This week, a special Friendsgiving Turducken Pringles kit was in high demand, a new term for being single was coined—and immediately started a fight, news of CGI bringing an actor back to life is sparking backlash, and more stories, brand news, and debates that trended this week…
Everyone Wants Pringles’ Turducken Friendsgiving Kit
Friendsgiving, a holiday invented by Millennials, has become increasingly popular with young consumers over the last five years—and with brands as well. And this year, Pringles really took Friendsgiving marketing to the next level. The brand released a “Turducken Friendsgiving Feast” kit for the holiday, featuring chips flavored like every bird in a turducken (turkey, chicken, and duck) as well as three traditional sides (cranberry sauce, stuffing, and pumpkin pie). The over-the-top, limited edition box made headlines, and quickly sold out, with demand so high the Kellogg’s website actually crashed. The brand posted on social media, “We underestimated your hunger for our Friendsgiving Feast!” and fielded posts from fans desperate to get their hands on the product.
And No One Wants a CGI James Dean
Movies have changed significantly because of CGI, and these days using it to do everything from removing an actor’s facial hair to making them twenty years younger is common—but should there be a limit to how the tech is used? That’s a debate being sparked right now, thanks to news that James Dean will be digitally resurrected to star in a new movie. The actor died in 1955, and backlash to the idea has been swift, with big name stars like Chris Evans posting their displeasure on social media. While the director of the film is reportedly “dumbfounded” by the reaction, the rest of the world seems to agree that bringing actors back to life is not something they want.
Starbucks Says “Merry Coffee” for the Holidays
It’s that time of year again! Starbucks introduced their holiday cup designs this week, and as always, the announcement has caused a stir. The cups are undoubtedly holiday themed (unlike the infamous plain red cup incident of 2015) and one features the message “Merry Coffee”—which some don’t like, and some think should say “Merry Christmas.” To celebrate the start of the season, the brand gave away a reusable holiday cup to anyone who ordered a holiday drink—continuing a recent eco-friendly tradition. But it’s not just the cup designs that got people talking: the disappearance of the brand’s Gingerbread Latte in the U.S. is upsetting some fans.
A New Term For Being Single Starts Internet Fights
Millennials are less likely to be married in their 20s and 30s than any previous generation, creating a new life stage of extended singledom for the generation—and there’s a new term for it that’s got some on social media raging. This week, an interview with Emma Watson was published in British Vogue in which the actress talks about the anxiety of turning thirty and not being married or in a relationship. She concludes, “It took me a long time, but I’m very happy [being single]. I call it being self-partnered.” The “self-partnered” label immediately elicited reactions online—both positive and negative. The fervor over the idea of embracing singledom with a new expression caused Watson to trend on Twitter.
Links We’re Passing
Everyone’s already talking about the 2020 Met Gala,
Billie Eilish’s new accidental mullet could start a new hair trend,
thanks to Gen Z, Boomers are now considering “Boomer” a slur,
a YouTuber’s breakdown over the pressures of seeming perfect is trending,
and mystery “zombie texts” that took nine months to send have everyone confused.
