Cool Sh*t - Specsavers, Jordan, Jacquemus, YES Charity, and more...
Vol. 51
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#1 - Could have gone to Specsavers…
Specsavers partnered with Carers UK to deliver a thought-provoking and heart-string-tugging campaign that wasn’t (directly) about selling specs but about seeing the unseen.
In honour of Carers Week 2025, they unveiled “The Most Valuable Portrait” - a beautiful artwork by Colin Davidson, symbolically valued at £184 billion* (the value of unpaid care in the UK), it honours the nation’s 5.7 million unpaid carers who care for their friends and family every day. The artwork was put on display at London’s South Bank Observation Point for a short period.
It’s an unexpected, emotional play that cleverly positions Specsavers as a brand with vision - literally and metaphorically - making the often invisible contributions of unpaid carers visible.
For brand marketers, this is a masterclass in purpose-led storytelling. Specsavers shifted focus from product to people and culture, proving that when you build smart creative on top of that, you can grab people’s attention and build a deeper, lasting connection between them and your brand.
#2 - Jordan is still “The One”
“The One” is more than a basketball tournament - it’s a full-court press on streetball culture. Launched in 2024, this 3v3 global showdown invites the world’s best amateur hoopers to compete for a $1 million USD prize. No coaches, no playbooks, no second chances, one winner takes all.
This is a slick elevation of Jordan’s decades-long tie to streetball ethos. It’s not just about crowning a king AND queen (yes this is a male and female tournament! Praise Jebus); it’s about owning the narrative of what raw, unfiltered street basketball looks like. With qualifiers spanning Tokyo to Toronto, this activation stretches far beyond the U.S. market, cementing Jordan as an international torchbearer for the soul of the game.
For some people who may wonder, like I did, “isn’t Jordan already the king of the game?” Yes. But remember how And1 almost took over between the late 90s to mid-2000s? They focused almost exclusively on streetball culture. If you haven’t seen The Rise and Fall of AND1, check it out. Dad, I’m talking to you (he’s the CEO of a basketball organisation in Scotland).
This isn’t just a sports event - it’s a big brand behaving like a broadcaster, architecting a gripping, human storytelling platform fuelled by a massive, highly engaged global community.
Sport still sells, but the gritty real life stories of the struggle to rise to the top sell harder.
#3 - The Jacquemus Beach Club
I’m no fashionista, my wife will tell you that. And I don’t know much about the Jacquemus brand. Apparently Simon Porte Jacquemus has become famous for his “simple elegance, clean, rectangular shape and signature Jacquemus logo”. Whatevs…
The reason I’m writing about the brand now is because it launched a beach club in Monte Carlo. It’s a pastel-hued seaside escape that blends Riviera glam with the brand’s aesthetic, reimagining luxury hospitality through a fashion lens.
Strategically, it’s a masterstroke. It isn’t only about selling more clothes - it’s about creating an immersive brand experience that people want to dive into, literally. For the try hard, I mean die hard fans, it’s already everything. For anyone else it’s a WTF is that moment. Something that actually looks pretty cool. I cringe at this sort of display of wealth shit usually, but to be honest, if I were walking past, I’d want in, even if just for a free cocktail.
Every corner is made for the social obsessed - free media. And with Monte Carlo’s built-in audience of try too hards tastemakers, celebrities, and sun-seeking style hunters, it’s poised to become a real-world moodboard.
For brand marketers, this is a lesson in experiential elevation. Fashion brands becoming destinations isn’t new, but few do it with this much pizazz, class, and whimsy. It’s not just a beach club. It’s a brand world you want to soak yourself in.
The content is pretty good too. Ripped off Wes Anderson, but still good.
#4 - More boys and girls should get into fights
In a world where headlines about youth violence dominate the news cycle, YES (Youth Experience in Sport) Charity dared to flip the narrative by literally encouraging kids to get into more fights - just the right kind.
This grassroots UK initiative reframes boxing not as violence, but as a powerful tool for youth empowerment, emotional regulation, and community building. Aimed at young people from underserved backgrounds, the program combines boxing training with mentorship, mental health support, and life skills workshops. Participants report improved mental wellbeing, reduced school exclusions, and better relationships with family and peers.
As someone who has trained in jiu jitsu for 10+ years, I can attest to the benefits of the right kind of fighting. It’s why both my kids have been doing the same since they were 5 years old.
The strategic intent is obvious, challenge the audience’s beliefs about a contentious topic. The campaign lands hard too. It’s emotionally stirring, visually striking, and the topic is worth talking about.
Whilst this is a NFP, brand marketers can still take some lessons away. Purpose-led campaigns, rooted in real community insight, can spark conversation and shift behaviour, and perhaps build long-term loyalty.
BEAUTIFUL THINGS
I’ve featured all sorts of random beautifully designed things over the past 50 volumes of Cool Sh*t, so I’ve decided to dedicate a new section to it. I think it’s also because I heard Jony Ive speaking recently about his philosophy on design and it sparked something in me about just how damn important it actually is to our species.
Not sure I’ll ever have much more to say then “this is really beautiful design”, but I doubt you give a shit, so here goes.
Check out this really beautiful building design from MVRDV who “create happy and adventurous places”. Sounds lovely. Sign me up please. Their website is worth a peruse…
My son Atlas would lose his shit over this because it looks like it’s from Minecraft.
NICHE COMMUNITIES
I’ve also decided to add another new section about weird and wonderful communities. Primarily because I was inspired by a talk that Sacha Judd gave recently (go check her out and sign up to her newsletter), but also because I’m always curious to break out of my own little bubble and see how some people find their people.
Again, not sure I’ll ever have much more to say than “checkout this group of people trying to make clown’s sexy!”...... Winning!!! 😂
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!
Love me some video games and love me some Wu-Tang. So gonna love me some Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style – Rise of the Deceiver when it launches.
The simple act of reading about an act of kindness can also give your love hormone (Oxytocin) levels a boost. So feel the love… ❤
We’re currently considering fostering a dog. Go look at some of these cuties.
A bit of a throwback but Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise You’ makes it onto the Cool Sh*t Spotify playlist this week. Mainly because he’s Carl Moggridge’s best mate and I want to see if he ever reads this far or listens to my playlist… Probably thinks he’s too cool for it! 😛
ICYMI - Cool Sh*t Vol. 50 - BWH Hotels, Heinz, Whatnot, Cif and more...
Cool Sh*t is typically written from the comfort of my own home, here in Sydney, Australia - Gadigal land. Always was, always will be. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present. I extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The views expressed are my own.