5 In 5: Reese’s Robot, Oodie, TIME x VOTE, World Series, Pinterest Push

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. Reese’s Robot

This Halloween, Reese’s is sending out a robotic door that dispenses peanut butter cups. Why should you care? The robotic door will travel through neighborhoods via remote control, dispenses smoke, has lights and plays a soundtrack of spooky songs. All you have to do is say “trick-or-treat!” and a king sized peanut butter cup will appear. We’re seeing everyone up the ante on creative ways to have a safe Halloween with candy chutes, scavenger hunts and goodie bags – but the Reese’s robot has taken it to another level and we’re honestly hoping it makes a stop in our neighborhood. [Thrillist]

2. Oodie

As lockdown winter looms, the oodie (a blanket with a hood) has become the latest craze in comfort wear. Why should you care? We’ve been graced with the snuggie, mermaid tail blanket, the onesie and now – the oodie. In the last six months, searches for the oodie are up 207% and its success is probably related to the pandemic and how working from home has shifted the way we think about clothes. “It’s not necessarily about choosing comfort over cool any more, because comfort is cool,” says Tara Drury, a retail analyst from market intelligence company Edited. [The Guardian]

3. TIME x VOTE

TIME magazine has changed its name to say one thing: VOTE. Why should you care? This is the first time in TIME magazine’s nearly 100-year history that it has changed the name on its cover – reflecting how unprecedented these times are with COVID-19, a social justice uprising and a contentious presidential election. The cover features a woman wearing a mask featuring a voting ballot box with its intended message to exercise your right to vote. [Mashable]

4. World Series

Game one of the Dodgers-Rays series had the lowest TV ratings ever for a World Series game. Why should you care? The last time viewership dipped below 10 million for a World Series game was in 2008, which was in part due to a 90-minute rain delay. But this year, all fingers point to the pandemic. Sports viewership has been on the decline (the NBA finals also had record-low numbers) as COVID-19 has reshaped the way we watch sports. And until we can all be together again cheering on our favorite teams in person, ratings are unlikely to improve. [CNBC]

5. Pinterest Push

In the next few weeks, Pinterest will roll out new ways for creators, retailers and advertisers to self-identify as an underrepresented group. Why should you care? This is part of Pinterest’s larger ongoing effort to showcase more diverse content. The platform recently kicked off its “Make the World See All Beauty” campaign that partnered with 10 boundary-pushing creators to show a more representative future. An official statement on their blog says, “we’re continuing to make progress on our commitments to support meaningful change—whether it’s increasing the discoverability of diverse ideas to reflect our hundreds of millions of Pinners, using our marketing channels to help drive change, or our amplifying creators from all backgrounds and experiences.” [Adweek]

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