The next big theme park trend? Throwbacks. Next year, Japan will open the world’s first permanent Pokémon park, while Las Vegas is building a retro resort that lets visitors step through the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. It’s nostalgia’s world - we’re just riding in it.
Scroll down to read about DLCs, Jack Dorsey’s latest project, and Dior coffee.
Stats to power your week
👾 Gaming’s biggest thrill isn’t finishing a story, it’s staying in it. There’s been a 26% year-on-year rise in gamers saying they’ve bought downloadable content (DLC) in the last 12 months - from new maps to extra levels and characters. It’s a sign players want worlds that keep growing long after release. GWI Gaming
🙏 Atheist or agnostic doesn’t always mean unbelieving. 14% of people in this group say they believe in a God or higher power - not necessarily organized religion, but in the idea of “something bigger.” It’s a reminder that modern belief isn’t binary - it’s fluid, intuitive, and deeply personal. GWI Zeitgeist
🗺️ How Americans handled past travel chaos hints at how they’ll behave in the months ahead. When turbulence hit in the form of the last government shutdown in 2022, most US fliers said they’d push their trip back or book flexible tickets. Only 1 in 10 of those expecting to tweak their plans said they’d cancel - proof that disruption delays the trip, not dampens the desire. GWI Zeitgeist
🍹 The low/no-alcohol boom is going strong, fueled by drinkers who are being more selective about when they indulge. Still, for many, cutting back is as much about cost as health - 22% of those who moderate their intake do so to save. Given some 0% drinks are as expensive as the real deal, this alternative to drinking might become a little too tough to swallow. GWI Alcohol
🏛️ Money or morality? We asked why employees’ companies aren’t interested in adopting AI. Year-on-year, there’s been a 19% rise in those putting it down to ethical considerations, which have now overtaken the cost of investment and ambiguity on ROI.It seems businesses aren’t just asking “Can we?” but “Should we?” GWI Work
What’s on our radar
What’s old is new again - Vine is back. Well, sort of. A collective backed by Jack Dorsey just launched diVine, a revival of the six-second video app that changed the internet. In other news, Gen Z are making Pinterest “feel new again.”
Step aside, açaí - Brazil’s blending up the next superfood craze: Cupuaçu, Taperebá, and Bacaba. With flu season intensifying, an immune-boosting promise could be just what health-hungry consumers are after.
We’ve heard about Ozempic ready meals - now make way for the first “Ozempic restaurant,” designed to help users through the festive season.
WeChat has long been a blueprint for Western messaging apps - not just a chat tool, but an ecosystem. 37% of its users access third-party apps through Mini Programs, pointing to what Meta’s new integrations on WhatsApp could unleash.
Nearly 1 in 10 consumers think buying coffee is a luxury - and brands are pouring it on. Companies like Dior, Coach, and Ralph Lauren have doubled down on in-store cafés. And with Zara’s new Zacaffé, this trend is trickling down to the high street.
Chart of the week
Brands are racing to master Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) - or plug their services straight into AI chatbots. The question is: which industries need to move fastest?
Early adopters of AI for product research are turning to it most for electronics, health & wellness, and travel - the kinds of purchases that feel technical, complex, or high-stakes. On the opposite end are regular or emotional buys like fashion and groceries. At least for now, AI’s not an obvious choice here, not because it’s irrelevant, but because consumers haven’t connected the dots on how it can help or don’t struggle as much with those choices anyway.
Health products - from skincare to sleep tech - sit in a unique space. They’re deeply personal, but often come with confusing claims. That’s where AI steps in - it excels where choices rely on data and confidence, not instinct or taste.
🔥 Hot take
Punchy perspectives, with data that nudges the narrative
“Impulse buyers aren’t as spontaneous as they think”
Most “impulse” buys aren’t sudden - they’re long-time desires finally acted on. Among people who say they’re “always impulsive” when buying luxury goods, half usually have a specific product in mind when shopping. For many, starting out with a clear idea doesn’t count as “planning.” It still feels like impulse buying to them, even if it doesn’t match how marketers define it.
The same pattern shows up in car buying. Shoppers who purchase within two weeks consider just as many brands as those who spend months deciding. What feels like a snap decision is often just the moment when preference turns into action. Advertisers love to chase impulse, but the real opportunity is earlier - in those low-level, pre-trigger moments where desire is building quietly in the background. So, think of impulse as reigniting interest, not creating it from scratch.
More from GWI
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