Why Hundreds Lined Up for an AI Hat — and What It Says About the Power of Swag
On an October morning in New York City, hundreds of people lined up around the block outside Air Mail in the West Village. It wasn’t for a sneaker drop or a new iPhone, but for an AI hat.
Anthropic, the team behind Claude, had quietly launched a pop-up called “Zero Slop.” The premise was simple: free caps, free coffee, and a calm, thoughtful space to celebrate the company’s mindful approach to AI.
By sunrise, there were already hundreds in line, and by mid-morning, even more.