Don’t miss the most newsworthy Millennial media from this week!
1. The Ultimate SXSW Lounge
This year’s SXSW produced plenty of viral marketing. In case you missed one of the displays inspired by all things viral, check out the Mashable House featuring attractions like selfies with Grumpy Cat, a Doge wall, and ride-able wrecking ball. The brand’s house lounge even included a secret room, dubbed “The Easter Egg” that visitors could find by unearthing clues on Twitter. Clearly, Mashable understands the appeal to festival goers of combining online and IRL activities.
2. Normcore Only For the Beautiful?
We called out normcore this week for its rebranding of other influencer trends we’ve seen building for quite a while, and that the trend is more media-driven than Millennial-driven. As parodies continue to emerge poking fun at the trend, we don’t want you to miss Brooklyn Magazine’s take on the issue, which claims: “The only people for whom [normcore] works are the ones that never had to worry about being a part of the masses in the first place,” and that only beautiful young people can pull off wearing intentionally ugly clothes.
3. The Barbie Backlash Continues
Barbie has been having a rough year so far, and concern for the doll’s sales may be mounting. Don’t miss the latest in the backlash—a study that suggests (despite her many, many jobs) that playing with Barbie may inhibit young girls’ career aspirations. While the study may need more extensive research, findings showed that girls who played with both Doctor and Fashion Barbie suggested fewer career options for females than those who played with neutral Mrs. Potato Head.
4. Dirty-Minded Millennial Parodies
Fool Millennials once…and they’ll parody your original stunt into oblivion. The “First Kiss” video that we covered in Essentials this week might have been touching, but it was also a fashion marketing campaign with models and actors that we noted viewers might not appreciate. The parody videos have been rolling in, so don’t miss the long list that includes “First Sniff” with dogs, dirty versions of other firsts, and appearances from Chelsea Handler and Jimmy Fallon. Even Minecraft got in on the joke, showing the quick wit of this generation.
5. President Obama Gets the Last Laugh
Initially celebrated for his connection with young voters, President Obama made an unconventional choice this week in order to re-connect with the skeptical Millennial audience. Do not miss President Obama’s appearance on Zack Galifianakis’ web comedy series Between Two Ferns, known for its dry and sometimes insulting humor, and tendency to go viral. Though The Colbert Report covered the outraged reaction of some conservatives, the guest appearance was a massive success for plugging the Affordable Care Act, racking up 6 million views just 6 hours after airing (now at 15 million) and boosting visits to healthcare.gov by 40%.
