The DNC's Pop Culture Bet

Plus: Call Her Daddy Goes SiriusXM and The Onion Goes Print

Banner Image: Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty

Happy Monday! As August wraps, we reflect on the media dominance of the Democratic National Convention last week. But first…

📡 ON OUR RADAR

• Citing an overstep of authority by the FTC, a Texas judge struck down the agency’s ban on noncompete agreements. The case will likely make it to the Supreme Court, given the widespread contrasting opinions and expected appeals.

• Big news for the funny business: The Onion is back in print for the first time in a decade. Joining other publications making a surprising reversion to print, Onion publishers see this as a creative way to drive attention back to its digital properties.

• Lionsgate’s trailer for Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis was recalled after it was revealed that it featured fake reviews attributed to critics. As AI’s growing influence continues to blur the line between authentic and fabricated content, the stakes have never been higher for maintaining marketing integrity.
  
  

💡 ON OUR MINDS: The DNC’s Pop Culture Bet

• This year’s Democratic National Convention extended the new (or Obama-era-reminiscient) energy that’s been sweeping the party since Vice President Kamala Harris became the party nominee.

• The roll call became a dance party with state theme songs, quippy, now viral remarks from governors, and appearances from Lil Jon and DJ Cassidy. The convention tapped The Chicks, a group famously not shy of political commentary, to sing the national anthem on the final night.

• As part of the Democratic party’s attempt to reach younger voters, traditional media at the convention were joined for the first time by influencers and pop-culture updates accounts of the Twitter-sphere.

• Tapping into the zeitgeist with reckless abandon isn’t always a wise move, but when deployed correctly, it can yield real results. Just this year the New York Public Library used a meme campaign to raise awareness and successfully reverse budget cuts.

• As far as numbers go, it’s working. The DNC pulled more viewers than the Republican National Convention, and Harris is currently tied with former President Trump in key swing states. We’ll see if the Democrat’s continued bet on pop culture pays off come November.
  
  

🥊 QUICK HITS:

In case you missed these reads:

• “Call Her Daddy” called it quits with Spotify and signed a new deal with SiriusXM valued at up to $125 million.

• Heinz needs to play catch-up to ensure its ketchup can withstand the pressures of climate change.

• From caskets to coffee makers, more Americans are ditching possessions for rental solutions that deliver flexibility and cost efficiency.