing.

They had so much passion for something they couldn’t resist sharing it. They had taste (arguably the most valuable of all), and built full worlds around it.

Now, we’re watching a new wave of creators, whose product is teaching other people how to create.

Let me be clear before I go any further, that there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. Education is valuable, transparency is helpful, and there’s room for everyone.

But when the primary aspiration becomes “how to grow fast,” we risk skipping the part that makes growth sustainable (and of true value): actual perspective.

Views without community are just numbers, and meaningless ones at that.

Reach without resonance is just widespread distribution. Who are you actually reaching?

And let me be the first to tell you, brands feel that difference immediately.

From a brand standpoint, this shift is fascinating.

There is more “talent” available than ever.

• More creators.

• More micro-communities.

• More niches.

But there’s also so. much. more. noise.

So the real strategic question becomes:

Are you seeding widely for impressions? Or are you nurturing depth for loyalty?

.. Or is the magic somewhere in between?

I cannot wait to see how brands of all facets leverage this new wave, and how content as a whole continues to shift and turnover as the year progresses.

As for me, the TikToks will remain unhashtagged and mini mic-less (…unless…👀). Can’t it all just be for fun?!

Thanks for being here, and have a campaign or launch strategy you want broken down? Let me know! Spring is nearly here, and we know brands are gearing up to set the tone for the rest of the year.

Until next time,

S♡

🔗Find me on Instagram for BTS + the latest
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We’re building a slower and intentional community together, and I am truly overjoyed to know how eager you are to join in on the discourse of brand strategy, and that the rumblings of my hyperactive mind have resonated enough to keep you here.

Let’s cheers our morning beverages to that (mine is, in true fashion, a cappuccino).

Listen — I have thoughts on what’s been making headlines in the brand world lately, and rather than breaking down one activation or partnership strategy as our typical format, we’ll get into a couple that even in time off, I couldn’t help but make note of. 📰

🧷So.. why is David Protein Everywhere?
And more importantly… why is it working?

Between massive billboard moments and the now-infamous vibrator mailers (I’m still in disbelief this was approved.. search it for yourself), David Protein has mastered something deceptively simple: curiosity psychology.

The comparisons to men and sex are blunt, polarizing, and impossible to ignore — but they do exactly what they’re meant to do. The bars genuinely taste great, and when something is both provocative and delivers on product, your brain goes: Well… I guess I have to try it.

Human curiosity paired with simplistic, high-contrast marketing is a powerful combo.

David isn’t reinventing branding — they’re just executing the fundamentals really, really well.

🧷Drunk Elephant says Adios to Gen Z

The recent repositioning is one to watch closely, though it feels less of a rebrand, and more like a quiet nod that Gen Z has moved on. Whether this is a smart refocus or a Dua Lipa x Augustinus Bader-level misalignment waiting to repeat itself… remains to be seen.

Something to especially note is Sephora, in parallel, is leaning harder into Gen Alpha-specific product development, rather than forcing legacy brands to be everything to everyone.

But, is the timing right?

And more importantly, will this younger generation even want brands that feel “made for them,” or will history repeat itself in middle schoolers obsessed with Mac makeup that was way out of our league? (Yes, that was us.)

🧷Luxury Slows and Secondhand Surges

Luxury fashion’s cooldown is no longer whispers in the funnel, it’s visible. And secondhand is confidently poised to take over.

Platforms like aren’t just benefiting from tighter consumer spend, they’re also capitalizing on a cultural shift toward longevity, resale value, and smarter consumption. When heritage brands lose momentum, the resale ecosystem is there to absorb demand.

Secondhand is no longer an alternative, it’s forging its own path to be first.

🧷Seasonal + Athletic Partnerships Are Everywhere

And… I love it. This is the category that feels the most alive and active right now.

• Lola Blankets x NY Yankees

  • I’ve been watching Lola Blankets for a while, waiting to see how they’d deepen relevance beyond an incredibly pricy blanket. This is a sharp move to become familiar, giftable, and expansion-minded.

• First Aid Beauty x Team USA (Olympics & Paralympics)

  • Front and center, values-aligned, and incredibly brand-safe. No notes.

• Supergoop x Alterra Mountain Company

  • Perfect audience match, perfect context. Well done.

• Salt & Stone Aspen pop-up

  • Life-size deodorant, anyone? Honestly, after a full day of runs, the only thing you need more than a hot tub is your fifth application of deodorant for the day. Obsessed with it.

Brands have started the year strong with nailing the concept of meeting daily consumers where they actually are.

…and for something I can’t help but call out that’s driving me crazy?

🧷Feed wipes.

Please. No more.

Archiving your entire feed to announce a new launch reads — dare I say — low-budget, low-effort, and assumes your consumer is chronically online enough to notice.. and care.

Yes, some audiences are hyper-engaged. But most are not. Assuming your online community alone will do the work of manufacturing buzz for you is a risky, and often unrewarding bet.

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My one exception, however? Guess Jeans latest.

Their recent feed wipe paired with a physical billboard tease earns the intrigue. And that is how you execute this play: online and offline, curiosity without confusion.

There are far more effective ways to build anticipation that respect your social team’s existing work, invite your community into the moment, and generate real noise, not just temporary confusion.

I’d love to hear from you on the trends you’re noticing, and what brands should leave behind. 2026 definitely already feels louder, faster, and more intentional.

Buckle up!

Until next time,
S♡

🔗Find me on Instagram for BTS + the latest
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Weekly headlines have highlighted the city as the beauty capital of the U.S., with press releases celebrating exclusive LA founders’ dinners or “omg this product sold out in LA first!!” moments every week.

Even LinkedIn recently noted it as a hub for beauty startups, and it absolutely rings true.

All the major founders are here. All the hype lives here. And culturally, LA’s mix of diversity, wellness obsession, and overall spending power makes it the perfect place for any brand to test its longevity.

So of course, the Korean beauty giant Olive Young is officially set to launch its first U.S. brick-and-mortar stores in Pasadena and Century City come May 2026 — two neighborhoods with very different vibes but both high-traffic, high-discovery, and aligned with the consumers already trialing K-beauty via TikTok hauls.

Who is Olive Young?

Olive Young operates 1,300+ beauty retail stores in Korea and carries over 63,000 beauty, health, and wellness products. Famed for their accessibility, it’s the kind of retailer you pop into without a second thought. Pimple patches, shampoo, sunscreen, and cult-favorite serums all end up in your basket.

Now, it’s bringing that very system to the U.S., combining discovery, access, prestige, and range into a perfectly curated (and affordable) experience.

Consumer Accessibility

In a landscape where every new brand is aggressively niche or “for the girl who…,” Olive Young offers something different: simplicity and accessibility. Prestige beauty has been on the rise throughout 2025, but not every consumer has the time, or budget, to chase it.

That said, Olive Young is practical where it was built. In Korea, it’s as intuitive as a Walgreens or Target run: everything you need is just there.

In the U.S., however, K-beauty still carries a slightly mystified allure:

• multi-step routines

• unfamiliar ingredients

• “wait…is this a toner or an essence? what even is an essence?”

• product names that don’t follow Western convention

• packaging that prioritizes design over clarity

Olive Young now has the potential to break that down for American consumers, giving structure and context to a category that often feels chaotic.

Olive Young vs. Sephora vs… ULTA?

Most of the discourse you’ll read around Olive Young in the U.S. defaults to the Sephora comparison: prestige vs. K-beauty, curated vs. convenience, loyalty program vs. loyalty program. And yes, it is a valid matchup. Sephora actually exited the Korean market in 2024 after struggling against Olive Young’s sheer scale.

Though Sephora’s prestige mix, experiential stores, and points system have made it the “beauty temple” for a Western generation, Olive Young’s dominance in Korea shows its structural difference has a point to prove.

An odd man we won’t count out in this conversation though is ULTA. Sitting at the sweet spot of price, trend, and everyday practicality — mass + prestige, mascara + hot tools, teen girl + Clinique mom — Ulta is the store you can run errands through.

But if Olive Young nails the “K-beauty meets convenience meets constant-newness” formula in LA with the samples, the minis, fast turnover, $5–$25 price zone, it may not just compete with Sephora’s luxury identity. It could quietly take from ULTA’s lane as well.

In other words: OY vs. Sephora is the flashy conversation. OY vs. Ulta might be the actual shake-up.

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We could go on for hours, but remember, I’m here as a conversation starter. ;)

Olive Young’s expansion isn’t just another storefront opening in LA. It’s a curiously subtle signal of a broader cultural swing. Dare I say it.. the return of practical beauty. Beauty that’s usable, discoverable, affordable, and fun, without requiring a specific aesthetic to understand it.

This is the beauty retail moment to keep your eyes peeled for, and 2026 is soon to make waves as we know it.

Until next time,

S♡

💌Let’s Get to Know Each Other!

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At first glance, sure, it makes sense.

Bring it all together, strengthen the brand family, streamline the storytelling. But taking a deeper look into it, just how can the context, demographics, and subject matter of each publication possibly merge together in a seamless way?

Condé Nast claims the merger is because so much of Vogue’s following is now a younger generation, and they want to extend that reach — as well as their advertisers’ — across a wider, more unified net.

But how do they plan to cast such a wide net without losing what makes the niche of each publication so special?

Don’t get me wrong, I remember distinctly reading Vogue spreads at 11 years old, flipping through the pages, coveting everything and definitely dreaming about an LV Speedy 25.

But as I’ve grown, my taste, and sense of aspiration, has evolved. Those spreads didn’t exactly convert me 15 years later (and still no designer bags in my possession.)

So is this the bigger play? To nurture Vogue readers from pre-teen to career, and all the way into their 5-to-9 activities after their 9-to-5?

We saw it with the Sephora x Gen Z discourse: the younger generation being targeted earlier and earlier with “aspirational” content. Is Vogue next?

It feels like part cost-cutting, part control. A consolidation move disguised as expansion. Condé Nast labels it strategy, but it reads a little more like survival.

While the story still unfolds (no puns intended here), it shows how disconnected legacy publishers still are from how modern brand favoritism works.

People don’t follow conglomerates — they follow communities. Folding everything under one roof risks losing that individuality that made Teen Vogue and Vogue Business resonate in the first place. It feels unfocused, and more corporate than cultural.

I’m overtly curious to see how this fares for Vogue over the next 1-3 years — and what other tricks Chloe Malle might have up her sleeve as she takes the reins.

What do you think? Is this a simple, solidified business move, or the beginning of something larger for Vogue? Do tell.

Leave a comment

Until next time,

S

💌Let’s Get to Know Each Other!

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Tatcha Beauty recently partnered with Open Meditation to launch “In Your Skin” — a 7-day meditation and breathwork program designed to help users pause, de-stress, and reconnect. Launched on World Mental Health Day, this collab is a near-perfect example of Tatcha and Open meeting consumers in the space where beauty rituals and mindfulness practices naturally overlap.

“The collaboration reflects Tatcha’s guiding principle hinou-dokon, meaning ‘skin-mind, same root’ in Japanese. Science affirms this truth: the brain and skin arise from the same cells during development, creating a lifelong dialogue between inner state and outward appearance.” — PR Newswire

It’s a partnership that works on so many levels, with an important move that positions both brands for winter dominance in wellness, ritual, and self-care.

Seasonal timing:
As colder months set in and seasonal stress rises, rituals that combine mindfulness and skincare naturally slot into daily routines.. and that coveted spot is exactly where every brand wants to be.

Cultural alignment:
Tatcha’s Japanese roots make meditation and ritual a logical extension of its brand storytelling.

Audience crossover:
Open Meditation reaches users through this partnership that are invested in wellness, mindfulness, and daily rituals — the same people Tatcha wants in its ecosystem.

Lifestyle integration:
Both brands can position themselves as essentials in a holistic wellness routine, not just another product or app in your rotation, but as the only ones you need.

While there’s no argument this is an impressive partnership, there’s still much to be desired. Sharing the Instagram announcement and an LA community event, it hasn’t generated the buzz it yet deserves.

There’s massive potential to amplify, and we’ll provide just two examples to start:

OOH Campaigns:
Picture a Times Square billboard guiding viewers through a breathing exercise — tying meditation and Tatcha’s product into a public, interactive moment.

A little moment like that on my commute to work would stick with me all day. And it’s all about the lasting impression.

Influencer Partnerships:
Lifestyle, fitness, and beauty creators alike – specifically on YouTube (long-form content) and TikTok (aesthetics) - can easily produce natural, highly shareable content integrating both brands. The talking points are endless:

• Improved mental health topics

• ‘Winter Arc’ self care vlogs

• e.g. Meditating with red light after applying Tatcha’s The Dewy

.. Surely you get the gist.

The question stands: will this be a one-off moment leaving money on the table, or the start of a Tatcha Takeover?

Either way, it’s a partnership that other beauty and wellness brands should be paying close attention to, and I think they’ve officially paved the way for more resonant winter campaigns to come.

💭Have any other campaigns or partnerships you want the inside scoop on? Let me know, and we can get into the full breakdown.

Leave a comment

Until next time,

S

Let’s Get to Know Each Other!

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The start of this trend signaled two things; both from a professional and personal view.

From a marketing perspective, my brain immediately screamed: small, niche brands have a massive opportunity here. Done right, you can fold your product into this aesthetic seamlessly, without feeling forced.

Why niche brands specifically?

We already know the big players can insert themselves into pretty much any social trend. But the beauty of this opportunity is that people are curating insanely wide-ranging curriculums, spanning from basic poetry to youfreakingnameit. That breadth creates a natural opening for smaller, more specialized brands. Instead of competing with the giant lifestyle umbrella, you can now slot into someone’s hyper-specific world of learning and make your product feel like the perfect companion. You don’t have to be for everyone, you just have to show up in the exact lane your audience is building for themselves.

🕯️Are you a small, hand-crafted candle company just trying to get that Etsy store off the ground?

→ “Us lighting our candle to get in the mood for an evening study session”

→ “Here’s how I set up for a night of my personal curriculum. First step is always to light my favorite candle …”

🎙️Struggling to get your podcast more views?

→ Position yourself as a valuable added resource to support those topics of interest. “Instead of googling countless articles, we’re here to break down XYZ in audio format!” So many ways to spin it.

🪞Or are you a mecca beauty brand figuring out how to enter this space in a way that’s relevant?

→ Picture your favorite influencer vlogging her study routine:

Applying her favorite lipgloss (hello, rhode) in a local coffee shop, and a table layout of notebooks, John Keats poem study guides, color coded pens, etc.

Umm…. hello?? Who doesn’t adore the mysteriously chic, perfectly glossed up coffee shop girl reading the most obscure, slightly pretentious book? I sure do. And I can already visualize her. Time to add her gloss to cart to fulfill my look.

It’s that easy. Aspiration in accessible forms.

The barrier to entry here is really wide open, and the key is intentional, relevant placement.

Integrate your product/brand in a way that’s seamless, sensible, and adds an air of elevation to these personalized sessions. This also evokes an emotional attachment + ritualization that’s going to be crucial when entering the winter months — especially amidst buckwild BFCM promos and “must have gift guides!!!!!!!”.

The added beauty of this entire concept is that it also taps current students, of any age, so the opportunities are truly just endless. I actually could go on and on, but these are supposed to be bite-sized articles, remember? ;)

Now, personally?

We haven’t done too much of that here, but hey! A first for everything. This whole trend scratches the itch for structured learning without the cost, pressure, or commitment of grad school (sorry to my parents who thought I’d be off getting an MBA five years ago.. oops). Now in my mid-late twenties (help), the nostalgia of late-night library sessions has been pulling at me, and this trend hit right on time.

So, here’s my curated lineup – low-stress, curiosity-driven, and fun:

Fall 2025 Personal Curriculum

Semester: Oct 1 – Dec 15 | Cadence: 2–3 “classes”/week (~5 hrs max)

📚Core Classes

English / Historical Poets

• Focus: Romantic + Modernist (Keats, Dickinson, Rilke, Eliot)

• Resources: Poetry Foundation, YouTube poem breakdowns, The Waste Land (Project Gutenberg)

• Assignments: Weekly journal reflection; one creative response poem

Art / Contemporary + Historical Movements

• Focus: From Impressionism → Modernism → Now

• Resources: The Art Assignment (PBS), MoMA Coursera, Ways of Seeing by John Berger

• Assignments: Weekly moodboards; short essay connecting art movements to branding aesthetics

Elective: Cooking & Hosting

• Resources: Italian cookbook of choice

• Assignments: One new recipe per week; midterm + final: dinner parties

Extra Period: Italian Basics**

• Resources: Duolingo, Learn Italian with Lucrezia on YouTube

• Assignments: By Week 5, order food in Italian; by Week 10, write a 5-sentence postcard

**I want to preface this one by saying that yes, I did in fact hit a 365 Italian streak on Duolingo and then never did it again. So, this is a little more of an ‘intentional re-attempt’ to get back into it. And no, I can’t hold a conversation, but I can ask you, “Dov’è la piazza?” …. Yeah. Anyway…

It goes without saying we’re romanticizing the entire process of this personal curriculum too. Candles to set the mood, Olivia Dean inspired playlists, cozy pajama sets, and a physical notebook to document it all. Bed, couch, desk chair, no particular set up – just wherever feels right.

While this curriculum is a little more on the basic side and not as intense as some others floating around, I can’t wait to dive in. Also a serious shoutout to my newest comfort creator, , for the inspo behind the title of my Word Doc.

This is more than just another content grab — (although if you have a TikTok following, I strongly feel this is a goldmine opportunity for awareness) — it’s most importantly about learning for the sake of evolving.☕️

Are there any brands you’d love to see seize this opportunity? What’s your personal curriculum? I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time,

S

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In a massive Stripe partnership, ChatGPT users will now have the ability to check out from retailers directly within their search.

Translation: ChatGPT isn’t just a knowledge tool anymore, it’s edging into becoming a full-on e-commerce platform.

This might seem like a natural next step for the research platform — A clean antidote to the chaos of TikTok Shop or Instagram Shop, with no more endless scrolls, and no influencer hauls.

Just instantly generated recommendations for you.

But here’s where it has the opportunity to evolve into an even more complex component.

A Potential Trust Tradeoff:
Consumer sentiment is showing a shift towards burn out on influencers (though this is often just seasonal), but can they really hand over taste-making power to a faceless AI? The golden paradox of it all is If everyone distrusts both sides, who becomes the gatekeeper of culture?

(In my oh so optimistic and slightly aloof theory? We’ll full-circle back to a dire need of IRL recs, connection, and the brick-and-mortar experience – which, according to The Wall Street Journal, was tied to nearly 42% of all e-commerce orders last year!)

The Pay-to-Play Problem:
If brands can buy their way into Chat’s results, isn’t this just another version of ads — the exact thing people wanted to escape? Who will pay more to always remain at the top of the search, and will they exhaust any credibility?

Discovery vs. Convenience:
A point that needs no further explanation. Who wins in a battle of discovery vs. convenience? Does the “wow” of a TikTok scroll outweigh the utility of Chat?

Amongst the billions of other information the artificial intelligence company has been collecting, I’m profoundly curious on how they capture buyer intent, and what they do with the data points to close the customer capture loop.

Can shopping stripped of human personality actually stick? Or have we become so engulfed with the artificial bestie recs that purchasing behavior is en route for one massive shift altogether?

💭More questions I’d like to leave you with, and would love to hear your takes on, or just to think of as you enjoy that last morning bevvy sip:

• For You: Would you rather trust Chat to quietly curate your routine, or keep digging through TikTok reviews and influencer chaos for the thrill of discovery?

• For Brands: If consumers never touch your website, how do you storytell? How do you craft third-party content so well that Chat will convey exactly what you want, how you want it?

We’re back to more regular From the Desk pieces heading into October, and thank you so much for being here. Chat soon!

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The capsule wardrobe isn’t just a Pinterest board anymore – it’s a spending strategy. As fall and winter closets shrink to curated essentials, the care of those items has the opportunity to become the next big frontier.

Detergent, namely, is almost a no-brainer category to enter right now: with more people staying home for the holidays (read: more laundry), a desire to care for their classic and expensive pieces, and the fact that it’s a cleaning essential they’ll buy no matter what, it’s perfectly positioned to tap into the romanticization trend, with laundry being no exception.

“Diva” Glamorous Wash and The Laundress were key players at the start of this space, introducing the idea that detergent could be scented, luxurious, and even a lifestyle product. But until recently, Gen Z and millennials haven’t had a detergent brand designed with them in mind.

Cue DedCool and Safely.

DedCool is the it-girl closet care brand, rooted in fragrance and aesthetic identity. Their expansion from scents into room sprays, candles, body care, pet shampoo, dryer sheets, and “Dedtergent” (no, I didn’t typo that) made detergent suddenly feel aspirational.

Safely, co-founded by Kris Jenner, Emma Grede, and Chrissy Teigen, took a different angle, focusing on ingredient-conscious household products at accessible price points, from dish soap to denim wash.

The gap between these two approaches points directly to the opportunity: luxury ritual on one end, household staple on the other. Specialty detergent sits right in the middle as a category waiting for more brands to step in and own.

Detergent also works because it’s not just about scent – it’s about ritual. Eco-clean options like Molly’s Suds are great for everyday basics, but specialty detergent is positioned to soar because it sells a feeling. Look at Merit Beauty’s campaign for their new SPF, “The Uniform.” They framed it as reliable, timeless, essential, and a purchase you made before it ever touched your skin. Specialty detergent can use the same playbook: showcasing the ritual of caring for your most loved pieces, elevating the everyday.

To get even clearer, this isn’t a Sephora or ULTA category. It’s a DTC-first play, which is exactly why it’s so powerful. Specialty detergents keep shoppers on a brand’s own site, encourage them to add on other hero items, and create an array of subscription opportunities. It’s a growth driver hiding in plain sight.

So what would make a brand a good fit for this? Three things need to be set in place:

• An existing strong scent identity (perfume, candles, body care).

• Lifestyle/home crossover credibility (beauty → home, fashion → home).

• Aesthetic and ritual marketing in place (likes of Le Labo, Aesop)

Now if you’ve stuck with me this long, which brands could actually pull this specialty detergent focus off? Here are a few dream picks:

• Phlur – following their “your scent but better” sensory experience, now translated into “your closet, but better.”

• Salt & Stone – They’ve set a great foundation with their pro-athlete partnerships, now extending this with an athletic wear wash.

• Reformation – Sustainable fashion with clean ingredients to care for those pieces in a limited-edition drop.

• Glossier – With a new CEO and brand reset, detergent would be a playful way to re-enter the household name space.

All in all, with the rush of capsule wardrobe content about to fill your feeds, conscious (and not so) spending coming up, specialty detergent has a massive white space to enter. The question isn’t if more brands will enter – it’s who gets there first.

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Brands are looking left and right to enter the F1 space — attempting to trail-blaze behind the tennis and US Open craze that’s granted fashion another cultural foothold.

But how can beauty break into a male-dominated industry in a way that feels authentic, and doesn’t veer so far off track (pun slightly intended) that it misses the point entirely?

Early attempts are being made, with Charlotte Tilbury’s “Makeup Your Destiny” campaign tied to the F1 Academy to support women in motorsport, and Elemis partnering with Aston Martin Aramco F1 to promote inclusivity.

The intention is there, but these feel more like quick-grab name placements rather than long-term connections.

Awareness is being raised, but they’re also lacking a truer sense of relevance.

This is where the real opportunity lies. With female viewership being the fastest-growing segment in F1, brands should be zeroing in on this exact aspect itself. Instead of traditional ad placements or logo stickers on cars, beauty has the chance to integrate their products into the experience of F1 itself, with influencer marketing specifically having the best leg up here.

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The cosmetics realm specifically has the biggest opportunity, and allow me to shell out just a few examples how:

• A 12-hour primer? Let influencers prove product effectiveness to their following on race day — from vlogs in the grandstands, to the after-party with makeup that doesn’t budge.

• Launch a “Ferrari red” lip stain or a “race-day blush” that survives the heat, the champagne spray, and the back to back selfies or in between GRWM touch ups.

Invite creators to show it all in real time, with content that feels lived-in, not staged.

That sells more than any stickered car might hope to.

Because at the end of the day, consumers aren’t asking if a product can survive a lap around the track. They’re asking if it can survive their day to day life.

In other words: brand strategy should focus on the vision and the feeling of the F1 experience. If beauty brands can link their products to the adrenaline, the community, and the fashion culture surrounding race day, they’ll win over the audience that’s already eager to participate.

That’s the fast lane to long-term relevance.🏎️

Have thoughts and ideas on how else brands can win over the space? Share below!👇🏼

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P.S. This is my first time covering any sort of sports x beauty marketing crossover (🫥!!), and I welcome any and all feedback as well as we continue! Hope you enjoyed.

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Enter Miu Miu.

The latest “Miutine” fragrance mailer is an activation that stopped me mid-scroll — and that’s saying something. Miu Miu managed to solve nearly every gripe we have with traditional PR boxes, while also delivering something useful, seamless, and perfectly tied back to the fragrance category itself. It wasn’t just a mailer. It was a flawlessly executed strategy.

Fragrance is one of the hardest categories to translate digitally. You can’t smell over a screen, and who really knows what “brown sugar, bourbon vanilla, patchouli, oakmoss, and amber” smells like unless they try it IRL?

Marketing a fragrance means leaning into emotion, memory, curiosity, and context.

Miu Miu nailed this evocation by:

• Turning the intangibility of fragrance into an experience you participate in.

• Embedding themselves into creator-native formats (unboxings, Q&As, reaction content).

• Building a branded object that keeps their presence alive well after the campaign ends.

Now how did they accomplish all of this? A few simple touches✍️:

• The locked box made the reveal part of the story.

• The mini mic gave creators the tools to instantly record authentic reactions.

• The question cards prompted storytelling, emotion, and connection.

Each element is intentional while connecting back to the same goal: making fragrance felt and remembered digitally – both components we want out of our luxury parfums.

So if you’re sitting there wondering, why does this all matter?

👉🏼Well, most PR boxes just hope for UGC. This time, Miu Miu engineered it.

They shifted creators from passive product receivers into active storytellers. And they extended the campaign’s life by creating a branded object that will resurface again and again.

This is how you take something fleeting like a PR box and turn it into a cultural moment, and create serious ROI for your brand.

If this is what the Italian luxury brand is doing just for their mailers, I can’t wait to see how they scale this into their larger fragrance storytelling and GTM strategy.

Now this is where I’ll leave you, and please don’t be shy dropping any questions or comments below.💌

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Viva Italia! ;)

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As more brands chase Gen Z’s fleeting attention, Pinterest is quietly — and quickly — becoming the rising ad platform to watch.

According to Pinterest Newsroom:
“Unlike platforms where users might scroll through content without a specific goal, Pinterest users are more likely to save ideas, click on links, and ultimately make purchases based on what they see.”

This intent is what makes campaigns like MAC’s especially powerful.

By collaborating with Pinterest to identify upcoming trends, MAC created beauty ads that put its hero product at the center of upcoming fall trends, and implemented a full-funnel strategy designed to maximize reach, awareness, and action.

The result? Their campaign saw an influx of Gen Z users engaging with purchase intent, all while staying plugged into the platform. As we know, the second your consumer leave the scrolls, you risk losing them entirely. This is where Pinterest plays to win.

With a fine-tuned format of pinning campaigns, brands can now build out a full visual ecosystem.

That’s what makes this campaign click: it doesn’t ask Gen Z to leave the platform to connect the dots. It delivers everything in one place — Editorial shots, casual repostable pins, related UGC, aspirational graphics, and scroll-stopping creative — all packaged in Pinterest’s native, non-disruptive scroll.

For users overwhelmed by the constant flow of TikTok product recs (myself included), Pinterest offers something calmer. Less in-your-face. A simpler scroll. Especially for the content-fatigued, it feels more like inspiration than noise.

While brands obsess over For You Page placement, Pinterest is the quiet power play worth making, and we have to give final kudos to MAC for taking notes.

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Now if it hasn’t covered your entire TikTok feed yet, the TLDR is this:

France is implementing a ban starting this September on influencer promotion of low-cost, high-volume brands, most notably targeting the fast fashion giants such as Temu and Shein. Alongside other measures to offset the environmental impact of the industry, the bill also includes fines for said influencers who promote these brands, and mandatory eco-labels being implemented to discourage overconsumption.

The EU is making massive strides in 2025 with tackling sustainability practices in the world of fashion, and if you haven’t heard of Digital Product Passports — a topic I’m still closely eyeing and feeling passionate about — I strongly encourage you to take a deeper dive.

Immediate thoughts as this bill unfolds:

• What will be the trickle-down effect for EU influencers who rely on these Shein partnerships, and how will this damage their provisions?

• Will backlash come in from the general consumer as well?

• How quickly will these fines be issued, and discovered?

• Which other countries will follow suit, if any?

Some food for thought..

“Waste Management further reports that globally, around 35% of primary microplastic pollution in the ocean stems from the fashion industry, largely from synthetic fibres like polyester, nylon, and acrylic. Alarmingly, 87% of all textile fibre used for clothing is either landfilled or incinerated, with less than 1% recycled into new garments. And with global clothing consumption forecast to rise from 62 million tonnes per year today to 102 million tonnes by 2030, the problem is only accelerating.”
— Marie Claire

While the weight of the facts above seem (and definitely are) heavier than our laundry baskets, one of the most impressive parts of this latest bill is also the introduction of environmental surcharges on fast fashion items.

“Beginning in 2025, each item sold by ultra-fast fashion brands will incur a €5 tax (roughly US$5.80), increasing to €10 (roughly US$11.60) by 2030. The surcharge will be capped at 50% of the item’s retail price to maintain affordability, whilst incentivizing more sustainable consumer choices. Revenue generated from these taxes will be redirected to support sustainable French fashion producers.”
— Sustainability Magazine

Redirecting these fast fashion funds into sustainability-minded local production? Genius.

You’ll find me on the edge of my seat for when this all goes into action, and I’m eager to see just how tightly this is upheld.

Remember (or remind your friend who won’t stop sneaking pieces off these sites): there’s so much more magic in an incredible Depop find, the luxe, gently loved pieces on , and a good thrift store rack search than there ever will be in an overdone, $3 copy-paste outfit.

P.S. Have a sustainably-focused brand, or favorite secondhand option you’d love to share? Let us know below.

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At first glance, this campaign is a dream. Bubblegum-pink boats drifting through Newport, decked out in Kosas branding, stocked with free product, and primed for IG posts. It’s visual marketing in motion — a literal floating ad.

But beneath the surface, this major summer moment starts to get murky. We're diving into the real cost of participation, holes in the incentive structure, and the smarter strategic plays Kosas missed — including exactly how we’d fix them.

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“Set to embark on its maiden voyage on July 3, with the Mediterranean as its stage, Luminara invites you to experience a world where discovery unfolds in timeless luxury.”
- via ritzcarltonyachtcollection

The rollout was star-studded and noisy: A-list celebrities such as Martha Stewart and Sofia Vergara were in attendance, with dazzling performances by Ellie Goulding, Miguel, and Sting! (Is anyone old enough to remember who that is?)

The likes of mega influencer Alix Earle, app-founder Tezza Barton, and fitness mogul Melissa Wood also scattered Instagram stories with #RCYCPartner.

So.. what’s going on here from a consumer marketing lens?

Is the legacy line inspiring a new wave of cruise ship marketing opportunities as luxury brands think outside the usual summer beach club activation?

Of course, a yacht like this isn’t for your everyday person. How is this yielding with consumer sentiment though? There’s a tightrope between aspirational desire and heated distaste.

Here’s what sticks out to us the most: the Ritz-Carlton brand DNA is rooted in timeless luxury, intergenerational wealth, and quiet power. That doesn’t exactly square with influencers like Alix Earle, whose content thrives on flash, relatability, and Gen Z chaos.

Her community between 18 to 24, likely isn’t shelling out $6,100 to upwards of.. oh…. $79,000 per person for a Mediterranean sail. Moreover when taking a look at Gen Z, they’re leaning heavily toward authenticity, affordability, and sustainability — none of which are cruise-coded.

So while the strategy is super to rack up social views and EMV, we have to ask:

Does a 15-second IG Story of a $79K cruise really sell the dream — or dilute the fantasy? Is this a brand-building moment, or a one-time stunt meant to generate EMV and call it a day?

Our take? This feels like a “get everyone on the guest list and make a splash” moment — but we’re watching closely… likely from a friend’s rented pontoon.

Let us know your thoughts on the rollout below, and if luxury cruises can truly carve a new opportunity for future influencer and product placement efforts.

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Brands, most noticeably fashion, jump at the chance to channel the cult-favorite “Euro Summer” aesthetic. Embracing exclusive beach club energy, we’re set the scene of branded umbrellas and embroidered towels, rosé flowing in chilled glasses, and the whisper of luxury lounging somewhere between Capri and Cannes.

It’s familiar. It’s dreamy. It’s... repetitive?

What happens when every brand leans into the same spritz-filled fantasy? How do you stand out in a sea of chic linens and oversized umbrellas?

The appeal is obvious, and let me be clear. These activations are stunning, fun, and taps well into the collective longing for leisure, escape, and indulgence.

It makes perfect sense for brand and consumer alignment, and ties seamlessly summer activities that evoke that timeless fantasy: a sun-drenched chaise, and the perfectly prepped pool boy on standby with your next refreshing drink of choice.

However, we begin to wonder: is this branding play still hitting like it used to? Or is it time for new summer stories?

Now I’m no activations or experiential specialist, but let’s consider some other moments we’d love to see:

✨ mama mia dockside core & the linen summer uniform
If you’re paying attention, you’ve seen the uptick in laundry-inspired campaigns (my least favorite chore). So why not take the cue and lean into the tried-and-true linen summer aesthetic? Brands can host custom embroidery events, or take on the most mundane task of day to day laundry, and elevate with their own flair.

We’re visualizing campaigns that play up upscale laundry lines, and drying your clothes on the dock after a refreshing ocean dip.

🌊 for the do-ers, not just the loungers
Yes, we all love a good lounge, but what about the activity seekers? Recently inspired by my first Texas river float (FUN!!), we’re picturing a beauty branded community activity, taking the perfect setting to show off the true longevity of a setting spray, or the hair mask that revives even the messiest of frizz. That’s summer utility meets summer fantasy, and taps a whole other consumer range.

🍦lean into the food appeal
Food. Is. Everywhere. Right now. Dare we say the spritz renaissance has had its moment? Imagine ice cream cart pop-ups in quaint neighborhoods, ice cream cones with lipgloss pairings — “Yes, can I do a waffle cone with extra sprinkles, and a lipgloss on top?”🍒 — Or frozen treats that match your blush tone. Why not seize the opportunity to root summer branding in edible delight?

Hang on.. am I getting paid for this?

There’s a pool (pun intended) of opportunity beyond the typical umbrella-spritz combo, and we’re ready for the next chapter in summer storytelling — one that still feels aspirational, but refreshingly different.

Which brands would you love to see taking hold of this moment and shake things up?

With the debut of the first annual Dairy Boy Polo Classic, Lorenze takes a strategic step in evolving Dairy Boy from not just influencer merch, but into a brand with lifestyle credibility and cultural presence.

The event isn’t just flowy white dresses and East Coast horses — it’s a gorgeously crafted visual world meant to evoke nostalgic Americana with a modern, luxury twist. A signal that Dairy Boy isn’t just for followers of Paige, but for anyone who identifies with (or wants to be part of) the brand’s growing aesthetic, and perfectly timed for summer.

There’s a quiet sophistication in the creative cues she’s tapping into, from tennis whites to Hamptons picnic tables, all underscoring a feeling: this is more than merch. It’s a vibe.

By positioning Dairy Boy within the visual language of — dare we say it — Ralph Lauren and coastal heritage brands, Lorenze is slowly building the case for longevity. Not just as an influencer brand, but as one that can own its niche and evolve. She’s inviting consumers to buy into a lifestyle, not just a logo.

The takeaway? The future of influencer brands might not be in scaling fast or rapid-fire celebrity collabs, but in world-building with intentionality, and knowing exactly who you want your customer to become, and who they want to be.

Image Sources: Town & Country Magazine

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What is a Digital Product Passport?

In short, it’s a digital record (usually a QR code) that holds key information about a product’s lifecycle including where it was made, material sources, how to repair or recycle it, and in some cases, who it was made by. It’s part of a new EU regulation designed to improve traceability and sustainability, particularly in fashion and consumer goods.

The opportunity to capitalize on this regulation and turn it into something more has been swirling around this brain over here, and now that I’ve had enough time to do some proper research, it’s time to dive in.

Is anyone major picking it up yet? Yes, but not in the way I’ll touch on. Brands like Coach, Moncler, Tod’s, Balenciaga, and Boss have already implemented DPPs to provide product info and verify authenticity.

So? What’s the big idea?☕️

Oh, well I’m glad you asked. Major community moments. Digital, low-cost activations. Next level giveaway opportunities… just to name a few.

This opens the door for something that’s already built-in — an automatically integrated moment to bring brands to life on an entirely new level. The bell has truly not stopped ringing in my head, because this shift has the potential to make monumental waves in digital marketing, way beyond the eco-checklist.

Think: more foot traffic in stores, just to access a scan. Not just broader brand awareness, but deeper brand intimacy. A digital passport becomes the perfect launchpad for location-specific drops, limited-edition releases — even tracking friction points like what pieces lose steam between try-on and checkout.

It’s finding 🎟️ Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket 🎟️, but for fashion marketing.

A QR code that leads beyond materials transparency, and opens the door for access, major social moments, and oh, what’s that? A members-only invite tucked inside the simple scan of a garment tag?

This is a dream for creators and brands alike. Scans that unlock exclusive content. Early access. Surprise-and-delight AR tied to the actual product. It's mass UGC just waiting to happen.

Suddenly, the physical item isn’t just something you wear — it’s a portal into an entirely new kind of campaign.

All this to say, we’re left with some burning questions. Who’s going to be the first to really make the bigger play? How quickly will brands move in, and will the U.S. catch on while also adhering to the brand transparency goals?

In 5 years, will the sourcing and sustainability story get drowned out by entertainment value and trend grabs? Or will the EU quickly enforce tighter regulations to ensure the messaging isn’t lost?

Personally, I can’t wait to see how this unfolds. For now, what started as regulation, is starting to glimmer like the next big channel for brand storytelling. If you're in the marketing world, I’d say it's worth paying close attention to.📎📁

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