5 In 5: Facebook Bans, Canna-Curious, Eyebrows as Lips, Hispanic Heritage Month, Virtual Santa

Each week, Padilla’s Insights + Strategy team stands at the intersection of people, culture and brands to bring you five stories that you can read in five minutes.

1. Facebook Bans

Facebook says it will finally ban anti-vaccination ads. Why should you care? If it feels like every week Facebook is banning something new, it’s because it is. In an effort to get rid of problematic content on its social networks, Facebook has banned Holocaust denialism, pages that support the QAnon conspiracy theory and now, anti-vaccination ads – specifically, ads that discourage people from getting vaccinated or portrays them as ineffective or unsafe. As the world races to find a COVID-19 vaccine, this ban comes at an especially important time – but is it enough? [CNBC]

2. Canna-Curious

A PBR seltzer spiked with THC is hitting the shelves. Why should you care? Aimed at customers who are “canna-curious” – the new seltzer is non-alcoholic but contains 5mg of THC and rolling out only in California for now. More and more, THC drinks are considered comparable to having a beer – just another way to unwind at the end of the day. As legalization continues to spread, so may the growth of THC-infused drinks – but not without controversy, as it’s hard to avoid the contradiction of companies profiting off a product that has on the other hand, landed people in prison. [NPR]

3. Eyebrows as Lips

With masks as the new norm, Schick is positioning eyebrows as the new lips. Why should you care? As you’ve probably experienced for yourself, wearing a mask can make communicating difficult by – for lack of a better word – masking your verbal and nonverbal cues. Advertising its Hydro Silk eyebrow grooming tool, Schick’s new campaign is teaching you how to communicate better with your eyebrows with a tutorial featuring a body language expert. As we continue to navigate new norms, we’ll be sure to keep seeing brands with creative solutions for our COVID woes. [Adweek]

4. Hispanic Heritage Month

Hyundai created an outdoor drive-thru museum in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Why should you care? Hyundai partnered with Museum of Latin American Art and nonprofit Art of Elysium  on this concept honoring Latinx artists. Art enthusiasts were able to enjoy nine exhibits safely from their vehicles. Drive-thru has been the new go-to in the age of COVID, from fine dining to medical clinics and now, onto art exhibitions – who knows what will be next? [Newsbreak]

5. Virtual Santa

Virtual Santa visits are going to be a thing this holiday season. Why should you care? Though some locations will still offer some semblance of the normal in-person Santa meet & greet, for the more wary parents, JingleRing is offering virtual visits. The virtual Santa experience will allow you to invite other family members, skip long lines and of course – an opportunity to avoid that sometimes painful tradition of stranger-danger induced tears and tantrums. In a surprising twist, it might just be the one thing this year that’s considered better virtually than it is in-person. [Popsugar]

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