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Attention spans may be shrinking, but the gaming universe keeps expanding. Gaming isn't just a pastime — it's a boundless playground for imagination. Bain's 2024 Gaming Report has the numbers to back up that observation. Here's what you need to know:

📈 GAME GROWTH: In 2023, the gaming industry reached USD 196 billion in revenue – outperforming streaming and the movie box office combined. By 2028, Bain predicts global gaming revenue will reach USD 257 billion, growing 6% annually.

👾 GENERATION GAMER: Across six countries, 52% of people report video gaming regularly. Over 80% of 2 to 18-year-olds identify as gamers, dedicating 30% of their entertainment time to game worlds. But don’t count out older cohorts: 31% of those over 45 also claim the gamer label and constitute a largely untapped audience.

🎮 SOCIAL SCENES: Think Roblox and Fortnite are just games? Think again. These platforms are the new malls — players are hanging out, creating, connecting and even shopping. Immersive gamers (those who spend 1.5 hours/week more in a game than non-immersive gamers) dedicate a third of their time to non-gaming activities.

🎨 CO-CREATION: 80% of gamers have played games with user-generated content (UGC), and 1 in 7 have created in-game content. Among UGC creators, 80% say the experience is all about creative self-expression and making content for their friends to enjoy.

As demonstrated by Beetlejuice and Brat Summer smashing sales records on Roblox, gaming platforms are increasingly becoming a prime space for interacting with audiences new and old.

A San Francisco-based startup took a sprint toward the future of artificial intelligence by unleashing 1,000 autonomous AI agents on a Minecraft server. Altera, founded by former MIT professor Robert (Guangyu) Yang, conducted Project Sid to explore whether agents can organize and collaborate to achieve more collectively than as entities operating individually. So, what happened? Agents formed a merchant hub, used Google Docs to vote on and amend a constitution, spread a religious belief (Pastafarianism) through bribery and lit torches to help a lost villager find their way home. They also collected far more in-game items than expected.

Through simulation of various aspects of civilization, including democracy, social norms and economic systems, Project Sid aims to uncover phenomena not visible in smaller-scale AI interactions and gain insights into the development of more human-like AI. The experiment also revealed significant challenges — how to benchmark the progress of an AI civilization, for example, and how minor flaws in individual agent behavior can cascade into large-scale issues within a simulated society. It's also debatable how autonomous the agents actually are. To what degree are their actions self-initiated? How many of their decisions can be traced directly to knowledge and instructions provided by their developers?

Altera's mission is "to create digital human beings that live, care and grow with us," using the human brain as its inspiration, with models mirroring elements like the prefrontal cortex, memory systems and social-emotional states (Yang is a computational neuroscientist 🧠). The startup's ambitions haven't gone unnoticed by investors. In May 2024, Altera announced an oversubscribed USD 9 million seed round, co-led by Eric Schmidt's First Spark Ventures and Patron, a seed-stage fund co-founded by Riot Games alums.

Unilever is pioneering a novel approach to fragrance creation by repurposing leftover plants and flowers that would otherwise go to waste. The consumer goods giant has partnered with scientists at the University of Nottingham and Bridge Farm Group — which grows plants and flowers in over 60 acres of greenhouse space — to pilot the extraction of essential oils from leftover petunias, roses and marigolds.

If large-scale production is economically feasible, these oils could be used in a range of home and personal care products, from shampoos to cleaning solutions. The initiative not only addresses the issue of floral waste but also explores a more sustainable alternative to the petrochemical-derived ingredients that are currently used in many products.

Compounds are being extracted from the flowers using a process that combines traditional methods with cutting-edge technology. As reported by The Independent, the scientists involved are using an energy-efficient and accelerated process that takes just 20 minutes, which is 40% faster than conventional techniques. Beyond essential oils, Unilever is also investigating extracting other high-value ingredients such as terpenes, lactones and ethers for fragrances, complex sugars for cleaning products and odor-neutralizing compounds for personal care items.

Google Research is leveraging artificial intelligence to help cities combat extreme heat. The team's newly developed Heat Resilience tool analyzes satellite and aerial imagery to assist urban planners in quantifying the potential impact of cooling interventions. It's an AI-powered system that uses object detection and other models to assess elements such as green space coverage and roof reflectivity. This granular approach allows city officials to visualize the effects of strategies like planting more trees and adding cool roofs with highly reflective surfaces.

Currently being piloted in 14 US cities, the Heat Resilience tool is already informing policy decisions. Miami-Dade County, for instance, plans to use insights gleaned to incentivize heat mitigation measures in new property developments. Meanwhile, Stockton, California, employed an earlier version of the tool to identify potential urban heat island reduction projects.

According to forecasts by the UN, two out of every three people will live in urban areas by 2050 — places disproportionately affected by climate change. But, as Medellín in Colombia demonstrated with its ambitious network of 'Green Corridors,' progress is possible. Reasons to Be Cheerful reported that "Medellín's temperatures fell by 2°C in the first three years of the program, and officials expect a further decrease of 4 to 5°C over the next few decades, even taking into account climate change." Google's Heat Resilience tool and others like it give urban planners and heat officers in other cities the data they need to convince decision-makers to take similar actions asap.

The Standard hotels in New York City are taking the concept of experiential travel to new heights with their latest offering: a room and tattoo package dubbed Inked Out. In a partnership with upscale Brooklyn tattoo studio Atelier Eva, The Standard is catering to the growing trend of people happy to travel to get inked by artists they follow on Instagram. Atelier Eva's founder, Eva Karabudak, told Surface that around 30-40 percent of the studio's clients travel from other cities to get tattooed by one of its artists.

Guests booking stays at The Standard's East Village or High Line locations receive a USD 100 credit towards a tattoo session at Atelier Eva, plus priority booking access. The package aims to streamline the often-challenging process of securing appointments with in-demand artists. Post-ink, visitors can pamper their new artwork with complimentary Mad Rabbit aftercare products. This collaboration not only taps into the burgeoning tattoo tourism market — speaking directly to the tribes of devoted tattoo lovers — but also aligns with The Standard's reputation for curating distinctive experiences beyond traditional hospitality offerings.

The EIU’s latest African Cities 2035 report revealed that Africa is on the brink of a major urban revolution. With the continent’s population surging, Africa is officially the world’s fastest urbanizing region and, by 2035, its urban population is set to hit 1 billion (up from 650 million in 2023). Six African cities — Luanda, Dar es Salaam, Cairo, Kinshasa, Lagos and Greater Johannesburg — will each surpass 10 million residents by 2035. In fact, over half of Africans will call cities home, transforming urban centers into buzzing hubs of innovation, creativity and economic dynamism.

This urban boom brings its own set of challenges: overcrowding, informal settlements, stretched infrastructure and climate vulnerabilities. City planners are tasked with balancing rapid growth with sustainable, forward-thinking solutions 🌱

🌍 The bottom line: as Africa's cities swell, they’ll be hotspots for both wealth creation and social tensions. Opportunities and challenges will grow in tandem. So, city planner or not, how can you help young people thrive in these emerging megacities?

Warner Bros. recently released the official trailer for the highly anticipated anime prequel in The Lord of the Rings franchise. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim explores events in Middle-earth 261 years before The Fellowship of the Ring, focusing on King Helm Hammerhand's defense of Rohan. Veteran actor Brian Cox, known for his leading role in Succession, voices Helm, while Miranda Otto reprises her role as Eowyn. Key LOTR veterans are contributing to the project, including Peter Jackson. The film is set for international release on 11 December 2024.

Anime has always been a popular subculture but was long considered niche and largely associated with otakus and weebs: both somewhat derogatory labels for Japanese subculture enthusiasts. In recent years, however, it has gained mainstream appeal. For one, streaming platforms offering anime titles, now with English dubs and/or subtitles, have significantly expanded the genre's global reach. In 2023, the most in-demand TV show worldwide was the anime title Jujutsu Kaisen.

Luxury brands in particular have also taken notice of anime’s increasing influence on the global stage. Brands looking to shift luxury goods from commodities into collectibles have turned to anime collaborations: Loewe x Studio Ghibli, Gucci x Doraemon, Jimmy Choo x Sailor Moon, and more. In turn, these luxury tie-ups further enhance anime’s cultural cachet, creating a reinforcing cycle of increasing popularity. Could your next brand opportunity for cultural partnerships lie with anime IPs?

More broadly: last week we discussed the record-breaking success of Black Myth: Wukong and the growth of Asian cultural properties on the global stage. The rise of anime as a medium for prestige culture is another example. What role can your brand play within the movement?

Hong Kong-based travel experiences booking platform Klook is partnering with TikTok to integrate booking features directly into the app. Announced in August 2024, this initiative will allow consumers in Southeast Asia and Japan who discover travel experiences on TikTok to immediately book them in-app. 

The partnership is an expansion of the Klook Kreator program, which is open to anyone with at least 5,000 followers on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok. 'Kreators' who are part of the community will be issued a unique promo code to share with their audience, earning commissions on bookings and access to sponsored travel events and experiences. Since its launch in October 2023, the program now boasts over 20,000 members across 16 markets.

We don’t have to tell you that social media is a key driver of consumer behavior — a whopping 82% of Southeast Asian consumers discover new products through the platforms. It's especially powerful for highly visual and shareable products like travel: a Skift report found that 57% of individuals globally rely on social media for travel planning. 

🏝️👀🛒 Beyond facilitating discovery, TikTok is now pioneering models that bridge the gap between the FYP and the checkout page. The platform does so by bolstering in-house features such as TikTok Shop (which is wildly successful in Asia) and through external partnerships such as those with Ticketmaster and AXS. 

Klook’s expansion of its partnership with TikTok is a win-win-win for both parties and for consumers. It allows Klook to show up where travelers are, enables TikTok to strengthen its position as the one-stop platform for inspiration and instant gratification, and facilitates a more seamless travel planning experience for consumers.

Remember when OpenAI’s ChatGPT smashed records by reaching 1 million subscribers in just 5 days? For context, it took Netflix 41 months, Facebook 10 months and Instagram 2.5 months to achieve the same milestone.

⏩ Fast forward two years, and ChatGPT reached another milestone: 200 million weekly active users by August 2024, doubling its user base since November 2023. That’s edging in close on Netflix’s 278 million subscribers! 

📈 This surge follows OpenAI’s launch of the more affordable, advanced GPT-4o Mini model.

🏢 Not to mention, 92% of Fortune 500 companies now rely on OpenAI’s tools.

But OpenAI isn’t the only one hitting big numbers. According to Mark Zuckerberg, Meta AI now has 185 million weekly active users. Anthropic’s Claude, meanwhile, reached USD 1 million in mobile revenue in just 16 weeks — though ChatGPT achieved that milestone in 3 weeks.

As ChatGPT and other AI assistants become part of everyday routines — following in the footsteps of binge-watching Netflix and searching Google — the question is: how can you harness the advances of the LLM oligopoly while also tapping into (and backing!) local and purposed innovators who might be more closely aligned with your needs and values?

Bang & Olufsen just unveiled Beoplay H100, its flagship headphones. As expected, the product promises superior sound quality and noise-cancellation technology, with 40mm custom-made titanium drivers and a novel EarSense feature that tailors sound to the wearer's unique fit in real time. But what stands out most — for this trend analyst, at least — is how the headphones have been designed for durability and longevity from the ground up.

They're crafted from materials that age well, including aluminum, glass and leather. Parts like the inner headband and earpad cushions are user-replaceable, while the product's modular construction provides service teams with easy access to internal components like batteries, drivers and circuit boards. The brand's commitment to a long lifespan extends beyond hardware; the H100 runs on a new software platform that allows upgrading over time, ensuring the headphones won't become obsolete as technology advances. When new features come out, users just update their software to get access.

As Bang & Olufsen says, "One day, we believe all headphones will be designed like this. Intuitive. Long-lasting. Modular. So you can care for and make them like new again. And again." Future-proofed quality comes at a price: the Beoplay H100 is listed for EUR 1499/USD 1,549.

A report by German supermarket giant Edeka — its fifth annual survey of neighborhoods across the country — reveals a complex picture of social cohesion. While three-quarters of respondents perceive significant division within German society as a whole, this sentiment doesn't necessarily translate to their immediate surroundings. In fact, 64% of those surveyed report little to no polarization within their own neighborhoods.

The study highlights a potential antidote to societal fragmentation: community engagement. A majority of Germans (also 64%) believe that neighborhood involvement can have a positive impact on social cohesion. This optimism is reflected in the willingness of 75% of respondents to consider future social engagement in their communities. 🛠️ Interestingly, the survey found that individuals who are already actively involved in their neighborhoods tend to perceive less societal division overall.

Polarization continues to intensify, and Germany is no exception — just this week, AfD became the first far-right party to win a state election in the country since World War II. From elections to heated debates over social and environmental issues, many countries are grappling with ideological divides. Edeka's research suggests that fostering connections at the most local level could be a powerful tool to combat polarization. Without necessarily taking sides, brands can play a role in promoting local engagement as a counterbalance to societal divides. One to get started on asap?!

Fruittella Brasil has uncovered a new tactic for getting kids outside: a book with pages that seem empty until sunlight hits them. The story that's revealed focuses on outdoor adventures like riding a bike and playing hopscotch, with — you guessed it — no screens in sight, while the book's retro illustrations harken back to a time before Fortnite.

This activation by the candy brand integrates a handful of goals: encouraging kids to get off their devices, read books, go outside and play with others. The limited edition publication, titled Lá Fora É Mais Legal (Outside is Cooler), was launched this past weekend in São Paulo's Ibirapuera Park and developed by creative agency VML Brasil.

🌞🤸‍♀️ Fruittella is tapping into growing concerns about excessive sedentary screen time with a creative nudge. The storybook's sun-activated feature not only adds an element of surprise but also cleverly reinforces the message that outdoor play is as delightful as it is essential — all while positioning Fruittella as a champion of wholesome childhood fun.

Innovation update / Last year, we wrote about Autoescola Xtraordinária, an initiative by Localiza that saw the Brazilian rental car company fund driving lessons for 30 people with Down syndrome. Now, Localiza is taking another step towards inclusivity in driving by releasing a comprehensive guide for all individuals with intellectual disabilities who'd like to get their driver's license. This free, downloadable resource provides a step-by-step roadmap to becoming a licensed driver in Brazil.

The guide, developed in collaboration with Instituto Mano Down, offers practical advice on fulfilling prerequisites, choosing the right driving school, and preparing for theoretical and practical exams. It also addresses potential challenges unique to individuals with intellectual disabilities, such as vision exams and psychometric assessments. By demystifying a complex process and offering tailored advice, Localiza builds on its mission to make driving accessible, reinforcing that independence and mobility should be within reach for everyone, regardless of their cognitive abilities.

🚗 Campaigns for a cause are fantastic. But they're often short-lived, so it's no wonder consumers are calling out companies for purpose-washing. Localiza's latest effort underscores a crucial lesson for anyone engaged in impact-driven marketing: follow through. Brands that show concrete and continued progress toward their stated goals are more likely to earn consumer trust and loyalty, distinguishing themselves in a marketplace where empty promises are quickly exposed and dismissed.

P.S. Of last year's group of 30, one person is now licensed, one is taking in-car lessons, six are doing driver's ed, and 15 are taking psychometric tests as part of the licensing process. 

Gen Z has fully embraced being in their feelings. 'Therapy speak' is ingrained into young adults' everyday vernacular, especially in online spaces. While many health professionals argue destigmatization can lead to positive health benefits, there's also concern that the high cost of in-person therapy sessions means many young people rely solely on digital resources.

Mental health content on TikTok has surged in recent years, but over 83% of related advice on the platform is misleading, which could exacerbate cyberchondria. Solutions like BetterHelp have also attracted controversy — the US Federal Trade Commission found that the telehealth provider sold patients' sensitive health information to companies like Facebook, Snapchat and Pinterest.

Additionally, online discourse about mental health trivializes experiences that can be truly debilitating and can normalize issues that shouldn't be (case in point: some social media users made light of psychiatric hospitals). While Gen Z now has a vocabulary for describing how and what they're feeling, pop-psychology shortcuts can lead to false and harmful self-diagnoses and thwart genuine, deeper conversations.

The conclusion? More words don’t always lead to better, clearer and more honest dialogue. Whether your brand wants to provide mental support or get Gen Z talking among themselves, consider these three trends:

📣 COMMON TONGUE: Use lingo that inspires empathy rather than superiority and utilize platforms that are already Gen Z native. Despite the generation being chronically online, some conversations are best left face-to-face.

🤖 OPTI-BOTS: Consider how you might provide e-relief to those who can't always discuss their concerns with friends. If all else fails, they could also turn to their future self for advice.

✅ FACTUAL HEALING: Help discern medical fact from fiction and ensure your own activations are trustworthy in terms of advice and privacy, too. Get your next initiative reviewed by teens (and health professionals!) and guarantee data security, especially when it comes to sensitive topics.

LEGO is about to blur the lines between fantasy and reality as new episodes of LEGO DREAMZzz start streaming. The animated kids' show features high-school friends who get together in a dream world when they go to sleep, experiencing epic adventures and using 'dream craft' skills to fight off the Nightmare King and the Never Witch. Now, LEGO aims to bring those fictional skills into the real world.

A global study commissioned by LEGO found that while 57% of children aged 6-12 are aware they can influence their dreams, only one-third actively practice the skill. To bridge that gap, LEGO enlisted dream psychologist Ian Wallace. With over 400,000 dreams analyzed in his 30-year career, Wallace recommends three methods for helping children guide and control their dreams: Dream Play (re-imagining dream scenarios upon waking), Imaginal Play (playing with remembered dream images while awake), and Active Play (reconstructing and reenacting dream imagery).

Of kids who already practice dream directing, 41% report changing scary dreams and 38% guide dreams they're not enjoying. But dream crafting isn't just about making sleep more fun. Wallace believes it provides daytime benefits, too: enhanced problem-solving abilities, stronger self-identity, improved emotional resilience and advanced cognitive skills. LEGO, meanwhile, offers DREAMZzz-themed building sets designed to encourage creative play inspired by dream scenarios. 

🧠✨ As all eyes* are on artificial intelligence's potential to supercharge creativity, now might be the perfect time to remind people of their human powers of imagination, and help them explore and cultivate those innate capabilities. After all, that's the stuff that gen AI is made of 😉 

* Including ours — have you given TrendBaby a spin?