Whenevery other Instagram reel or TikTok post features stylized, scrumptious videos of pastries, ice cream and matcha lattes, it sparks instant FOMO, which then leads us to the newest spot to lose hours of our lives.
The big picture: The world’s largest Hello Kitty Café is the latest big opening to join this phenomenon. Nearly two weeks after it opened, a long line still snakes around Wacker Drive almost to Michigan Avenue at 2pm on a Tuesday.
- Add bakeries Bad Butter, Guillotine and Del Sur, PopUp Bagels, Gus’ Sip & Dip and Afro Joe’s as spots where you can expect a wait.
State of play: Businesses have learned that part of getting noticed is inviting influencers and social media mavens to openings and previews to build the buzz.
- “Algorithms distribute influencer content more widely than native brand content because consumers naturally engage more with people than with brands,” Northwestern professor Jacqueline Babb tells me.
- “As long as digital platforms are where we discover and engage with brands, we will see creators and influencers.”
Plus, we want to belong, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Babb pointed to Hello Kitty’s opening as a community coming together over their fandom…