Taco Bell's Live Shindig, 'Daycaps' and JFK Jr.'s Return

Plus: BK's creepy King has left the building

It’s been mascot mania in the brand world for at least a few years now, but one of the creepiest—the King—has left the building. Apparently, unhinged creative doesn’t always move product. Maybe a consumer-centric turnaround plan will? So far, a standout ad during the Oscars and 20,000 calls and texts from fans to Burger King’s president could be a good sign for the ailing chain. It’s a start.

If you haven’t already planned your summer vacation, maybe consider something murdery? In the next iteration of escape rooms and immersive experiences, travelers are booking their own whodunits, a la White Lotus, Knives Out and Traitors. If that thought doesn’t make your heart race, the sky-high price tag of these adventures just might.

Read on for more of-the-moment trends in marketing, media and pop culture.

That’s Advertainment

Taco Bell has boldly entered Apple territory when it comes to new product reveals, and, no, not many brands could even attempt an IRL shindig like Live Más. In its third year, the hot ticket Hollywood event got streamed on Peacock, marking the potential start of a TV franchise. The show featured Doja Cat, Vince Staples, Demi Lovato, Lil Jon, Ashley Park, Benson Boone and other celebs for the debut of collabs, drops and menu items like dessert empanadas, diablo dusted nuggets and Mountain Dew Baja Blast Under Eye Patches, the fast feeder’s first foray into the beauty space. The party generated a flood of user-generated content from the fan VIPs in attendance, with Link in Bio’s Rachel Karten pointing out that “AI could never replace Taco Bell’s Live Más LIVE.” The chain has plenty of company in its entertainment-forward approach, with Gap recently launching a music video with Young Miko and Banana Republic operating an upscale speakeasy in SoHo. Both Gap and Dick’s Sporting Goods have hired chief entertainment officers in their c-suites. This trend is definitely here to stay—the real fun will be watching how brands take a stab at it, for better and worse.

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The Opposite of a Nightcap

Booze news has been dismal lately, as Gallup has documented three straight years of decline in the U.S. drinking rate. That “no amount of alcohol is safe” message seems to have fully taken root. A record-low 54 percent of Americans say they imbibe, per the researcher, and existing adult-beverage drinkers are cutting back. But there are bright spots for the category, including the explosion of canned and ready-to-drink cocktails, which NielsenIQ calls “a permanent pillar…not a disruptive outlier.” Analysts and retailers are also tracking the dramatic rise of sake and soju—a leader in the latter segment, Korean brand Lotte Chilsung, has seen its sales soar 700 percent via a Gallo deal. And no matter its “soberest generation” label, Gen Z is getting its BeatBox and BuzzBallz on, often at convenience stores. Big alc players, meantime, are looking for new ways, places and occasions to embed themselves in consumers’ lives. Take the new Ketel One campaign with ambassador Patrick Schwarzenegger. It centers on the “daycap,” leaning into a 400 percent surge in vodka mentions for brunch. The spots, from Octopus and director Kevin Castanheira, are sunny and sporty, saying there’s no reason to wait until after dark for a tomatini. Expect other marketers to follow suit.

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Inspired by Icons

Truism: Carolyn Bessette could’ve rocked a burlap sack and looked stunning doing it. Instead she went with a minimalist, refined, designer-chic style that’s in the spotlight now, decades after her tragic death. And those scalp-piercing tortoise shell headbands? They’re everywhere, thanks to the rabid fan base around FX’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. The blockbuster drama, airing its finale next week, has reignited the fascination around the doomed couple and their breezy aesthetic. Searches for “Calvin Klein ’90s” leaped 850 percent on Google Trends when the show premiered, yet the media-savvy brand hasn’t capitalized on the link, even subtly. But others, with tenuous or no connection, certainly have. Polo Ralph Lauren, Uniqlo, Dior and even Starbucks have latched onto the eclectic and preppy John John silhouette for recent campaigns and runway shows. Not surprisingly, boutiques selling CBK faves have reported massive sales upticks. Sportswear and accessories with a West Village-meets-Nantucket vibe were already popular, but this elevated version of the trend is shaping up to be the look of the year.