Friday Fives, Vol. 198
This week, we’re going gaga over great granola, cooking meals from the big screen in our tiny New York kitchens, and getting an early Christmas gift from Kraft. This will be the last Friday Fives of 2021, but we’ll be back in early January with more weekly wisdom for your inbox. Happy holidays! And as always, thank you for reading.
Granola has been a crunchy dietary staple since the 19th century. What’s kept these rolled oats rolling for so many years? Top granola experts say it’s all about versatility. Granola can flex as a breakfast bite or a midday munch. It’s delicious both as a yogurt topping and mountain top trail mix. And, as the newly coronated king of granola himself, Tom Bannister, has proven — granola flavor possibilities are a delicious, limitless landscape. We’re proud of the packaging work we were able to do with Tom, but we’re even more proud that we got through this whole thing without making an oat pun. Oatstanding. Sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves.
Ted Lasso gets the traditional Christmas stop-motion treatment in a new holiday short on AppleTV+. Fans of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer will recognize the Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass inspired animation style that creates a familiar holiday feeling. The 4 minute short follows Ted Lasso and company as they try to find his iconic mustache that has mysteriously disappeared. We won’t spoil it for you, but let’s just say there’s a happy ending where everyone appreciates the true meaning of Christmas and the value of upper lip hair.
If you’ve ever watched a movie and thought about licking your screen because the food looked so good, then we’ve got some delicious news. The Cookbook from London-based publisher Hato Press compiles food from the most satisfying scenes on the silver screen, along with recipes on how to make them at home. The beautifully designed book is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate, with colorful culinary moments on each page. It’s a little late in the game, but this sounds like the perfect gift for the foodie-designer-cinephile in your life.
Fastest Growing Brands of 2021
Paramount+ leads the pack as the fastest growing brand of 2021. Considering the increased time spent at home caused by the pandemic, it’s no surprise that entertainment platforms are growing fast, with content hubs like HBO Max, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and PlutoTV ranking in the top 10 overall. This year’s list also highlights the emergence of fintech brands and cryptocurrencies, with Coinbase and Bitcoin popular amongst Gen Z. One surprise amongst the rankings is Busch Light, coming in at 18th amongst all people surveyed. It’s hard to explain their expeditious growth, but we think these Crocs may have something to do with it.
Spread Cheer, Not Cream Cheese
Last week, we reported on a devastating cream cheese shortage that has bagel lovers everywhere in a panic. There’s still no word on when this dairy drought will end, but the good people at Kraft, owners of cream cheese brand Philadelphia, are stepping up this holiday season to make the lack of spreadable topping a little more bearable. As part of their “Spread the Feeling” campaign, Kraft will pay $20 to anyone who was hoping to use cream cheese as part of their holiday tradition. Their thinking is that if you’re disappointed that you can’t use their product in your holiday cheesecake recipe or yuletide bagelry, they still want you to get something you’ll love, and they’re willing to pay for it. Classy move, Kraft. Classy move.
The Working Assembly is an award-winning branding and creative agency.
Established in 2017, we collaborate with emerging and evolving companies for end-to-end brand building, including strategy and visual identity, print and digital design, content, and creative campaigns.
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The Working Assembly
NYC branding agency exploring the intersection of art, design, technology and culture. Partnering with emerging and evolving brands.
