Cool Sh*t - Vol. 20

Strangers Things x Roblox, DHL streetwear in China, Burberry x Minecraft, Mattel x Cryptoys, Ralph Lauren x Fortnite, Squid Game IRL...

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#1 - Stranger Things Immersive Watch Party. Another Roblox activation I hear you say… but this one is cool nonetheless. Participants get to watch the first episode in a Stranger Things themed area of Roblox, whilst doing a scavenger hunt that enables them to unlock UGC items. This is all in celebration of Stranger Things Day, which I didn’t know was a thing… 🤔

#2 - Fashion/Brand/Artist collaborations reign supreme in China. Ever thought to yourself “I’d love some stylish DHL streetwear…”? Yes, you read that right. DHL is just one of the collabs featured here, and they all have one thing in common, they understand and capitalise on the opportunity to tap into pop culture and cross-pollinate audiences through engaging content and product development. The DHL one is particularly interesting because it leverages irony to be effective. It’s not the first time that the global logistics company has activated in this way, see Vetements x DHL. 🤓

#3 - This deeper dive on the Burberry x Minecraft partnership is worth a read. Burberry are, in my opinion, one of the brands activating really well in this space. They’ve really thought through how to create an engaging and relevant in-game experience that also lives beyond the game through physical apparel. Given the younger demographic of Minecraft, it’s clear that this is a long-term strategic play, whilst they benefit from the surrounding publicity that also connects with a broader mass audience and helps to build brand equity. 🚀

#4 - Mattel has teamed up with Cryptoys to bring Masters of the Universe’s Eternia into the world of NFTs. I love that once you’ve purchased one, you can choose to keep it in ‘mint’ condition or unbox it to reveal a blister-pack toy. I’ll be interested to see if/how they activate with a Phygital model, similar to RTFKT etc. Skylanders, Disney Infinity etc. were further proof of the consumer interest in the digital worlds into collectible model… Lots to explore that they never did. I think it will be key to engaging a larger audience sector.

#5 - Fashion brand Ralph Lauren enters Fortnite with digital apparel for avatars. There is also a capsule collection available IRL. There was even a launch livestream and a tournament to celebrate the partnership. There is more content planned in the near future. One to keep an eye on.

#6 - Squid Game: The Challenge - Netflix reality TV series still searching for cast members. I must have been living under a rock when this was first announced in June… Well, the hunt for 456 cast members is still on and there is $4.56 million up for grabs. Aside from Squid Game being a huge success for the platform, I wonder how much of this was inspired by Mr Beast’s ‘$456,000 Squid Game In Real Life!’ video, which has racked up over 300 million views to date. It’s a smart play from Netflix who are looking to regain market share with a decreasing younger demographic customer base. 📈

Self proclaimed ‘Smile-punk’ band Pinch Point’s ‘Spelt Out’ makes it to the Cool Sh*t Spotify playlist this week. They supported Idles at a recent Sydney show I was lucky enough to catch. Pretty good live…

The views expressed are my own and don’t reflect the views of my employer…