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.
AI companies don’t like to tell you how much energy you’re consuming when you prompt, but agentic AI likely has a heftier footprint. The only upside is that increased energy consumption could potentially fast-track clean energy initiatives. But can you really see that happening in the next two years here in the US? I don’t think so either. As mentioned in the FastCo article, Meta is currently building seven natural gas plants solely to feed a data center in Louisiana.
That’s one way to deal with the performative male reader.
Adobe tools are now available in Slack via the platform’s AI chatbot, Slackbot.
Charlotte interviewed Jamie Stark, and all I can say is that we need more water towers and industrial equipment that look like a gigantic can of tomatoes.
I really take umbrage at the notion that somehow Target has abandoned its DEI initiatives. Like, look at this adorable “German Army Soldier Adult Costume“ that’s described as “inspired by the 1940s.” Let Stephen Miller moonlight as Target’s personal Spirit Halloween diva that he is.
Nice work here from Max Hofert and Powerbomb for Kioga, a company looking to tackle the modern inflammation epidemic. Love that little Kioga dude!
I can get behind Walmart’s rotisserie chicken purse, but - and I mean this respectfully - fuck them for introducing dynamic pricing. That’s just one more tax on consumers who are legitimately struggling. The whole rationale that this helps employees do their job more efficiently and saves them time from changing prices by hand is laughable. Of course they’re going to find new ways to nickel and dime you.
Some folks will stalk their local Michael’s to get their grubby little hands on a Jack-o-Lantern gumball machine.
Man, I didn’t know Ebbets Field was making cardigans? Too rich for my blood, but these are sick.
And the winner for 2026’s Most Egregious and Unexpected Use of Pumpkin Spice goes to Mylanta!
Against all odds, MapQuest is the #1 app in America.
Tim Robbins voice: Aw!
It’s a Sammy Hagar weekend, y’all.
-Bill