A New Perfume Inspired by Whales, Coral-Nourishing Sunscreen, Canada’s First Grocery with Free Food, and More!
Bobby Jones
Keynote Speaker | Co- Founder of GOOD IS THE NEW COOL, Conspiracy of Love and RIVET
Dear friends,
We are excited to see our friend Kim Culmone featured on this year’s Fast Company Queer 50 list, honoring LGBTQ leaders in business, tech, and beyond. Amidst global Pride celebrations, this accolade shines a spotlight on her impactful contributions at Mattel, where she passionately amplifies marginalized voices and promotes diversity through innovative initiatives in play.
Her leadership underscores Mattel's transformative journey, as detailed in our recent article below, showcasing the company's commitment to innovation and societal impact.
Be kind, be good, and look after each other,
Afdhel and Bobby
What CEOs Can Learn from Barbie
The Barbie brand has become synonymous with diversity and inclusion, empowering girls from all backgrounds through amazing new products, content, and partnerships.
Our Managing Partner and former Mattel’s Vice President for Culture and Transformation, Philipp Reker, shared how Barbie's resurgence stems from a return to its founder Ruth Handler's original vision of inspiring limitless potential in young girls and how by embracing Purpose and redefining its role in society, Barbie has evolved from a symbol of consumerism to a catalyst for positive change, exemplifying the transformative power of purpose-driven leadership and culture at parent company Mattel.
Top Stories This Week
Campaign of the Week: Congratulations to our former client CMO Katie Williams and the team at Haleon for being shortlisted for a Cannes Lions for the Advil Pain Equity Project, addressing health inequity in pain management!
How D.S. & DURGA And Project CETI Created A Fragrance Inspired By Whale Communication: Fragrance house D.S. & DURGA has partnered with Project CETI, the groundbreaking nonprofit organization dedicated to decoding the communication of sperm whales, to launch a new perfume, LET’S DIVE, inspired by the linguistic bridge between humans and whales.
Products We Love: Reef Relief is the world’s first sunscreen that isn’t just reef-safe, but actively feeds and nourishes coral. This is thanks to research and collaboration with leading cosmetic chemists and marine experts to create a unique formula, containing nutrients used by coral farmers to help coral thrive.
Meet Kim Culmone, the Mattel Doll Designer Who Made Barbie a Star Again: However improbable, last summer saw a brief return to monoculture. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie blockbuster amounted to a winning combination of campy, self-aware, nostalgic, and joyful that translated into more than $150 million in Barbie sales. It was a sales increase of nearly 25% that no one could have predicted. No one, that is, except Kim Culmone, who planted the seeds for Barbie’s comeback a decade earlier.
Canada’s First Grocery Store Where Food is Free: In Saskatchewan, Canada’s first free grocery store is set to open as a flourishing food bank continues to look for ways to support the community. The Food Hub will be stocked like any grocery store, it will feature a produce section, floor-to-ceiling display fridges, and be open all week.
Abandoned Mining Buildings Turned Into a "Sanctuary for Human Connection" in Taiwan: Taiwanese studio Divooe Zein Architects has transformed a series of disused industrial structures outside Taipei into a secluded retreat surrounded by mountains and forest, creating a so-called "sanctuary for human connection", with a tea room, small theater, meditation, and exhibition spaces organized across three buildings.
Documentary of the Week: Explore the history of LGBTQ+ stand-up comedy in this funny and heartfelt documentary, Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution, featuring personal stories from an all-star roster of performers, , including Wanda Sykes, Suzy Eddie Izzard, Rosie O'Donnell, Margaret Cho, and many more.
"Courage is like — it’s a habitus, a habit, a virtue: you get it by courageous acts. It’s like you learn to swim by swimming. You learn courage by couraging." - Marie M. Daly