Multiple festivals throughout the UK are facing tough decisions to postpone or cancel their events. As the summer festival season approaches – a quintessential experience for many British people – these cancellations have implications for audiences and the future of the industry.

Rising costs forcing UK music festivals to cancel

The Nescafé espresso concentrate taps into younger generations' taste for iced drinks and makes at-home enjoyment easier. As coffee consumption continues to evolve, offerings like this provide both customisation and convenience for those looking to expand their drink options.

Nestlé launches espresso concentrates for cold drinks

Apple has received significant pushback for an ad that featured various artistic tools being destroyed and crushed together to form an iPad. People are gaining interest in analogue technology as a response to mass digitisation, creating an opportunity for brands to create single-purpose tools.

Dismay over Apple ad shows the depth of analog appeal

Issa Rae has launched Ensemble, a company that aims to connect diverse and underrepresented creators with global brands. As the creator economy continues to grow, there's an opportunity to bridge the intention-action gap by financing and supporting a more diverse pool of creators.

Issa Rae helps companies champion diverse creators

Amid the cost of living crisis hitting Aussies, Gen Zers are finding new ways to save up despite the difficult job market and rising costs of goods. Younger generations are taking control of their finances, holding themselves accountable, and relinquishing their fear of judgement around money.

Why are Aussie Gen Zers embracing loud budgeting?

With Gen Zers fully ready to embrace discourse and products for their gut, brands are working to keep up with scientific and social advancements around IBS and other digestive disorders in line with this shift. As the poo taboo comes to a close, what exactly do Gen Zers want and need?

How Gen Zers are changing the discourse around IBS

Research has found that more workplaces are offering extended time off, and workers are taking them up on it. With younger generations rejecting hustle culture and seeking out careers that don't define their lives, norms around holidays and time off will continue to shift for most workers.

Gen Zers take more sabbaticals for better work-life balance

Air travel disruption means eco-friendly options like trains are enticing alternatives to airport madness. However, travelling long-distance by train can be logistically tricky, something that interactive map Chronotrains hopes to solve, appealing to young travellers with eco-values.

Chronotrains makes eco-travel methods the easy option

The smash-hit romantic drama Challengers has animated audiences by sparking cultural conversations about sexiness, polyamory, and modern love. With young people increasingly turning to alternative relationship ideals, brands have the opportunity to cater to more diverse models of romantic bonds.

Challengers spotlights polyamory narratives 

Financial insecurity is driving many to reconsider conventional barometers of success, and traditional timelines of marriage, home ownership, and childbirth are no longer a priority for the growing number of young women who want to combine incomes with their partners without kids in the picture.

Young people are aspiring to be DINKs

Young activist Aditi Mayer is empowering a new generation of climate enthusiasts to lead lasting changes that leave no one behind. By recognising the interconnected nature of oppression and climate justice, Mayer inspires collective action by weaving narratives that span climate, craft, and culture.

How Aditi Mayer sees a better climate future with Gen Z

Gen Z's attitudes towards physical retail shopping in Australia emphasise the appeal of tactile experiences and the allure of unique in-store events. How can brands effectively capture their attention throughout the customer journey as these shoppers exercise agency in purchasing decisions?

Does Gen Z in Australia still care about in-store shopping?

MerkyFC HQ is a community-focused hub with full-size football pitches, a recording studio, and a gaming room. At a time when many young people feel priced out of entertainment, this partnership between rapper Stormzy and Adidas highlights the power of investing in local, grassroots initiatives.

Adidas and Stormzy team up for MerkyFC centre

Youthforia, a clean and sustainable makeup brand, is facing a backlash after its latest foundation line failed to reflect darker shades. As conversations around inclusivity continue in the beauty industry, brands will need to cater to underrepresented consumers in ways that extend beyond tokenism.

Youthforia faces backlash for ‘jet black’ foundation

Chinese women are sharing advice on how to cut back, posting their daily spending online for their 'savings partners' to see. With citizens under pressure from the economic slowdown and rising childcare and parental care costs, these saving communities are providing critical support.

Online savings support groups help Chinese women budget

Erewhon has become more of a movement than a grocery store as shoppers clamor for kale chips and sea moss gummies, with some even working extra jobs to afford their purchases. What does the appeal of shops like Erewhon and Trader Joe’s say about how supermarkets can attract Gen Z customers?

What do Gen Zers really want from their grocery stores?

Bingo-themed nightclubs have captivated the UK's younger generation despite the ongoing downturn in the nightlife sector. Places like Hijingo and Bongo's Bingo thrive as they tap into younger generations' desire for experiential entertainment over alcohol-centred outings.

Bingo nights show desires for immersive entertainment

Apple TV's documentary Girls State delves into the experiences of ethnically and ideologically diverse teenage girls participating in a week-long immersive program in Missouri. Media brands have the opportunity to innovate with Gen Z girls' political, social, and emotional empowerment.

‘Girls State’ spotlights Gen Z girls’ political power

A report from PMG has revealed that Gen Zers are looking to increase travel spending in 2024, with an emphasis on flexible travel plans and reward programmes. Young people are looking to take spontaneous holidays and are looking for brands that reward their flexibility.

Gen Zers are prioritising flexibility in travel plans

For TikToker Delaney Rowe, cringe is key. Adept at satirizing Hollywood tropes and the most annoying people you might know, Rowe creates content that has viewers squirming in their seats. With Gen Zers desiring palpable nostalgia, Rowe offers up a new genre of influencer authenticity.

How Delaney Rowe resonates with cringe-loving cinephiles

Walmart is launching Bettergoods, a premium private-food brand with affordable prices and experimental flavors. As people search for more everyday experiences of luxury, brands can make their products more appealing by tailoring them closely to people's needs.

Walmart launches premium food brand at affordable prices

Nightlife in the UK is suffering as young people across the country are spending more time on healthy and sober hobbies than they do going out. While young people are looking for alternative venues for socialisation, bars are turning to novel ways to attract young patrons.

UK nightlife suffers as Gen Zers socialise sober

A potent combination of nostalgia, kitsch, and social media virality has led to one of the Philippines’ most arbitrary trends that is taking over TikTok and younger generations – the duck hair clip. How does this tie into Filipino Gen Zers' obsession with Y2K and the past?

How the duck hair clip fuels Filipino Gen Zers’ maximalist obsession

For a 2024 capsule collection, Mango is partnering with Victoria Beckham as part of its 40th anniversary. As price-conscious consumers seek effective ways to purchase luxury goods, brands and celebrities are partnering to democratise access to luxury goods and reach new audiences.

Mango taps Victoria Beckham for capsule collection

A 2024 study has demonstrated that the face of luxury shopping is changing, revealing that young parents are becoming the most likely to make luxury purchases. As economic uncertainty has shoppers remaining hesitant to make big purchases, luxury shopping is becoming increasingly aspirational.

Luxury demographics are skewing younger

As the cost of living crisis overlaps with environmental concerns, people are struggling to action eco habits. However, brands such as Hellmann’s are raising awareness, particularly among Gen Z of the connection between reducing food waste and money saving with the latest sneaker concept.

Hellmann’s raises food waste awareness with new sneaker 

Ever inventive and enterprising, Chinese Gen Zers have concocted low-maintenance, low-effort ways to look after their health. But when tried-and-tested solutions get lumped together in the same category as experimental nutritional plans, how can the youth actually stay holistically healthy?

Understanding the effects of ‘lazy health’ on Chinese Gen Zers

Portraying herself as the all-American E-girl next door, June Lapine aka Shoe is disrupting existing narratives about LeftTube, gender, pop culture, and expected progressive positions. What can brands learn from her idiosyncratic content to authentically engage younger audiences?

Why Shoe’s 'bimbo populism' engages diverse fan bases

Emma Chamberlain and Kendall Jenner are teaming up for an espresso martini kit, blending Chamberlain Coffee's Gen Z appeal with Jenner's 818 tequila. Targeting Gen Zers, the collab taps into pop culture and offers both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, catering to evolving preferences.

818 x Chamberlain create espresso martini kit for Gen Z

As young people contend with increasing dissatisfaction due to rising costs and life challenges, they're seeking avenues to regain control. This shift is motivating them to turn to activities like marathon running, and they're challenging the sport's fixation on health benefits alone.

Young people are running marathons to cope with pressure

Gen Zers are planning for an early retirement in their forties and plan to live off $500,000 in their old age. But as the economic climate suggests these desires may be unrealistic, and there's a need to educate young people about responsible methods for planning their futures.

American Gen Zers are making plans to retire early

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, CASIO has released the BABY-G + PLUS series, a collection of Y2K-inspired, customizable watches. As Gen Z’s nostalgic obsession with the 2000s spills over from fashion into technology, the digital experience is increasingly getting more retro.

CASIO BABY-G + PLUS series gives timekeeping a Y2K spin

Findings show that young people in the US are opting for permanent contraception in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned. With women twice as likely to undergo such procedures compared to men, and a widespread lack of trust in institutions, people are taking matters into their own hands.

Young people in US are opting for permanent contraception 

John Lewis Partnership has published job interview questions online in full view of applicants (and everyone else), seeking to make the interview process less daunting. Old workplace norms are eroding as employers turn to a more skills-based hiring process to better identify talent.

John Lewis publishes interview questions to calm nerves

RSPB is tapping into Gen Z humour with a push towards chaotically themed viral bird-related content. As crisis fatigue leaves many younger people feeling powerless, brands are using levity and absurdism to cut through the negativity and foster engagement with important causes.

Chaotic bird content brings joy to charitable giving

Japan has long been a haven for music lovers and a bastion of nostalgia, particularly for fans of vinyl records. Recently, the country got a breath of fresh air from the unexpected but welcome crowd of Gen Z listeners. What’s fuelling the younger generation’s desire to connect with analogue music?

Why are Japanese Gen Zers obsessed with vinyl records again?

As a TikTok ban looms, US Gen Zers are saying they would rather take a chance on a new app than risk embarrassment in front of IRL friends on Instagram reels. Young people are looking for ways to silo their online presence in an attempt to avoid ever-present social media toxicity.

Gen Zers scramble for home in anticipation of TikTok ban

Chinese youth are fleeing megacities in favor of slower lives in small towns, as money worries and a tough job market hamper their ambition. As economic troubles continue to leave young people behind, many are reacting by changing their priorities and looking for slower lives in smaller cities.

Chinese youth flee megacities for a slower life

Nospace, an app offering Gen Zers a nostalgic, Myspace-style social media experience, has garnered a waitlist of over 380,000 people. Combined with nostalgia for the early days of the internet, the desire for authentic online connection is driving Gen Zers towards alternative social media.

Nospace is a throwback social media for Gen Zers

Although many Gen Zers are still swayed by influencers, authenticity is becoming less important, according to a 2024 study. As trust in influencer communications diminishes, young people are seeking authority and inspiration differently, and they're looking to others to help in collective sensemaking.

Gen Zers shun authenticity in influencers

Research shows a decline in the amount of sleep that Americans are getting, with younger women the least likely to report getting adequate sleep and older men most likely. As stress rises, young women are shouldering the brunt of wellbeing impacts, signaling a need for targeted support.

Sleep quality declines amongst Americans as stress rises

As Gen Zers look to disrupt fast fashion, embroidery has become a way of upcycling clothes while allowing for unique identity expression. As the generation turns to the past to find solace, embroidery represents another nostalgia-laced hobby, allowing for creativity and comfort.

Embroidery becomes wholesome pastime for eco Gen Zers

Long associated with elderly women doing their grocery shopping, the wheelie bag is now trending as a practical shopping companion. Young city dwellers, who are often carless and shedding shame of all things embarrassing and cringe, are prioritising comfort and functionality.

Young shoppers embrace wheelie shopping bags

Chinese Gen Zers are stunning netizens by showcasing their drastic transformations from work stress, dubbed 'The Stench of Work'. As Chinese young people explore alternatives like "lying flat" or the '45-degree life', career dissatisfaction and mental health priorities are leading people to quit.

Chinese Gen Zers share their work-related glow-downs

Dover Street Market is opening its first store in Paris in Q2 2024, ahead of the brand’s 20th anniversary. The new retail space will extend beyond fashion, offering a centre for art, communication, and community at a time when consumers want to be engaged in meaningful ways.

Dover Street Paris promises immersive retail experiences

Instagram is testing an AI-powered program that helps influencers connect with followers by responding to their direct messages and comments. The program shows there’s an opportunity for brands to merge synthetic and real experiences – and highlights the tension between them.

Instagram to test AI-powered influencer chatbot

In the UK, teenage girls can feel unwelcome and unsafe in parks largely designed for boys. Make Space For Girls is a charity campaigning for parks and public spaces to be designed gender-inclusively, raising awareness of issues while ensuring the voices of girls and young women are heard.

How Make Space For Girls prioritises teen girls’ safety

Kraft Heinz has launched a rebrand for Mio, a liquid concentrate additive to water, to focus on Gen Z-centric wellness behaviors. Young people are looking for customization in their snacks and drinks, and brands are responding by creating products to help hack their hydration.

Mio drops rebrand for wellness-focused Gen Zers

Poppi began as a small, Texan family-owned beverage brand known as Mother. Since rebranding in 2020, the prebiotic, apple cider vinegar-based soda has launched a massive 360-degree marketing campaign, found a large Gen Z market, and become a burgeoning competitor for the likes of Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

Why Poppi provides fun sodas for Gen Z health buffs

Young Koreans are leaving corporate jobs for professional certifications that offer greater security and higher salaries, eschewing corporate success for the certainty of safer fields. Reared in permacrisis, many Gen Zers are looking for security to safeguard against future catastrophes.

Young Koreans leave corporate life for stability

Eco-friendly brand Veja is expanding in the US and has launched its first cobbler studio in New York. Cobbling is an increasingly viable means of extending the shelf life of shoes. The increased demand for sustainable practices signals a shift in consumer culture, with purchase habits changing.

Veja opens its first American sneaker repair store

A collaboration between fragrance brand Documents and funeral goods provider Greatroam has produced a creative incense burner that taps into the wave of 'guochao' in China. Young people in the country are seeking contemporary takes on heritage to celebrate culture and access a sense of stability.

Incense burner collab brings luxury to Qingming Festival

Google’s new Australian campaign uses TikTok stars to show how its search engine app can help you navigate new experiences. From making a mocktail to navigating a foreign city, the campaign spotlights Google's benefits to a Gen Z audience that's increasingly turning to TikTok for information.

Google app helps Gen Z navigate their independence

L'Oréal Paris has launched a campaign featuring celebrity resumes highlighting the setbacks and accomplishments of notable women. As careers become less linear, people are looking for brand communications to celebrate their unorthodox paths to success and embrace imperfection.

L'Oréal highlights career failure on the path to success

After 2023’s year of fervent girlcore, it's clear that femininity is crucial to how Gen Zers express themselves. Canvas8 spoke to eight Gen Z women from across the UK to discover how their perceptions of femininity and gender politics shape their fashion and style choices.

The future of British femininity in a post-Barbie world

Content creator Nara Smith has garnered a colossal TikTok following by posting romanticized from-scratch cooking videos. Her popularity stems from a desire for slow content, a need for relief from burnout, and aspirations for traditional lifestyles as viewed through the lens of social media.

How Nara Smith captured Gen Z’s homemaking aspirations

Younger generations are now splurging on groceries, a shift from previous spending trends on luxury items like designer clothing and expensive vacations. People are looking for more everyday experiences of luxury, and flashy food and beverages are becoming a popular indulgence.

Millenials and Gen Zers are splurging on groceries

Research suggests that Gen Zers are becoming less active during a critical, habit-forming period of their lives. While many Zers are more health-conscious than other generations were at their age, there remains an opportunity to support young people’s mental health by improving access to exercise.

Gen Z activity levels prompt mental health concerns

As Gen Zers and Yers come to terms with not having it like their parents did, they're turning to crypto and 'financial hacks' to make things work. Amid a decline in trust in traditional financial institutions, brands have an opportunity to help young adults manage their finances in new ways.

Gen Z and Y are trying to hack home ownership

Dazed and IKEA have partnered on a collaborative zine that delves into the meaning of home for young people. The zine will be exclusively launched at Milan Design Week, showcasing the importance of relatable and authentic depictions of homeownership amid housing market challenges.

Dazed and IKEA court young homebuyers 

As Gen Zers turn away from dating apps, Hinge has released an ad aiming to recapture their hearts with a lighthearted way of championing the app's success in building lasting matches. Another iteration of its ‘Designed to be Deleted’ campaign, the ad taps a growing desire for meaningful connections.

Hinge ad levels up its 'designed to be deleted' position

Conservative media and wellness personalities are calling for young men to turn to nicotine pouches, framing them as aspirational lifestyle products that amplify traditional masculinity. This highlights the febrile position of masculinity in culture and opportunities to support open dialogues.




Right-wing media touts nicotine pouches as 'manly' fix

A survey has found that adults in the US are struggling to stay afloat, with the majority of adults living paycheck to paycheck. As inflation continues to threaten financial security, people are searching for brands and products that can provide holistic solutions and financial education.

Ongoing inflation impact is entrenching financial stress

Billie Eilish has gained nearly seven million Instagram followers in two days after adding all followers to her Close Friends stories. Social media has evolved to become more exclusionary, and communications are shifting to favor more closed-door communities to create a sense of connection.

Billie Eilish Instagram stunt adds millions of followers

Dove Men+Care has launched a new product to tap into skyrocketing interest from male consumers in whole-body deodorant. Research shows that men feel uncomfortable talking about their personal hygiene, and the release supports personal care with an understated and pragmatic offer.



Dove launches whole body deodorant as hygiene norms shift

Black progressive cultural commentator F.D Signifier is one of the most prolific Gen Y content creators. Focusing on politics, pop culture, and Black men’s wellbeing, he challenges traditional narratives and dismantles harmful gender stereotypes through his engaging video essays.




F.D Signifier spotlights Black masculinity perspectives 

Generations in Poland are divided over a proposed homework ban, as studies show that homework doesn’t always correlate to learning outcomes. The anti-homework stance from younger generations showcases a desire for more emotionally intelligent, unconventional, and inclusive learning pathways.

Polish homework ban showcases generational divide

A growing number of young Chinese people are investing in gold charms and jewellery in an effort to safely store their money amid economic volatility. As people grapple with uncertainty and a lack of trust, many are searching for decentralised approaches outside the mainstream to feel secure.

Chinese Gen Z turn to gold investments for security

China’s young people are abandoning their retirement plans as low pay and a difficult labour market hurt their future prospects. Gen Zers and Yers are looking for financial support and education as their optimism dissipates and an uncertain and potentially difficult future looms.

Disillusioned Chinese Gen Zers abandon retirement plans

McDonald’s Australia is looking to affirm its place in culture and cross-generational relevancy with a new Big Mac ad reviving the famous Big Mac chant. The ad tracks Australians trying to remember the chant throughout the decades, leveraging humour and nostalgia to land with 2024 audiences.

McDonald’s uses nostalgia to bridge generational divide

In an ageing country with fewer kids per capita than ever, South Korean adults are willing to spend money on the kids that do exist in their lives, driving a booming childrenswear industry. What’s shaping Gen Alpha’s fashion choices in their formative years, and what should brands watch out for?

Why are so many South Korean Gen Alphas wearing luxury clothes?

Beauty brand Sally Hansen has unveiled its first-ever male-led partnership with basketball player Jared McCain. As expectations of masculinity continue to shift, brands can partner with male athletes and icons who can champion new and inclusive archetypes of masculinity.

Sally Hansen's beauty campaign champions male icon

Popular internet personalities like Andrew Tate are having an impact in Australian schools, as teachers report struggling with students who watch his videos. The government has launched a project that works to address misinformation online around gender-based stereotypes and violence.

Aussie teachers struggle with Andrew Tate’s influence 

Motion sickness medication Dramamine has produced a documentary on the history of the barf bag, a playful nod to a technology made less common by the medication. Playful, oddball content is growing in popularity – creating an opportunity for 'serious' products to tap into a new cultural milieu.

Dramamine releases playful barf bag documentary

Political parties in India have enlisted the help of regional influencers to share political messaging. With contentious elections looming, this strategy highlights how politicians are turning to relatable figureheads to address younger generations’ declining trust in institutions.

Influencers tasked with election campaigning in India

Gen Z has been labeled the 'freelance generation' because they seek flexible work, but freelance gigs often come with the risk of instability despite promising control and freedom. Home From College targets Gen Z's job concerns: mismatched majors, sparse resumes, and a desire for flexibility.

Home From College helps Gen Zers find flexible employment

According to a new poll, Gen Zers and Yers believe that they’re spending too much money on streaming subscriptions. Mobile content is proliferating while young people are looking to cut costs, leading many to change their streaming behaviors and look for more affordable solutions.

Gen Zers look to cut back on streaming subscriptions

Good Girl Snacks’ Hot Girl Pickles cater to the TikTok-popularized ‘girl dinner’ trend, which focuses on transforming snacks into visually appealing, satisfying meals. The brand’s success reflects the evolution of snacking culture in the US, all the while raising questions about new food mindsets.

Why Good Girl Snacks builds on new snacking mindsets

Research from ZipRecruiter has revealed that businesses are tempting prospective employees back into the office by increasing salaries for full-time in-office jobs. Although remote work's best perks can't be remedied with more money, hybrid work looks set to appeal to Gen Zers in the workforce.

Hybrid workers need more than a salary boost

Lab-diamond fine jewellery brand Kimai has seen waves of success – from being spotted on Megan Markle to winning a £250,000 investment on the BBC’s Dragons Den. Even as a newcomer, its ethically conscious jewellery paired with a stylish aesthetic has made it a leading brand in the sector.

How Kimai makes fine jewellery guilt-free

Virtual dating is on the rise, particularly among Gen Z, as high costs make traditional dating too expensive for many. Despite digital fatigue, people are embracing online dates as more efficient, budget-friendly, and convenient ways to explore relationships in the digital age.

US Gen Zers embrace virtual first dates to cut costs

Ayo Edebiri has become a cultural icon, resonating deeply with Gen Z thanks to her authenticity and humor. From comedy hustle to prominent roles in shows like The Bear and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she’s highlighting people’s demand for more authentic voices and figures in culture.

Why Ayo Edebiri appeals to the Gen Z girlies

In America, Gen Zers are turning to online side hustles to supplement their full-time incomes, earn extra money, and build transferable skills. As younger generations continue to distrust institutions, they're taking things into their own hands and earning on their own terms.

Side hustles spike as Gen Zers seek skills and spare cash

Realtors are using radical transparency in quirky social media videos to engage first-time buyers, deviating from traditional polished walkthroughs. This trend reflects a shift towards genuine content, resonating with young viewers seeking escapism and inspiration amid housing market challenges.

Realtors are creating relatable housing content online

TikTok has launched a revised rewards programme for creators who drive higher audience engagement. As people increasingly rely on online creators for recommendations, how can brands ensure that people receive tailor-made content that feels authentic and driven by values?

TikTok updates its reward offerings for creators

Facing a labour shortage, a German transport company is training students to drive trams on the weekends and between classes. With public services at risk due to a lack of skilled workers, there are growing demands for training and upskilling opportunities to attract young people.

German students drive trams amid labour shortages

In a quiet act of rebellion against strict rules in the workplace, young Chinese workers are flaunting their most 'gross' outfits at work. Beyond being comfy in their workwear, they're looking for ways to show up to work on their own terms, pushing back against rigid societal norms.

Young Chinese workers push back with 'gross' outfits

‘Cool’ may be hard to commodify, but cult independent newsletter Perfectly Imperfect has done just that. By creating a digital oasis where cultural insights and recommendations are shared free from algorithms and advertising, it maintains integrity by prioritizing genuine user taste exchange.

How Perfectly Imperfect broadcasts cultural cool

Several approaches have been developed to teach young Southeast Asians money management. However, economic issues and hustle culture make lessons hard to remember. That’s why The Simple Sum keeps financial literacy simple through bite-sized comic strips about real-life budget experiences.

Why The Simple Sum strips money talk down to comic truths

TikTok has created a youth council – a group of teenagers who give guidance and insights to the organisation. The move is part of a broader effort to make online spaces safer, as challenges posed by AI and misinformation mean younger generations are losing faith in traditional institutions.

TikTok Youth Council sheds light on digital safety

Among photography professionals and enthusiasts alike, older equipment is gaining momentum, with Y2K digicams, in particular, being prominently featured on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. What’s driving young people’s interest in these old-school and imperfect technologies?

What’s driving Gen Z towards old digicams?

With a host of updates focusing on protecting users' data while they chat with others, WhatsApp is incredibly popular among young people. Amid anxiety about data privacy on social media and the effects of algorithmic feeds, people are drawn to features that return a sense of control.

WhatsApp courts privacy-conscious young people

A report released by streaming platform Tubi shows that 74% of Gen Z and millennials prefer original content – reflecting a broader demand for fresh, diverse storytelling over remakes. This signals a shift towards authentic, innovative experiences over nostalgia when consuming media.

Gen Z is tired of movie remakes

PepsiCo has created a distinct Flamin’ Hot brand, separating it from its former place scattered under different flavors of chips. Gen Zers have exhibited a strong preference for spicy food, and brands are responding by adding heat across their product lines to cater to adventurous eaters.

PepsiCo brings the heat with Flamin' Hot rebrand

Offering an alternative to those escaping hook-up culture, Hinge succeeds by prioritizing meaningful and consistent connections. The app holds loyal users through conversation-stirring prompts, helpful filters, and an anti-swipe algorithm that urges conscious intention over temporary validation.

How Hinge captures the hearts of long-term daters

As trust in celebrities declines, a crop of young popular figures is emerging and tapping into authenticity to capture young audiences. What’s behind this new era of approachable celebs and how can brands hone in on fans’ desires to witness their favorite stars in relatable scenarios?

What’s behind the new era of relatable celebrities?

PNC Bank has launched a campaign asserting itself as the 'boring' bank, pushing back against instability in the financial sector throughout the early 2020s. As people react to volatility in the crypto market and the conventional economy, they’re looking for brands to project stability.

PNC Bank uses 'boring' label to promote stability

Inspired by the 'romantasy' communities of TikTok, elaborate fantasy events like book balls are gaining traction among Gens Y and Z. Driven by people’s desire for connection, escapism, and worldbuilding, brands have the opportunity to create immersive activations and experiences.




BookTok fuels a resurgence of immersive fantasy events 

Dune: Part Two is shaping up to be a major hit in China. The film has spawned internet memes and inspired fashion trends on social media. Following in the footsteps of Barbie’s success among Chinese audiences, it speaks to opportunities for more cross-border engagement with global cultural products.

Dune captivates China despite anti-Hollywood shift

A UN report has revealed that e-waste recycling efforts are falling short of production and consumption. As people look to reduce their carbon footprints and take sustainability into their own hands, they’re looking for brands that can provide education and help them make informed decisions.

People need more education about e-waste recycling

How do Gen Zers think and act as citizens and consumers? Canvas8’s expert insights offer a view into the world of this emerging generation.

Gen Z (born 1997-2010)