As a reflection of American values, it seems that spectacle, taste and branding are eclipsing the creative accomplishments that got them there.
In 2013, Zack Snyder's city-crushing spectacle Man of Steel boasted more than 100 official brand partners.
The Miami Boat Show, produced by the National Marine Manufacturer's Association, is a sort of maritime Disney World: A few hundred miles south of the real thing in Orlando, the show carries its own brand of spectacle and entertainment, all centered around a nautical theme.
In a previous age, sponsors of these spectacles merely allowed their brands to be associated with these events, now they are synonymous with data and correct management.
Soccer fans world-round know that Ronaldo loves a party, so it's not really much of a surprise that the former athlete chose to throw on a dusty turtleneck, some potentially Robot Heart-branded spectacles, and ride a fucking segway around The Playa at this year's Burning Man.
The first event, the death of President Anwar el-Sadat, marked a spectacle of the most militant brand of political Islam.
The Radio City show, which does not yet have a title, will be a $50 million production that returns to the time-tested Cirque brand of acrobatic spectacle, like "Wintuk," above.
For nearly 150 years, Ringling Bros. has enraptured the imaginations of Children Of All Ages with its ability to innovate and recreate with the times, all while sustaining its unique brand of curiosity, spectacle and daring.
And yet in the United States we seem to be in a moment — well, it's been a lot longer than a moment — when important buildings are either expected to generate spectacle or belong to a recognizably branded style.
It's one of the first examples of how brands are approaching Snapchat Spectacles and a hint of what may come as companies try to connect with users through the first true piece of social media hardware.
