When Vivian Kong won the women’s épée event at the Olympics on Monday, she had two reasons to celebrate. Not only did she bring home Hong Kong’s third-ever gold medal, she’s also set to receive more than $750,000 from the government. Successful athletes from Team GB, Sweden, Norway, and New Zealand on the other hand, are set to get… well, nothing. But you can’t put a price on glory, right?
Scroll down to read about the oat milk ascendancy, Cornhuskers, and Nadia Comăneci.
Stats to power your week
🔍 If you want a sign of just how embedded in our lives ChatGPT has become in a short period of time, consider this: almost as many worldwide now use it (20%) as they do Wikipedia (21%). GWI Core (excl. China)
🥛 At the start of 2021, oat was 7th on the list of milks Americans consumed, behind soy and lactose-free. Since then, it’s shot into third place, with the world's very first oat milk ice cream shop recently opening its doors. We’re not so sure the term “oat milk elite” applies anymore. GWI USA
🏈 Our latest wave of GWI USA adds college sports teams to our survey for the first time. To mark the occasion, we had a look at which team has the biggest following in their home state. That honor goes to the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who are supported by 39% of Nebraskans. For context, that’s as many as the % of Londoners who support Arsenal, Chelsea, or Spurs – college sports really are a big deal. GWI USA, GWI Core
👷 Thinking about a career change? If you’re swayed by the perks you might receive, bear in mind manufacturing & industry employees are the most likely to be given a company car, banking professionals come top for receiving life insurance, and travel workers luck out with free tickets to special events. GWI Work
📱 Some of us may have left video calls behind after the pandemic, but kids aren’t letting them go out of fashion. The number of teens who use FaceTime has risen by 52% since 2021. Looks like the future of communication won’t just be about voice notes. GWI Kids (US/UK)
What’s on our radar
A lot to unpack in luxury. The sector is cooling as demand drops in China (where a slowing economy is breeding “luxury shame”), and champagne sales are falling, but Birkin bag maker Hermès is bucking the trend.
Michael Bay is in discussions to develop the internet sensation “Skibidi Toilet” for film and TV. For those wondering what on earth we’re talking about, here’s a useful explainer, while here is the 11-second clip that started it all. For anyone who does know: Skibidi Ohio rizz.
Limited Too is joining American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, and others in the club of early 2000s fashion brands revamping for a new generation of teens, tweens, and nostalgic adults.
Alongside brands like Lululemon, Victoria’s Secret has worked hard to become more inclusive. Its much-hyped fashion show is making a comeback, and for the first time ever, women will be producing it.
ChatGPT users are about to get more bang for their buck, with voice mode coming later this week, and OpenAI also testing a new SearchGPT product.
AAA studios are reportedly already making games with AI, while negotiating with the industry’s voice actors over AI labor protections.
The Olympics has traditionally struggled to get younger audiences to pay attention, but the introduction of an esports division could change all that.
Chart of the week
Great news for UK challenger bank Revolut last week, as regulators granted it an official banking license after three years of waiting. As it joins the likes of Atom, Starling, and Monzo, it gives us an excuse to check in with how the UK’s neobanks are doing generally.
While the larger, more traditional banks have fought back against them in the last few years, the number of UK consumers who use a challenger banking app is on an upward curve. And they’re not just for London hipsters anymore either: some of the biggest growth in their usage over the last few years has come from grandparents, Central Scotland, and people who don’t have any investments.
Local lowdown
Romania flips for gymnastics
One of the headline stories from this year’s Olympics is the return of Simone Biles, following her withdrawal from the games in Tokyo. Such is her star power that gymnastics is the Olympic sport most Americans are most interested in following.
But before Biles, there was another gymnast with a similar level of influence on her home country – Nadia Comăneci, who became the first to land a perfect score in 1976, and helped Romania become one of the most successful countries in the sport.
While scores in recent years have been somewhat lacking, gymnastics is still the third most-followed sport in the country, putting it above Formula 1, basketball, and athletics.
