FIRST THOUGHT: Entertain Us!
If you want to shock someone of an older persuasion, tell them you buy ingredients pre-chopped. They. Will. Lose. It. I recently took my dear grandmother-in-law to the grocery store and boy, was she amazed. It was almost like she stepped into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Fresh meals that you can just pop in the oven? A bag full of all the ingredients you need to make chicken noodle soup? You’ve got to be kidding me! As a woman who still makes her own noodles, I don’t know whether her astonishment was due to wonder or disgust. We love shortcuts these days, and I’m proud to admit that I never plan to dice an onion ever again. Sorry, grandma.
WOMEN IN NUMBERS: 73 Percent
I’m always checking out a cookbook or two from the library, but I’ll admit something I’m slightly ashamed of: I wish I could read the reviews of each recipe. (I know, I know.) There’s so much comfort in knowing that a supposedly 30-minute meal took a cool two hours instead, and that I’m not the only one who moves at a sloth’s pace. I think that’s why we like videos and photos of people acting out each step. For example, 73 percent of consumers worldwide prefer watching entertaining videos on social media. Lights, snack, camera, snack #2, action.
WOMAN TO WATCH: Hannah Hart, Creator of "My Drunk Kitchen"
We’ve all been there: That Buzzfeed Tasty video inspires you, so you head to the kitchen, pop the cork on some Cabernet and get to work. Three glasses in, you forgot to set the timer and the only thing memorable about tonight’s dinner is the pan that’s going to need some major muscles to clean. Today’s Woman to Watch, Hannah Hart, knows good and well what I’m talking about. After all, she’s the snazzy comedian known for her series on YouTube called “My Drunk Kitchen.”
The videos are what you’d expect from the series name: Hannah knocks back a few while preparing a meal. Hannah had moved across the country and was working nights and weekends as a proofreader for a translation firm when she realized she felt homesick for her friends back home in San Francisco. To stay connected, she thought it’d be funny to record a cooking show while drinking. That’s when she started her YouTube series, and seven years later, she has more than 2.5 million subscribers. And girl, is it funny.
Among some serious LOL-worthy remarks, Hannah serves some poignant moments, too. In her holiday episode, she slaps together some cookies that are all various shapes. Hannah reminds us that like the misshapen sugar cookies, we’re all different on the outside, yet all the same people on the inside. Take a bite out of that.
What Hannah’s story shows is that being your true, authentic self pays off. Over the last several years, she has been forthcoming about other aspects of her life, like coming out as gay and proposing to her girlfriend, an executive producer at Buzzfeed. Hannah extends this connection with her fans through a different medium, a podcast called "Hannahlyze This," which she shares with her friend Hannah Gelb.
In her memoir, Buffering, Hannah shares one of the things that led her to be such an advocate for equality and mental health rights. Her mother suffers from psychosis and Hannah was granted conservatorship over her well-being. Despite this heavy responsibility, Hannah feels grateful: Grateful that her story helps others, grateful that she’s able to share it.
Hannah’s made it her career to be positive and vulnerable, proving that there are many beautiful sides to this funny gal. In today’s social media world, I think it’s safe to say that above all else, consumers value authenticity.
QUITE THE QUOTE
With nearly a decade of wise words from Hannah Hart, it’s hard to pick just one quote to close us out today. But this one’s definitely a favorite:
"Not everything works out like you'd expect, but that doesn't mean you should stop trying. Because sometimes it works out for the best. Hope for the best, forget the rest."