Welcome to Friday Fives, Vol. 244
This week we’re shopping in suspiciously similar copycat “shoppy shops,” celebrating the Year of the Rabbit with a new twist on traditions, and rethinking plastic’s role in the pollution problem. We’re also excited to announce that our founder, Jolene Delisle will be a judge at this year’s ADDY Awards! There’s still time to enter if you’re interested in creative recognition or an awesome trophy. Enter here.
We were all shocked and saddened by the Monterey Park shooting, with many of us looking for ways to help. We’d like to draw special attention to a particular GoFundMe that’s near and dear to one of our clients.
Raise your hand if you’ve had this shopping experience. You walk into a local coffee shop to grab a cappuccino, and while you wait for the barista to get that milk frothing, you notice shelves packed with intensely well-designed food products like Graza, Fishwife, and Omsom. We can’t see you, but we assume you’re raising your hand, because stores like these are everywhere. Places like Good Friend, Big Night, and Poppy’s are what TikTokers have dubbed shoppy shops. The question is, how do all these disconnected DTC brands end up as shelf-neighbors in allegedly “local” markets? One key reason is that DTC brands know the internet can only take them so far, and when they want to appear in your neighborhood purveyor of trendy goods, they end up on Faire, a wholesaler for these Instagram-buzzy brands. Mystery solved. You can put your hand down now.
Welcome to the Year of Good Fortune
Sunday ushered in the Year of the Rabbit (or, alternatively, the cat or the mouse deer) as the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. If you missed out on the day’s celebrations, not a problem: festivities can last for up to 15 days (sometimes even longer!). These traditions are deeply rooted across centuries, yet younger Asian Americans are finding their own meaning behind the holiday as they welcome the year with a joyful and tasty spin. Like any other holiday, spending hits a major increase. After a less-than-lackluster end of 2022, luxury giants are looking towards the holiday, and its lucky zodiac animal, as a good sign. I mean c’mon, is this Mulberry x Sanrio collab not the cutest? However you plan to celebrate, we hope that you take the time to support your local Asian-owned businesses.
Next time you’re stuck in LA traffic, look out the window. You’ll probably notice some retro-futuristic buildings that appear to be plucked right out of an episode of The Jetsons. Take Pann’s Coffee Shop, Bob’s Big Boy, or Norms for example. These are all part of the Googie architecture movement of the 1950s, named after the Googie’s Coffee Shop location whose design inspired the movement. This abstract style can be found across the LA metropolis, and many of these examples are still standing in large part due to the LA Conservancy’s tireless efforts. Keep the funky style alive, LA.
Take that, Capitalism! Laziness (in moderation) is good for all of us. In a world that equates worth to hours clocked and calendars booked, it’s easy to think that we are most productive when maxing out our mental capacity. Yet recent cultural workplace shifts like The Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting are calling attention to massive rates of burnout and overall un-wellbeing. So go ahead, take that couch nap. Go for a walk without your phone. Or alternatively, mindlessly scroll through puppy videos. You not only need, but deserve, time to daydream and unwind your mind. After all, it’s going to help that big idea you’re struggling to crack.
Plastic has a bad rap. Brands left and right are touting plastic-free initiatives and decrying plastic as the #1 enemy to progress in sustainability. But hear me out: we need plastic. Well, plastic that serves a purpose. And that purpose begins with thoughtful design. Mono-plastic, in its most simplistic form, is both durable and very easy to recycle. That’s a win-win for those looking to create refillable products or, at the very least, products that don’t break after a handful of uses. While “green” strategy efforts come from noble intentions, many complicated factors can lead to an end-product that’s less sustainable than plastic. If we’re all looking to do our part in Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, it really does start with designers’ thoughtfulness in the early stages of product development.
WYOS founders Jamie Glassman and Wendy Charland expound upon the importance of converting self-care to community care.
Oula raised more than $19 million in their Series A Round, helping them continue to raise the standard of modern maternity.
Finally, The Type Directors Club, the world’s leading typography organization and part of The One Club for Creativity, announces significant expansion in accepted work and a host of additional changes to its annual awards with the opening of TDC69 Annual Competition call for entries. Learn more and enter here.
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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