Every Millennial cliché makes its way into Hasbro’s new board game, Tide’s new packaging looks like a wine box, Detective Pikachu is inspiring fan memes and videos, and more of what everyone is talking about on social media this week…
1. You Can’t Afford Real Estate In Hasbro’s “Monopoly for Millennials”
Hasbro’s new Monopoly tells Millennials, “Forget real estate. You can’t afford to buy it anyway.” The brand has combined every Millennial cliché into one board game where players don’t pay rent or buy real estate. Instead, they collect experiences that include attending music festivals, doing yoga, eating at a vegan restaurant, and staying on a friend’s couch. Even Mr.Pennybags gets in on the mocking, wearing a participation ribbon on the front of the game and holding a selfie stick on the back. It should come as no surprise that backlash to the board game was swift. While some (particularly older consumers) enjoyed the joke, many were offended by the often untrue generalizations placed on their generation—and the perceived mocking of their dire financial problems. Fortune reports that in a press release, Hasbro acknowledged the “endless struggles and silly generalizations” Millennials face.
2. Will Teens Drink Tide Out Of Their New Packaging?
Tide came out with new shipping-and-eco-friendly packaging this week, comparing it to a “shoe box” but the internet saw something else: a wine box. Earlier this year, teens started “eating” Tide pods when memes showcasing their Gusher-like colors went viral. It sparked think pieces from the likes of Salon and The New Yorker, musing on young consumers’ nihilist bent. And, in reaction to the rising toll of teens poisoning themselves, Tide put their product in plastic cases and rolled out an informative campaign. But now they’ve came out…