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The headline from (and headliner of) last week’s Super Bowl was undoubtedly Bad Bunny’s elaborately-choreographed, history-making, and endlessly-watchable halftime show. Who won the actual game? I couldn’t tell you. A European friend was visibly startled when I recently informed him that the Super Bowl wasn’t just a huge, annual concert, but was in fact a football game. Even more so than last year’s buzzy Kendrick performance, Bad Bunny’s halftime concert dominated the cultural conversation, edging out any hope for a splashy commercial to share in the post-game discourse.
But there were plenty of interesting trends to be gleaned from how brands approached their game day campaigns, from the return of bona fide celebs over “creators” in commercial spots to eventized activations tied to the game by the loosest of conceptual connections. Of all the spots I saw, only one felt like it had a real creative perspective: poppi’s indie sleaze fever dream starring Charli XCX & Rachel Sennott. Following Pepsi’s billion dollar acquisition of poppi last year, many speculated on how the brand’s voice might change after being folded into the larger corporation. If this Super Bowl commercial is any indication, they’ve chosen to lean even further into courting poppi’s young, Gen Z audience, eschewing any dry explainers about what distinguishes poppi from other soft drinks in favor of, as Charli would say, vibes.
Whether or not the commercial’s aesthetic is your cup of tea, it is undeniably an aesthetically coherent piece. In my opinion, the success of the campaign comes from doubling down on the Charli team’s whole thing, rather than trying to dilute it: they brought in longtime filmmaking collaborator Aidan Zamiri to direct and tapped Charli’s music video co-star Rachel Sennott to act as her sidekick. Its pace and aesthetic feel ripped from the Brat music video universe – a welcome respite from the same-same, safe visual palette of most high-stakes commercial spots.
How many brand tie-ins can one album cycle sustain? If corporate clients like poppi want to keep the Brat party going, I’m glad they’re bringing the whole team along for the ride.
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First Up: Dinner(ware) With Prue Leith
Michelin-starred chef, The Great British Bake Off icon, and bestselling author Prue Leith has launched a collection of colorful dinnerware available exclusively on MoMA Design Store. Prue is known for her eye-poppingly bright jewelry and clothes, so this collection feels perfectly aligned with her fun personal aesthetic. And because they’re made from individually-molded melamine, no two pieces are exactly alike.
Trending: Rose-Scented Romance
The Bouqs Co. and Magnolia Bakery have teamed up on Cupid’s Combo, a limited-time flowers + dessert bundle available exclusively on DoorDash. The set includes a dozen of The Bouqs’ bestselling Valentine’s Day roses and a 2-pack of Magnolia Bakery’s iconic red velvet cupcakes, topped with whipped vanilla icing. All you need to order is a DoorDash login, and the bundle will be delivered straight to your door – a godsend for any last-minute Valentine’s Day gifting.
Augustinus Bader introduced The Geranium Rose Body Cream, an evolution of its award-winning Body Cream, now infused with the brand’s delicate Geranium Rose scent. The luxe cream is powered by Bader’s proprietary TFC8® technology. Developed from over 30 years of pioneering stem-cell research, the formula helps skin look firmer and smoother while reducing the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks, deeply hydrating, and strengthening the skin barrier. Bader’s geranium rose scent is one of my favorite bodycare fragrances, a perfect balance of floral rose and green geranium, so I’m thrilled to see them introducing it into new categories.
Trending: Limited Edition Pinks
Beauty Accessories and Organizer brand ÉTOILE launched Crush, a limited edition baby pink (mock) croc colorway in the brand’s four signature vanity & toiletry case styles. The Valentine’s Day inspired collection features silver hardware and on-theme heart-shaped detailing. ÉTOILE recently shared a sample of their Clear Makeup Travel Case with me, and the high-quality organizer has become an indispensable tool for any trip I take.
Quince debuted their best-selling European Linen Bedding in a new romantic pink colorway, Rose. The warm, blush-toned pink marks a new chapter for Quince: the brand will be dropping a new seasonal European Linen color each month through September. The limited-run launches will use customer-driven demand to determine its seasonal colors.
Before You Go…
- Victoria Beckham Beauty launched the Eye Wardrobe in Orchid. Drawn from Victoria’s most-loved Satin Kajal Liner in Orchid, the four eyeshadows come in tones of lilac, plum, and amethyst.
- goop Beauty released the Youth-Boost NAD+ Peptide Rich Cream. NAD+ is a popular supplement within the broader longevity conversation, but its use in topical skincare is only just emerging. The Peptide Rich Cream’s groundbreaking key ingredient, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), is a precursor to NAD+ and works to support cellular metabolism and counteract stress that can cause skin aging. The rich moisturizer also includes biomimetic plant peptides and bifidus ferment, a biotech ingredient composed of postbiotics.
- MALK and The Coconut Cult teamed up to create the Vanilla MALK Shake, a creamy probiotic coconut yogurt that tastes like a treat but stays true to both brands' clean-label ethos. Vanilla MALK Shake is available DTC now on thecoconutcult.com, with a Whole Foods rollout coming later this spring.
- Just in time for Lunar New Year, chef and cookbook author Natasha Li Pickowicz and Material Kitchen released a new collab: Material's The Cooking Chopstick Set. The set comes with two Small Goun ceramic sauce bowls, perfectly proportioned for hot pot in celebration of Natasha’s newest cookbook: Everyone Hot Pot.
Happy shopping. Email me directly – hannah@thequalityedit.com – with any launches you’d like to see in the spotlight, or DM us over @thequalityedit.
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