Buzzworthy | Community 4. Succession Lives On In Merch HBO’s intense corporate drama Succession aired its last episode on May 28. Fans finally saw who ultimately succeeded in this über-rich modern family dynasty. No spoilers here! While we say goodbye to Waystar and the Roy siblings, some things will last forever. The characters’ famous one-liners and appalling insults will live on in memes and pop culture. It’s not enough to retweet or post a clip from the Emmy-winning show. Fans want to wear it. Iconic moments, like Kendall Roy rapping “L to the OG” or Tom Wambsgans sending 67 emails in one evening with the title “You Can’t Make A Tomlette Without Breaking Some Greggs,” are memorialized in merch. 3. Politicians Auction Off Used Promo Lip Balm For Thousands A used cherry-flavored lip balm fetched $100,000 – yes, you read that right – in May among House Republicans. The promo item, branded with a candidate’s name and produced from the pockets of Speaker Kevin McCarthy (and, ahem, already used by him), was purchased, along with a dinner invitation for supporters, by a pledge from Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to the GOP campaign fund. The lip balm itself came from the campaign of first-time Florida Rep. Aaron Bean, who also served as auctioneer. The odd bidding is not uncommon for political promo. Some collectors will spend big on these little pieces of history. 5. One Fan Spends $11,000 On Taylor Swift Tour Merch Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour had a tumultuous start. But even after a ticket sale debacle, with lawsuits hurled at company Ticketmaster, fans remain undeterred. The Grammy-winning artist continues to sell out shows and amass hour-long lines for her exclusive merch. Before her tour even began, Swift released a collection of Eras Tour merch. But there are some items you can only get at the concert, like a blue crewneck that went viral on social media. Cosmopolitan says it’s one of the reasons why fans are camping out for concert promo. One fan told the New York Times, “I’ve been having nightmares about getting this crew neck. I haven’t been sleeping.” At a Tampa show, Swifties lined up in the rain, with lawn chairs and blankets, 12 hours before merch trucks arrived. In Houston, the merch line could be seen from helicopters. But one mom in New Jersey takes the cake, spending $11,000 on concert merch for her daughter’s sweet 16. Image source: Etsy Image source: Twitter Image source: Taylor Swift Store PPAI • JULY 2023 • 101
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