What we read this week: May 17
“Rich People Didn’t Look Like This Before” (New York Times)
Takeaways:
The “rich face”, taut, overfilled, and expressionless, has shifted from sci-fi villain trope to real-world status symbol among the ultrawealthy, who are increasingly open about using cosmetic work to signal elite belonging rather than simply look better.
Extreme aesthetic customization is now functioning as a class marker: the unspoken appeal isn’t vanity, it’s access. Signifying membership in a group that operates under an entirely different set of societal rules.
Cultural observers warn this normalization reflects a broader neo-Gilded Age dynamic, where the wealthy feel increasingly emboldened to display excess, raising urgent questions for communicators about how audiences are reading and reacting to public figures’ appearances.
"The First 48 Hours at the Cannes Film Festival, from One of Its Leading Hotels"(Condé Nast Traveler)
Takeaways:
The Carlton Cannes operates less like a hotel during the festival and more like a production command center, with the head concierge managing over 25 active WhatsApp groups, VIP rooms pre-arranged down to framed family photos, and a valet operation precise enough that missing your car slot means missing the red carpet.
The festival's social currency runs entirely on access and timing: A-listers arrive under pseudonyms, slip past the lobby before anyone notices, and are assigned dedicated car slots to ensure the red carpet runs on schedule, a level of choreography that makes the hotel's role inseparable from the festival itself.
For communicators and hospitality brands, the Carlton's positioning offers a masterclass in experiential storytelling: the hotel isn't just hosting the festival's biggest names, it's been the backdrop since the very first edition in 1946, a heritage narrative that no competitor can replicate.
“Soft Socializing”: Gen Z Is Quietly Rewriting the Rules of Hanging Out”(Real Simple)
Takeaways:
Soft socializing: low-pressure, activity-based hangouts where connection develops as a byproduct rather than the main event, has emerged as Gen Z’s defining social framework, replacing the high-energy, performance-driven gatherings that dominated millennial social culture.
Experts say the shift is less about introversion and more about authenticity: soft socializing moves the goal from performing to being present, which for many younger adults makes the difference between leaving an event restored or depleted.
The numbers signal a durable market shift, not a passing fad. Eventbrite data shows flower arranging up 282%, puzzle competitions up 151%, and music bingo up 149%, offering brands and event organizers a clear roadmap for reaching younger audiences where they actually want to be reached.
“From ICE Detention to Center Stage: The Texas Mariachi Brothers Opening for Kacey Musgraves” (NPR)
Takeaways:
Brothers Antonio, Joshua, and Caleb Gámez-Cuéllar went from 13 days in ICE detention to opening Kacey Musgraves’ sold-out Texas shows, in a story that demonstrates how a single, well-timed narrative can cut through a deeply polarized news cycle.
Musgraves’ decision to frame the moment publicly, telling the crowd the brothers were honoring the past while creating something entirely their own, illustrates how celebrity platforms, when deployed thoughtfully, can transform a regional story into a national conversation.
The story’s resonance offers a reminder for communications professionals that the most powerful narratives combine undeniable human stakes with a clear redemption arc — and that earned media moments like this one rarely happen by accident.
#CheClient “Chicago Sees Production Boom on Wave of Illinois Incentives “ (Variety)
Takeaways:
Illinois hit a record $703 million in production spending in 2025, up 25% from pre-pandemic levels, with 90% of that growth credited directly to the state's tax incentive program, cementing the Midwest as a serious competitor in the national production landscape.
Our client Field Studios is featured prominently in this Variety piece as one of the key infrastructure investments driving Illinois' production boom, a major earned media win that speaks directly to the studio's growing role in Chicago's film and TV ecosystem.
Chicago's ability to double for dozens of other cities while keeping production dollars in a single state has become one of its most compelling selling points for studios, and Field Studios is positioned as a cornerstone of that pitch, offering productions the facilities and incentive access to make Illinois a first choice, not a fallback.
Our latest blog, “Milan Design Week 2026: The Trends That Stuck With Us” takes a look at the trends that stuck with us the most following this year’s Milan Design week. Check it out!
Looking for 1:1 support on brand strategy & media outreach? Book a complimentary consultation with me here - I’d love to meet you!
Xo,
Julia, Che PR Founder
