2025

NYC

DATE:

04/16/25

INHERITED LOGICS

one giant leap— but TO WHERE?

one giant leap— but TO WHERE?

WRITTEN BY:

TRISTAN MCALLISTER

The crew of Blue Origin's NS-31 flight— Gayle King, Aisha Bowe, Lauren Sanchez, Amanda Nguyen, Katy Perry and Kerianne Flynn. Source: Blue Origin

The crew of Blue Origin's NS-31 flight— Gayle King, Aisha Bowe, Lauren Sanchez, Amanda Nguyen, Katy Perry and Kerianne Flynn. Source: Blue Origin

LONG STORY, SHORT:

A rocket full of well-known women went to space—and brought backlash back with them. What was intended to “create lasting impact that will inspire generations to come” instead felt like an expensive content stunt in the wrong category.


Turns out, space still has gravity… and so does category logic.

INHERITED LOGICS

INHERITED LOGICS

#001

Inherited Logics is an At Large content series that looks at why certain brand moves land—and why others fall flat—through the lens of "category logic": the unwritten rules audiences and industries expect brands to follow.

THE STORY:

On April 14th, Blue Origin launched a mission celebrating “women in space”—including TV host Gayle King, pop star Katy Perry, activist and entrepreneur Amanda Nguyen, former journalist, pilot and Jeff Bezos fiancée Lauren Sánchez, and two others (yes, the lineup was already getting exhausting)—on a short suborbital flight.


The intended message? Progress. Inclusion. A future that’s female… in zero gravity.


It was a moment the Blue Origin team—and Sánchez, leveraging her PR instincts as a former news anchor and licensed pilot—clearly believed would be hailed as a milestone in human history. But the public didn’t exactly cheer. Within minutes of launch (and surprisingly not much before), criticism swirled around the perceived performativity, the exclusivity, and the disconnect between what space represents and what influencer culture tends to sell.


The PR teams involved claimed they were caught off guard by the backlash. But we weren’t. A simple read of the logic driving influencer culture, aerospace, and tourism would’ve given you every reason to call this a “no-go” before ignition.


An Astronomical Clash of Inherited Logics


1. Aerospace (Inherited Logic: Collective Progress)

— This isn’t Apollo. It’s Apollo-for-Instagram.


Historically, space has symbolized shared achievement. NASA. National pride. The global imagination. When commercial space becomes a platform for selfies and intimate Katy Perry performances, it breaks the collective logic. Space isn’t a product—it’s a cultural milestone.


2. Tourism (Inherited Logic: Transformation/Self actualization)

— Is this a spiritual journey… or a sponsored post?


We expect travel to expand our worldview. Whether it’s through culture, nature, or new perspectives, luxury tourism still promises personal growth. But this mission offered no immersion, no narrative arc, aside from Gayle King’s face of dread in the moments before blastoff, a few minutes of weightlessness for the crew’s perfectly coifed hair, and a branded flight suit.


3. Influencer Culture (Inherited Logic: Relatability)

— I don’t want to be you. I want to know you got there for a reason.


The influencer economy runs on aspiration, yes—but also access. And if space is the ultimate flex, it’s also the ultimate alienation. The moment you’re literally above the rest of us, the contract breaks. Even Amanda Nguyen—widely seen as the mission’s most legitimate passenger—couldn’t salvage that disconnect. A bioastronautics researcher, she was conducting material absorption tests to challenge the outdated belief that menstruation made women unfit for spaceflight. But even that meaningful work got lost in the noise.


A Picture-Perfect Landing … Botched

Even though the New Shepherd capsule safely and gently landed in the West Texas desert, the mission's mission just didn't land. It tried to collapse categories—aerospace, tourism, influencer—without fully understanding what each one owes its audience. When brands borrow from or collapse powerful categories without honoring their values (or meaningfully creating new values), the result is cultural dissonance.

The Story

On April 14th, Blue Origin launched a mission celebrating “women in space”—including morning TV host and journalist Gayle King, pop star Katy Perry, activist and entrepreneur Amanda Nguyen, former journalist and Jeff Bezos fiancée Lauren Sánchez, and two others (yes, the lineup was already getting exhausting)—on a short suborbital flight.


The intended message? Progress. Inclusion. A future that’s female… in zero gravity.


It was a moment the Blue Origin team—and Sánchez, leveraging her PR instincts as a licensed pilot and former news anchor—clearly believed would be hailed as a milestone in human history. But the public didn’t exactly cheer. Within minutes of launch (and surprisingly, not much before), criticism swirled around the perceived performativity, the exclusivity, and the disconnect between what space represents and what influencer culture tends to sell.


The PR teams involved claimed they were caught off guard by the backlash. But we weren’t. A simple read of the logic driving influencer culture, aerospace, and tourism would’ve given you every reason to call this a “no-go” before takeoff.


The Real Tension: A Clash of Inherited Logics


1. Aerospace (Inherited Logic: Collective Progress)

— This isn’t Apollo. It’s Apollo-for-Instagram.


Historically, space has symbolized shared achievement. NASA. National pride. The global imagination. When commercial space becomes a platform for selfies and singalongs with Katy Perry, it breaks the collective logic. Space isn’t a product—it’s a cultural milestone.


2. Tourism (Inherited Logic: Transformation/Self actualization)

— Is this a spiritual journey… or a sponsored post?


We expect travel to expand our worldview. Whether it’s through culture, nature, or new perspectives, luxury tourism still promises personal growth. But this mission offered no immersion, no narrative arc, aside from Gayle King’s face of dread in the moments before blastoff, a few minutes of weightlessness for the crew’s perfectly coifed hair, and a branded flight suit.


3. Influencer Culture (Inherited Logic: Relatability)

— I don’t want to be you. I want to know you got there for a reason.


The influencer economy runs on aspiration, yes—but also access. And if space is the ultimate flex, it’s also the ultimate alienation. The moment you’re literally above the rest of us, the contract breaks. Even Amanda Nguyen—widely seen as the mission’s most legitimate passenger—couldn’t salvage that disconnect. A bioastronautics researcher, she was conducting material absorption tests to challenge the outdated belief that menstruation made women unfit for spaceflight. But even that meaningful work got lost in the noise.


A Picture-Perfect Landing … Botched

Even though the New Shepherd capsule safely and gently landed in the West Texas desert, the mission's mission just didn't land … It tried to collapse categories—aerospace, tourism, influencer—without fully understanding what each one owes its audience. When brands borrow from powerful categories without honoring their values (or meaningfully creating new values), the result is cultural dissonance.

THE AT LARGE TAKE:

  1. The mission was performing empowerment—it needed to design for it. If you’re going to celebrate women in space, why not start with women scientists, engineers, or astronauts pushing the boundaries of aerospace? Build a story that adds to the narrative, not just decorates it.


  2. The storytelling was rooted in publicity, not substance. Had the mission involved mentorship, STEM investment, or cross-cultural dialogue about equity in science—it might’ve transcended spectacle.


  3. They didn't take enough care to understand the logic they borrowed from. If you step into a category like aerospace, know it’s not just tech—it’s legacy. If you use influencer tools, know they come with audience expectations of authenticity and relevance.


Space isn’t neutral. Neither is influence. The future needs both—but they have to speak the same language. In short, there are no shortcuts to your destination whether its your next campaign or space. This is a reminder that when working with clients across industries we have to take the time to deeply understand the culture that surrounds us and interrogate the logics that define categories.

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