Morning Brew - 🌴 OOO

IDK if you’ve noticed, but people have been getting more creative with their OOO messages lately—especially when a pandemic “vacation” really means binge-watching Netflix.

The Cut covered the tricky task of creating a smart but fun out-of-office response, including the TMIs and insensitive jokes to avoid.

Next time there’s just one away note standing between you and a romantic staycation with Ted Lasso, remember to... 

Avoid a frustratingly vague OOO: I’m out of the office today. Regards, Rebecca 

What can anyone reasonably do with this response? If there’s no one to field inbounds while you’re gone, at least include the date you’ll be back. 

Also avoid a TMI OOO: Welp, my washing machine decided to break today...so I’m at the laundromat, crying Tide Pod-size tears. 

As The Cut says, sharing that you’re on vacation or getting married is fine! Do it! “But people don’t need (or usually want) the more mundane details of life...or overly personal information, like that you’re out sick with an allergic reaction,” said columnist Alison Green.

Attempt the just-right OOO: Morning Brew writer Matty Merritt’s recent OOO message is the perfect combination of work and play. Click here to read it, and give her a follow. 

These body care all-stars will speed up your routine if and when you’re pressed for time. 

• Why laboriously rub in your body lotion when you can spray it on?  
• ...or better yet, apply it in the shower. 
• Skip the messy DIY brown sugar lip scrub, and use Wonder Drops instead.
• And finally, a good pair of exfoliating gloves will change your life. 

Did you know that Clinique is marketing on TikTok, brands are using AI to quantify the value of sponsoring professional athletes, and advertising in Times Square plummeted during the pandemic? 

You don’t have enough hours in a day to keep on top of marketing trends. That's why we created Marketing Brew, the go-to newsletter for creatives.

Marketing Brew analyzes trends and introduces you to the buzziest thinkers in marketing and advertising. Sign up for free to level-up your marketing in 5 minutes, 3x/week.

• Read: BRB, googling normcore boyfriend.
• Listen: Former New York Times editor Tim Herrera gets real about burnout and why he left his dream job to prioritize his mental health on the So Money podcast.
• Watch: Refinery29’s Sweet Digs brings you inside cool apartments across the country (and Canada). We’re loving this NYC one-bedroom with a giant backyard. 

Back on track.

To many of us, a year or two of couch-bound laziness doesn’t sound like an awful fate. But to runners, months of forced lockdown sounds like talons on the world’s largest chalkboard.

All that pent-up running energy is about to get let out in a big way: With pandemic restrictions lifting worldwide, an unprecedented wave of marathons are set to break over the world’s roads. 

• New York, Boston, Paris, London, Berlin, Washington D.C., and Chicago will all host tens of thousands of runners this fall.

Ahead of mega marathon season, we spoke with two renaissance runners about balancing training and high-octane day jobs, the good vibes of the running community, and why now is the time to invest in your running gear, download a training plan, and get out there.

Click here to read the full story.

Prep for Taco Tuesday with recipes, seasonings, and an ice cold mockgarita.

• These grain-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free taco shells are the key to hosting a taco night fit for every type of dietary restriction.
• If you don’t live near a Birria-Landia taco truck, this TikTok recipe is the next best thing. It has over 1.8 million likes for a reason. 
• Whether you’re craving beef, chicken, or fish tacos, this three-pack seasoning set will make sure they’re unboring on your plate. 
• A little sweet with the perfect kick of spice, Tajin’s mockgarita recipe pairs super well with, you guessed it, tacos. Add 2 ounces of tequila to make it the real thing.