F*ck a Rolex, the Eames Chair is the New HENRY Status Symbol
Why the Eames Chair is so popular right now, Walmart's new CPG brand, my 5 most read Substacks, and why Gen Z loves Hermes.
GM everyone hope you’re having a great Tuesday morning. Yesterday felt like the first official day of Summer in New York, so naturally I went to Central Park to soak up the vibes.
In today’s newsletter I’m covering Walmart’s millennial focused CPG brand, the history of the Eames chair, what brands Gen Z loves according to AdAge, and my most read Substacks. Let’s get into it—
Walmart is launching its biggest new brand in 20 years. The nation’s largest retailer announced ‘bettergoods’ (dying that its not capitalized), their new CPG brand aimed towards younger demographics like Millenials and Gen Z. Traditionally, store developed brands have been incredibly affordable, but incredibly ugly. Great Value is Walmart’s most developed white label brand, and it is probably so cheap because not a single graphic designer or brand strategist was hired to make the packaging look any good.
But Walmart has taken a look at the CPG brands you’d see in Pop-Up Grocer and is taking a page out of their playbook. The new line leans into food trends like sustainability, alternative milks (ew) and colorful packaging. Private label food sales accounted for $217 billion in sales last year, as cash strapped consumers have turned to cheaper alternatives. I honestly think this brand is lame and ugly but I think this is going to be a massive success.
F*ck a Rolex, rich, young professionals are buying Eames chairs to signal status. Business Insider wrote an extensive article profiling why the classic Herman Miller chair has grown to cult status among young tech and finance professionals. Midcentury modern furniture has been in vogue for awhile, and the Eames chair is the pinnacle of luxury, mid-century design. The ottoman was first designed in 1956 and is crafted from molded plywood and leather. Its first users were most likely relaxing smoking a cigar and enjoying a cognac, today the owner of an Eames chair is more likely to be scrolling TikTok and puffing on a Miami Mint vape. Furniture as a status symbol (the chair retails for $4,000) is nothing new, and the Eames is a great entry point for HENRY’s looking to splash out in their high rise. Earlier this year, I interviewed the Jesse Reed, of Order NYC, the agency that refreshed Herman Miller’s iconic brand. Go read that.
Gen Z loves Hermes. As demand for second hand luxury goods surges, AdAge’s brand equity poll shows Hermes receiving a major boost in its Gen Z perception. During the pandemic, luxury brands scaled back production, but consumers savings increased, leading to a misalignment of availability. Gen Z consumers are now looking to used goods (don’t buy new, its tacky) to meet their demands. The Real Real reported “handbag demand among Gen Zers is up by 136% since 2019” and now Hermes tops the list of brands on the poll, which tracks quarterly changes in brand equity. Who doesn’t love Hermes?
MY 5 MOST READ SUBSTACKS
Okay here are the Substacks I read on a daily basis to stay up to date, read interesting opinions, and fascinating stories.
Jason Stewart , the co-host of How Long Gone, covers everything from home cooking, restaurants, and culture. His writing is witty and always a fun read.
Erika Veurink is a brand strategist here in NYC and her Substack ‘Long Live’ is a great read for those of you who are into vintage clothing and putting together great leeeewwwwwkkssssss.
Emma Apple Chozick , founder of Gr8 Collab, writes weekly about brands, spaces, and creatives through the lens of design. She has incredible insights on beautiful spaces, and smart people you need to know. I interviewed Emma a few weeks ago, go read that.
Emily writes Feed Me, the ‘hottest business newsletter’, with daily coverage that makes me feel smarter and more informed. She does an incredible job at engaging paid subscribers and building a sense of community.
Casey Lewis writes After School, your source for insights on what Gen Z is into. Her analysis and consistency is incredible.
OKAY HOPE YOU ENJOYED TODAY’S NEWSLETTER! I GOTTA GO REPLY TO EMAILS BYEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
Jake Bell is a content marketing and creative strategist based in NYC. He specializes in content creation, branding, art direction, creative strategy, and making things cool.
To learn more about Jake visit www.jb.studio
Have a tip email me jake@jb.studio
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Loved this one!!