A brief overview of what is currently trending in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Canada: With Trump’s new tariffs, Canadians are boycotting American goods and taking them off their shelves.
Sylvester Turner: The longtime Houston Mayor and Congressman sadly passed away at age 70.
Joey Bosa: The Chargers have released Joey Bosa and fans are speculating about which team he should go to next.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
Gen Z’s Obsession with Wellness Clubs
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
What It Is: Gen Z, the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age, has normalized online-only interactions for everything from friendships to work and dating. This generation’s historic lack of "third places" — public spaces separate from home and work for socializing — combined with their proven love of self-care, aesthetic brands, and wellness products, have led to a rise in “Wellness Clubs” that have become young people’s version of country clubs, as profiled by Vogue.
These clubs offer an array of amenities and activities that cater to physical, mental, and social well-being, helping individuals to better themselves and reach their highest potential and make IRL connections. Expect to see more chatter and social counter around clubs like this as we head into warmer months. There are constant reminders on social of how summer is sneaking up on us, motivating young people to make new connections while, of course, working on those ideal summer bodies.
The Brand Takeaway: These wellness clubs offer a much-needed sense of community and real-life connection that Gen Z craves, though often with hefty price tags. While brands aim to foster a sense of community on social through content and their online personas, they can take it a step further by creating in-person, accessible opportunities for people to come together around shared interests, especially wellness-based ones if it makes sense for the brand. For instance, Poppi's pop-up event, Poppi’s World, allowed the public to shop, drink, and connect with fellow fans of healthy soda alternatives. By facilitating in-person gatherings, and tapping into macro trends such as wellness, brands can significantly enhance community building and strengthen brand loyalty, if done authentically.
Four must-click links that crossed our feeds today.
DOGE’s foreign aid cuts are sparking chaos around the world.
Netflix is delving deeper into live content with John Mulaney’s new show.
Martin Scorsese to produce a film about the Alpine Meadows Avalanche.
Plankton: The Movie - Netflix, 3.6
Picture This - Amazon Prime, 3.6
Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta - Netflix, 3.6
Mickey 17 - theaters, 3.7
MAYHEM - Lady Gaga
Wiggle Up, Giddy Up! - The Wiggles
Oceanside Countryside - Neil Young
Want to subscribe? Reach out to culturetaskforce@substack.com.
