Just An Observation

Hi friend,

Someone needs to invent a word for the strange dislocation you feel when you view something familiar, but it’s been updated with AI. Like the Dunkin’ Super Bowl ad, which revisited some of the most popular ‘90s characters — from Seinfeld, A Different World, Friends, Cheers, and Family Matters — but also digitally de-aged the actors. The coffee and donuts chain describes the concept as “a piece of television history that somehow slipped through the cracks.” Safe and non-offensive, surely. But it was a disconcerting watch. Wouldn’t it have been funnier to air an ad that had their current-era faces? 

Dunkin’ wasn’t the only brand mining the past. The Backstreet Boys popped up in a spot for T-Mobile as well as Coinbase. Xfinity went back to 1993 with a version of Jurassic Park where they restore the power and it’s happily ever after. Music from the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and early aughts featured heavily; we caught Phil Collins’s “Take a Look at Me Now” (hydration supplements), Enya’s “Only Time” (prostate cancer screening), Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” (beer), Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” (insurance), and House of Pain’s “Jump Around” (cars).

Is this a continuation of nostalgia marketing — a newly reliable advertising category — or is it simple risk management? After all, the past feels rosy compared to the visions of the future presented. Such as: Could Alexa turn evil and murder you? Will AI take our jobs? Will a network of Ring cameras create an unsettling security state? 

“Every commercial that aired during Super Bowl LX seemed like it was advertising AI, made by AI, or, robot god help us, both,” writes Jodi Walker for The Ringer. “Even reliable constructs like celebrity mash-ups and the psychosexual drama playing out between Ben Affleck and Dunkin’ over the past decade weren’t enough to counteract the nightmarish, uncanny valley visuals of AI de-aged Joey Tribbiani.”

So maybe that’s it. Perhaps we’ve reached the end of the usefulness of nostalgia marketing. Or maybe not. That Dunkin’ campaign came with its own retro merch, and look — it’s almost sold out.

Bye,
Your friends at Gloria

Valentine’s Day is an optimistic holiday. Who doesn’t want to eat candy and believe in the possibilities of love? And with a cheery color palette to boot. Here are a few of our V Day-inspired faves that can be worn now and years to come.

• We’ve found it: The cutest cardigan ever made. Rachel Antonoff Cupcake Cardigan, $298 (other colors are on sale). Size XXS to 3XL.

• Hydrating, with a sheer pink tint and SPF 40. Supergoop Glow Gloss, $22.

• A party pant with the ease of a jean. Loeffler Randall Embroidered Pant, $250. Size 00 to 12.

• A button-down that stands out in red. Madewell The Easy Shirt, $88. Size XXS to 3XL.

• This color combo is cute, and the fit is great. Boden Grace Color-Block Sweater, $140. Size XS to XL.

• A classic in a fun new shade. Alex Mill Chiltern Cropped Jacket, $295. Size XXS to XL.

• Just enough shine. Sézane Erica Earrings, $100.

• A slouchy fit in a cool shade. Soeur Calvin Jean, $199.50. Waist size 34 to 42.

• Love the Nordic vibes of this cardigan. J.Crew Vintage Wool Cardigan, $158. Size XXS to 3XL.

• A super-sexy silk button-down. Pointe Milou Le Button Down, $325. Size XS to L.

• Really into this sporty jacket, which is water-resistant and lined for extra warmth. FP Movement Field Tripper Jacket, $198. Size XS to XL.

Shop the Story

Curious how psychedelic therapy is being used to treat depression and anxiety? Psychedelic Therapy is a smart, grounded place to start. Written by leaders in the field, it looks at how healing actually happens and why these therapies are gaining attention right now.

Today only, Gloria readers who purchase the hardcover can unlock access to Breaking Point: Psychedelic Therapy and Healing Amid a Culture in Crisis, a rare online summit featuring live conversations and Q&A with Gabor Maté, Melissa Etheridge, and Michael Pollan. Claim your access here. #partner

TO WATCH This year, for Valentine’s Day, we’re watching tragic romances (apparently). Such as Love Story, the Ryan Murphy series based on JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette that’s out Thursday on Hulu. We appreciate the use of Japanese Breakfast’s cover of Tears for Fears’s “Head Over Heels” in the trailer. And for a feel-good watch, there’s Matter of Time, which documents Eddie Vedder’s 2023 benefit concerts to raise money for Epidermolysis Bullosa cures (now streaming on Netflix).

TO SHOP Nordstrom is one of our favorite places to buy our beauty staples. They have the best brands, all in one place, which makes things easy. It’s where we pick up this tried-and-true mascara, this easy-to-use blush, and this luxe body set. Shop it all here. #partner

TO READ We’re already midway through a new and illuminating book on motherhood — Ej Dickson’s One Bad Mother (Bookshop, Amazon). Out today, it explores the eternal appeal of blaming and stigmatizing moms of all stripes.

TO COOK This greens-and-beans recipe, inspired by an Italian dish, made for a quick and satisfying lunch this week. It’s a solid, healthy veggie meal on its own, but would also be good over pasta, or with shrimp or sausage.

This might be the craziest surrogacy story yet. • Jealous of the members of this book club! • Humorous parenting content. • Hollywood mom-group drama (this has to be Wagon Wheel?). • “‘Going natural’ in the age of facial optimization.” • A necessary and upsetting look at the children imprisoned in a detention center.

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