It’s been a while since I last posted. I’ve been working on a bunch of projects, some articles are in the pipeline, a book chapter or two will be coming out in the next year, and just general academic librarian issues.
I’m currently sitting at Starbucks, drinking what is possibly one of the sweetest drinks I’ve ever had here – a Caramel Ribbon Frap, just to try it out. I was looking at their marketing for the drink and their new collection and realized it’s very…New Aesthetic-y. You know, that new glitch aesthetic, homemade/handmade/diy/imperfect. Examples of New Aesthetic include this tumblr, a very good article from Wired, and this post by Gizmodo with links to other examples.
At Starbucks, they released their early summer drinks and a new collection of cups that are chiseled like idealized icebergs. Looking at it, I don’t get the cool/chill look that they are going for – I get the digital, imperfect aesthetic that they didn’t mean for. It’s almost the perfect example of a mainstreaming of the New Aesthetic – an introduction to the world of a new look for consumer products.
What do you think? Are you familiar with the New Aesthetic? What do you think of it?