The Unfiltered
Fanfare Blog

Drops can be messy—fans get wild, hype goes off the rails. Welcome to our unfiltered take on what works, what doesn't, and why we're obsessed.

Boxing Day is the New Black Friday (And Your Site Isn't Ready)

Michael DodsworthDec 23, 2025

Boxing Day is the New Black Friday (And Your Site Isn't Ready)

US retailers obsess over BFCM, then go dark. Meanwhile, December 26 generates £4.6 billion in the UK alone. Your international customers are about to stress-test infrastructure you forgot to scale.

7 min READ

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The 12 Days of Drop Disasters: 2025's Most Spectacular Launch Failures

Michael DodsworthDec 19, 2025

The 12 Days of Drop Disasters: 2025's Most Spectacular Launch Failures

From Nintendo's midnight meltdown to Oasis tickets triggering government investigations, 2025 proved that hype breaks everything. Here's our countdown of the year's most spectacular launch failures -and what they cost real fans.

8 min READ

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Fanfare TeamNov 28, 2025

Discounts Don't Build Fans. Drops Do.

Black Friday spending is down 13% since 2019, and 60% of Gen Z regret their purchases. The discount model is dying. Here's why scarcity-driven drops are the future of retail.

5 min READ

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Fanfare TeamNov 27, 2025

No Lines. No Chaos. No Security Theater. Just Denim Tears Doing a Drop Right in ATL.

For the recent pop-up in Atlanta, Denim Tears proved there's a better way to run a drop—scheduled appointments, mobile check-in, and controlled pacing replaced the usual chaos. Here's why this fan-first approach is the future.

3 min READ

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Fanfare TeamSep 20, 2025

When "Sold Out" Becomes a Trust Buster

Ariana Grande's Eternal Sunshine Tour tickets vanished in minutes, leaving millions of fans in hour-long queues with nothing to show for it. Learn why "sold out" increasingly feels like "sold out to insiders"—and how to build launches that reward real fans, not rage-quit.

4 min READ

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From $85 to $10,500: How Labubu Turned a Blind Box into a Blockbuster

Fanfare TeamAug 6, 2025

From $85 to $10,500: How Labubu Turned a Blind Box into a Blockbuster

A toothy little monster just sold for 123x its retail price on eBay. Discover how Labubu's blind box drops created a new investment class where emotional attachment plus engineered scarcity equals massive financial upside.

3 min READ

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Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans and American Eagle Has Its Wings Back

Fanfare TeamJul 24, 2025

Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans and American Eagle Has Its Wings Back

Sydney Sweeney's latest drop with American Eagle isn't just selling denim—it's moving stock prices. Learn how this celebrity collaboration lifted AE's stock 16% and created a blueprint for fandom-driven commerce that scales from screens to balance sheets.

4 min READ

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When Hype Backfires: Why Bad Drops Spawn Bad Blood and Chargebacks

Fanfare TeamJul 8, 2025

When Hype Backfires: Why Bad Drops Spawn Bad Blood and Chargebacks

Bad drops don't just lose sales—they create viral backlash and expensive chargebacks. Learn how bot-ridden queues and crashed checkouts turn loyal fans into bitter critics, and discover the five moves to bulletproof your next launch.

5 min READ

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Fanfare TeamJun 25, 2025

Hype + Loyalty: The Ultimate Power Couple

How to fuse high-heat drops with modern loyalty programs to create fan obsession and drive revenue. With U.S. consumers belonging to 16.6 loyalty programs but actively using less than half, it's time to make yours matter. We break down how to integrate velvet-rope exclusivity with points-based rewards to boost LTV, kill bot traffic, and turn casual shoppers into devoted fans.

6 min READ

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Making Waves in the Bathtub: Inside Sydney Sweeney's Viral Soap Drop

Fanfare TeamJun 11, 2025

Making Waves in the Bathtub: Inside Sydney Sweeney's Viral Soap Drop

Start with one part internet-favorite actress, add a dash of bathwater-themed absurdity, and drop it on a fandom hungry for a moment. The result? A crashed server, a sold-out product, and a lesson in how modern hype is made. This is the story of how Dr. Squatch and Sydney Sweeney traded hygiene for history.

3 min READ

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Why Every “Can’t-Miss” Drop Feels Like Déjà Vu

Michael DodsworthApr 29, 2025

Why Every “Can’t-Miss” Drop Feels Like Déjà Vu

High-heat launches like the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders often result in website crashes, broken queues, and frustrated fans. This article explores the systemic issues behind these failures, the brand fallout, and how a fan-centric approach with fairness, transparency, predictability, and reward can turn chaos into a competitive edge.

6 min READ

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Michael DodsworthFeb 9, 2025

Ticket Bots vs Real Fans

The live events industry is facing a growing problem of bots outpacing real fans in ticket sales. In this post, we explore the reasons behind the bot problem and discuss potential solutions to restore fairness in ticketing.

7 min READ

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Adam StoneDec 12, 2024

Elements of Scarcity - Limited Time

Time-based scarcity is a powerful marketing strategy that creates urgency and drives consumer action. In this final post of our scarcity series, we explore how limited-time offers and seasonal availability can enhance product desirability and influence purchasing decisions.

5 min READ

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Michael DodsworthDec 3, 2024

Beyond Black Friday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024 saw record-breaking sales—but the real opportunity lies beyond the holiday rush and into the heart of December shopping. Discover how to transform these high-intent BFCM shoppers into loyal, year-round customers using strategic drops, personalized engagement, and data-driven retention techniques.

9 min READ

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Adam StoneNov 28, 2024

Elements of Scarcity - High Demand

Explore how excess demand can be leveraged in marketing to create social proof and drive consumer interest, as part of our series on scarcity.

5 min READ

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Adam StoneNov 21, 2024

Elements of Scarcity - Limited Supply

Scarcity is a powerful marketing tool that can drive consumer desire and create excitement around your products. In this first post of our series, we dive into the concept of limited supply—whether through small production runs or exclusive releases—and how it impacts purchasing decisions.

5 min READ

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The UnfilteredFanfare Blog

Boxing Day is the New Black Friday (And Your Site Isn't Ready)

The 12 Days of Drop Disasters: 2025's Most Spectacular Launch Failures

Discounts Don't Build Fans. Drops Do.

No Lines. No Chaos. No Security Theater. Just Denim Tears Doing a Drop Right in ATL.

When "Sold Out" Becomes a Trust Buster

From $85 to $10,500: How Labubu Turned a Blind Box into a Blockbuster

Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans and American Eagle Has Its Wings Back

When Hype Backfires: Why Bad Drops Spawn Bad Blood and Chargebacks

Hype + Loyalty: The Ultimate Power Couple

Making Waves in the Bathtub: Inside Sydney Sweeney's Viral Soap Drop

Why Every “Can’t-Miss” Drop Feels Like Déjà Vu

Ticket Bots vs Real Fans

Elements of Scarcity - Limited Time

Beyond Black Friday

Elements of Scarcity - High Demand

Elements of Scarcity - Limited Supply

The Unfiltered
Fanfare Blog