Deals in Motion: From F1’s LVMH Partnership to Celebrity Investments in Apparel Brands

Welcome back to the Spotlight! Shana Tova to those who celebrate Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) was not going to write this week because, well, I am one of those who celebrates.  On Rosh Hashanah, it is traditional to enjoy sweet foods such as apples and honey as symbolism for a sweet year that lies ahead. So, in a world in which there is so much acrid vinegar, I aim to bring you at least a few drops of sweet honey—you know, as long as cringe-inducing humor is your thing…

• Loti, a Seattle-based startup that aims to protect celebrities from so-called “deepfakes” and fake endorsements closed its seed financing round, with an impressive list of backers including Abraham Lincoln, Christopher Columbus and Joan of Arc.
• Formula One racing and luxury brand conglomerate LVMH enter into a huge 10 year partnership worth…well, if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it. (OK, fine it’s $1 billion).
• Paying homage takes on a new meaning, as Kevin Durant, Jason Kelce and Rob McElhenney invest in Nostalgia-inspired sports apparel brand Homage, joining the likes of Ryan Reynolds. 
• YouTube users hoping to listen to songs by Adele and others found themselves sitting in silence this week as a continued dispute between performing rights organization SESAC and YouTube’s parent Alphabet led to the music being taken down from the site.  Said one disheartened Adele fan, “I must’ve clicked a thousand times.”