Millennials in the city may be dreaming of the suburbs, the unstoppable video wars heat up by the day, the temp tattoo trend meets Instagram, and more. This week’s news to know in one don’t miss list.
1. Millennials Dreaming of the Burbs?
This week’s newsfeed let you know that right now about one in seven young adults live in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and more young adults are staying in cities, slowing a decades-long trend of leaving urban areas to raise families after starting careers. The numbers indicate that earlier reports that they might be moving more are inaccurate, but don’t miss the other angle to the story: some of these Millennials might be dreaming of the burbs after all. A recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders of individuals under 38 (which we should point out actually includes young Xers) found that 66% say they want to live in the suburbs. Ypulse’s own research has found that 34% of 13-34-year-olds say they want to settle in a suburb near a big city, 27% want to settle in a big city.
2. Unstoppable Video Wars
We got an early look at Vessel, the video platform that launched in beta this week and could change the content marketplace by offering creators serious profit in exchange for exclusivity. Vessel is hoping to re-imagine what online video can be and how the video ecosystem works, and you shouldn’t see some of the other ways the video wars are heating up: YouTube, which has been making moves to prepare for competitors, will be putting out original content by the end of 2015. The shows will focus on YouTube talent, and the head of originals at the site explains, “We’ll start with the next level for a lot of our creators; we’ll fund beyond what they are typically able to realize.” Those creators with a passionate fan base and good ideas will be given the financial leg up.
3. The Temp Tattoo Trend Meets Insta
Temporary tattoos have been embraced by Millennial “grown ups” who are finding new uses for them, and we’ve seeing them go beyond faux ink, and temp tats becoming lifehacks, jewelry, and more. Now don’t miss how the trend is colliding with the movement bringing social photos to offline products: Insta temp tattoos are here. Picatoo turns users Instagram shots into faux ink, providing 12 temporary tattoos chosen from their feeds for $14.99. Part of Instagram’s power and allure is giving everyone the feeling they are an artist. That art is increasingly being given the change to be brought offline, as brands and startups tap into young consumers’ desire to show off their social photos beyond the confines of digital.
4. The Art of Emoji
From clothing to marketing, emojis, Millennials and teens’ second language, are everywhere. These modern hieroglyphics are continuing to dominate communication and there are a slew of startups capitalizing on emojis popularity. We told you about Emoji.ink, the site that lets users “draw with emoji,” so don’t miss some of that emoji art in action. Yung Jake, “the art world’s favorite rapper,” has been using the site and posting emoji-painted portraits of celebrities, artists, and meme stars on his Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter, showing some amazing skills with digital drawing.
5. Links We’re Passing
The trend of more realistic dolls hasn’t exactly taken off in the mainstream, but we’ve seen hints of its potential in the last year. Now don’t miss the new project shows what popular dolls could look like with a major make-under. Sonia Singh collects Bratz dolls and repaints them in more natural looks, calling the results Tree Change Dolls. The dolls are also given new clothes and shoes that make them look more like kids playing outside. Singh is planning an Etsy shop, and has already been getting attention for her work.
