If you’ve ordered a complicated coffee recently, you might have encountered “Gen Z stare”, a blank expression the Zoomers seem to have made their own. But then again, Gen X had their issues with customer service too…
Scroll down to read about sleep time, seventysomethings on TikTok, and social media’s favorite drink.
Stats to power your week
🤖 AI chatbots are becoming more popular as a form of companionship, with X recently adding companions to their Grok tool, and DeepSeek announcing similar functionality. These AI companions might end up challenging podcast hosts to be your new parasocial best friend, as 1 in 4 heavy podcast listeners describe themselves as lonely. GWI Zeitgeist
🥤 Donald Trump has said The Coca-Cola company will substitute the high-fructose corn syrup in their products for “real” cane sugar (though Coca-Cola have yet to confirm), following health secretary RFK Jr’s concerns about the ingredient. As it happens, the majority of Americans (52%) support a ban on artificial coloring and flavors. GWI Zeitgeist
✅ The UK government has announced that the minimum voting age will be lowered to 16 in the next general election, but is it too late? When everyone was talking Brexit in 2016, politics was the 6th most discussed topic online among UK 16-18s. Now? It doesn’t make the top 20. GWI Core
🛍️ OpenAI have announced that ChatGPT will soon act as an AI agent, performing tasks on your behalf. Consumers generally seem happy with AI agents finding information for them (58%), but pulling the trigger on purchases? Not so much (18%). GWI Zeitgeist
🚕 Google’s Waymo robotaxis have doubled their mileage in the last 6 months, while Tesla’s competitor service has expanded its range in Austin, Texas. But for the majority of Americans, the tech just isn’t there yet for them. US consumers are 36% more likely than the global average to say they wouldn’t feel comfortable at all being driven in an autonomous vehicle. GWI Zeitgeist
What’s on our radar
A few weeks ago, we shared an insight reporting that athletes are the least comfortable talking about their mental health. But Philadelphia 76ers Center Joel Embiid is bucking the trend, discussing his struggles with the mental side of the game with ESPN.
The Pokemon Company released data stating that Pokemon Sleep is increasing Japanese players’ average sleep time. Whether with a sleep app or a TM, we can all use more rest.
The Trump administration is set to open the US retirement market to cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is currently trading near its all-time high price, but there’ll still be concerns around volatility.
Last week YouTube launched a crackdown on “inauthentic content” (also known as slop), and now Meta is following suit. There might be hints of a fightback against such content on online platforms, as search engine DuckDuckGo is offering users the option to filter out AI-generated results.
But AI is still proceeding in more prestige media, with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarndos talking up its use in an Argentinian sci-fi series, offering a cheaper alternative to traditional VFX workflows.
Meanwhile, a study indicates a huge growth in the number of games on Steam that use generative AI in some form, the New York Times is spotlighting an AI film studio, and while last year’s Wallace and Gromit film was read by many to be a cautionary tale about AI, the company behind it (Aardman) is clearly thinking deeply about how to implement the tech.
We focus a lot on trends when they’re in the early adopter stage, and sometimes overlook which ones get a lease of life when the laggards come on board. So it feels telling that the Boomers are expanding their horizons on social media, with r/over60selfies one of the fastest-growing (safe for work!) subreddits, and the septuagenarian, very much not-down-with-the-kids journalist British journalist Peter Hitchens now on TikTok.
Chart of the week
We’re in the midst of the Matchapocolypse. You’ve likely seen a photo of somebody with one in hand on social media this year. Paired with Dubai chocolate and a Labubu or two, it’s the epitome of 2025 overconsumption trends.
There should be no surprises that matcha sits atop the leaderboard for the most trend-driven beverages. Beverage choices like this go hand-in-hand with social media activity, literally. An iced tea or coffee like the ones topping the charts here provide an accessory for self-expression, while avoiding the awkward “what do I do with my hands” moment when being photographed.
At the other end of the scale are the simple things. Black coffee, builder’s tea. Consumers of these beverages are, as expected, not moved by what’s trending on social media.
Want to find out more about matcha drinkers? Check out our new blog.
🔥 Hot take
Punchy perspectives, with data that nudges the narrative
“We should hear the anti-vaxxers out”
It feels as though since the pandemic, anti-vaccine sentiment has been on the rise, with measles cases at a 30-year high in the states, while the UK is also dealing with outbreaks.
With notorious vaccine skeptic RFK Jr in place as secretary of health, he would appear to be a very visible symbol of such sentiment. But with our research finding that almost 100 million Americans alone have avoided a vaccine in the last 5 years, surely not all of them are the same?
Okay, they are more likely than average to get their information about vaccines from social media, podcasts, and online video platforms - that’s true. But while they may be skeptical of what the government tells them about jabs, when push comes to shove, 58% say vaccinations are safe and effective, and two-thirds believe that vaccinations are crucial for public health. There’s more nuance to individual vaccine decisions than outright opposition to them.
