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Spotify’s Culture Next report is here and it spotlights how youth across 16 countries are remixing culture. The three trends shaking up the soundscape?

👯 Blendships: music and podcasts are Gen Z's go-to for deeper connections

🎸 Playlist Diary: hyper-personalization gives Gen Z that main character energy

🎶 Mainstreaming: Gen Z is (re)embracing the mainstream. In fact, 80% of US Gen Z say niche and underground culture are going mainstream, with near-identical percentages in the UK (81%) and Australia (84%). By comparison, 74% of Gen Z labeled themselves as mainstream in 2023, up from 59% in 2021

Czech skincare brand Astrid is guessing it's been a while since most of its customers had a sleepover. To ensure there are "no more excuses for not getting together with your besties," the brand has declared 7-10 November 2024 Sleepover Weekend, offering prizes to those who register their gathering on astridsleepover.cz. The campaign aims to encourage a record number of sleepovers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with winners receiving Astrid's Hydro X-Cell products, makeup sponges, a silk pillow and other goodies.

As much as they yearn for meaningful connections, people struggle to carve out dedicated time for friends. By reminding its customers of the joy of a sleepover, Astrid offers a hook for them to (finally) organize a get-together. Meanwhile, by setting the scene for a shared self-care ritual, the brand is promoting its skincare products in an entirely relevant context.

In Australia, 16 October 2024 was National Banana Day. To celebrate, Australian Bananas launched the Banana Gym Pass. For one day only, Aussies could access over 350 gyms nationwide, including Fitness First and Goodlife Health Clubs, using a banana bought from any local grocer as their entry pass. In addition to promoting bananas as an ideal workout snack, the campaign aimed to encourage people to get active by giving people one-day access to gyms. The idea came about after a study revealed that 46% of Australians without a gym membership considered signing up ahead of the summer season.

Consumers will always love a good deal, especially when many are concerned with the ever-rising cost of living and prioritizing value for money. Meanwhile, 80% of global consumers said "the best way for a brand to stand out and earn their loyalty is its ability to surprise and delight them in unexpected ways." With the Banana Gym Pass, Australian Bananas addressed both expectations through a fun and quirky route to a valuable perk while remaining true to the company's core business.

The campaign turned bananas from just another commoditized product into a passport unlocking a coveted experience. It's a powerful way for brands to enhance the perceived value of their products, especially with consumers who value doing over owning. Typical applications of this strategy usually involve brand partnerships with media IPs — think "buy a product, unlock access to a K-pop concert" — but the Banana Gym Pass demonstrated that desirable experiences don’t always have to come with an expensive IP partnership. Could your brand reposition products as passports to memorable moments?

Bees pollinate approximately 75% of human crops and 90% of wild plants, playing a pivotal role in global food security and the natural world. And yet, the average lifespan of an adult honey bee has halved in the past 50 years, and one in ten species of wild bees are facing extinction. As New Zealanders welcome spring, Woolworths New Zealand raised awareness about the plight of pollinators by opening a supermarket for bees.

Designed as a miniature supermarket, the Woolworths for Bees pop-up was stocked with fresh flowers that bees love. Human visitors could learn more about bees from on-site beekeepers and information placards, complete education challenges, and purchase seeds to grow their own bee-friendly garden. The supermarket was open from 28 September to 6 October 2024 at Ambury Farm in Auckland.

Missed opportunity: Woolworths doesn't mention the role of pesticides in the demise of bees. As the country's second-largest grocery chain, it could arguably do more to protect bees by stimulating sales of produce grown with no or minimal pesticides than by opening a temporary haven for pollinators. That said, the activation reflects a growing understanding that environmental and human welfare are deeply interconnected.

Woolworths highlights that interconnectedness by creating a 'shop' that provides the same kind of essential service for bees that supermarkets do for people — thereby drawing an easily understood parallel between the natural world's needs and human needs. Related initiatives? Last month, Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa submitted a proposal for the International Criminal Court to classify ecocide as a crime, alongside genocide. Earlier this year, Spotify recognized Nature as an artist. 

Medical breakthroughs have extended lives, but the pace is slowing. In the 1990s, life expectancy in the longest-living countries grew by 2.5 years per decade. By the 2010s? Just 1.5 years. And even eliminating all deaths before age 50 would only add 1.5 years to the average lifespan, according to an October 2024 Nature Aging study. 📉

Despite billionaires chasing immortality, aging isn't slowing down. As public health expert S. Jay Olshansky puts it, "Bodies don’t operate well beyond their warranty period." Bad news for the 32% of Americans who want to live forever.

It's time to focus on health-span instead of living 120 years. Women, who outlive men but spend 25% more time in poor health, could especially benefit.

Forget pricey longevity retreats — how about free preventative bio-age testing or rewarding healthy living? 👵🌿

Casio, the Japanese electronics giant best known for calculators and watches, is venturing into plushier territory with Moflin, a fluffy AI-powered pet robot that's designed to form an emotional bond with its owner. Resembling a guinea pig or maybe an earless rabbit, a Moflin reacts to being spoken to and cuddled, and can recognize a specific person's voice and touch. After about a month, it becomes more vocal and active, learning to respond to its owner with wriggles and meow-like sounds. According to Casio, artificial intelligence enables it to pull from 4 million potential combinations of audio and movement to develop and display its personality. The creature's mood is boosted by affectionate interaction, and drops when neglected or startled; users can get a closer read on their Moflin's emotional states through an accompanying app.

Originally developed by Vanguard Industries Inc. and launched on Kickstarter in 2020, Moflin's initial production was stymied by pandemic-era supply chain issues. Now manufactured and distributed by Casio, the device is available for pre-order in Japan, with shipping planned for November 2024, though it's currently listed as sold out. Available in grey and brown, Moflins sell for JPY 59,400 (USD 395/EUR 365), plus an optional annual membership for discounts on hospitalization (aka repairs), fur care and fur replacements.

🐹 So, is this all fluff? Probably not. Speculations about the future of human-bot interactions have gone into overdrive since ChatGPT was introduced, and chatbots have proven to be exceptionally engaging for those seeking emotional or intimate connections. Casio offers a simpler, more innocent form of companionship that provides moments of delight and helps soothe people when they're stressed or anxious. Take the growing popularity of Jellycats and other stuffed animals among adults, throw in responsive, AI-powered interaction plus an ever-expanding market for self-care tools, and Moflin seems like the natural evolution of multiple trends. Cats: it's time to start worrying about an animatronic furball taking your job...

Reuters reports that Spain is making history by welcoming its first all-transgender men's soccer team, Fenix FC, to a regional league in Catalonia. Named after the mythical phoenix, symbolizing rebirth, the team has overcome administrative hurdles and prejudice to achieve federated status in Europe. Fenix FC, now competing in the fifth tier of Catalan soccer, emerged from the vision of Hugo Martinez, a player who faced discrimination during his own transition. The team provides a safe and supportive environment for trans men to play soccer.

The participation of trans athletes continues to be a hot-button issue — and fodder for culture wars — but the Catalan Football Association's inclusive policy indicates an evolving understanding of gender in sports. As Fenix FC gains visibility on soccer fields around Barcelona, their introduction could provide valuable insights for other sports organizations grappling with questions of transgender inclusion. At the very least, it'll kick off further dialogue.

Recent events surrounding Hurricane Helene brought the issue of fake vs real imagery into sharp focus. Speaking to his Hard Fork co-host, journalist Casey Newton reported on the circulation of an AI-generated image of a frightened young girl on a boat holding a puppy. "Yeah, so a number of high-profile right-wing accounts have been sharing this stuff online. Utah Senator Mike Lee reposted the girl with the puppy on his personal X account, although he did later delete it. That same image was shared by Amy Kremer, who is a Republican National Committee — National Committeewoman, and a co-founder of Women for Trump."

"And Kevin, I thought this was interesting because after she was called out for posting this fake image, she said, quote, 'I don't know where this photo came from and honestly, it doesn't matter. It is seared into my mind forever. There are people going through much worse than what is shown in this pic. So I'm leaving it because it is emblematic of the trauma and pain people are living through right now.' So that's a pretty rich text, I would say, because what it's telling us is, we're now in a world where we share things not because they're true, but because they're emblematic of the way that we feel."

Valuing the emotional resonance of a photo over its factual accuracy isn't limited to news events. It's a notion that's increasingly encouraged by phones and other tools people use to capture and edit everyday, personal images. Pictures of their kids, their honeymoon, a picnic with friends. A few months back, Wired spoke to Isaac Reynolds, the group product manager for Google's Pixel Camera, about Pixel's new AI tools that allow people to entirely alter photos they've taken. 

Reynolds said, "It's about what you're remembering. When you define a memory as that there is a fallibility to it — you could have a true and perfect representation of a moment that felt completely fake and completely wrong. What some of these edits do is help you create the moment that is the way you remember it, that's authentic to your memory and to the greater context, but maybe isn't authentic to a particular millisecond."

As the lines between fake and real blur at accelerating speed, businesses and marketers face new challenges and opportunities. How will consumers' relationship with visual content evolve? What are the implications for brand authenticity in a world where "authentic" might mean "emotionally true" rather than "factually accurate"? Should we stop thinking of this as a problem to solve and start viewing it as a new reality to navigate?

Real estate platform Zillow has introduced comprehensive climate risk information to its property listings across the United States. It will soon feature data on five critical environmental hazards — flood, wildfire, wind, heat and air quality — for each home listed for sale. In addition to numerical scores, the tool provides potential buyers with interactive maps showing risks nearby, as well as historical data ("1 large wildfire within 20 miles since 1984") and projections ("this property has a 100% chance of flooding over the next 30 years"). The information is provided by climate risk modeling firm First Street, which provides a similar but less in-depth set of data to Zillow's competitor Redfin. 

Environmental concerns are making their way into real estate decisions. In a 2023 survey of 12,000 prospective buyers, Zillow found that 80% consider at least one climate risk when determining where to look for a new home. Most likely to do so? Millennial and Gen Z shoppers, who now comprise 54% of home buyers. Notably, just 23% of all buyers consider moving somewhere with fewer climate risks, while 27% plan to move to an area with more climate risks, where prices are likely to be lower. Affordability remains key, especially for first-time buyers.

That said, buyers and sellers will increasingly take climate risk data into account as home insurance premiums skyrocket and worries about health and safety escalate. Beyond real estate: which climate-related information should your company unlock to help people make better decisions? Which risks are specific to your industry, and how can you make them transparent and easy for the average consumer to comprehend and act on?

According to Hilton’s 2025 Trends Report, 2025 is the year of the travel maximizer. With a third of people having already booked a trip and 67% prioritizing vacation budgets over other saving goals, global travelers want to make the most of every moment. Featuring insights from 13 countries, the report is a snapshot into what will fuel wanderlust in 2025:

1️⃣ THE GREAT OUTDOORS // 1 in 4 seek out unique experiences, with 20% chasing outdoor adventures ➡️ To mitigate the impact of light pollution on wildlife, Red Sea Global is the Middle East’s first certified Dark Sky Reserve.

2️⃣ SOUL SEARCHERS // Tired of Insta-perfect vacations, 22% embrace #SoftTravel for self-discovery and mental wellbeing ➡️ Set to open in Austin in 2026, Submersive is a 25,000-square-feet spa merging art, tech and wellness for a transformative escape.

3️⃣ FAMILY FLIGHTS // Family travel is soaring – 37% vacation with parents, 40% bring extended family, especially in India, Mexico and Saudi Arabia ➡️ The Grans Go Free campaign by EasyJet Holidays saw the company fly grandparents to sunny spots like Spain and Greece for free.

💡 Not a travel brand? Consider how expectations created by these travel trends can be translated into your industry.

No more gaming the system? Sony launched a new strategy to curb unscrupulous resellers from getting their hands on the latest PlayStation consoles — it's requiring potential buyers to prove their dedication as gamers. To pre-order the upcoming PlayStation 5 Pro 30th Anniversary Limited Edition set, customers must have at least 30 hours of gameplay logged on their PlayStation Network accounts between 22 February 2014 and 19 September 2024.

Thirty hours is an entirely reasonable threshold for genuine players to meet — for instance, the playtime to complete 2024's breakout game Black Myth: Wukong ranges between 35.5 and 64.5 hours. The cut-off date ensures resellers trying to clock the required hours after the announcement will not qualify. The measure, aimed at combating resellers buying up stock and flipping it for highly inflated prices, prioritizes genuine gamers. The initiative is currently limited to the Japanese market, and Sony has not indicated any plans to expand it globally.

Fans' dedication to their favorite thing — whether a PlayStation console, a Taylor Swift concert, or whatever the hottest sneaker drop is — makes them the most valuable group of consumers for brands to have. Unfortunately, their passion also makes them vulnerable to parties looking to exploit the price elasticity of their enamored demand. Sony's latest anti-resale strategy makes for a powerful audience engagement initiative: not only addressing a longstanding pain point for fans, but also allowing those fans to flex their identity and credentials as gamers. 

Moreover, it demonstrates to avid PlayStation fans that the brand cares. Sony makes the same amount of revenue, regardless of who purchases a console. By actively taking measures to help genuine gamers acquire limited-edition releases, the brand gives fans the recognition they deserve. How is your brand validating and rewarding its genuine fans and most loyal consumers?

When Singapore residents Genevieve and Hsien Jin struggled to find a blood donor for their dog Bruno during an emergency, they saw an opportunity. On International Dog Day in August 2024, they launched Bark Bank, Singapore's first digital canine blood registry. Bark Bank addresses the fragmented process of sourcing canine blood by centralizing donor registration and screenings. After owners register their dogs, veterinary clinics manage the donation process. The platform collaborates with vets, animal welfare groups, and dog owners to ensure best practices.

The initiative aligns with Asia's booming pet economy, driven by more individuals remaining single, couples opting out of parenthood, and family sizes continuing to shrink. Brands are capitalizing on the trend, but Bark Bank highlights an opportunity beyond just selling more products. As pets become integral members of households and society (including taking on active civic roles like the Seoul Dog Patrol Program), ownership challenges and animal welfare are gaining prominence. Innovating to solve these issues offers brands a purposeful way to participate in the pet economy. How could you leverage the rising influence of pets to deliver meaningful offerings that enhance the lives of furry companions?

Recognizing that many of its customers are (still) feeling the squeeze of inflation, The Ordinary is experimenting with something it's never tried before: a "Choose Your Price" option for a popular product set. The skincare brand, known for its no-frills approach to effective formulations, is inviting customers to select from three price points for The Daily Set: full price, 23% off or 40% off, based on what they can afford. Paying the regular price will support the initiative and help make skincare accessible to others. 

This pay-what-you-want model isn't just clever marketing; it's a litmus test for how much the brand can trust its customers to do the right thing — a gamble that hinges on the belief that people will pay fairly. By allowing those who can afford it to subsidize others' purchases, The Ordinary also fosters a spirit of community care. The promotion is offered in-store and online and runs through 31 October 2024; the brand will then assess whether it can continue.

It's a sharp contrast with dynamic pricing, which is spreading from ride-haling apps and airline tickets to fast food and supermarkets. While opaque, algorithm-driven systems can leave shoppers feeling manipulated, The Ordinary flips the script and empowers them instead. By ceding pricing control, the brand transforms a simple transaction into a reflection of shared values and of the financial realities its customers face. PWYW schemes aren't new, but as people are increasingly reduced to data points for profit maximization, handing them the reins can still seem radical.

The Vogue Business size inclusivity report reveals a worrying trend on the SS25 runways. Out of 8,763 looks presented across New York, London, Milan and Paris, a mere 0.8% were plus-size (US 14+), 4.3% mid-size (US 6-12), while a staggering 94.9% were straight-size (US 0-4). While a few champions of body diversity stand firm, notably Ester Manas (see photo) and Rick Owens in Paris, Bach Mai in New York and Karoline Vitto in London, many designers are reverting to the toxic 'ideal' of ultra-thin.

As the report highlights, "the body positivity movement has lost steam in mainstream culture as the pendulum has swung back to the glamorization of thinness, amid the rising use of Ozempic and the subsequent shrinking of celebrities and influencers." This trend is building pressure far beyond runways and celebs: 31% of Gen Z and 32% of Millennials in the US say simply knowing about GLP-1 drugs makes them feel pressured to lose weight.

💊 With weight-loss drugs like Ozempic becoming more accessible, brands need to ask themselves: do we truly want to abandon body acceptance? Beyond the moral imperative of protecting people's self-image and wellbeing, inclusive representation has the power to boost sales (by up to 16%).

Working with BBDO Ecuador, real estate developer Minutocorp recreated Grand View, its new 700-apartment complex near Guayaquil, inside Fortnite. Gamers can explore the development's layout and amenities by searching for the map or using island code 6199-7940-7031. As players make their way through the property, Minutocorp's sales staff are on hand to answer questions and even take people's details to close a deal.

The campaign's success is impressive. Mario Costa, Marketing Manager at Minutocorp, revealed that while the physical project typically receives 100 visits per month, its Fortnite counterpart was explored by 4 million people — equivalent to roughly 23% of Ecuador's population — in just two weeks. With an estimated 2 million gamers in Ecuador and the average gamer in Latin America aged between 28 and 44 (prime home-buying years), the strategy taps into a significant demographic.

Traditional real estate marketing is, well, not too exciting. Adding digital entertainment to the mix can pay off — Minutocorp's foray onto Fortnite bagged the company a 3400% return on investment within the first few weeks. The campaign demonstrates how Fortnite and other gaming platforms can be leveraged not just for marketing to customers who often spend hours a day gaming, but also as an immersive sales tool. (Related: It's showtime! Roblox is selling movie theater tickets for the Beetlejuice sequel)