No. 023: Is 2024 the year we reached peak Protein?

plus $465 advent calendars, brotox, & what we're doing instead of run clubs

Hi, it’s me, I’m back. Happy Friday before Christmas!!!!

I haven’t decided if there will be an issue of Brandiose next week, so in case there’s not — I wanted to take a minute to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read this newsletter and giving me so much incredible feedback, week after week.

You’re the reason I do this, and it’s been so fun to curate a little corner of the internet. Have a wonderful holiday season — can’t wait for more in 2025!

🎄🎄🎄🎄

🧲 OBSESSION OF THE WEEK

I recently discovered this campaign from UK wellness brand Puresport in partnership with nonprofit Greenhouse Sports (video below).

During one of those most crowded gifting seasons of the year (Q4), they sent 500 influencers empty boxes. Inside, recipients found a note stating that the boxes weren’t empty, but full of opportunity — encouraging them to give away their excess items (products, clothes, etc.) to those who could really use it.

With “underconsumption core” on the rise, it’s no surprise this campaign went viral. In addition to being an amazing thing to do, it’s a smart (and low-cost) marketing move that helps differentiate and elevate the brand. We need more brands to be thinking outside the box — pun intended.

puresport

A post shared by @puresport

🍿 BRAND NEWS

couldn’t do better than 8g?

• General Mills just launched Protein Cheerios… so I guess protein is no longer cool. What are we doing in 2025, guys?

• Speaking of protein and launches, Taco Bell launched chicken nuggets in the most Taco Bell way… marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and coated in tortilla chips. I’m sure they slap.

• Injectable facial fillers have had quite the blowback in 2025 — no one wants “pillowface” caused by filler migration — so people are opting for “biostimulatory treatments” like PRP and Sculptra that help the body produce its own collagen and help the skin get better over time.

• Amazon is under Senate investigation for manipulating data that showed its warehouse workers are ~2x as likely to be injured compared to other companies due to an “extremely fast and often dangerous pace.” Also, Amazon workers are on strike so you might not get your Christmas gifts on time.

• As it continues to struggle on the revenue front, Starbucks tripled its paid parental leave for baristas. It’s now 18 weeks for the birthing parent, and 12 for the non-birthing parent.

• Speaking of Starbucks, Gen Alpha is obsessed. According to a new report from agency Cafeteria, they pay each other back in Starbucks drinks and 89% of them know their bestie’s Starbucks order, down to the drizzle. Impressive.

• Buzzfeed sold its popular “Hot Ones” series for a cool $82.5M to Soros Fund Management; the sale will help BuzzFeed pay down its $124M debt.

• Crumbl is laughing all the way to the bank. I’ve written about them being a brand people love to hate on social — and that strategy has made them $1B business. Casual.

• 2024 was a pretty tough year for luxury brands. I loved this feature on Longchamp’s unassuming and affordable La Pliage bag… which has truly stood the test of time and is loved by generations.

• Google’s 2024 “Year in Search” is here, and I love this roundup from Diet Prada on what it all means for pop culture. TLDR; people wanted to know why Birkins are so expensive, wtf Demure means, and whether skinny jeans are actually back?!?! Fair questions.

• The 90s are DEFINITELY back. Former Simple Life queens Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie just launched a collab with Sonic, offering two sugar-laden concotions named after them. I don’t get it but I’m here for their comeback.

• Khloe Kardashian is launching a video podcast on X with Dear Media called Khloé in Wonder Land; I’m not sure this is going to break the internet or anything, but using X as a distribution platform is definitely a choice.

• The growth of “brotox” for men in corporate America is real; there was an an 8% increase in the number of men getting cosmetic procedures between 2022-2023, and something tells me men are underreporting.

• Zara opened its first ever restaurant concept, a cute cafe inside its menswear store in Madrid. Makes sense given its Spanish roots; next up in 2025 is Japan and Korea (which I definitely of think is going to be the next hot travel destination — you heard it here first.)

the first Zacaffè, designed by Art Recherche Industrie

🆕 TREND REPORT

• Holiday inflation. You know that innocent song about the 12 Days of Christmas? Well this infographic keeps it real on the true cost to make things like lords-a-leaping and pipers piping happen in 2024: a cool 50 gs.

• Malls are back. I’ve written extensively about the resurgence of mall brands like Gap, Abercrombie, and J.Crew — but it’s not just online anymore. Gen Zs actually want to shop at the mall now. 63% of Gen Z respondents said they plan to make holiday purchases at physical stores (per an EY Study). I support this, I love a mall pretzel.

• Board game clubs. Speaking of wholesome nostalgia, Gen Zs and millennials are starting board game clubs because “a running club sounds like absolute torture to me” and honestly, I get it and can I come?

• Women x sports. In another example of the Taylor Swift effect on the NFL, the franchise just inked a deal with Betches Media to offer exclusive NFL content tailored to the Betches audience. I don’t think anything can make me a fan, but it’s cute that they’re trying.

• Weight watchers. This study by pharma tech company hims & hers is kind of insane — citing that a whopping 75% of people think about their weight every single day and that 70% would rather lose 10 pounds than gain 100 friends. Hmmm.

• The Color of 2025. In case you missed it, the Pantone Color of the year is Mocha Mousse. As a neutrals gal, I am obsessed and can’t wait to see this color everywhere.

🎲 ONE LAST THING

*adds to 2025 Christmas list*

If you feel like every brand was doing advent calendars this year, you would be correct. From Burger King to Bluemercury, there was something for everyone.

“This is more than just sales for us. It’s really an opportunity for us to excite the customer and surprise them with the robust assortment that we put together,” Amelia Drummond, director of merchandising for hair, sun, and strategic initiatives at luxury beauty brand Bluemercury, told Marketing Brew.

It makes sense from a brand marketing POV since it’s an opportunity to keep your brand top of mind for 31 days — and the chance to have a “surprise and delight” moment for your brand every day.

Plus, TikTok and IG love to an advent calendar: #adventcalendar on TikTok has 1.1 million posts.

The one I personally saw the most on social was the now sold-out Vogue advent calendar — at $465, the unboxings were pretty nuts.

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🎁🎄That’s all for now — Happy Holidays & so much in store for 2025! 🥂✨

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have a great week.

- Sabena