Gen Z

Born 1997–2012, Gen Z are digital natives, socially minded and a rebellious force to be reckoned with.

Youth Culture in 2025

From immersive experiences to creator-driven content and innovative storytelling, pop culture and media innovators are reshaping how audiences engage with entertainment

Big Ideas

Kidult Craze

Adults are gravitating towards playful, non-digital items such as plush toys, collectables and nostalgic characters to reconnect with and heal their inner child

Macro Trends

The Future of Sports Fandom

By embracing new technologies, geographies and audiences, sport is becoming bigger than ever and offering valuable lessons on nurturing a new era of fandom

Micro Trends

Erotic-tainment

A backdrop of sex-averse culture is only making audiences thirstier, leading to an explosion of entertainment that brings smut to the masses

Micro Trends

Safe Hate Spaces

A new wave of content creators is normalising complaining by sharing petty grievances and creating safe havens for connection

Viewpoints

Julia Cordray: Online Identity

The Peeple co-founder on the need for cast-iron digital identities.

Peeple : Julia Cordray : Online Identity

Big Ideas

Worth a thousand words

US – Microsoft has developed a visual storytelling system that uses artificial intelligence to describe the content of images.

Microsoft : Margaret Mitchell : Artificial Intelligence

Big Ideas

Unglue yourself

UK – Glued is an app that gamifies digital downtime for the family.

Device Addiction : Digital Detox : New Sublimity

Micro Trends

Snapshot News

Global – As their audiences move to mobile, news outlets are streamlining their content to fit smaller contexts and shorter attention spans.

Mobile News : Quartz : Refinery29

Big Ideas

Watch and learn

UK – The BBC has launched iPlayer Kids, a new app available to download on tablets and smartphones.

BBC : Gen Viz : iPlayer Kids

Big Ideas

Dressed by data

Stockholm – New fashion brand Ivyrevel uses algorithms and data analysis to create designs that are tailored to its customers.

Ivyrevel : Stockholm : Artificial Intelligence

Big Ideas

Workplace staples

Boston – In Workbar’s collaboration with office suppliers Staples co-working enters the big-box retail environment.

Staples : US : Workplace Futures

Big Ideas

Hail BMW

Seattle – BMW is set to be the first motor manufacturer to offer a car-booking service to rival Uber.

BMW : ReachNow : Seattle

Viewpoints

Elise By Olsen: Recens Paper

The 16-year-old youth culture magazine editor explains why it is time to rethink teen stereotypes.

Elise By Olsen : Gen Viz : Recens Paper

Big Ideas

In the Zone

North America – Zone by adidas is a heart rate monitor that uses the Cloud to share a student’s personal fitness data with teachers.

Adidas : The Optimised Self : ZONE

Big Ideas

Sugar crash

Europe – Reducing sugar intake is a key concern among Europeans, according to a new survey by inulin producer Sensus.

Sensus : Sugar : Artificial Sweetener

Big Ideas

Smooth operator

North America – Women’s lifestyle brand PopSugar wants to be the iTunes of fashion and accessories.

POPSUGAR : Seamless Transactions : ShopStyle Checkout

Viewpoints

Joen Schauman: Social travel

Trip Republic’s chief experience officer talks about the importance of inspiration to the holiday booking process.

Joen Schauman : Trip Republic : Social Planner

Big Ideas

Check-in chat

Global – Facebook’s Messenger app now integrates KLM flight information and boarding passes.

KLM : Facebook : Messenger

Big Ideas

Mii too

Global – Nintendo is launching mobile gaming with Miitomo, a social messaging app letting people to interact using digital avatars.

Miitomo : Nintendo : Avatars

Big Ideas

SXSW Interactive 2016 Review: Part 2

Part two of our show review looks at the key take-outs from SXSW Interactive that will continue to resonate in 2016 and beyond.

Gen Z : SXSW : SXSW Interactive

Communities

Gen Viz

Gen Viz is a global, liberal and visual-first tribe at the forefront of key emerging trends among Generation Z.

Gen Z : Teenagers : Teen

Macro Trends

Gen Viz

Teenagers are no longer self-absorbed souls struggling through puberty. Abstinence and realness are the order of the day for these new social activ...

Gen Viz : Generation Z : Visual First

Big Ideas

Nomadic editorial

North America – Obsessee is a new magazine that will exist solely on social media platforms.

Obsessee : Gen Viz : Media

Big Ideas

Seeking diversity

US – Parents spend more on brands that feature realistic families in their ad campaigns, according to BabyCenter.

BabyCenter : Johnson & Johnson : All In Advertising

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