Bursting the Bubble
Where advertising takes a back seat, and culture takes the wheel
Hi Friends,
you’re probably expecting a wild Halloween ad roundup or a Lucca Comics brand invasion - sorry to disappoint (only slightly). Some great stuff is happening, and the newsletter keeps growing, so today I’m so excited to open the doors to a brand-new format.
For the first time, ICYMI will host the thoughts and opinions of my friend, colleague, and partner Livio Basoli - Chief Creative Officer and Partner at DUDE, and one of the sharpest minds I’ve met in my 10+ years in this industry (I truly hope you get to grab a beer or dinner with him someday, just to see how brilliant he is).
We’re calling it Bursting the Bubble: for everything that’s not classic advertising, but still shapes the way culture moves.
And we’re kicking it off with the wildest, most delightfully unhinged political campaign you’ll see this year: Zohran Mamdani’s run for NYC Mayor (Election Day: November 4).
Have a good read.
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If you're a brand wanting to reach Marketing and Advertising fans reading "in case you missed it," hit me up at incaseyoumissedit@domenicoloperfido.com and check out the media kit.
Some other things spinning around In Case You Missed It:
Davide Lunardelli and Max Sardella interviewed me for their newsletter Icons - a brilliant format, go follow them. And Ludo took a deep dive into the whole Rosalía phenomenon after her Berghain masterpiece.
ADVERTISING
Girls Take a Stand against Forced Marriage
In a groundbreaking campaign against child marriage, agency DUDE Milan partners with ActionAid to highlight the defiance of Ugandan schoolgirls fighting for their right to choose. In the daring film ‘I’ll Marry When I Want’, the girls dismantle symbols of marriage, emphasizing empowerment and joy over oppression. This campaign subverts the usual narrative of fragility, showcasing strength and rebellion instead. As Lorenzo Eusepi from ActionAid notes, change starts with the right to choose, and every girl should declare, ‘I will marry only when I want.’
ADVERTISING
IKEA unveils Halloween Shields Campaign
Just in time for spooky season, IKEA has launched its ‘Halloween Essentials’ campaign in collaboration with creative agency INGO. This cheeky campaign highlights soft furnishings like duvet covers and cushions that act as your ultimate comfort shield during jump-scare movie marathons.
FEATURED
A bunch of news from my network :
- Canva makes Affinity, the world’s top graphic tool, free for everyone, everywhere [source Valentino Magliaro linkedIn]
- Audible and Lucca Comics throw Twilight fans a wedding party, complete with Bella and Edward as virtual witnesses [source Elisabetta Bottani linkedIn]
- Prosecco hits a historic high with 660 million bottles, while FIOL MASTERS invites 6 global bartenders to savor the Italian aperitivo ritual [source Tobia Lorenzani linkedIn]
- Google’s FMCGHorizons2025 shines a spotlight on AI as the creative superpower for consumer brands [source Carla Leveratto linkedIn]
NOBODY READS ADVERTISING
People read what interests them, and sometimes it’s NOT an Ad
Let's jump in something out of the bubble:
Artips: KAWS takes over Palazzo Strozzi, Florence
Streaming binge: The official trailer for the final season of Stranger Things and here’s what happened in Lucca
Foodie bites: Three culinary tricks that might get you to eat more veggies, according to chef Roy Choi
Smart purchase: Adventurous gift ideas for the hiker or outdoorsy person in your life
Fun fact: The Nordic Countries Where There’s No Word for ‘Please’
BURSTING THE BUBBLE by Livio Basoli
Zohran and the Multiverse of Mamdaniness
The NY mayoral candidate’s campaign is a masterclass in strategic consistency - expressed through a kaleidoscope of creative chaos. While it won’t win Lions at next year’s Cannes, it can teach us a few things.
Politics as culture
Politicians love to say that politics is everybody’s business, but rarely we have seen a candidate so clearly acting on it. From crashing America’s most popular reality shows to homaging NBA culture and Nike esthetics, from tapping into New York’s own mythology to ridiculing the tropes of political communication, Zorhan loves to turn hard topics into pop culture and bring the debate right into your living room or social feed.
A visual feast through endless iterations.
The Bollywood-meets-bodegas yellow and purple logo might be one of the boldest political identities ever created. But the real brilliance lies in how freely the campaign lets go of it and embraces spoofs, remixes and even crowdsourced logos and stickers from its supporters.
Putting context over consistency allows Zohran to feel relevant and native to specific audiences.
Insurgency with a smile.
The secret sauce to Mamdani’s masterpiece campaign it’s his unfaltering smile and comedic punch. No matter the message or the context, each video, photo or even public appearance from Zohran has been defined by his warm, positive and sometimes hilarious stance. A unique trait that knows almost no comparisons in today’s American, and possibly, global political landscape, Mamdani’s smile is the kryptonite to a scaremongering and overly dramatic public debate: a candidate you can laugh with, instead of laugh at.
The Age of Creatocracy
More than just a candidate, Zohran thinks and speaks like a bona fide creator. His communication runs on internet logic: agile production, constant content drops, real-time reactions. It’s a spin doctor’s fever dream, powered by Tik Tok culture, able to turn memorable political messages into memable images. A language that politics rarely speaks, that is the foundation of Mamdani’s likability and credibility in the eyes of voters.
Creative agencies with an agency.
Rising political communication agencies Fight and Melted Solids are among Zohran’s key allies in building his standout campaign. The two agencies share few common traits: a clear understanding of entertainment and its codes, a disregard for the traditional rules of political communication and a strong progressive DNA that mirrors the candidates they work with.
Backing the agenda of their clients makes their work feel urgent and honest.
When was the last time you shipped a commercial believing that it could have made the lives of 8 million people better?
This is Bursting the Bubble - where we follow Livio through an in-depth look at cool things happening outside of the Advertising algorithm.
Thank you so much for reading this far - I truly appreciate it. Last week’s most-clicked link were:
- AI’s Dream: Driving a Maserati? and Il Mostro’ drops on Netflix with a major marketing stunt [source Andrea Menandro linkedIn]