Olivia Rodrigo is launching a Stanley cup collab; internet princess Rayne Fisher-Quann left TikTok in search of something beyond the algorithm; NoSpace — “MySpace for zoomers” — is #1 in the app store; and I’m taking a few days off to celebrate America’s birthday, and also mine (Friday!), so I’ll see you back here Monday, unless I just can’t help myself.
TIKTOK IS AN UNRIVALED TRENDSETTER. WILL ITS INFLUENCE LAST?, ap
The Associated Press talked to a bunch of creators, marketers, and analysts — myself included! — for this piece on the sweeping influence of TikTok. To answer the headline’s rhetorical question, the platform’s influence remains unrivaled, and while its future is indeed murky, users’ enthusiasm for and reliance on the app hasn’t waned.
HOW THE POWER OF THE MINIONS AND GEN Z PROPELLED THE ‘DESPICABLE ME’ FRANCHISE, latimes
Young men showing up to movie theaters decked out in suits for Minions: The Rise of Gru feels like yesterday, but it was, in fact, two years ago. Today, Despicable Me 4 hits big screens and is tracking to garner at least $100 million in ticket sales for the U.S. and Canada for the five-day Fourth of July extended weekend — thanks, largely, to Gen Z and millennial fans who have turned an animated franchise into a viral meme and a cultural touchstone. I’m not ready for a return of #gentleminions…
AMERICANS ARE GETTING SPORTIER, morningconsult
The entire country is on a sports kick, but young people in particular are showing an uptick in interest. The share of Gen Z adults who routinely engage with major sports leagues and media properties has been growing, with approximately half of Gen Z adults interacting with the NFL (50%) and NBA (48%) last month, up eight and 12 percentage points from January 2023, and the MLB and NHL saw double-digit increases over the period, too. But it’s not just viewing; it’s playing, too: The share of U.S. adults who say they’ve participated in sports at least once per week is on the rise across all genders and generations, though Gen Z saw the biggest increase — +15 percentage points.
THE DAZED MANIFESTO: WHAT UK YOUTH WANT IN 2024, dazed
Ahead of today’s general election in the U.K., Dazed asked young activists and commentators “to spell out their ideas for a better future.” This piece focuses on young people in Britain, but their wishes — “tackling the housing crisis, averting climate catastrophe, and addressing mental health issues at the root” — are pretty universal among Gen Z.
CAN GEN Z SAVE TEA? HOW YOUNG BRITS ARE REIGNITING LOVE FOR THE CLASSIC CUPPA AMIDST A CRISIS OF RELEVANCE, fortune
Tea consumption in the U.K. has “fallen precipitously,” with demand for black tea dropping 2-3% annually for decades. But while “the ordinary tea bag segment” continues to decline, Gen Z’s bubble tea obsession is turning the category around.
“It’s fascinating, the younger generation coming into tea. It feels very similar to coffee shop culture. It’s really about theater and a personalized treat, similar to having a frappe or flavored coffee,” says Ben Newbury. The clientele, often queuing outside onto Soho backstreets, is overwhelmingly in their teens and 20s, and they can’t get enough of it.
GEN ZERS AND MILLENNIALS ARE ‘QUIET VACATIONING’ DURING 4TH OF JULY WEEK INSTEAD OF TAKING PTO, cnbc
More than half of Gen Z and millennial workers have “quiet vacationed” — taken time off without formally requesting PTO — during the July Fourth holiday week, with a similar trend expected to continue this year, according to a new Harris Poll. I hope you have a great vacation, quiet or otherwise!
One last thought:
Interestingly, The Cut has an article about how Sports have become the new dating apps. I haven't read the piece yet, but found the possible relationship telling. Article is here: https://www.thecut.com/article/dating-run-clubs-pickleball-sports.html
Happy early birthday!! 🎈🎂