While at Vidcon Anaheim at the exclusive party with some of the most popular and even famous TikTok content creators, ages 21-35 being the bulk, I was impressed with the cool-dope colorful vibe at the ARTIC Anaheim.
Hittin’ The TikTok Party At VidCon Anaheim With The Unicorn Goddess
Tagging along, as The Unicorn Goddess’ plus one, there must have been thousands of guests at this party. To me, team TikTok understood the VidCon week’s mission by putting together an energetic event that was poppin’ and upbeat.
The Unicorn Goddess, also known as Mercedes Valencia and owner of Master Thyself Skin Care led everyone on a zen group meditation with TikTok. By the end of the week, she and I were strolling our way inside the ARTIC straight vibin’.
VidCon Anaheim 2023: Everyone’s Outside
Making my way through the sea of Gen-Z and younger Millennials something was missing. I couldn’t smell weed. While there was some light cigarette smoke hitting the air, there was no Kush for the push.
“I couldn’t spot the Sativa divas.”
Emery Morrison, CMO and Co-Founder of CampNova
I couldn’t spot the Sativa divas. Not even a spliff was in sight. For a moment I thought I was tripping. I have never been to a party that had thousands of people and never smelled weed.
at the TikTok party at the ARTIC in Anaheim.
Chopping it up with multiple partygoers, security, and other executives, I intently observed the crowd. I marveled at them in their fun time. This is a future cultural shift happening right now. I think the shape of the future of liquor, cannabis, and psychedelics has started to shift. Seeing it at ground level was an eye-opening experience.
As marketers, meeting our audiences is so crucial. And the shift in consumption trends will have future ramifications on successful businesses and companies calculating a jump in any of these consumer packaged goods categories. Bottom line, not trying to sound like I wasn’t partying like the in-crowd, but I came to a few real-life conclusions that are noteworthy for innate consumer consumption and experience.
First the music choice of these partygoers — Hip-hop is KING. This is what turned everyone up with a little splash and mix of EDM here and there but when the party got cracking it was when Soulja Boy’s “Crank That” hit the speakers; (yes, this is 2023).
There Was Weed In Those Edibles?
And since we’re talking about weed, this party crew was high, don’t get it twisted. They were high off edibles in multiple forms. The choice of party favs — Delta-8, Delta-9, mushrooms and other products they lowkey consumed in line and also discreetly at the party.
And while less drinking was a thing here, the bartenders I spoke to noted that at one of the concerts at the Honda Center that hosted, mostly women, partygoers were not finishing their drinks with an open bar.
“Wow,” I blurted out. “Say what?”
Open bar and drinks not finished? I have been to hella club parties with thousands of folks and have never seen this. This was a vibe that may have financial ramifications for top liquor brands and producers. They tasted enjoyable but didn’t finish. My guess is they were already faded feeling good and there was no real need to overly get faded drunk because they were high off edibles of some kind.
And while I couldn’t get over the lack of weed smoke. I was sincerely surprised there was a little spec of cigarette smoke. And despite the lack of joints in the air, the party was a dope experience. I left with a new understanding of new paths to focus on and it’s exciting.
But There Are Questions, Still To Ponder
But it left lingering questions — Is this an anomaly? Was it just one party? Is the younger demo moving toward edibles in multiple forms? It’s time to address this.
On another note, I am back outside and maybe poppin’ in here and there on the ground level and showing you what’s going on in the culture. Let’s go! P.S. Talk to me, I talk back.
