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 am begging you, please stop making kids’ meals for adults. This last paragraph from the Fast Company piece feels pretty telling. “We have more mental stress and challenges today,” Wilson says. “And the beauty of the kids’ meal for some people is that it’s a mental break. The graphics and the silly toy and the little thing of fries allow them to destress and be a kid for a couple of minutes.” People want universal healthcare and not to have to take out a loan for their groceries. Stop the insanity with all of the nostalgia and infantilization.
Paint brand Benjamin Moore just beat Pantone to the punch with its 2027 Color of the Year, Webster Green.
The Drum’s John McCarthy interviewed BrewDog’s new CMO, John Beasley, and it will be interesting to see how the brand moves away from grade-school-style provocation.
Speaking of being provocative for its own sake, this new campaign from Liquid Death is groan city.
Man, if you need an illustrator for your soda label, or any other CPG-whatever, Bill Rebholz is your huckleberry. Definitely check out this interview from Charlotte.
Subscription fatigue and streamer consolidation (can I have media monopolies for $500, Ken?) have caused an uptick in the physical media market, including packaging of the “luxury” variety.
Sarah J. Maas fans, there’s a special Fireball - and book with a secret Fireball compartment - just for you.
It’s peak leaf peeping season, so here’s a mix. Enjoy those treetops while you can, y’all.
I'm going to take a walk among the Zoloft pines.
-Bill