This Week in Review ☕️: Madness begins as big brands jump in | The world is obsessed with the Viral Dubai Chocolate Bars | Doritos and M&Ms to have warning labels on their packets from now on | Beef
Quick Bites:
Marketing🌍: It’s the year for unexpected brand collaborations.
👠 Toffee nail polish?
🐔 KFC-scented sneakers?
🍔 McDonald’s-themed clogs?
Yep, we’re in the multiverse of marketing madness– from food brands launching skincare to cleaning brands going viral on TikTok.. Long story short, if your summer campaign doesn’t involve a picnic basket filled with ranch, caviar, and a QR code to your limited-edition hoodie collab… DON’T bother 👋
According to Adweek, the average person is hit with 4,000 to 10,000 ads per day.
That’s right- your brain is basically living in a Times Square billboard. Which means only the weird, wild, and wonderful stand out.
A successful collab has to “make a certain level of sense” but also deliver some “shock value”, a creative director tells Adweek.
Let’s have a look at some of the Top Brand Collaborations of this year:
In Fashion:
-Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami (Re-Edition 2025): Limited drops = resale frenzy = cultural reset v2
–Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster: Sunglasses that literally morph depending on your mood
–Beyoncé x Levi’s: Denim. Fringe. Cowboy Carter. $2B projected revenue.
In Food:
-Chipotle x Wonderskin: Burrito-inspired lip tint. TikTok said: smudge-proof AND spicy
–Dunkin’ x Scrub Daddy: Coffee-scented cleaning sponges
–Sprinkles x Moon Oral Care: Cupcake-flavored toothpaste is real
In Sportswear:
-Skims x NBA/WNBA: Kim K said: let’s make compression shorts sexy
–Gap x Malbon Golf: Retro country club energy meets cool-guy aesthetic
–Nike n New Jeans: Sold out in 3.7 seconds
Food🍫: Everyone is selling the viral Dubai Chocolate Bars, CNBC reports.
If you’ve been on Instagram, TikTok, or even WhatsApp recently, you’ve probably seen it: that green chocolate bar from Dubai that everyone’s obsessed with. It’s creamy. It’s pistachio-y. And it’s gone completely viral.
Not us spending $25 on a chocolate bar and calling it self-care 🧘♀️🍫
Background💡:
-The Dubai chocolate bars went viral in December 2023
-Inspired by founder Sarah Hamouda’s pregnancy cravings
-The bars are filled with pistachio cream, kadayif, and tahini
-Only sold in Dubai via Deliveroo and sometimes at the airport- selling 1.2 million -bars and bringing in a whopping $22 million in one month at Dubai Duty-Free alone
And now? Everyone wants in.
Shake Shack dropped a milkshake. Crumbl’sworking on a brownie. Starbucks quietly boosted Gen Z sales by hyping a fan-made drink. Even Trader Joe’s, Amazon and Costco are stocked with knockoffs, CNBC reports.
Even, global chocolate brand Lindt dropped a limited edition in Dec 2024; now developing a permanent “Dubai chocolate” bar.
With no trademark protections in place, the Dubai chocolate free-for-all has officially begun, CNBC.
For instance, Nuts Factory, a New York City based dried fruit and nuts store, says it was the first company to make a dupe of the bar in the city. Apparently the demand got so high, that the CEO had to impose a one-bar-per-customer limit in stores.
“People just started calling nonstop. We couldn’t meet the demand, and we just turned the world upside down to make sure we meet the demand.”
Our Thoughts💡:
Ladies, If he wanted to, he would.
And by ‘he,’ I mean the Dubai chocolate guy on Deliveroo twice a day 🥰
Health❌: Doritos, M&Ms could be forced to include warning labels on their packets in Texas, Bloomberg reports.
In what might be the most Texas thing ever, a new bill is about to pass that would require warning labels on packaged foods- from Skittles to Mountain Dew- flagging ingredients that are banned or “not recommended for human consumption” in other countries.
Ok, so the bags have a warning on them, but they aren’t regulating the actual company to do better? 🤔
PS. If it isn’t safe for public consumption, why tf is it getting sold???????
Think: additives, dyes, and sweeteners that are outlawed in the EU but still legal (and very rainbow-colored) in the US.
If passed, this would be a major win for the Make America Healthy Again movement, championed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.- who’s pushing for more transparency in American food labeling.
Because nothing says freedom like knowing what’s in your neon green soda
🥤 Why This Matters:
-Transparency: Consumers will finally see what they’re really eating.
-Global Standards: It highlights the stark difference between US and international food safety regulations.
🧠 The Bigger Picture:
Supporters say it’s about giving Americans the right to make informed choices. Critics say it could spark panic over common household snacks and hurt the processed food industry.
But one thing’s clear: if passed, Texas would become the first American state to require this level of ingredient disclosure based on global health standards- not just FDA approval.
Should all 50 states in the US adopt this rule?
Fashion👠: Forever 21 files for bankruptcy.
Forever 21 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in six years and has closed all its US stores as of May 1, 2025.
The fast-fashion retailer cited rising costs and intense competition from online retailers like Shein and Temu as key factors in its financial struggles, The New York Post reports.
Forever 21 is going bankrupt bcoz who wants to buy a floral crop top which says I Love PICKLES at the back?
Meanwhile, employees looking at their stock and wondering what they’re gonna do with all their unsold sequin “Taco Tuesdays” tops and glitter emoji booty shorts
At its peak, Forever 21 operated over 350 stores in the US and was a staple in American malls.
However, the company faced challenges adapting to the rapidly changing retail landscape, including the shift to online shopping and increased demand for sustainable fashion.
While American operations have ceased, Forever 21’s international stores and online presence will continue under the ownership of Authentic Brands Group.
Personally we’re thrilled. We wanna travel the world, not freakin go to a club every Friday and have someone in a Forever 21 outfit step on our shoes
Food 🥩 : It’s all about Beef tallow this year.
Beef tallow is trending among health-conscious consumers and restaurant chains looking to ditch seed oils.
Known for its rich flavor and clean label appeal, it’s being hyped as a better alternative.
Beef tallow is not just going viral in the kitchen but also among skincare routines globally. Here’s why it’s trending:
🥩 1. Food
- Healthier Alternative: Restaurants are switching beef tallow for frying, aiming to enhance taste and move away from seed oils.
- Influential People: Wellness advocates, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are promoting it as a healthier option compared to seed oils, though experts do caution against its high saturated fat.
💄 2. Skincare Trend
- Natural Moisturizer: On Instagram & Tiktok, influencers claim it’s a natural remedy for dry skin, citing its hydrating properties
- Experts: Dermatologists warn that tallow can clog pores and may not be suitable for acne-prone skin
📈 3. Culture:
- Ancestral Appeal: The trend aligns with a broader movement embracing traditional, less processed products
- Market Growth: Online interest in beef tallow has surged, with search volume increasing by 267% over the past year
Our Thoughts💡:
We hate to break it to you guys but beef tallow is just right-wing coconut oil
Quicker Bites:
- Dutch Government Collapses: Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof resigned after far-right leader Geert Wilders withdrew from the coalition over immigration policy disputes.
- South Korea Elects New President: Lee Jae-myung won the South Korean presidential election.
- Upcoming Gaza Peace Conference: The UN will host a peace conference in New York from June 17–20, focusing on disarmament, hostages, and a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict.
- Oil Prices Surge: Brent crude prices have risen above $65 per barrel.
- World Environment Day 2025: Celebrated on June 5, this year’s theme is “Beat Plastic Pollution.”
- Wimbledon 2025 Approaches: The prestigious tennis tournament is set to begin on June 30, with Carlos Alcaraz defending his title and Novak Djokovic possibly making his final appearance.
Business Eye 
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