There is such an interesting content landscape developing right now. Attention is truly one of the most valuable commodities in the world, and how you capture it is always changing. We see it with the biggest stories in pop culture this week: The US Open, MTV Video Music Awards, Fashion Week, and Bieber’s new album, Swag II.Celebrities, Influencers, and Spectacle Brand MarketingThe US Open leveraged celebrities more than ever to turn the tournament into a “who’s who” style marketing campaign. Kudos to Amanda Wright for doing such a great job with one of the coolest jobs in the world. From a brand perspective, the addition of the Moet championship spray down was a complete spectacle and insane sponsor moment. And giving out dozens of “Content Creator Media Credentials” ensured there was always on-feed content. This was prioritized over traditional media passes and it paid off. The US Open nailed influencer, creator, and celebrity marketing, becoming a hotter pop culture moment than Coachella and taking the brand to new heights.Clips and Second Screen Use > BroadcastThe VMAs had a similar theme. Bringing the show to CBS for the first time seemed to matter less than expected since, even though TV ratings went up, more people watched online. The people in the room and the millions of clips and social media impressions it garnered were more important than the broadcast.I’m sure Fashion Week will take a similar tack. In an era of ADHD viewing, where the people are watching the televised shows with the sound off while they second-screen view on socials, every event needs to deploy a sea of creator voices to short-form influence the feed.These new formats highlight how…Content Winners = Creativity + Algorithmic Programming + ADHD AttentionJustin Bieber is putting on a master class with his social content. He’s messy. It feels sporadic. It feels vulnerable, raw, and unfiltered. It looks different than everyone else. He’s using Instagram the way it was originally intended, instead of with calculated posts or perfectly branded grids. He’s been whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and however he wants, sometimes 12 times in a day. The carousels feel more like a camera roll than a campaign. His new album feels like that, too, as does his new clothing line, Skylrk. Sure, he’s collaborating with the next generation of superstars, but this time he’s making music with a different vision for how he feeds the machine. His products are striking and you can’t tell if they are real or prototypes.Barstool Beach House: Say what you want about Dave Portnoy, but Barstool gets the internet. Their program Barstool Beach House might not have been a big winner with brands, but it shows how a hit show like Jersey Shore will look in the not-so-distant future: livestreamed with real-time clips.Micro Dramas: 60 second episodic videos are becoming hotter and I see why.Track Star: A short-form, man-on-the-street interview show is taking the game by storm, and all of a sudden it’s the hottest show on YT. It’s fun to see Jack Coyne, the host and creator, interview so many big names about their music knowledge. Last month he had 50K subscribers, but he’s landing massive interviews and even landed himself a spot as one of the faces of the new Kith NY Fall campaign. From what seems like out of nowhere, this show is snowballing, becoming a go-to press tour stop and adding subscribers by the day.Subway Takes: Kareem has been around for a minute, but with no permits and a clearly rogue mentality, he’s doing some of the best, hardest hitting interview shows right now.There is a shift in content. Shows like 60 minutes and CBS Sunday morning – the staples of the past few decades – have lost their edge. Late night talk shows are too long winded, polished, and inaccessible.In the newsletter a few weeks ago, I talked about livestreaming being the next wave. But it’s more than that. The culture runs on memes. They are the poetry of modern times. They move stocks, define the times, and prove the point that the best ideas are sharable.So, What’s the Connection Between All of These?The goal for creators and marketers in this environment is to become part of the cultural scroll. Even if for a flash, that spark is giving life to new formats, new shows, and new stars shaping the media and entertainment landscape. Here lies the opportunity for brands and platforms to win. There are many effective tactics and strategies to deploy, but the X-factor in all of this will be how AI is used as an accelerant. What all of this disruption and innovation is showing, is that the game is wide open again for new ideas and plays.
BEATS
Nespresso and The Weeknd bring a Samra Origins Vinyl Café Pop-Up to SohoThe six-week boutique takeover to unveil a limited-edition vinyl, pressed from Nespresso coffee grounds, that includes “Give Me Mercy” from The Weeknd’s album Hurry Up Tomorrow. The Samra Origins Vinyl Café celebrates the ongoing Nespresso | Samra Origins by The Weeknd collaboration with the launch of a co-designed Vertuo POP+ machine. (Comunicafe)
Inside Spotify’s Plot to Take Down AppleThe music service’s rebellion against an App Store ‘tax’ over the past decade has significantly weakened Apple’s grip on the mobile world. (Wall Street Journal)
Taylor Swift To Put New Album On CassetteThe audio cassette, a relic of the 80s, is making a comeback. As music fans seek a more tactile, analog experience, this once-obsolete format is enjoying a small but noticeable resurgence alongside its vinyl counterpart. (Future Party)
Inside the Intimate, A-List Concerts Being Held in Pizza Joints, Backyards & New York Lofts"We don't call them concerts; we call them parties," says Eric Weiner, who founded The Wild Honey Pie — one of several outfits producing shows for small audiences. (Billboard)
TikTok Presents Ed Sheeran’s ‘Play,’ Live From New YorkTikTok will host an exclusive live performance by Ed Sheeran, with an in-app experience coinciding with the release of his latest album, Play. (Digital Music News)
How the Bucket Hat Became the Star of the Oasis ReunionNoel and Liam Gallagher, the brothers behind the ’90s Britpop act Oasis, have reunited after a bitter breakup to launch one of the summer’s biggest concert tours. Their reconciliation has filled stadiums around the world with fans—and sold heaps of floppy bucket hats, the ultimate symbol of brotherly resolution. (Wall Street Journal)
StubHub IPO: Ticket Sales Platform Targets $9 Billion Valuation In Latest High-Profile Stock ListingStubHub Holdings, the secondary ticketing marketplace, just threw its hat back in the ring to list on the New York Stock Exchange after postponing its initial public offering (IPO) plans earlier this year. (Fast Company)
BYTES
In the first in a two-part series, the FT’s pop critic Ludovic Hunter-Tilney speaks to musicians and artists about the inventive power of generative AI in music, as well as the potential threat it might pose to musicians’ livelihoods and the music industry as a whole.
The girl group extraordinaire, who've been experiencing a breakout yet with hit singles "Gnarly" and a viral Gap campaign, brought the house down with performances of "Gnarly" and "Gabriella," turning out an actually excited audience that knew every lyric and choreographed dance move. It was enough to get me to put my phone down and stop scrolling, if that means anything. (Fader)
Belong is the first Fantech platform creating the financial layer of fandom — turning Gen Z’s passion into rewards, access, and real-world value.
Released just weeks after the massive success of Swag, Bieber’s SWAG II keeps the momentum going. Out via Def Jam Recordings, the album includes collaborations with Tems, Bakar, Carter Lang, Dylan Wiggins, mk.gee, Eddie Benjamin, Camper, Mike Will Made-It, and more. (InMusic)
This week's newsletter was carefully curated by the Nue Agency staff and our editor Rachel Meisner. If you think we missed something this week or have any suggestions/comments for next week's newsletter, let us know!