Patients, Young Grasshopper
WATCH OF THE WEEK
1968 was a monumental year in American history, but there were no cell phones to capture what went on and no social media to make it spread like wildfire. Luckily, journalists Mikhail Zygar and Karen Shainyan have created a mobile docu-series for BuzzFeed titled Future History: 1968 that centers around the year’s biggest moments. Putting a modern twist on American historical events like the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and the U.S./USSR Space Race, each episode is played in vertical screen and incorporates aspects from platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Google Maps, and Twitter that mirror how consumers consume news today. Airing every week on BuzzFeed News, this innovative depiction of historical events through a social media lens is sure to make American history more digestible for the digital age.
Fan-voted flavor campaigns are nothing new for snack brands, but M&M’s upped the ante with an in-person immersive voting extravaganza. Over the weekend, New Yorkers had the chance to visit the branded M&M’s Flavor Vote Experience in SoHo and vote between three potential new flavors: Crunchy Raspberry, Crunchy Mint, and Crunchy Espresso. The experience featured custom cocktails and made-for-Instagram rooms inspired by each flavor. The mint room featured a life-sized snow globe, the raspberry room was made to look like a raspberry cloud, and the espresso room had a giant espresso machine and coffee cup. For those unable to visit the pop-up, voting is also available online through May 25th making sure everyone has a say in this sweet activation.
Yale made headlines earlier this year when their class on happiness, “Psychology and the Good Life,” became the most popular course ever in the university’s storied history. Perhaps recognizing that society as a whole could benefit from its teachings, Yale is now offering a free online version of the course via Coursera as part of a seminar on the “The Science of Well-Being.” Not only will the course teach students about the science behind happiness, it will also instruct them in practical ways to help apply what they have learned to their own lives with various exercises and mental activities. In today’s climate where people are reporting lower levels of happiness and more mental illness, this class couldn’t have come at a better time.
IN OUR CARTS
It’s no secret that waiting in line at the pharmacy is a pain. Enter Medly, a new Brooklyn based pharmacy run by Marg and Sahaj Patel that just launched its first brick-and-mortar shop to complement its online services. With stunning attention to detail and a refreshing aqua and white color scheme (hold the fluorescent lighting), New Yorkers who want to forgo the free same-day home delivery Medly offers through its app can visit the chic pharmacy to speak to a pharmacist in person. With plans to open up a series of other pharmacies to increase personal experiences with digital-based prescriptions, Medly is perfect for those looking for a sophisticated and efficient way to pick up their pills.
The fashion industry is rife with problems surrounding manufacturing but, due in part to pressure from conscious consumers, many brands are looking to change their ways. ASKET, a Swedish menswear brand, debuted new labels in honor of Fashion Revolution Week, a worldwide movement towards transparency in the fashion industry. Upholding a new standard for “Full Traceability,” ASKET’s labels now detail every single step of the manufacturing process, filling in the blanks that “Made In” doesn’t cover. ASKET’s commitment to transparency is sure to be a hit with Millennials who have come to expect information like this readily available at their fingertips. Furthermore, as consumers become more globally minded and eco-conscious, they are holding brands to higher standards and seeking out those whose values align with their own.