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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. Geriatric Millennial
What’s up: What the hell is a ‘Geriatric Millennial’ and how do you know if you’re one? Why we love it: It’s mainly because we’re suckers for gimmicky labeling. The term gained popularity online from a Medium piece by author and teamwork expert Erica Dhawan, who claimed that geriatric millennials are the best to lead hybrid workforces, thanks to their expertise in both digital and analog communication. “Geriatric millennials can read the subtext of an SMS just as well as they can pick up on a client’s hesitation in their facial expressions during an in-person meeting,” Dhawan wrote in her piece. “They are neither ignorant of technology nor so engrossed in it that a voicemail inspires fear.” [Vice]
2. Reopening of Society
What’s up: Burn all the leggings. What do you wear to the reopening of society? Why we love it: 2020 found many of us in a fashion haze of athleisure that spanned the workweek into the weekend. As more and more of us find our ways back into an office, it’s inevitable that at some point this summer you will think: What am I going to wear?! This article provides some historical context around how major global milestones impacted our fashion options and choices: Pestilence has a long history of influencing how people dress. The bubonic plague killed as much as half of Europe’s population in the 1300s, leaving survivors with hefty inheritances and higher wages. Some historians credit the plague for sparking demand for finely tailored clothing and luxury goods—clothes became tighter, decorative features like buttons and fur trim became more common, people got really into grand headdresses. In this way, the plague gave rise to the Italian fashion industry, which still helps set global trends. [The Atlantic]
3. Pride Legos
What’s up: A new rainbow Lego set will arrive just in time for Pride Month. Why we love it: Lego will release its rainbow “Everyone Is Awesome” set on June 1, the first day of Pride Month 2021. The word that’s been resonating for us in 2021 has been Inclusivity. As brands start to wrap their heads around what this actually means beyond talk (spoiler alert: it starts with Culture) it’s great to see how Lego is leaning in and releasing products that align with this growing inclusive ethos. [LA Times]
4. Fast & Furious
What’s up: New ‘Fast & Furious’ film nabs biggest opening of the pandemic so far. Why we love it: “F9” (the ninth – yes, 9th – installment in the popular Fast & Furious franchise) marks the biggest opening for a Hollywood film during the pandemic. Opening in US theaters June 25, the early indication of global sales give some hope for a summer of moviegoing. While we all have been nesting at home with streaming services, there is something great about getting back out into movie theaters. The biggest question remains: The movies are coming back, but will the people follow? [CNN]
5. DIY Video Games
What’s up: Nintendo’s gonna teach kids how to make games on a Switch. Why we love it: Over the years Nintendo has been the console that dipped into more of a maker culture than the first-person shooters of Playstation and Xbox (Xbox Arcade admitedly gave this some early hope too). So, this continued push of game building and development is nothing new, but it’s still cool to see. Game Builder Garage (available June 11) introduces you to Nodons. These “creatures with big personalities,” as Nintendo describes them, are the building blocks of any Game Builder Garage creation. On the programming screen they appear as little colorful boxes that can take on any number of roles. By forming connections between different Nodons, literally by drawing a line between them, you’re mapping out under-the-hood game rules. [Mashable]
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