Borkowski Weekly Media Trends: Barbenheimer & More

PLUS 'Not Cricket', Daniel Korski withdraws from Mayor race and Kevin Spacey's shifting sands

Barbenheimer: The most ambitious promotional crossover in cinematic history

The release of blockbusters Barbie and Oppenheimer on the same day was surely a coincidence. But may prove to be one of the greatest instances of serendipity in the history of cinema marketing.

Greta Gerwig’s bombastic neon pink fantasy and Christoper Nolan’s monochromatic nightmare could not, on the surface at least, be tonally, aesthetically or attitudinally more different and that dichotomy tickled the internet launching a meme about the notion of seeing both as a double bill and the thundering emotional change of gear it would require.

What started as a meme has turned into the cultural talking point of the summer. Every incongruous pairing of something flamboyant and pink with something dark and austerely sleek has been memed as a symbol of the unlikely kinship between the contrasting films – ultimately doubling the publicity for both.

That means Oppenheimer (a much harder film to market given its dark subject matter) has happily piggy-backed on Barbie stunts such as the real life Malibu Dream House and the limited edition X-Box.

Although neither of the film’s marketing teams have so far engaged directly with the Trend, it’s surely a contributing factor to booming pre-sales, and the emergence of Barbenheimer merch ensures that as well as a marketing win-win this will be a cultural moment remembered for some time.

Cricket's PR Problem

UK cricket is currently at a high point on the field - The Ashes is underway alongside T20 Blast action, with millions following and playing nationwide. However behind the scenes, a damming report published by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket that drew evidence from more than 4,000 players, coaches and fans addresses historical and existing issues of racism, sexism, elitism, and class-based discrimination. This follows the 2021 high-profile investigation that confirmed former cricketer Azeem Rafiq experienced racial harassment and discrimination during his time at Yorkshire CCC, which sent shock waves through the sport sparking critical discussions about the need for change.

The ICEC’s recent report acknowledged the progress in areas like women’s cricket participation and recognised the issues identified are not exclusive to cricket and reflect broader societal challenges. But from the Azeem Rafiq fallout and the ongoing in-fighting and allegations thrown back and forth around the disciplinary process, it’s messy and clearly shows that cricket has a serious PR problem.

There are solutions - grassroots initiatives that continue to educate and train coaching staff and officials across the amateur level are essential, but anyone familiar with village and local cricket clubs knows that change is a very slow process. Plus, the report references private schools and ‘old boys’ networks that gatekeep the sport and its culture. Many in cricket aren’t ready for significant change that disrupts the power dynamic.

Therefore top-level transparent communication with diverse leadership and representation is a must - England cricket has plenty of big characters that have won over the respect of the nation for on-field heroics - stars like Stokes, Root and Broad should be working with cricket’s governing bodies to promote partnerships that help stamp out nasty cultures that have been poisoning cricket for decades. And whilst Bairstow carrying a Just Stop Oil protestor off the pitch may have received roars from the Lord’s crowd, the optics were bad for those outside the cricketing bubble. It was pompous, over-the-top and unprofessional - he could’ve easily injured himself!

Cricket must demonstrate a genuine commitment to addressing the problems of discrimination and inequity, which requires a proactive approach that rebuilds trust and attracts a diverse audience to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment within the sport. This doesn’t happen overnight and requires careful thought and planning - but the plan must start this year to get things moving urgently.

Progress or Privilege?

Despite its headline-stealing potential, this week’s story of TV producer Daisy Goodwin identifying a man who groped her 10 years ago as Tory mayoral candidate Daniel Korski was almost a “blink and you’ll mis it” event. Goodwin penned a piece detailing the incident, which appeared in the Times on Monday morning, and by Thursday afternoon, Korski had withdrawn himself from the race.

In some ways, perhaps this feels like post-Me-Too-Era progress, with minimal drawing out of the uncomfortable “he said, she said” rhetoric that so often follows these stories. Goodwin herself has said that she feels much has changed in the years since the incident, but still seemed shocked to be asked by BBC Radio 4 presenter Martha Kearney whether she was sure she remembered the situation clearly, during an appearance on the Today programme. Goodwin also acknowledged that she spoke from the privileged platform of an established television executive with good media connections, questioning whether a younger, more disadvantaged woman would have been in the same position to come forward.

This cynical trends writer feels that it is this point, rather than a massive change in a willingness to believe women who say they have been harassed, which has led to the story’s speedy conclusion. Similarly, it is almost certain that this is only a speed bump in Daniel Korski’s public life rather than an ultimate cancellation. After all, even Kevin Spacey (more below), whose alleged acts as a “sexual bully” make Korski’s alleged indiscretions pale in comparison, features in a new film due out this year. 

Kevin Spacey attempts to shift battleground as court case begins

This week Kevin Spacey appeared in court for the start of his much-discussed trial, where he faces multiple charges of sexual assault, which ended his Hollywood career. Many condemned Spacey and how he handled the crisis after he came out while addressing allegations in what many saw as an insensitive distraction.

Spacey continues to plead his innocence to all charges in this latest case, and at times the situation has been more reminiscent of scenes from former Netflix hit House of Cards than real life. 

Following Spacey's cancellation, he fled to mainland Europe, occasionally hopping to different countries to resuscitate his career. Since the US cases were resolved, he has featured in Italian and Croatian films and recently gave an extensive interview for Zeit in Germany. He is taking a step-by-step approach to a rebuild in countries thousands of miles away from the serious allegations hovering over his head.

Experts expect the trial to last a month, keeping a close eye on proceedings. If found guilty, he faces years in prison, and his career on life support will be over. However, if innocent, he'll have a chance at a rebuild. Will he be the next Johnny Depp who managed to recover his reputation after the domestic abuse allegations? 

Judging by the Zeit interview, Spacey thinks he still has a loyal fan base who will back him and implies showbiz will too. But it's implausible he can rebuild in the US or UK. Only time will tell, but the next four weeks will see some explosive evidence that will likely signal Kevin Spacey's professional demise.