World Series sponsorships, Apple’s “spooky fast” event, and more

Welcome to Razorfish Radar, a newsletter about life on the internet brought to you from the pioneers of digital innovation for marketing change makers. Radar delivers the latest news on cultural trends, technology, and platforms—along with the expert insights to help you make sense of it all.

World Series sponsorships

The Diamondbacks will face the Rangers in the World Series, with Game 1 scheduled to begin Friday evening.?And the lucky brands that earlier struck sponsorship deals with both teams will likely continue to activate against their priority audiences?throughout the series, extending?first-of-their-kind partnerships stemming from?this year’s MLB decision?to allow teams, like the Diamondbacks (with Avnet), to wear brand logos on their jerseys. At the same time, many baseball?fans are still reeling from who’s?not?headed to the World Series,?after the Phillies lost to Arizona?earlier this week. The loss has some wondering?who may leave Philadelphia next season,?while others continue?to celebrate?the Phillies’ physical affection and camaraderie as a team.?

And because the internet is a wild, wild place, there are?even?entire fanfiction tropes about “coffee shop alternative universes” where characters from various franchises— and?real, living human beings?like professional hockey players and, yes, baseball players—work in #cozycore coffee shops (#cozycore?– 166.2M views on TikTok).

In short, we’ll leave the odds-making about which team will win the best of seven series to others, while we continue to watch how sports, and the love people feel for their favorite players, continue to influence social conversations—and even elevate new celebrities into the public consciousness.

Why it matters: How, with whom, and for what audiences brands should show up for as a sponsor, or in partnership with collaborative co-creators, can constantly change.?It’s a question intrinsically linked to the ways the internet is relentlessly reinvented in light of people’s changing habits and experiences, like how gaming creators—like FaZe Clan, which was?recently acquired by GameSquare—are no longer commanding the top-tier brand-ambassador levels of platform sponsorship. And answering the question requires a careful balance of the needs of the business as well as the native habits of priority audiences across a rapidly evolving platform landscape.?

Other news and trends

Apple’s “Spooky Fast” event:?A?seasonally appropriate event next Monday?could include updates?across Mac computers and hardware, including processor chips. It’s a fast follow to September’s product?announcements in mobile and wearables, though nothing has been confirmed?beyond the rumors. ?

• Related: Google Maps AI Integrations.?Meanwhile,?Google has been adding?a wide range of AI-powered features?to its Maps platform, including more immersive navigation, enhanced driving instructions, and better organized results, all of which make Maps?bear a better resemblance to Google Search.??

Gen Z workforce relations:?The rise in GenAI brand agents that could screen candidates for emotional aptitude—effectively quantifying performance against various soft skills—is reinvigorating conversations about how younger generations behave at work. This type of commentary?has been?circulating?for some time. As with any statement based on an entire demographic cohort, there’s a significant risk?of overgeneralization and stereotyping;?a September Adobe survey?on the future of the workforce found that Gen Z respondents actually would prefer to receive upskilling in technical skills (48%), and not soft skills (33%). ?

• Related and trending:?TikTok user @brielleybelly123 (125k followers) posted a video (2.3M views) about the challenges of daily commutes, which seems to have struck a chord with people; it’s?now trending?across platforms and?publishers. Perhaps unsurprisingly,?quote posts on X?are?mostly framed negatively?toward Brielle.?

Trending across platforms: Lewiston, Maine’s active shooter.?Multiple people have died?as a result of gun violence in central Maine, and authorities?are asking for residents to shelter in place?while they look for the shooter;?he remains at large.?The news is trending as?people share their reactions and empathy?for the victims and their families; people?are also sharing parasocial,?politicized?commentary about the state of gun violence in the United States.?

Contributors: Head of Social Content and Engagement Strategy Cristina Lawrence , Senior Vice President Jerry Lawrence , Group Vice President Andrew McKernan Kernan, and Senior Vice President Tammy Pepito .

At Razorfish, we help brands define their higher purpose—the emotional reason why they belong in people’s lives. Ready to find your purpose? Learn more here.

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