The Drink Cart: Full Wisconsin Style
A weekly newsletter cocktail of advertising, interesting things that will haunt your dreams, pop culture, baseball and even a drink from the cart after a long week.
We’re feeling like an extra 90’s drink cart this week. Deal with it.
What do we think of the new Four Seasons Yacht experience in something they are calling the “Funnel Suite”? The 10,000 square-foot suite is just $330,000/week? And this doesn’t even include the food? In this economy? This is serious Below Deck Gold Edition.
It’s almost as bad as whatever is happening at Trove - a new wellness thing in Toronto. Naps in salt caves? Cold plunges. A journaling nook? This Tiktok review made my blood pressure go up. (And yes, they added the hashtag #hiddengems! It’s not even hidden!) How much will a 25 minutes in the salt cave run you? Not to worry, it’s just one $48 credit. What in the world? Now I’m fired up.
Ad highlights
If you know me, I’ve probably talked about Tubi - the free (sorry ad-supported) movie and content app. It’s got some fantastic movies on there (seriously go watch Mr. Mom with Michael Keaton if only for the advertising scenes and eerily similar economic situation of our time) when you reach the end of Netflix.
Their new rebrand by DixonBaxi is simply great stuff. Love the purple and yellow and I’m digging the tone for everything along with these new illustrations that are completely striking.
Of course a brand like Chili’s is leveraging the drama from Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules. That’s smart. And if there were any further evidence of the Espresso Martini jumping the shark as a something cool to drink, this is it.
This looks like an ad from a few years ago. But when I saw a friend, James Kirk, post this on Linkedin, I knew just had to share. Nothing is better than bears. And nothing is better than them dryly commentating on eating humans. Twix is a vastly underrated chocolate bar and this ad should have been everywhere.
I also just like the idea behind this campaign, Pub Museums. Not sure I buy it because it’s from Heineken, but the idea of preserving and celebrating great pubs is worthy. If you here I’ve moved to Ireland to run an Irish pub, you’ll know that it started in this newsletter.
Ad lowlights
Did we need a world where nerds are stuck on a gummy? Gummy Clusters? Working theory: Maybe Gummy Clusters is why the country falls apart in the Civil War movie (more on that shortly).
Or maybe this is what Joel was busy writing during the movie: “Berry yummy treats, poppable and sweet to eat. Gummy Clusters Very Berry has a taste that can’t be beat. Every piece is a pure delight. Crunchy, gummy, yummy — the Very Berry bite.”
So yes, I watched Civil War this weekend. This isn’t a movie review newsletter, so instead I think this is just indicative of the movie itself: creating AI movie posters of things that are not from the movie. And how could they be so dirty to The Sphere in Vegas! My question: is this a $50 million movie designed to make you think about today’s over-heated political environment? Or a movie that wishes it was a $150 million action movie with even more destruction?
Ha! I love that Gen Z wastes so much food that mayo brand Hellmann’s is making sneakers from food waste called 1352’s - cleverly based on the amount of food waste Canadian households waste each year. Take that Gen Z! The shoes are made of old corn, mushrooms, apples, grapes and more. The Mayo shoes rolled out across the press and influencers who just ate up the story. Gross.
Meanwhile, Netflix is coming out with a Jennifer Lopez vs. AI movie, Atlas, this May. It looks exactly as that all sounded.
I can’t believe that something called “Tenniscore” is trending.
Get ready for a summer of throwback social media sites inspired by Myspace.
Honestly, who needs a giant replica Easter Island Head?
Things I can’t stop thinking about
Can we just talk about Hot Dan the Mustard Man? Yes, French’s mustards old timey mascot character. This is electric branding stuff. Aside from the olives, I only want to eat hot dogs presented in a star pattern platter with a mustard dip in the middle from now on. Absolutely electric. Bring. Him. Back. You cowards.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who would crush a 90’s McDonald’s styrofoam hotcake stack right now.
The Terminator film but in the 1950s made with AI.
I love that unpopular politicians are ruining popular sneaker brands just by wearing them. It could be worse, they could be mad about the memes.
When in doubt, just imagine you are Louis XIV. “Almost everything would amaze him. He would offer you half of Gascony for your flat-screen television.”
This is so spot on: The more expensive the hotel, the more you have to be able to see the toilet from your bed.
Update: Nice to see that my old pal Dillon is still fighting about his sparkling water in a can on social media. And bonus, I made his “Taylor Swift Tortured Beverage Department” album playlist. Still living rent free in someone’s head.
Forgot how freaking great the OG Gossip Girl posters/ads were.
Totally self indulgent baseball and gambling content
This is exactly how I want to watch a few baseball games. In case you’re wondering this amazing moment appears to be fans with an epic set up at the 1992 MLB All-Star Game, tailgating high above Jack Murphy Stadium. A pickup truck, a TV set and bottled trash beer. I mean their new stadium is pretty cool, but is this heaven? No, it’s San Diego. You stay classy.
If the Irish pub doesn’t work out, you’ll find me like this: Watching games, keeping score and bringing my own snacks. What a legend.
The Washington Nationals Presidents race turned amazingly ugly.
The idea that players like Ha-Seong Kim smoke cigarettes in the clubhouse is so cool.
The best $1 Hot Dog ad I’ve ever seen.
If you are a Jays fan, at least our lineup isn’t this right now? I’m also mad that Matt Chapman is hard launching his new puppy with his new team.
Hat of the Week
This hat is fire. If you know me, you know that one of my top 5 food groups is Hot Dogs. When I saw this hat for the Bowling Green Hot Dogs - and I say this despite them being a High-A Minor League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are the worst.
Last call: The Drink Cart Recipe
Could I become the kind of person that hunts for rare or discontinued bottles of alcohol around the globe like this story of a bottle of rare Campari raspberry? It’s definitely in the cards. But for today, I think I want to further get into basic cocktails.
Two last things to share. I promise.
1. I’ve been reading a book about fly fishing this week - The Believer by David Coggins - highly recommend. To be fair it’s more about travel, and life. And man, I’ve never wanted to fish more than this week.
2. I’m really into this cocktail recipe from Jeff Morgenthaler which is so trashy and exactly what we need right now. And I love the use whatever ice and the anti-craft cocktail bartender angle of it all. Muddle it up! Add Sprite! Who cares. Wisconsin really seems like the best - especially after Top Chef this season. I’ve only been there long enough to see one baseball game at the old stadium in about 1997.
Wisconsin Style Dive Bar Old Fashioned 🍒🍊🍹
A cherry and orange wedge muddled with bitters and sugar to a paste
2-3oz Brandy - the less French the better - he recos American.
Pile a bunch of chunky crushed ice on top.
Stir it
And if you want it “more Wisconsin” style, add a splash of Sprite. You heard that right. So awesome.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
I still think about the McDonald’s pizza sometimes…
I think I am going to start the Pickleballcore movement. And I don't need mayo shoes to make it happen.