From girly metalheads challenging gender stereotypes in music to lady carnivores adopting meat-heavy diets, online and offline subcultures are providing community and connection in times of polarisation and division. Here are the top ten insights and behavioural shifts that got us talking in August.
🎸 Girly metalheads challenge music stereotypes – the ‘metal is girlypop’ trend is redefining metal music by combining cutesy dances with thrashing songs like ‘Custer’ by Slipknot. As posts about 'metal girls' gain traction online, this trend challenges the boys’ club mentality in metal, and brands are helping to democratise music by creating space for community and female fans.
🥓 Lady carnivores embrace alternative diets – on social media platforms, meals are getting a little calorific. As women embrace the carnivore lifestyle and swap out vegetables for hunks of meat and butter, it’s fueling a shift in diet culture and giving rise to collectives with like-minded, non-mainstream foodie values, challenging societal norms about diet and gender.
🌊 Aussie Gen Z and Y surfers take to the waves – Australia's surf scene is evolving, with older Gen Yers and Gen Xers riding the waves at higher rates than young people. From surf parks to mental health initiatives, the sport is becoming more accessible and diverse, and brands are starting to get in on the action by responding to broader societal trends in fitness and lifestyle.
🚿 Gen Zers prioritise self-care shower routines – Method has launched a range of 'Good Karma' shower gels that employ uplifting mantras, unique scents, and specific hues to bring about positive feelings. The range taps into Gen Z's newfound love of shower routines, revered and celebrated on TikTok for the self-care opportunities they offer.
🍃 Consumers crave new sustainability codes – as generic eco-friendly claims fuel a sense of eco-fatigue, people are craving innovative, inspiring, and visceral solutions that respond to the climate crisis. For brands trying to meet these consumer wants and needs, tangible actions are winning favour with audiences who've become wise to greenwashing and virtue signalling.
👀 Co-creation captures the Gen Z cultural zeitgeist – Charli XCX's sixth album, BRAT, has transcended music to become a cultural phenomenon. Its distinctive lo-fi, lime green branding and strategic marketing have tapped into Gen Z's desire for authenticity, insider communities, and nostalgic tendencies – blending digital savvy with real-world impact.
🫶🏼 Young netizens value joyful social media spaces – noplace is a social media app that eschews photos and videos in favour of joyful text-based interactions, mitigating digital overload. Young people emerged from the pandemic with limited social circles and increased social isolation, and they are seeking apps and brands that can help them find community and like-minded friends.
🍸 British Gen Zers opt for 'baby' cocktails – British Gen Zers are looking for ‘baby’ versions of their favourite alcoholic drinks, driven by health concerns to seek bite-sized cocktails. As Britons cut down on their drinking, opportunities exist to appeal to sober curious mindsets and find fun ways to get damp-drinking Gen Zers to enjoy alcohol in moderation.
🛒 Canadians turn to local convenience stores – Ed’s in Brookswood has garnered global attention by combining unique product offerings, personable customer interactions, and highly shareable social media content. Creating immersive in-store experiences and leaning into local charm can differentiate retailers from online competitors and build strong community connections.
📚 ‘Unschooling’ influencers promote flexible learning – an emerging wave of content creators is drawing attention to ‘unschooling’, a flexible education system that rejects the standard syllabus. After significant pandemic learning losses, Gen Alpha's education remains a topic of concern, and parents are seeking alternative learning methods to get their kids up to speed.
