

Discover more from After School by Casey Lewis
Savage x Fenty launches a maternity capsule collection, just in time for Rihanna’s due date; Yara Shahidi is the new face of Gaultier Divine fragrance; and Travis Kelce tried (and failed) to give his number to Taylor Swift via a friendship bracelet.
HOLLYWOOD STRIKE LEAVES INFLUENCERS SIDELINED AND CONFUSED, nyt
Despite not being in the actors’ union, content creators are passing on deals to promote films or TV shows because they don’t want to be barred from the guild or face online vitriol. TikToker Deanna Giulietti — who also acts and aspires to one day join the union — turned down a $28,000 offer to promote Hulu's hit show "Only Murders in the Building."
BENEFIT GOES BIG ON TIKTOK SHOPPING FOR ITS NEW MASCARA LAUNCH, glossy
The beauty brand’s new mascara is exclusively available on TikTok for 48 hours (from yesterday to tomorrow) before being available at other retailers. To maximize impact, Benefit will go “live” on TikTok Shop for 24 hours at the beginning of the 48-hour period, “becoming the first beauty brand to do so.” The shopping function on TikTok is so seamless — and people love Benefit mascara — so I suspect this’ll do big numbers.
HOW CROCS MADE THE LEAP FROM PANDEMIC PREFERENCE TO GEN Z FASHION STATEMENT, jingdaily
Sales are up nearly 200 percent since 2019, ad Crocs is forecasted to hit $5 billion in sales by 2026. “We have identified three strategic priorities, including sandals penetration, digital innovation, and growth in Asia,” says CEO Andrew Rees. The “sandals penetration” part scares me; I don’t think I can take much more market penetration of the ubiquitous Mega Crush Sandal, which has 41.3M views on TikTok.
GEN Z IS REJECTING EVERYTHING THEY’VE BEEN TAUGHT ABOUT TIPPING. IT COULD BE THE START OF A BIG SHIFT, fortune
Just 35% of Gen Zers always tip their server at a sit-down restaurant, compared to 83% of boomers. Boomers are more generous tippers than Gen Z in every category, including, food delivery workers, Uber drivers, even hairstylists.
AMERICANS GOT USED TO SPENDING BIG DURING THE PANDEMIC. NOW THEY'RE RUNNING OUT OF MONEY AND RACKING UP RECORD CREDIT CARD DEBT., insider
Credit card debt in the US has reached record highs after a period of pandemic-era spending. Gen Z credit card debt rose 4.2% to levels exceeding $3,300 on average, while millennials increased their credit card debt by 2.5% to an average of nearly $7,000.
HOW THE MUSIC FESTIVAL VIP PASS WENT FROM LUXURY TO BASIC, wsj
Despite economic pressures on middle-class and younger consumers, many festival-goers are splashing out for pricey VIP passes that promise cleaner bathrooms, fancier food, and closer views. “Not getting punched by a drunk girl, because she’s mad at her boyfriend and it’s that crowded? That’s awesome. How do I pay to avoid that?!” It’s no coincidence that every person quoted in this story is a millennial or Xer.
One last thought:
Big Spenders and Bad Tippers
This is really surprising about tipping!
Ooooof very nervous for the inevitable credit card debt skyrocketing once student loan payments start again. Really interested to see how/if spending patterns will change