Welcome to the next edition of On The Record, thoughtful analysis on culture, entertainment, tech, fashion, music, sport, and brands. Here’s a round-up of key conversations and campaigns that caught my attention this week.
Tala losses widen after US exit but firm remains upbeat 🧘♀️📉
📌 Gymwear brand Tala reported mixed results for the year to March 2025, with revenue rising but losses widening following its decision to scale back US operations. Revenue increased 18% year-on-year to £19.8m, however operating losses grew to £2.64m as the brand absorbed costs linked to tariffs and a strategic retreat from the US market. Despite this, Tala remains confident, pointing to its first London store opening, strong wholesale momentum, and plans for further UK and international expansion. The update highlights the tension many challenger brands face between international growth ambitions and the operational realities of volatile global trade conditions.
Revenue up 18% to £19.8m
Operating loss widened to £2.64m
Wholesale channel performed 8x versus the prior year
💡 International ambition is no longer just about demand, but about resilience to tariffs, cost pressure, and structural complexity 🌍.
Founded in 2019 by Grace Beverley, Tala counts Pembroke VCT, Venrex and Active Partners among its investors, following a £4.6m funding round in July 2024.
Defunct ticketing startup Fanimal files antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, Ticketmaster 🎟️⚖️
📌 Summary Defunct ticketing startup Fanimal has filed an antitrust lawsuit accusing Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster of using anticompetitive practices to force it out of business. The complaint alleges that Ticketmaster controls around 80% of major US venues and 75% of online concert ticket sales, while Live Nation dominates concert promotion and venue ownership, creating structural barriers for challengers. Fanimal claims exclusive long-term venue contracts, retaliation against venues using rival platforms, and restrictions such as Ticketmaster’s SafeTix technology prevented fair competition in both primary and secondary ticketing markets. The case adds to growing legal pressure on Live Nation and Ticketmaster, alongside ongoing lawsuits from the US Department of Justice, the FTC, and consumer class actions.
Ticketmaster allegedly controls ~80% of major US venue ticketing
Exclusive contracts span 5–7 years, some exceeding a decade
Fanimal had 250,000+ users and a projected $100m+ valuation before shutting down
💡Platform power in live music is increasingly being tested in court, with competition, transparency, and fan trust now central brand and regulatory issues 🎶.
The lawsuit was brought by defunct startup Fanimal against Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster, as reported by Music Business Worldwide.
Food in 2026 will embrace ‘quiet luxury’ and grandmacore comfort 🥖🥬
📌According to forecasts highlighted by The New York Times, 2026 will mark a shift away from hyper-optimised, macro-obsessed eating toward simpler, whole-food-led approaches rooted in tradition. Trends point to a rise in ‘grandmacore’, with sourdough, fermented vegetables, pickling and slow cooking techniques regaining cultural and culinary value, reframed for modern palates. Diners are expected to prioritise value over low cost, favouring quality, reliability, shorter menus and better service as budgets tighten. The forecast also reflects growing awareness of the link between gut health, metabolism, the nervous system and inflammation, reinforcing food’s role in wellbeing beyond tracking and metrics.
Vinegar tipped to expand into desserts and cocktails
Cabbage named a likely vegetable of the year, braised, pickled or fermented
Fiber-rich whole foods positioned as a key nutritional focus
💡 As food culture moves away from optimisation theatre, brands that champion quality, simplicity and trust in fundamentals stand to win 🍽️.
OpenAI reportedly set to acquire Pinterest in its biggest deal yet 🧠📌
📌 OpenAI is reportedly planning to acquire Pinterest in what would mark its largest acquisition to date, signalling a strategic expansion beyond foundational AI models. The move is understood to centre on access to Pinterest’s vast image data, strengthening OpenAI’s multimodal capabilities and training resources. The acquisition would also significantly deepen OpenAI’s presence in online shopping and digital advertising, positioning it closer to consumer discovery and intent-led commerce. If confirmed, the deal reflects a broader shift among AI leaders toward owning platforms, data, and distribution, not just infrastructure.
Pinterest hosts hundreds of billions of images globally
The platform plays a key role in shopping discovery and visual search
This would be OpenAI’s largest acquisition to date, if completed
💡 AI’s next competitive frontier isn’t just intelligence, but ownership of consumer intent, creativity, and commerce pathways 🛒.
OnlyFans creators granted US ‘extraordinary ability’ visas based on audience reach 🎥🇺🇸
📌 The Financial Times reports that the US is increasingly granting O-1B visas to OnlyFans creators under the category for “extraordinary ability in the arts”. Decisions are being influenced by measurable audience reach, subscriber numbers, and income, reframing digital influence as a legitimate marker of artistic merit. The shift reflects how creator economies are reshaping legacy immigration, labour, and cultural value frameworks. It also signals growing institutional recognition of platform-native careers once considered informal or marginal.
O-1B visas are traditionally awarded to artists, filmmakers, and performers
Audience metrics are now cited as evidence of extraordinary ability
Digital platforms are increasingly treated as legitimate cultural industries
💡Influence is no longer just cultural capital, it’s becoming legal and economic currency 📊.
Netflix reportedly plans 17-day theatrical windows following Warner Bros acquisition 🎬⏱️
📌 According to Deadline, Netflix is planning to limit theatrical releases to just 17 days after completing its reported acquisition of Warner Bros. The strategy would significantly shorten traditional release windows, reinforcing Netflix’s streaming-first distribution model while still allowing for brief theatrical exposure. The move suggests cinemas would play a more symbolic and promotional role, rather than serving as a primary revenue driver. If implemented, it could further disrupt established relationships between studios, exhibitors, and talent accustomed to longer theatrical runs.
The proposed window is 17 days, far shorter than industry norms
The approach prioritises rapid transition to streaming audiences
The strategy would follow Netflix’s reported acquisition of Warner Bros
💡 Theatrical is increasingly being treated as a launch moment, not a lifecycle, as platforms optimise for owned audiences and data 📊.
YouTube to stop supplying data to Billboard charts from January 2026 📊🎵
📌 YouTube has announced it will no longer deliver streaming data to Billboard’s chart calculations from January 16, 2026, ending a decade-long partnership. The decision follows disagreements over Billboard’s chart methodology, which weights subscription-supported streams more heavily than ad-supported ones. YouTube argues this approach no longer reflects how fans engage with music today, particularly given the scale of ad-supported listening globally. The move raises questions about how industry benchmarks measure popularity in an era where streaming dominates music consumption.
Streaming accounts for 84% of US recorded music revenue
YouTube’s concern centres on unequal weighting of ad-supported streams
The change takes effect on January 16, 2026
💡 As streaming defines music culture, the fight over how value is measured is becoming as important as the music itself 🎧.
Announced by Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music at YouTube, in relation to chart data supplied to Billboard.
WTA and ATP still weighing merger as ‘Battle of the Sexes’ marketing sparks backlash 🎾⚖️
📌 According to Front Office Sports, the WTA and ATP continue to explore a potential unification of professional tennis, though talks remain complex and unresolved. Structural differences pose a major hurdle, particularly the WTA’s centralised commercial arm, WTA Ventures, versus the ATP’s more fragmented commercial rights model. As mixed-format events gain traction, the tours face scrutiny over how women’s tennis is positioned, following criticism of recent “Battle of the Sexes” style marketing. Athletes and commentators argue such framing risks reinforcing outdated narratives, potentially undermining women’s tennis at a moment when equity and audience growth are central priorities.
Merger discussions remain ongoing but unresolved
Commercial structures differ significantly across tours
“Battle of the Sexes” framing has drawn public criticism
💡 As tennis explores structural unity, outdated gendered storytelling risks slowing cultural progress rather than accelerating it 🎾.
Caitlin Clark teases Nike signature line with Kelce brothers on New Heights 👟🏀
📌 Caitlin Clark has shared new details about her upcoming Nike signature apparel line, following a Christmas Day teaser from Nike. Clark appeared alongside Jason and Travis Kelce on their widely followed New Heights podcast, using the platform to reveal more about the collection and its positioning. The move mirrors recent pop culture crossover strategies, notably when Taylor Swift used the same podcast to preview new music, driving record engagement. Clark’s episode attracted 328K views, outperforming other celebrity interviews on the show and underscoring her growing cultural reach beyond sport.
Nike released its first official teaser on Christmas Day
Clark’s episode drew 328K views, higher than most celebrity guests
Swift’s New Heights appearance reached 13M views in 24 hours
💡 Signature athletes now build brand heat through culture-first platforms, not press conferences, blending sport, fandom, and entertainment into one channel 🎧.
Venus Williams returns to Grand Slam action at 45 with Australian Open wildcard 🎾✨
📌 Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams is set to compete in her first major outside New York since 2023 after receiving a wildcard into the Australian Open. The appearance will mark her first time in Melbourne since 2021, following a limited 2024 schedule that still delivered standout moments. Williams will warm up with wildcard entries at the Auckland Open and the Hobart International. Recent highlights include surprise singles wins in Washington D.C. and a notable doubles run at the US Open alongside Leylah Fernandez.
First Australian Open appearance since 2021
Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion
Multiple 2025 warm-up wildcards ahead of Melbourne
💡 Longevity, not novelty, is becoming one of sport’s most compelling narratives 🎾.
Formula 1 heads to Madrid with new Spanish Grand Prix from 2026 🏎️🇪🇸
📌 Formula 1 will add Madrid to its calendar in 2026, with the Spanish Grand Prix scheduled for 11–13 September. The new ‘Madring’ circuit blends city streets with purpose-built sections, introducing one of the most technically ambitious layouts on the calendar, including a high-speed 5.4km track and the banked La Monumental corner. With new cars, regulations, and teams arriving in 2026, the Madrid race is positioned as one of the most unpredictable events of the season, even for local favourites Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz. Beyond racing, the event is being framed as a city-wide cultural moment, combining sport, sustainability, hospitality, and Madrid’s food, nightlife, and arts scene.
Circuit combines street racing and fast straights across 22 corners
La Monumental set to be F1’s longest banked corner
Estimated 90% of fans able to access the circuit via public transport
💡 Formula 1’s future growth is increasingly about destination appeal, turning Grands Prix into cultural festivals, not just races 🏁.
Set in Madrid with tickets now on sale for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix.
Inside TAG Heuer’s $1bn return as Formula 1’s Official Timekeeper ⏱️🏎️
📌 In a deep-dive for Idée Fixe, tech and motorsport commentator Toni Cowan-Brown unpacks TAG Heuer’s return as Official Timekeeper of Formula 1, as part of LVMH’s reported $1bn, 10-year motorsport partnership. The deal goes beyond nostalgia, positioning TAG Heuer within F1’s cultural and technological reset, as the sport attracts younger, digitally native audiences shaped by streaming, social, and data-led storytelling. While much of F1’s real-time timing and analytics are powered by cloud infrastructure, the partnership highlights how perception, symbolism, and brand ownership of “precision” still carry value. Strategically, TAG Heuer’s alignment with F1 Academy signals a long-term play on future talent and relevance, not just legacy prestige.
Part of a $1bn, 10-year LVMH motorsport investment
TAG Heuer becomes title sponsor of the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time in its history
F1 processes 1.1m+ data points per second, largely via cloud partners
💡 In a sport defined by data and velocity, luxury brands are no longer selling heritage alone, but staking claims on meaning, precision, and future relevance ⏳.
Analysis by Toni Cowan-Brown for Idée Fixe, examining TAG Heuer’s renewed role within Formula 1’s evolving commercial and cultural ecosystem.
Starbucks teams up with MrBeast to power Prime Video’s Beast Games 🧃📺
📌 Starbucks has partnered with MrBeast around season two of competition series Beast Games on Prime Video, as brands increasingly target creator-led entertainment. Contestants will have 24/7 access to Starbucks inside Beast City, the show’s on-site living quarters, embedding the brand directly into the programme’s environment rather than relying on traditional sponsorship cues. Starbucks will also launch a limited-edition Cannon Ball Drink, inspired by the show and released alongside a crossover challenge episode with Survivor. The collaboration reflects Starbucks’ push to rebuild growth and relevance with under-30 audiences through culture-first, platform-native partnerships.
Beast Games season two debuts 7 January 2026
MrBeast reaches 454m+ YouTube subscribers and 1bn+ followers across platforms
Cannon Ball Drink launches 14 January across US stores
💡 As streaming competition heats up, brands are shifting from ads to infrastructure, becoming part of the entertainment itself 🍿.
CES 2026 highlights so far: the announcements shaping the year ahead 🤖📺
📌 Live coverage from CES 2026 shows a tech industry doubling down on AI, new form factors, and physical-digital convergence, with major brands and startups using the show to preview what’s next. Rather than one defining hero product, the story so far is about category reinvention, from displays and PCs to robots, wearables, and smart play. The show continues to blend serious infrastructure bets with playful, sometimes strange experimentation.
Key highlights as of 7th Jan:
LG unveiled CLOiD, a humanoid home robot designed to perform real household chores using what it calls “Physical AI”
Samsung previewed next-generation display tech, including a 130-inch Micro RGB TV, transparent OLEDs, and spatial 3D displays
Lego debuted Smart Bricks and Smart Play, embedding sensors, sound, and connectivity into classic bricks, launching first with Star Wars sets
Lenovo revealed rollable laptops, including the ThinkPad Rollable XD and Legion Pro Rollable, expanding screens for work and gaming
Dell revived the XPS line, pairing a refreshed design with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) processors
Intel launched Panther Lake chips, promising up to 27 hours of battery life and a new integrated Arc GPU
Nvidia signalled a full pivot toward AI infrastructure, robotics, and autonomous systems rather than consumer GPUs
Boston Dynamics debuted a product-ready Atlas humanoid robot, aimed at factory environments
Motorola teased the Razr Fold, its first book-style foldable phone, alongside an “AI personal twin” pendant called Qira
Smart glasses gained momentum, with TCL’s RayNeo Air 4 Pro undercutting rivals on price
AI companions and robots proliferated, from desk-based “AI soulmates” to cute-but-creepy social bots
Weird-but-watchable gadgets included EEG-powered gaming headsets, AI bartenders, solar-powered robots, and tactile phone keyboards
💡 CES 2026 confirms the next tech cycle isn’t about faster gadgets, but about AI moving off screens and into everyday objects, spaces, and behaviours.
Universal Music Group partners with NVIDIA to reshape music discovery and creation with AI 🎶🤖
📌 Universal Music Group has announced a strategic collaboration with NVIDIA to develop responsible AI tools for music discovery, creation, and fan engagement. The partnership combines NVIDIA’s AI infrastructure with UMG’s vast global music catalogue, aiming to move beyond basic search and recommendation toward deeper, more contextual music experiences. Central to the collaboration is NVIDIA’s Music Flamingo model, designed to analyse full-length tracks with human-like understanding of structure, emotion, lyrics, and cultural context. The initiative also places strong emphasis on artist protection, attribution, and rightsholder compensation, positioning responsible AI as a core industry standard rather than an afterthought.
Music Flamingo can analyse tracks up to 15 minutes long across harmony, lyrics, and emotional arcs
UMG and NVIDIA will launch an artist-led AI incubator to co-design creative tools
Collaboration builds on UMG’s existing AI work via its Music & Advanced Machine Learning Lab
💡 This signals a shift from AI as a threat to creativity toward AI as infrastructure, redefining how music is discovered, protected, and valued at scale 🎧.
Announced by Sir Lucian Grainge, with research and development supported by UMG’s studio ecosystem including Abbey Road and Capitol Studios.
Newcastle United extends long-standing partnership with Molson Coors 🍺⚽
📌 Newcastle United has renewed its long-running partnership with Molson Coors, extending a collaboration that has been central to the club’s matchday experience since 2007. The agreement sees Carling remain the club’s Official Beer Partner with pouring rights at St. James’ Park, alongside a wider portfolio of Molson Coors brands available to fans. The partnership also covers St. James’ STACK fanzone, where Molson Coors has increased sales volumes by more than a third since becoming a supplier in 2024. Recent activations highlight a shared focus on experiential marketing, community, and supporter culture, rather than traditional sponsorship alone.
Partnership now approaching two decades
Sales at the official fanzone up 30%+ since 2024
Brand support extends to Newcastle United Women
💡 The most effective sports partnerships are shifting from logo placement to long-term cultural presence embedded in the fan experience 🖤🤍.
🎙️ The Biggest Questions Around the Fashion Industry as We Head Into 2026
📌 This episode functions as a sharp, editorially driven state-of-the-industry briefing for fashion, luxury, and lifestyle brands. The Glossy team synthesises reporting, executive conversations, and market signals to unpack the most pressing questions brands are facing right now-spanning consumer behaviour shifts, evolving shopping habits, spending priorities, and structural pressures on the fashion business.
Rather than trend-spotting in isolation, the episode connects cultural mood, economic reality, and brand decision-making-making it especially relevant for senior marketers and strategists setting direction for the year ahead.
✅ Worth Your Time Because:
Strategic foresight, not hype: Offers a grounded read on how cultural sentiment and economic signals are reshaping demand across fashion and luxury-essential context for 2026 brand planning.
Consumer-first perspective: Breaks down how shoppers’ expectations around value, relevance, and trust are changing, and what that means for product, pricing, and storytelling.
Sport
Australian Open – 12–25 January – Melbourne / Global Broadcast The first Grand Slam of the year reliably dominates global sports media, fashion partnerships, and lifestyle brand storytelling, with strong crossover into culture and celebrity.
NFL Playoffs (Divisional Round) – 17–18 January – USA / Global Broadcast High-intensity knockout games drive premium ad spend, real-time social engagement, and brand-led cultural moments ahead of Super Bowl season.
Film & Entertainment
Sundance Film Festival – 15–25 January – Park City, Utah / Industry Coverage The world’s most influential independent film festival shapes the year’s breakout talent and cultural narratives, attracting major brand, platform, and press attention.
Awards Season Momentum – Week of 12 January – Global This week sits firmly within peak awards campaigning, with nominees dominating cultural conversation across fashion, entertainment, and luxury sectors.
Kevin Hart joins Authentic Brands Group: the celebrity IP playbook keeps scaling
This week, Authentic Brands Group confirmed a strategic partnership with Kevin Hart, adding another global entertainer to its growing roster of talent-led brands. As with previous deals, Hart becomes a shareholder, with ABG taking a long-term role in managing and monetising his personal brand across categories, platforms and territories.
It is a move that reinforces a pattern ABG has been quietly perfecting: treating celebrity not as endorsement, but as scalable intellectual property.
What the Kevin Hart deal signals
ABG has not disclosed financial terms, but its standard structure is well established.
Key features of the model:
Co-ownership, not licensing only: the talent retains meaningful equity while ABG controls brand strategy and commercial execution.
Licensing-led growth: products, content and experiences are delivered through specialist partners, generating recurring royalty income.
Platform thinking: comedy, film, live events, content and consumer products are developed as one integrated brand ecosystem.
Hart now sits alongside Shaquille O’Neal and David Beckham, two of ABG’s most visible “living legend” partners.
Why ABG keeps winning the celebrity IP game
ABG’s wider business is built on scale and predictability rather than hype.
At a glance:
Portfolio of 50+ brands
$32bn+ in annual global retail sales across its ecosystem
Operations in 150 countries with 29,000+ retail locations
Valuations reported by Reuters and the Financial Times ranging from $12.7bn to $20bn
The Beckham partnership illustrates the upside. Financial Times reporting shows DRJB Holdings, the Beckham brand vehicle majority-owned by ABG, delivered $92.3m in revenue and $45m in pre-tax profit in its most recent financial year, with more than $80m paid out in dividends.
The wider portfolio context
Beyond talent, ABG owns and operates some of the most recognisable names in sport and fashion, including Champion, Reebok, Nautica, Quiksilver and Juicy Couture. The through-line is the same: acquire cultural equity, then scale it globally through disciplined licensing and brand stewardship.
On the record takeaway
ABG’s Kevin Hart deal underlines a shift brands should pay attention to. Cultural influence is no longer rented campaign by campaign. It is owned, structured and scaled. For creators, it offers longevity. For brands, it is proof that the smartest growth today sits at the intersection of IP, culture and operational rigour.
🔥 18% revenue growth, wider losses Tala grew revenue to £19.8m year-on-year, but operating losses widened to £2.64m following its US exit, highlighting the cost pressure facing challenger brands expanding internationally. (Company filings)
🎟️ Ticketmaster’s market dominance under scrutiny Ticketmaster is estimated to control around 80% of major US venue ticketing and 75% of online concert ticket sales, central to ongoing antitrust challenges. (Music Business Worldwide)
🥖 Whole foods over optimisation Consumer interest in fibre-rich, minimally processed foods is rising as diners shift away from macro-tracking toward value, quality, and tradition-led eating. (The New York Times)
🧠 Visual data as strategic currency Pinterest hosts hundreds of billions of images globally, making visual search and discovery a critical battleground for AI, commerce, and advertising platforms. (Company data)
🎶 Streaming defines music economics Streaming now accounts for 84% of US recorded music revenue, intensifying debates over how ad-supported versus subscription listening is measured and valued. (RIAA)
🏎️ F1’s data-driven scale Formula 1 processes more than 1.1 million data points per second during races, underscoring why technology, cloud infrastructure, and precision branding are increasingly intertwined. (Formula 1 / Idée Fixe)