“Three Hidden Reasons Why Brands Struggle with Authenticity.” All three reasons are “Brands are illusory constructs built upon a foundation of cynicism for whom the concept of ‘authenticity’ is wholly nonsensical,” but it doesn’t say that in Ad Age for some reason.
Bank of America Is Authentic and Hip--Just Like You, the Millennials
If you are a member of the savvy “millennial” generation you stand for two things: authenticity, and hipness. And you know god damn well in your little black hearts that no bank is more authentic—and hip—than Bank of America.
There Is No Such Thing as a Chesapeake "Crab Boil," Suckers
"Crab boils date back centuries on the Chesapeake Bay," write the people who are selling "crab boil" events—for $67—in New York City. These people are frauds and liars, selling ersatz "authenticity," pretentious unpretentiousness, a twee New York fabrication that has nothing to do with the tradition it wishes to evoke.
Food Engineers Now Making Your Burger Look Cool, Casual, Real
Like a pair of pre-ripped jeans from Abercrombie or a distressed logo tee from Zazzle, America's food conglomerates are embracing a more easy breezy natural look when it comes to your food. And as expected, making processed food seem unprocessed involves more processing.
Fiona Apple's Return: Critics Have Finally Found Their Authentic Pop Star, or Something
By the time Lana del Rey released her album Born to Die in January, the discourse around her had swirled hard enough that critics merely had to push back for an angle. Many of the reviews served as backlash to the backlash regarding her persona, her inadequacy as a performer, and her deeply frivolous lyrics. Some of…
The Tyranny of Pretend Middle Classness
Hey, here's what we're sick of: middle classness! While some of your elite coastal media obsess over some made-up standard of "authenticity" (Sarah Palin's got it! That's all you need to know!), the new hot trend is "caring about the middle class." This is something Democrats are good at! They used to be good at…
Hip Hop: Now Owned By Smirnoff
Last night at a club called Element, on Houston Street, a line formed in the rain. Everyone in line was on the list for a free Smirnoff-sponsored concert featuring Common, Q-Tip, and KRS-ONE. The fact that everyone was on the list made them that much more put off that the doors opened 45 minutes late. "I'm with…
BREAKING! Contrary to prior reports here today, now we hear that Patrick Moberg, who spotted flower-behind-the-ear-having Black Book intern Camille on the subway and later tracked her down via the internet, actually is less into her than she is into him. A lot less. Says someone in-the-know: "He did dump her...they're…
BREAKING! We hear that Camille, that flower-behind-the-ear-having intern at Black Book who was spotted on the subway by Patrick Moberg and later located via the internet, isn't as into him as he is into her.
