The now-ubiquitous Stanley Quencher might go down as one of the all-time great brand extensions â taking drinkware associated with rugged, outdoorsy men, and selling it to the #WaterTok girls. But clues to the brand's crossover potential have been there for a while â a 2009 guide to putting on a picnic suggested a âshocking pinkâ Stanley flask would make a âvery jollyâ addition.
Scroll down to read more about secret cyborgs, Sephora kids, and secondhand chic.
Stats to power your week
đŁď¸ Not wishing to alarm you, but Facebook will soon turn 20. It has a lot more competition now than when its biggest rivals were MySpace and Friendster, but consumers in the US and UK still think it has a bigger influence on shaping cultural trends than YouTube or X. GWI Zeitgeist
đ¸ As we cross the halfway point of Dry January, one stat weâve uncovered shows how much of an achievement completing it can actually be. A fifth of hosts say alcohol is âalwaysâ involved when entertaining guests. GWI Alcohol
âď¸ 12% of consumers with a physical disability are planning a foreign holiday this year that will let them explore the outdoors. In fact weâre hearing more about consumers with paralysis and spinal damage embarking on adventures, making this a good time for the worldâs first travel map made with physical disability in mind. GWI Travel
đĽď¸ Are you a secret cyborg? This is the intriguing phrase that entrepreneurship and innovation professor Ethan Mollick coined to describe people who use AI at work but keep it low-key. If you are, it might be a (lack of) seniority thing â just 53% in entry-level positions would tell colleagues about their use of AI, compared to a hefty 72% in management. Perhaps some reassurance from the top that AI is OK wouldnât go amiss. GWI Zeitgeist
đ The TikTok drama about rabble-rousing kids at Sephora might prove to be a storm in a teacup, but teen girls are getting more interested in skincare and makeup. 6 in 10 girls aged 13-15 are interested in beauty, making it more popular than holidays, TV shows, and even fashion. GWI Kids (US/UK)
Whatâs on our radar
The music industry continues to become more and more globally representative. Not only was Hindi the only âbig 5â language to achieve listening growth in 2023 (the others being English, Spanish, Korean, and Japanese), Spotify is pushing Afrobeats forward, and the so-called Queen of Arab Pop has international intentions as well.
The unofficial âbest in showâ award from CES should probably go to either AI-powered bird-watching binoculars, a device thatâs essentially an âAI Tamagotchiâ, or Samsungâs adorable Ballie. But there were some interesting under-the-radar developments too, especially where accessibility is concerned.
Age tech â products built around the needs of older adults â was also in the spotlight at CES. And outside of Vegas, new research shows smart speakers can help combat isolation and loneliness in over-65s.
Fans of dupe products might be in for a shock, as LVMH and TikTok are reportedly in talks to limit the sale of counterfeit products on the app. At the same time, many TikTokers are keeping their purse strings tight by embracing viral âno spendâ challenges.
In both Australia and the UK, data suggests online retail has plateaued â something our own research has been highlighting for a while.
Image generation is helping diversify fashion modeling, but using virtual influencers to improve diversity has provoked a backlash elsewhere.
Is polyamory having a moment? The New Yorker has been asking that very thing, while Peacockâs new dating series Couple To Throuple seems to provide an answer. Or not.
Chart of the week
Unless our counting fingers deceive us, weâve already mentioned three TikTok trends in this email. Itâs safe to say that the short-form video app is becoming the wellspring of popular culture around the world.
The chart above gives a sense of just how well it punches above its weight. While TikTok comes 8th on the list of most used platforms, itâs 3rd for perceived cultural impact â such is the power of the algorithmic feed that parent company ByteDance has made its own.
Local lowdown
Cheap chic with the thrifty French
Itâs currently Paris Fashion Week (for menswear at least), and youâd be hard-pressed to find another city whose denizens are better known for their innate sense of style. But ooh la la, French consumers are increasingly turning to secondhand chic â with a little help from Lithuania.
France narrowly tops the charts for buying secondhand items, with 18% shelling out for preloved threads. A big driver of this is the Vilnius-based app Vinted, used by 29% in the past month.
So next time you see a to-die-for outfit while strolling through La Marais, just remember: you might not need a boutique budget to replicate it.
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