A brief overview of what is currently trending in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Epstein: President Trump signed the legislation calling for the release of the Epstein files on Wednesday.
Ryan Wedding: The FBI and DOJ announced new charges against Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympian accused of running one of the world’s most prolific drug-trafficking organizations.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
A Communal Approach to Home Ownership
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What It Is: Since February 2020, housing prices have increased by 56%, and wages are slow to catch up to inflation. Today’s housing market is undoubtedly challenging, but Gen Z and millennials have found a creative way to achieve home ownership: co-buying homes with friends. Over the last year, experts have seen a rise in this trend, with reports from 2024 revealing that nearly 15% of Americans have co-purchased a home with someone other than their romantic partner – Gen Z is also shown in other reports as the generation most willing to do so. This tells us that Gen Z is more likely to engage in nontraditional strategies than most, investing in land not only as a means of owning a home, but also to build individual spaces that can be shared amongst friends and family.
The Brand Takeaway: As young buyers explore nontraditional paths to achieving the American dream with their peers, it’s becoming more important for brands to highlight the importance of community, collaboration, and innovation. Consider creating interactive, thought-provoking content that encourages dialogue between Gen Z and their respective communities. Lean into narratives that showcase creative thinking and shared community goals. Younger generations value shared experiences and collective security over tradition, finding creative solutions to barriers presented by the volatile economy they’re growing up in. They’re problem-solvers, making it essential for brands to consistently showcase how they can solve pain points, build community, and help this generation build the lives they envision for themselves.
Four must-click links that crossed our feeds today.
Gen Z is reshaping holiday marketing - learn how your brand can break through.
“Parasocial” is officially the Cambridge Dictionary’s word of the year.
Teen girls’ interest in marriage has collapsed by 22 points since the ‘90s.
TikTok thinks Timothee Chalamet is secretly a British rapper.
The Celebrity Traitors - Peacock, 11/20
Miss Universe Pageant - Peacock, 11/20
Wicked: For Good - Theaters, 11/20
Eternity - Theaters, 11/26
One More Time - Aerosmith & YUNGBLUD
DO IT - Stray Kids
Wicked: For Good - The Soundtrack - Various Artists
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