Side Salad: Canne'd Reaction
June 24, 2026
Good morning from Dieline’s editor-in-chief, Bill McCool. Here’s your daily side serving of design news, short musings, brand stuff, and forgotten ephemera.
I find all of the hype and the weeks leading up to Cannes Season exhausting and insufferable. And I know that, even as you pose for a not-at-all candid LinkedIn-destined shot at the Spotify sweat lodge, you feel the exact same way, because I can see the cold, deadened gaze staring out from behind your Meta glasses. Anywho, saw these “cans” for Cannes from Tavern, and they’re not too shabby.
My oh my. I mean, whoever could it be!
You had me at “Warriors-inspired” card game. Didn’t see a Baseball Ghoulie, but perhaps I should buy the game and find out for myself.
Love these Nadia Lee Cohen photos of Madonna for Interview.
I get that I’m probably the “company beer guy,” but I had no real desire to talk up Keystone Light Apple because, well, woof. That being said, I don’t know why their press shop insists on releasing interviews that have been pored over and pruned by internal stakeholders and PR folks so that they can release golden nuggets of dreck like : “Keystone Light is a great and refreshing everyday brew that authentically connects to people’s passions such as hunting, fishing , and the great outdoors.” I say this as someone who has written gobs of truly horrendous sponsored content in the past, but the Molson Coors blog kinda stinks. Why bother with any of this, and who is this really for? None of this sounds natural! Have you heard a guy toting an Ugly Stik Carbon Crappie Spinning Rod (I Googled this, obvi) say, “Boy howdy, as a person enamored with the great outdoors, I sure do authentically connect with Keystone Light?” No one writes or talks like this. Lean into the absurdity of what you’re selling—a crappy light beer with apple flavoring—and let that do the talking. No one cares about “value portfolios,” even the marketing people.
Olivia Rodrigo just started her own music festival, Daisy Chain Fields, and it’s very much inspired by Lilith Fair. All net proceeds will go to non-profits advocating for women and girls.
No part of me wants to try a Slurpee Soda, but I do like the cans!
Pasta Rankings: There are supposedly more than 600 (!) pasta shapes known to man. Let it be known that angel hair is by far the worst among them.
Might I also recommend becoming an editor for a packaging website?
Go get ‘em, tiger.
-Bill