who's doing it right? these brands are.
cool points, earned.
Every day, we’re bombarded with products, ads, influencer content, and brand storytelling. It’s everywhere, all the time. And yet, why does so much of it feel the same? Maybe I’m just jaded, but it’s getting harder to be impressed.
As consumers, we’re involuntarily over-consuming—content, products, food, music, electronics, etc. Our eyes and ears are overstimulated but underwhelmed. It’s rare for something to stop me in my tracks, to make me watch a full video, to actually make me want to engage.
Working in the industry, I understand that it’s not that brands aren’t trying. Budgets are tight, timelines are tighter, too many red tape, too many approvals, too many cooks in the kitchen. Brands are less likely to take risk and they want to take a safe route which can mean less room for creativity. How many times have we seen the same holiday campaign? The same creators promoting the same product? The same “authentic” storytelling that feels, ironically, inauthentic?
But every once in a while, a brand gets it right. They’re tap into culture. They understand and know their audience. They’re not afraid to take risk. Here are a few that got my attention.
KIDSUPER X PUMA
To tease the KidSuper x PUMA collection, the KidSuper Instagram channel dropped The Intern—a three-part mini-series that’s giving The Office energy. The short form comedic clips are chaotic, unhinged, and don’t even focus on the product. Instead, they lean into absurd “behind-the-scenes” antics, from a mariachi band in the office to an off-key Pitch Perfect moment (or maybe I should say an off-key Treblemakers moment).
In essence, it’s unexpected, entertaining, and it stands out in the digital sea of product-first storytelling.
The RealReal on Substack
Since joining Substack, I’ve been obsessed with seeing how brands are using it. Like any new social media platform, brands are trying to figure out if the platform is worth the investment. My prediction? Give it 2–3 years. Right now, brands are still chasing instant gratification, but the pendulum is swinging back. Long-form content is creeping back in, just like vinyl, newsletters, and wired headphones (which by the way, I never retired. In fact, one day I was wearing my wired headphones on the train, someone actually said, “weird flex.”).
The RealReal is ahead of the curve. Their Substack is written in the voice of a mystery fashion insider—think Gossip Girl meets an ecom doom scroller. Each post is signed off with “XOXO,” and the writer is hilariously relatable, obsessed with finding the latest fashion finds. It’s clever, it’s playful, and it actually makes The RealReal feel like your reading your best friend’s blog.
Awake NY x Jameson
Similar to KidSuper, Awake NY and Jameson linked up for a collab, but instead of just pushing product, they dropped short-form Instagram videos that captured a feeling. The clip highlights the intersection of music, culture, and community—showing how keeping an open mind (and a Jameson in hand) can expose you to new experiences.
Essentially, it’s not just about clothes or whiskey. It’s about the people, the energy, the shared moments.
The whole campaign accumulated to a celebration launch party with the legendary Wayne Wonder.
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Coperni x Tamagotchi
Coperni tapped into Gen Z’s Y2K obsession and Millennials’ (aka the OG Y2Kers) nostalgia with a bag that’s built around a Tamagotchi. The Tamagotchi SWIPE Bag fuses Coperni’s signature shape with an actual, functional Tamagotchi embedded inside.
It’s playful, weird, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I’m here for it.
AVAVAV x adidas
I know everyone is talking about the much-anticipated Nike x Skims collab—which will probably flood the streets and our screens once it drops—but let’s turn our attention to another collab that deserves just as much hype. The AVAVAV x adidas collab is a true head-turner. During Milan Fashion week, AVAVAV presented its “The Hole” collection with models rising from the grave. It was giving Walking Dead meets fash-un.
The product is out there. It’s creative. It’ll make you feel uncomfortable but curious. In a time where everyone looks alike and finding your own personal style seems harder than ever, AVAVA and adidas collaborated to make a unique collection.
So, Who’s Actually Pushing Culture Forward?
We’re living in an era of sameness—same influencers, same aesthetic, same storytelling playbook. But the brands that are making noise? They’re the ones taking risks. They’re embracing humor, weirdness, and niche cultural moments.
So, what’s next? Who’s going to surprise us? Because if there’s one thing we don’t need, it’s another mid campaign.
I have wired headphones too!