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In a powerful reimagining of historically exploitative industries, Memphis-based coffee company Cxffeeblack and sustainable textile brand COMOCO Cotton have joined forces to create a limited-edition t-shirt that transforms cotton and coffee into vehicles for Black economic empowerment. The God Don't Make No Junk t-shirt combines COMOCO's cotton, grown by Black farmers, with natural dyes made from Cxffeeblack's Ethiopian-sourced Guji Mane coffee.The partnership brings together two organizations working to reshape their respective industries from the ground up. COMOCO Cotton operates within a 150-mile radius for its entire production process, from farm to finished garment, boosting the local economy while drastically reducing energy consumption. Meanwhile, Cxffeeblack established the first entirely Black coffee supply chain from Ethiopia to Tennessee and runs educational initiatives like a barista exchange program between Africa and the United States."Cotton and coffee built global economies on Black labor. It's time for them to build Black futures," says Stephen Satterfield, founder of COMOCO Cotton and host of Netflix's High on the Hog. The project aims to demonstrate how Black creatives can reclaim supply chains and reshape industries through ownership and cultural autonomy. The t-shirts are available for preorder now and are priced at USD 85, which includes a small bag of Guji Mane coffee and a free download of the Cxffee Makes You Black album.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
A new party concept in Montreal is reimagining nightlife by moving it to the morning hours, blending coffee culture with dance music. Croissound, launching this week, transforms local cafes into daytime dance venues where DJs spin tracks from 11 AM to 2 PM, taking inspiration from similar parties in Los Angeles and other cities.The format represents a significant shift in how people engage with music and club culture. By hosting events in neighborhood cafes rather than traditional nightlife venues, Croissound wants to create an accessible and inclusive atmosphere while spotlighting local DJs and hidden-gem venues. The concept taps into people's changing attitudes towards alcohol-centric socializing, driven by health consciousness, budgetary constraints and after-dark safety concerns. Habits are evolving, and more consumers particularly Gen Z are seeking alternatives to late-night partying. The first Croissound event will take place on 22 February 2025 at Cass Café, with its organizers using a pop-up model to explore cafe spaces across Montreal.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
While it may seem like social media is dominated by filtered reality and AI-generated perfection, Avne and We Are Social tapped into a cultural counter-shift to promote a new product promising to reduce pimples by 92% in two weeks. The brand invited people to test its Cleanance Comedomed Peeling for 15 days and post daily selfies on BeReal, where filters aren't an option. The result? A transparent and real-time demonstration of the peeling's effectiveness.But #TheRealestAd did more than showcase a product. By documenting real skin transformations on real people, Avne acknowledges that Gen Z's skepticism of traditional beauty advertising isn't just about mistrusting overhyped claims; it's also rooted in a fundamental desire to reclaim human authenticity in digital spaces.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Monks and nuns from the Central Monastic Body of Bhutan will soon be able to explore their religion with BuddhaBot Plus. Trained on ancient texts, the generative AI chatbot is designed to disseminate Buddhist teachings through a modern yet faithful interpretation. Created by a team from Kyoto University and Japanese start-up Teraverse, BuddhaBot Plus was previously only available in Japanese. The English version was developed at the request of the Bhutanese government and will be rolled out in a pilot to 200 monastic individuals who will share feedback for improvements and help shape usage guidelines.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Addressing growing concerns about mobile device theft, telecommunications provider TIM has developed a wearable security device that automatically locks smartphones when they're separated from their owners. The TIM Block Pin, which debuted last month at the Salvador Summer Festival, adds a layer of protection for festivalgoers.Users attach the pin to their clothing and use a free app to connect it to their smartphone. If the pin and phone are separated by a distance of 10 meters or more, the app triggers an automatic screen lock and sounds an alarm to help the owner locate their phone. TIM is a major sponsor of the Salvador festival and introduced the technology to its 40,000 attendees via QR code-based contests at one of the brand's festival booths. The company plans to expand the program during this month's Carnival celebrations, with Brazilian singer Ivete Sangalo supporting the rollout. Given TIM's sponsorship of music events, festivals are a natural fit. But there's plenty of opportunities for brands in other spaces, too. Airlines could offer frequent flyers a smart wristband that ensures a phone or tablet is locked if separated from its traveling owner. High-end fashion retailers could add a pin to newly purchased clothing to prevent shoppers from leaving their haul in a cab or café. One to launch for the crowded environments your audience frequents?
Category:
Marketing and Advertising