Friday Fives, Vol.53
Every Friday we highlight five things we have on our radar that we think should be on yours, too.
Here’s this week’s Friday Fives!
Spotify gets *too* spooky
On Wednesday, a British advertising watchdog chastised Spotify for getting a little too into the Halloween spirit with the release of an “unduly distressing” ad featuring Camila Cabello’s song “Havana” and some seriously scary dolls. Although the ad is by no means the creepiest thing we’ve seen this October, a complaint against the music streaming service was filed by a parent whose child encountered the ad before a kid-friendly YouTube video. If the 30-second clip doesn’t quite satisfy your appetite for spooks, you can check out Jezebel’s annual scary story contest here (if you dare). Readers in the NYC area can also treat themselves for some transit-style horror with the MTA’s annual Haunted Subway happening TONIGHT at Union Square — as if our commutes weren’t already horrific enough. — KJ
Battle of the boxes
The subscription box craze is in full swing and it’s a war zone to be number one. Since the concept was first popularized by Birchbox in 2010, an increasingly niche array of boxes have appeared on the market. Promising monthly deliveries of everything from sex toys to dog toys, from Japanese snacks to men’s shaving kits, it seems there’s now a box (or seven) for every person, interest, and lifestyle. With over 3,500 boxes currently available, competition is becoming increasingly cutthroat among subscription providers. This article examines the makings of a successful subscription box and how competitors are fighting to rise to the top of the pack. — MM
Life in plastic, it’s fantastic
From the heaps of trash bags that line the streets of NYC, we know how much waste humans are capable of creating everyday. In the last few years, there has been a growing movement among brands to reduce that waste through the use of recycled materials. Everlane is the next brand in line, releasing a new clothing line called “Renew” that has already used 3 million recycled plastic bottles to date. New additions to the collection will be introduced over the coming years and are projected to eliminate 100 million plastic bottles from the environment. Until the line launches next Wednesday, put your name on the waitlist here. — MC
Trouble brewing for beer drinkers
Climate change armageddon is nearly upon us, and it wants to strip us of everything we hold dear. Increasingly unstable global weather patterns are wreaking havoc around the globe and threatening to endanger chocolate, coffee, wine, and even Tabasco sauce. Now, a new study published in Nature Plants has thrown even more depressing news our way: Beer is next on the chopping block. Say goodbye to your weekend standby and favorite part of October — unless you’re willing to shell out an arm and a leg for a pint, grabbing a Friday night beer may soon be a thing of the past. So go out and drink your fill this weekend (or start stockpiling your pantry for the impending beerpocalypse). — DF
Facebook is getting real
Delving into the realm of original video content, Facebook has announced that it will be partnering with MTV to rehash the reality TV classic “The Real World,” which made history as the world’s first original reality show (and inspired a cult-like obsession for millions of 80s and 90s babies). The social media network is now gearing up for an interactive spin on the classic reality format — think “The Hunger Games” meets “Keeping up with the Kardashians” — to premiere on mobile devices in spring 2019. Facebook hopes to use this expansion to capitalize on their current 2 billion-person global audience, lifting them out of the social media graveyard with some reality TV magic. ✨ — JC
Originally published at eepurl.com.
