Substack, Adidas, Taylor Swift ... and a Blizzard of Cocaine

Mulling media and marketing machinations that shape the zeitgeist

You don’t have to be a character on crime drama Black Rabbit, rom-com Too Much or Emmy darling The Studio to be steeped in illicit drugs. Apparently, everybody’s doing blow these days–it’s the fastest-growing illegal substance in the world. And leading the way, “America Loves Cocaine Again,” says the Wall Street Journal, tracking a 154 percent surge in the Western U.S. alone in recent years. Purity is up, prices are down! Mainstream media and entertainment, clocking and mirroring the trend, are nose-deep in powder, both for comedic effect and as a cautionary tale. There are well-watched docs about Charlie Sheen and the Cocaine Quarterback, a development deal for Miami kingpin Willy Falcon’s rise and fall, and a resurgence of “coke rap” from artists like Raekwon and Jeezy. The snowstorm spans publishing and prestige streaming, from Elizabeth Gilbert’s latest bestseller to a boys-night rager on AppleTV+’s Your Friends & Neighbors. It’s giving boom boom aesthetic energy, with its conspicuous consumption and fetishized wealth, a la ’80s-era finance bros. Despite its throwback vibes, it’s today’s news: Southern California’s Coast Guard just seized $156 million worth of coke, and the Trump administration continues to target Venezuelan ships in “counter-terrorism” strikes. Those and other developments could spur storylines for the foreseeable future.

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Adidas wins Super Bowl 60 without spending a dime, per industry watchers who are predicting the sneaker giant’s current hot streak will go nuclear by February 2026. When Bad Bunny, an Adidas endorser, headlines the half time show, could he rock some brand merch, including his spring-launching BadBo 1.0 signature shoes? The appearance, with ICE threats from the White House, will likely break ratings records, giving Adidas an estimated $8 million in free air time. The brand already chose wisely in talent collabs this year (for a different audience) via an Oasis link for the band’s massive reunion tour.

The Life of a Showgirl had no shortage of hangers-on around its debut, with brands tripping over themselves to bedazzle their logos and mascots (Olipop, Duolingo). They douse their brick-and-mortar and social real estate in orange sparkles (Starbucks, Dunkin’, the Empire State Building) and otherwise drift off the Swiftie hoopla. Uber Eats, turning the proud “childless cat lady” mantra into experiential marketing, saved some kitty lives with nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society. “The Life of a Showcat” popups held in L.A., New York and Nashville, placed 28 rescues into furever homes. All together now: Awww. 

Speaking of Substack, the platform capitalized on this week’s headline that media startup The Free Press sold to Paramount for $150 million. The property launched three years ago on Substack, “at a time when many have been led to believe that news is a dying business,” per a post from platform founder Hamish McKenzie. The high-profile acquisition, which will catapult TFB’s right-leaning leader Bari Weiss to the head of CBS News, is a “seismic event” in the media industry and a marketing hook for Substack, with McKenzie pointing out other money-making journalistic ventures on The Bulwark, Zeteo, Drop Site and The Ankler. It’s still to be determined if the nine-figure Free Press deal will bring yet another flood into the packed ‘stack universe. But McKenzie has issued a lofty call: “Let’s build the future of media together.”