Back in June, we told you that AI would enable the release of one final Beatles song, called Now and Then. Now that itās here, are the Fab Four officially over, or na-na-na-na-na-na-naaaaah, na-na-na-naaaaaah? ā¦.sorry.
Scroll down to read about Shakespearian canines, grade tracking, and football fashion.
Stats to power your week
š¤³ Itās not news that there are quite a few influencers around. But you donāt often see it listed as a job on the census, so itās hard to know just how big the creator economy is. Fortunately, we can shed some light here: there are more Gen Zs who work as influencers than there are who work as nurses. GWI Core (Europe/North America)
ā½ Football and fashion continue to intertwine ā English team Crystal Palace has hired a creative director for apparel, players are becoming fashion models, and Prada collaborated with Adidas to release a $595 cleat. Itās a good move, as 85% of luxury clothing buyers follow football. You might catch them looking clean at Benfica, Sevilla, and West Ham matches: teams theyāre more likely to support than the average football fan. GWI Core
š³ With more workers going back to the office or a hybrid schedule, the demand for the home office has cooled off. Instead, kitchen quality is becoming more important, evidenced by an 18% increase in cooking interest among prospective home buyers since Q2 2020. GWI USA
š Language has always been used as a status symbol, and Gen Z are focusing on niche emojis. Gen Zs are 18% more likely than the average consumer to say that standing out in a crowd is important to them, so if you want in, maybe avoid the šā¤ļøš and start going for the š£šøš¤. GWI Core
š Schoology, an app that tracks homework assignments and grades, is the latest tracking craze in the US. Do we hear helicopters? Those tech-savvy millennial parents are 103% more likely than the average parent to track their childrenās activities/location. Best of luck getting away with anything, Gen Alpha! GWI USA
Whatās on our radar
OpenAI made a swathe of announcements at its first developer conference on Monday. We donāt have room to go through them all here, but you can use this analogy: if ChatGPTās release last year was the launch of the iPhone, Monday was the birth of the App Store.
Though it would be an oversight if we didnāt highlight ChatGPT doing its best to commentate on this classic Lionel Messi goal.
But ChatGPT does now have company in the form of Xās AI chatbot Grok, which is putting a ārebellious streakā front-and-center in its brand positioning.
As weāve been pointing out for a while, culture is downstream of the economy ā and as China experiences economic woes, āexquisite povertyā is making waves among its younger, middle-class consumers.
America is truly a melting pot ā according to Uber Eatsā Cravings report, the five most ordered items on the app were garlic naan, Pad thai, miso soup, California rolls, and French fries.
In a crossover of pioneering, chicken-based interview shows, Amelia Dimoldenberg of Chicken Shop Date appeared on Sean Evansā Hot Ones, and vice versa. Meanwhile the chicken-less Bobbi Althoff is extending the awkward celebrity interview style.
A new luxury mall in India has seen many high-end brands (including Balenciaga) open their first outlets in the country. But itās not just luxury making inroads in India ā new tech looks set to be an important battleground in the 2024 Indian election.
Chart of the week
A TikTok of a Los Angeles resident talking about his bagel-ordering experience in New York City has gone viral for his controversial order: a scooped, gluten-free bagel.
Food is just one of the many differences between the USās two largest cities and cultural hotspots. New Yorkers are piling into Dunkinā to get a coffee, while Angelinos have supremacy over Chick-fil-A. More vegan and vegetarians can be found in NYC, while LA might have more gluten-free options. And of course, NYC consumes more bagels.
The ultimate common ground was Chiliās, because obviously.
Local lowdown
South Africaās reality TV junkies
Reality TV can suck you in with its petty fights and ridiculous premises. But itās particularly captured the attention of South Africans. Theyāre #1 in the world for overall interest in reality TV ā an interest that beats out literature, business, and fashion.
To an extent, the popularity of reality TV is mandated by law. The countryās state broadcaster, SABC, is required to broadcast a certain amount of āinformal knowledge buildingā content. By giving viewers the chance to see how others live, reality TV fits the bill.
