The way the sun is hitting proves that our Hot Girl summer has officially kicked off, because sis, it is smoldering in these streets.
We know you've been out here drinking your water, growing your edges, and living your best life in this summer heat, but if you need a break and some good old fashioned R&R, there's no better way to do that than with a seasonal spritzer and a new Netflix favorite that you can binge to your heart's desire; and luckily, xoNecole has you covered with a list of everything that's new and black AF on the streaming service.
Here's what you can look forward to on Netflix this July:
A Thin Line Between Love & Hate - July 1
When a young bachelor with commitment issues meets a beautiful woman in the club, he thinks he's hit the jackpot, but it isn't until later when he learns that everything that glitters ain't gold. This hilarious spin on Fatal Attraction was released in 1996 and stars iconic actors Martin Lawrence and Lynn Whitfield. 20 years later, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate is a stark warning for men who like to play with fragile hearts.
Stranger Things 3 - July 4
Back from a two-year hiatus, the third season of Stranger Things promises even more eighties nostalgia and teenage angst than before and picks up with the gang less than a year where they left off when they are approaching adolescence as well as some of their most challenging adventures yet. Showrunners anticipate that this season will be the biggest season so far and will feature the full original cast.
Kinky - July 9
Netflix
Starring Robert Ri'Chard (One on One) and Dawn Richard from Danity Kane, Kinky just might be the erotic 50-Shades of Black-style thriller you didn't know you needed. When a successful surgeon seeks a little excitement, she stumbles upon a wealthy entrepreneur who has an affinity for spanking and boy, do I need that in my life. While the movie has gotten some pretty poor ratings online, if you've got an hour and 10 minutes to spare, you can check out Kinky on Netflix starting July 9.
Family Reunion - July 10
When two free-spirited parents and their three kids uproot their lives leave Seattle to reconnect with family down south, they encounter a major culture shock right in the heart of the Bible belt. This sitcom-style comedy boasts itself on having an all-black writers team and stars Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Loretta Devine, and a few other familiar faces.
Last Chance U: Indy Part 2 - July 19
Sports has never really been my thing, but a reality TV show about smalltown football with big dreams is filled with all the drama I didn't know I needed. Returning for its 4th season, the Emmy-nominated series follows a championship-worthy junior college football team from Independence, Kansas and their fight for a future in the league.
Queer Eye: Season 4 - July 19
ROB KIM/GETTY
The last time I was getting my hair braided, my stylist put me on the Fab Five in a major way. For four hours straight, we laughed, cried, and YASS'd with the fabulous Queens of Queer Eye and my life will never be the same. Later this month, our five favorite men are hitting the streets of Kansas City in search of souls to touch and lives to dazzle for their fourth and most fabulous season yet.
Orange Is The New Black: Season 7 - July 26
It's finally come time for us to bid farewell to the ladies of Litchfield and my heart can't take it. Will Daya baby daddy finally bring his funky ass back around? How will Piper readjust to life as a free woman? Will Taystee ever forgive her BFF, Cindy? We have questions and Season 7 of Orange is the New Black promises to answer every single one of them.
Featured image by Giphy.
- Here's What Is Leaving And Arriving On Netflix In July 2019 ... ›
- Netflix Reveals What's Coming and Going in June 2019: Time to ... ›
- Netflix in July 2019: 'Stranger Things,' 'Mary Poppins Returns,' more ›
- Netflix June 2019: What's Coming to Streaming Service – Variety ›
- Netflix July 2019: All the Movies and TV Shows Coming to Netflix In ... ›
- Here's What's New on Netflix in July 2019 (and Leaving) | Time ›
- New on Netflix July 2019: Movies, TV, and Original Series ›
- Netflix New Releases: July 2019 | Hollywood Reporter ›
- Stranger Things, Queer Eye, and more coming to Netflix in July 2019 ... ›
RELATED
While an evolution is a natural progression that happens as businesses grow, a rebrand is a total change. Lola tells xoNecole, "A total rebrand is necessary when a business’s current reputation/what it’s known for is at odds with the business’s vision or direction.
"For example, if you’ve fundamentally changed what your product is and does, it’s likely that your brand is out of alignment with the business. Or, if you find your company is developing a reputation that doesn’t serve it, it might be time to pump the brakes and figure out what needs to change.
She continues, "Sometimes you’ll see companies (especially startups) announce a name change that comes with updated messaging, visuals, etc. That usually means their vision has changed or expanded, and their previous branding was too narrow/couldn’t encompass everything they planned to do."
Feature image courtesy
The Brand Doula was born in 2019, and its focus is on putting "the experiences, goals, and needs of women of color founders first," as well as brands with "culture-shifting missions."
According to Lola, culture-shifting is "the act of influencing dominant behavior, beliefs, or experiences in a community or group (ideally, for the better)."
"At The Brand Doula, we work with companies and leaders that set out to challenge the status quo in their industries and communities. They’re here to make an impact that sends ripples across the market," she says.
"We help the problem solvers of the world — the ones who aren't satisfied with 'this is how it's always been' and instead ask 'how could this be better?' Our clients build for impact, reimagining tools, systems, and ways of living to move cultures forward."
The Brand Doula has worked with many brands, including Too Collective, to assist with their collaboration with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Balanced Black Girl for a "refresh," aka rebrand. For businesses looking to rebrand, Lola shares four essential steps.
1. Do an audit of your current brand experience — what’s still relevant and what needs to change? Reflect on why you’re doing the rebrand in the first place and what success would look like after relaunching.
2. Tackle the overall strategy first — before you start redesigning logos and websites, align on a new vision for your brand. How do you want your company to be positioned moving forward? Has your audience changed at all? Will your company have a fresh personality and voice?
3. Bring your audience along the journey — there’s no need to move in secret. Inviting your current audience into the journey can actually help them feel more connected to and invested in your story, enough to stick around as changes are being made.
4. Keep business moving — one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies take down their websites as soon as they have the idea to rebrand, then have a Coming Soon page up for months! You lose a lot of momentum and interest by doing that. If you’re still in business and generating income, continue to operate while you work on your rebrand behind the scenes. You don’t want to cut existing customers off out of the blue, and you also don’t want so much downtime that folks forget your business exists or start looking for other solutions.
While determining whether the rebrand was successful may take a few months, Lola says a clear sign that it is unsuccessful is negative feedback from your target audience. "Customers are typically more vocal about what they don’t like more than what they do like," she says.
But some good signs to look out for are improvements in engagement with your marketing, positive reviews, press and increase in retention, and overall feeling aligned with the new branding.
For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy
