Happy Monday, party people. One question: where do you get your news? We’re not fishing for compliments here — last week, the White House hosted a Creator Economy Conference to figure out how to incorporate influencers and creators into political messaging. And one-quarter of polled US creators said that they’d been approached with offers to make sponsored political content. Talk about wielding influence…

In other news… CEOs hoard remote work, Jools Lebron has become TikTok’s satirical Emily Post, and Intel has become a meme-stock.

Want to discover even more newsletters? Here are some of our favorites

• YouTube – The GOAT

• X (Twitter) – Baby swan

• Google – Alain Delon 

• Reddit – Amazon driver

• TikTok – “Big Dawgs” - Hanumankind & Kalmi

• Spotify – “I Had Some Help” - Post Malone

.BUSINESS.

More CEOs are working from home 

The Future. Remote and hybrid work options have become harder to find in recent years as companies pushed their employees to return to the office post-pandemic. Despite the requirement, CEOs are working from home more often. If the trend continues and more execs fail to extend this perk to their workers, don’t be surprised if a wave of corporate discontent begins to rise.

Home sweet workplace
In recent years, a slew of CEOs have worked from home despite complaints from their employees.

• Brian Niccol, the new Starbucks CEO, will get to stay in Newport Beach, CA, even though Starbucks is headquartered in Seattle. (Last year, Starbucks instituted a policy requiring most white-collar workers to commute to the office three days a week.)

• Hillary Super, the new Victoria’s Secret CEO, has struck a similar deal. Instead of relocating to Ohio, she can fly in from New York when required.

• The former CEOs of Sears and JCPenney also tried arrangements like this years ago, with catastrophic results.

All preach, no practice
Hypocrisy aside, granting CEOs exclusive WFH privileges doesn’t make much sense because the role is inherently social and therefore difficult to perform remotely, whereas many non-managerial positions can benefit from the isolation of remote work.

And then there are the optics of the face of a company distancing themselves from the company itself. They’ll have no leg to stand on when they pressure their employees to return to the office — and they might get ousted if they do, because young employees have more power than they realize.

56.9% of you said you’d never heard of them in Friday’s poll: Are you into 4DX screenings?

“Honestly, this is the first I’ve heard of it, but I’m definitely into it. I’ve been waiting for the technology to catch up and allow directors to be able to create a fantastic experience for moviegoers. I’ve been disappointed with the last few 3D movies I saw because they didn’t really have a ton of 3D in them.”

“Saw Maverick in 4DX, and I was sold! It’s also fun to watch people spill their beers!”

“Twisters was my introduction to 4DX, and I loved it. [Some movies] really are intended to be ‘like a roller coaster,’ and 4DX is just a really fun roller coaster with a story.”

A WORD FROM OUR FRIENDS AT UPWORK

Hire like it’s the future

It’s hard to find the right hires for your business… unless you have Upwork, of course.

Over the past 20 years, Upwork has helped businesses of all sizes hire the right people for the job.

They’re fully stacked with an extensive network of incredible freelancers to help you optimize your resources and grow your business. Plus, you get to read real reviews, see past work, and get straightforward pricing before you make any decisions.

Working with them is one of the best ways to adapt to the ever-changing market landscape. And it’s always cha-cha-changing.

Now, get to it — hit up Upwork and hire some peeps.

Media, Music, & Entertainment

• House of the Dragon’s season 2 finale dominated the streaming charts, eclipsing The Umbrella Academy’s season 4 premiere and proving that Game of Thrones still reigns supreme. [Read More]

• A new Harvard study shows that celebrities can boost voter turnout and civic engagement, but they must genuinely align with the causes they promote to maximize their influence and dodge backlash. [Read More]

• Nicolas Cage’s serial-killer thriller Longlegs has become the highest-grossing indie horror film of the decade, zooming past $100 million at the global box office and setting a new record for distributor Neon. [Read More]

Fashion & E-Commerce

• Billionaire entrepreneur Sara Blakely (after selling Spanx) is back with Sneex, a high-heel-sneaker hybrid dividing opinions on style but aiming to revolutionize comfort in women’s footwear. [Read More]

• Victoria’s Secret shares climbed after naming Hillary Super, former CEO of Savage X Fenty, as its new leader, signaling a fresh direction for the lingerie brand. [Read More]

• Walmart is downsizing its drone-delivery services in several cities due to unsustainability and focusing on streamlining efforts in core locations like Dallas instead. [Read More]

Tech, Web3, & AI

• Intel is generating meme-stock buzz on Reddit’s WallStreetBets, with retail investors betting big on the chipmaker’s potential rebound after it experienced a steep stock decline. [Read More]

• Apple is pivoting from cars to home robots, allegedly developing a robotic arm with an “iPad-like” display in the hopes of breaking into a challenging market where few companies have succeeded. [Read More]

• OpenAI has shut down a chain of ChatGPT accounts tied to an Iranian influence campaign that used generative AI for election-related content. [Read More]

Creator Economy

• While going viral can offer a temporary boost, brands should prioritize long-term engagement and meaningful connections over fleeting internet fame as part of their strategy. [Read More]

• Los Angeles is pursuing a car-free 2028 Olympics, betting on buses, bikes, and rehabbed public transit to navigate the city’s sprawling landscape and time-honored car culture. [Read More]

• Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince is using the country’s Public Investment Fund to make ambitious global investments focused on diversifying the economy. While these high-profile bets could transform the Kingdom, they could also come with financial and political risks. [Read More]

.CULTURE.

TikTok’s “Demure Fall” trend grabs brand attention

The Future. In the fast-paced world of social media, “Brat Summer,” driven by Charli XCX’s viral album, has shifted into “Demure Fall,” a new phenomenon led by TikTok beauty creator Jools Lebron. The trend, which redefines “demure” with a playful spin on traditional femininity, has captivated brands and creators alike. To stay competitive, marketers may not only have to respond to viral content as soon as it appears but also tap into the zeitgeist more often for humorous (but pointed) content that speaks to younger audiences.

Etiquette meets satire
Over the last week, Jools Lebron has guided her 1.2 million TikTok followers on how to be “demure,” “mindful,” and “cutesy” in everyday situations, from boarding a plane to picking up an ID at a bar.

• Brands are embracing this trend, with Sour Patch Kids dubbing their flavor “mindful” and “demure” and Tinder promoting “mindful, cutesy, and demure” qualities in romantic partners.

• MAC Cosmetics and others like Kiehl’s, Free People, and Kate Spade have jumped on the trend, using Lebron’s content to market their products in a tongue-in-cheek way.

Modesty is the new cool
While Lebron’s satirical take on “demure” might not meet Emily Post’s etiquette standards, it refers to an elegant abstract energy that brands and creators can harness positively.

Expect more businesses to draw on sardonic content this fall to connect with younger consumers who appreciate humor and cultural commentary.

A WORD FROM OUR FRIENDS AT FINANCE BUZZ

Hands down, some of the best credit cards for balance transfers

Did you know that some credit cards can actually help you get out of debt faster?

Yes, it sounds crazy. But it’s true.

The secret: find a card with a “0% intro APR" period for balance transfers. Then, transfer your debt balance and pay it down as much as possible during the intro period. No interest means you can pay off the debt faster.

Check out the complete list of cards you can use to do this here.

• Watch: CNN follows the story of Peter Fairlie, who accidentally discovered North Korean State TV with his backyard satellite dish and posted footage of it that went viral.

• Read: Business Insider covers the recent surge of angry Temu vendors fed up with the e-commerce giant’s policy of giving Westerners refunds without returns.

• Listen: NPR explores how the indie pop group AJR is using live events to try to turn their fans into climate activists.

Yum, work!

LATEST PODCAST EPISODE

Today, on an extra special bonus episode of Future Forecast, our hosts Boye and Chris sit down with Andrew Kenward, the President and COO of Almost Friday Media. Andrew was an agent at WME in the digital media department at WME before being brought into the Almost Friday universe in 2021. We chat with him about his career, his goals for the brand moving forward, and what it's like working in media today.