nostalgia marketing will not save you
+ a Gen Z show I don't hate
Good morning and welcome back to as seen on.
The fun thing about having great taste is that there will always be people willing to snap up your furniture at a moment’s notice. I’m surprised by how unsentimental I’m feeling about leaving so much behind, but I already have a Pinterest going for my next place. Feeling very inspired.
In today’s lineup: a mini essay on why even the most successful influencers still crave stardom, a case against nostalgia marketing, Quince’s luxury pivot, new Gustaf Westman, Kylie’s boobs, a Gen Z show I surprisingly don’t hate, Spotify podcast layoffs, a Glossier launch, and a bunch of other stuff!
Mainstream Media Loves Addison Rae
But let it be known that Substack was here first.
I’ve said all I need to about Addison—for now at least—but this NYT profile got me thinking about the relationship between social media influence and true stardom. “Of her peers, Rae has landed most firmly on her feet, maybe the only one who truly understood success on the app as a funnel for attention, not a marker of talent.”
When I look at the career trajectories of influencers like Emma Chamberlain, Alix Earle, Addison, and even the Mormon MomTok crew, I’m reminded that the appeal of stardom runs deeper than fame, money, or influence. Most people, given the chance, still want to create something with weight. Even now, people crave legacy. And prestige.