Category / Pop Culture

by mvfour

Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi Ad – Who’s at Fault? Everyone!

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Social Media has revolutionized the immediacy of how the public reacts to news and entertainment. Forget the days of snail hate mail of yesteryear sent to networks and celebrities in large bags. Every single person has a voice – and social forum to be heard. Less than 24 hours since the new Pepsi ad was launched featuring Kendall Jenner, one of the hottest it-models of the moment – the ad has been pulled from every marketing vehicle imaginable. What happened exactly? I follow the Kardashians on social as I’m a pop culture junkie and after I viewed the fury-inducing ad on Kris Jenner’s Instagram, I wasn’t moved, I brushed it off, yet I had a sinking feeling it wouldn’t be well received by the public. It was awkward in execution, odd images of Kendall Jenner abandoning her “model” duties and joining a protest. After having attended two protests this year: The Women’s March in following the inauguration and Not My President’s Day March in February. This commercial didn’t necessarily poke fun at protests – it trivialized the protesting experience. It lumped protests into the next “cool” thing young people are doing or engaged with. Similar to the “Cash me outside, How bout’ Dat?” teen or the incessant iterations on the Internet of Salt Bae. Yeah, nope. The Twitterverse was not having any of it. Everyone and their, mom, aunt, dad and grandpa had to something to say about it. Martin Luther King Jr.’s youngest daughter, Bernice King, posted: “If only Daddy would have known the power of #Pepsi” with a picture of cops strong-arming Martin Luther King Jr. in the 60s.

Pepsi is such a well-known global brand and being asked to be a Pepsi ambassador is mecca for any celebrity: A sign that you’ve made it. Recognition is absolute. Your star power is blinding! If you look at Kendall Jenner’s Instagram post just days before the controversy unfolded, there’s a picture of her idol, Cindy Crawford in a 1992 Pepsi ad.

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Kendall and her clan (momager, Kris included) were so clouded by the prestige Pepsi invokes – that they forgot the messaging behind this partnership. It was an afterthought. No one said, “Hey! maybe this is ad’s message is a little insensitive to people’s causes” As an adoring public, fans, spectators on the sidelines, we want our favorite models, actors, and sport stars to reach the pinnacle of success with all the advertising, movie, fashion deals out there – but one misstep and the crucifixion begins. Kendall Jenner has removed all traces of her ad on her social media accounts and Pepsi has apologized and lamented their insensitivity. But we as a the public must not go on the attack and instead educate companies, and clueless celebrities about history and what protests mean and can achieve for the misrepresented and people without a voice. Not once did I see or hear anyone say: “Hey Kendall, come to my town or join my group so you can see what protesting is really like and what the impetus behind this march means.”

by mvfour

Were the Factcheckers on Vacation during the Oscars 2017?

Just one more round of eyes! That’s the collective sentiment the producers of this year’s Oscars may have wished for before green-lighting all the programming events during the live telecast on Sunday night. First glitch: the”In Memoriam” segment that erroneously presented a photo of a very-much-alive producer: Jen Chapman; instead of her colleague, costume designer, Janet Patterson. According to an email exchange with Variety, Chapman said: “I was devastated by the use of my image in place of my great friend and long-time collaborator Janet Patterson. Patterson was a four-time Oscar nominee and per Chapman, “It is very disappointing the error was not picked up.” Chapman had urged Patterson’s agency to confirm the use of her image with the Academy.

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Fake News? No, just a blatant disregard for quality fact-checking. How mortifying and indignant it must be to explain to people in your industry, heck! your family and friends – that you are indeed still alive!

Jimmy Kimmel’s jokes and sketches – aimed to shock and get laughs were not the true surprises of the show, although the unsuspecting tourists entering the Dolby Theatre – had just the right amount of hilarity and awkwardness, past hosts/comedians have strived for and experimented with. The unexpected higlight: Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty mistakenly awarding LaLa Land the Best Picture Oscar instead of Moonlight and the mayhem that ensued was equal parts – priceless and embaressing. PricewaterhouseCooper (the global accounting firm administering the balloting for the Oscars for over 80 years) immediately took the blame hours later, but not before all the media outlets reported LaLa Land as the Best Picture for 2017 – and then retracted their stories. But the few minutes of confusion solidified the importance of fact-checking and how even the most prestigious of organizations can slip with this crucial journalistic tool.

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by mvfour

Teen Titan Kylie Jenner’s New York Pop-up is Cosmetics Gold: Beauty Brands Take Note

fullsizerenderIt’s the fifth day of Kylie Jenner’s New York’s pop-up store being open and there are no signs of her customer/fan base waning down- to get their hands on the coveted beauty products. I was there to check out the scene at the pop-up’s Soho location on Mercer Street. I arrived around 11am to find a line-up of about 80 enthusiastic customers braving the cold temperatures, patiently waiting, while barricaded along the street until they were let inside.

While on line, I decided to get into the minds of these beauty die-hards and ask them a series of questions: Do you love Kylie Jenner and would buy anything she promoted? Or do you love the quality of her cosmetics? What brings you here, really? As I surveyed the crowd to look for my participants, I had a preconceived notion that I would encounter pre-pubescent and teenaged girls. Boy, was I was wrong! There were fans ready to plunk down their cash – in their teens, early and late twenties, and early forties. I couldn’t believe Kylie Jenner’s demographic had such mass appeal and such a big age range. As I questioned more people, I found that they knew their beauty brands. Tarte, Anastasia, Too Faced are some of their favorites, but the majority of respondents said they preferred the quality of Kylie Jenner’s products. “I really like how long-lasting the lip kits are,” said one girl in her twenties. Others said they love the packaging and have been following Kylie on Instagram before her makeup line launched.

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After about an hour, I was let in. Yes! I was given a wristband and asked to enter my name and email by staffers for a quick checkout. Very efficient! I thought. Unlike New York City fashion sample sales I’ve attend in the past, this crew had it together, and want customers in and out.

Once inside, you realize the store isn’t very big. There was a “pseudo-recreation” of a bed by the back wall with a brown furry throw on it and large screens with seductive video images of Kylie staring at you. Fans of current and previous collections will be delighted to see most sold-out products available for purchase: The Birthday, Holiday and Valentine’s collections are hanging on different walls. Sprinkled throughout the store, you’ll find Arthur George socks with Kylie’s logo, phone cases, patches, hoodies and other clothing from the https://kyliejennershop.com.

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Jenner, who introduced her glosses in 2015, officially launched her global cosmetics line in 2016 and hasn’t stopped churning out, instant sell-out products – readily sought by fans – ever since. While Kylie Jenner has faced some obstacles along the way; comparisons of ColourPop Cosmetics’ significantly cheaper line; both makeup lines are produced by the Seed Beauty Factory; she’s determined to distinguish her line from others. Well-known bloggers/vloggers slammed Jenner on this detail, yet fans still show their unwavering support with their credit card purchases. The New York pop-up will be open until supplies run out.

In short, Kylie Jenner’s influence on the beauty industry has been solidified. Over 10 million in sales to date with her cosmetics line has the heavy-hitters in makeup paying attention and eager to mirror her success. Jenner’s success is a combination of cult followers and Jenner’s role as brand ambassador keeping her ahead of the beauty game.

 

by mvfour

Statement Toques: Your Latest Winter Accessory

The winter months in New York can be brutal, but that doesn’t mean you have to endure the cold weather with bland winter accessories as you tackle each day. Enter: Tuck ShopTrading Co., founded in Toronto, Canada by Lyndsay Borschke and inspired by her and her husband’s time spent between cottage and city life. Their new line: City of Neighborhoods pom-pom beanies or toques (as commonly referred to in Canada) are fun, playful and pride-inducing. What started as homage to cities around Canada, now includes neighborhoods all over the United States.

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From the East Village to Morningside Heights, and from Hell’s Kitchen to Bushwick, the City of Neighborhood’s toques include nearly every district in New York City. The Tuck Shop Trading Co. features cozy, ready-to-wear clothing and accessories for men and women. Their products are designed and manufactured solely in North America. These unisex casual luxe headgear pieces are ideal for battling the frigid temperatures and reppin’ your favorite neighborhood – simultaneously! I was lucky to be armed with one of the Bronx toques on a long drive to Canada to visit relatives, and yes, I’m known to always be the coldest person in the room, but this toque kept my noggin warm for the duration of my trip. Spotted on the streets of the famous heads of Method Man and Cara Delavigne, these popular toques are everywhere. Get yours now for $38 on: https://www.tuckshopco.com/collections/city-of-neighbourhoods/

by mvfour

¿Cuál de estas divas merece la corona de “Carpool Karaoke” para 2016? ¿Madonna, Lady Gaga ó Adele?

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cortesía del programa “The Late Late Show with James Corden”

Las tres superestrellas han participado en el exitoso “Late Show” transmitido por CBS, en el cual el simpático comediante, James Corden, invita a los más reconocidos cantantes del mundo a pasear en un carro mirando el panorama, mientras ambos cantan las canciones mas populares de los artistas.

Este mes estuvo como invitada al popular programa “La reina del Pop”, Madonna, quien no solamente cantó sus hits “Vogue” y “Express Yourself” con Corden, sino que también nos enseñó sus movimientos de baile excepcionales de “Twerk” y hasta donde llega su flexibilidad, estirando sus piernas a hasta su cabeza y subiéndolas hasta el techo del carro mientras paseaban por Nueva York.

“La Chica Material” le contestó preguntas, nunca antes reseñadas por la prensa, sobre Michael Jackson. Admitió que besó a Jackson y que ella fue la que inicio el beso, después de darle una copa de vino Chardonnay para que se relajara. También habló sobre sus dos personajes: rebelde en el escenario y serena en su casa. Ella dejó claro que en esta etapa de su vida no tiene planes de calmar su carera ó su carácter.

Cuando le tocó el turno a Lady Gaga, que aparte de ser una de las cantantes más cotizadas del mundo con sus fanáticos, “Little Monsters,” tiene título de escritora también; acompañó a Corden por la ciudad de Los Ángeles cantando sus hits, “Bad Romance” y “Poker Face.”

Gaga, obtuvo su licencia de conducir este año y Corden la dejó manejar. Aunque el comediante hizo chistes sobre sus habilidades de conducir, rápidamente le dijo que él quería seguir al frente del volante. Corden le preguntó a Lady Gaga sobre su colección de artículos de ropa de Michael Jackson durante sus giras. Ella tiene la ropa del ídolo en cuartos especiales con cierta temperatura para preservarla; una correlación interesante con Gaga y Madonna.

Finalmente tenemos a Adele, con la cual Corden paseó por la ciudad de Londres. La cantante de 28 años ha logrado ganar un Oscar, un Golden Globe, 10 Grammys y varios premios mundiales por sus canciones, las cuales demuestran la capacidad de su excepcional voz.

Durante el Carpool llegamos a saber datos de Adele que no solo cautiva a sus fans, sino también al público en general. Ella demostró su talento para cantar rap con la canción “Monster” de Nicki Minaj y su afecto por el grupo de Spice Girls, que según Adele, allanó el camino, para las mujeres cantantes. La intérprete de “Hello”, se quedó impresionada con la habilidad de Corden para cantar.

Mira los videos en YouTube y decídete cuál de ellas debe de ser la “Diva del Carpool Karaoke” del 2016. Haz click en el siguiente enlace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nck6BZga7TQ.

by mvfour

Yes…this happened.

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I don’t even wear enough make up to merit the $200 price tag the Kylie Jenner Birthday Bundle costs. Why entertain this? Because it’s exclusive and we’ve been conditioned to seek out and covet what’s unattainable. Or it could be that I’m a Leo and it’s special to those born on this Zodiac sign. I have no clue which one of these reasons is clouding my better judgment; what I do know is that I found myself gearing up for the KY-tastic sale last Wednesday at 6pm  EST. With three devices in hand, I was ready to spend my hard-earned freelance money on KYshadow, poppin’ gloss, the exclusive Leo lip kits and the Kylie makeup bag. Alas, I could not get my hands on these beauty products. I spent 27 minutes refreshing like nobody’s business with zero results. A half hour not well spent. I get it. I was under the Kardashian-Jenner juggernaut spell. It’s mindboggling to think that this teen – just alone with the birthday bundle @ $200 each – sold over 200K units in less than half an hour. Kudos to you, babe!

Refinery29 recently wrote an article – complete with Kylie Jenner illustrations – on her “Queen of Instagram” status. All of her Selfie poses are deliberate, the fashion/beauty pop-culture website claims. Not just some run-of-the-mill: “Hey, look at me. I’m snappin’ a pic of myself.” Ultimately it’s to sell a brand. And, love her or hate her, she does it well with a huge following!

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I had to experience this frenzy for myself, being a pop-culture junkie. What’s the tally now between the Kardashian-Jenners’ fortunes? One billion? For me, the thrill of the chase was reminiscent of my childhood – back in the 80s, before social media and massive swarms of people crashing sites. When I was 8 years old, my mom fought the good fight to get me the latest Cabbage Patch Kids. As a child I don’t recall people fighting, it was more like rude shoving, nobody was getting mauled or trampled in stores and malls, yet. My mother had created a distraction at the Toys-R-Us to get her hands on one of the last twin Cabbage Patch preemies for me. She had a water balloon in her purse – thanks to the kids she babysat. With one swift toss of the water balloon, she distracted parents to get the last set of twins.

Today, it’s a combination of star power with enough influence to sell products and the speed of your Internet service to get your “exclusive in-demand product” checked out!