22 February 2023

Hi folks,

Lana del Rey has just dropped a new single, news that will delight the 4% of consumers worldwide who say they’re most nostalgic for the 60s. Pass the eyeliner.

Read on for more about hats, hot dogs, and Herbology teachers.

Stats to power your week

💪The number of consumers who go to the gym “most days” is up 20% year-on-year. After a difficult period, gym visits are back up to roughly where they were pre-pandemic. (GWI Core)

🪑 In the 2020 edition of our Connecting the Dots report, we predicted Covid would lead to a “hidden wave” of subsequent mental health issues. This is unfortunately coming to fruition in the US, where the number of consumers who say they currently experience anxiety or depression has increased 14% since 2020, and the number who visit counselors is increasing too. (GWI USA)

0️⃣ Ben Stiller and Steve Martin mused on acting to plug Pepsi Zero during the recent Super Bowl. If nothing else, it was timely – the number of US consumers drinking Coke/Sprite/Pepsi Zero Sugar has increased substantially in the last year. (GWI USA)

🦝 Checked in on your “Animal Crossing” island recently? Me neither. Without all the free time of lockdown, gamers are turning away from their islands, “Sims” houses and “Football Manager” teams, with the number who play simulation games dropping 14% year-on-year. (GWI Gaming)

📈 If one of your favorite brands is about to raise its prices, you’d want to know what the damage will be, right? Actually, no. Consumers are most interested in finding out the when and why of any price increases, rather than the “how much”. (GWI Zeitgeist)

🤏 The number of consumers who say they’re spending “much less” money has gone up 65% since March 2022. There’s still a viable segment of consumers not feeling the pinch and keen to spend, but the number cutting the cloth is growing considerably. (GWI Zeitgeist)

What’s on our radar

Hogwarts Legacy is out and Professor Garlick has her students’ undivided attention. One thing to keep an eye on: the fashion. The game’s very deep customization could spill over into real-life styles. 

We’ve had our first glimpse at Microsoft’s plans for ads in the new Bing. 

ByteDance is quietly becoming a real player in VR. 

How far would you take personalized recommendations? How about at the molecular level, as health and wellness retailer Holland and Barrett trials DNA testing to guide consumers to healthier choices. 

90s nostalgia has hit screens and the airwaves of late. Now it’s coming for your tastebuds – word on the street is, hot dogs are back. 

As we cover in our Connecting the Dots report, economic hardship seeps into culture, promoting thrift and curtailing glamor. Another aspect of the trend coming to the fore in media: eating the rich. 

Some big political developments impacting consumers in the UK: consultation has begun over regulating Buy Now Pay Later, while a deposit return scheme for drinks containers is due to start in 2025. 

Pharrell Williams is the new creative director at Louis Vuitton. The burning question: just how big will the hats be? 

Fresh from being found not guilty over his “420” tweet, Elon Musk has now made Twitter the first social media platform to allow cannabis advertising. 

Instagram is pulling back in livestreaming commerce, but Shopify is pushing forward. 

If you never won the jackpot on HQ Trivia, maybe you’ll get lucky on TikTok’s new quiz venture.

Chart of the week

After Chloe Kelly’s winning goal secured the first silverware for the England women’s football team, many asked what sort of spillover effect it would have for women’s football in general. We’re seeing encouraging signs that interest is going to other competitions, but it remains to be seen if this is transitory or a lasting trend. 

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