The earworm of the week (year?), the app with waffle rewards, parenting tattoos, and more. Catch up on the news and trends of the week with The Friday Don’t Miss List!
1. Waffle Rewards
App downloads continue to rise, and young consumers are proving their preference for apps over browsers when they’re mobile. We rounded up five of the most buzzed about apps of the moment, including Roadie, “the first neighbor-to-neighbor shipping network” and the latest potential peer-to-peer distruptor. Don’t miss the app’s unconventional partnership that’s bringing its user waffle rewards. Waffle House and Roadie have paired up to give users who are out for delivery a treat, providing a free waffle for those who download the app and a free drink when they win a gig, which they can cash in on the road when making their delivery.
2. Earworm of the Week (Year?)
Three years ago, the world had one song they couldn’t get out of their head, and thanks to YouTube everyone was singing “Call Me Maybe.” Well Carly Ray Jepson is back, and “the internet really, really, really likes” her new single “I Really Like You.” The track is more than the earworm of the week, it’s “a beast” that has kicked off the Song of Summer debates, even while a big part of the country is covered in snow.
3. Meerkat Mania
Sometimes a list of the five hot apps of the moment can’t even contain all the mobile buzz going on. Don’t miss the mania around Meerkat, the app that’s setting Twitter on fire. Meerkat makes live streaming on Twitter as simple as a single click: users can share video in real time by pushing “stream” in Meerkat, which synchs with Twitter accounts and sends the livestream out to followers via tweet. In the last week, Meerkat has taken off in a big way, and though temporarily blocked by Twitter on Monday, the app is back in business and continuing to gain attention.
4. Millennial Parents Influencing Brands
A new generation of parents are on the block, and understanding how they’re approaching this role will be vital for anyone who wants to attract them. They’re already influencing products and marketing, so don’t miss some of our stats on how they approach brands. According to our October 2014 survey of Millennials parents, 65% shop at Target for their kids, and 60% at Amazon. Meanwhile, 69% have used hand-me-downs, and 49% shop at second-hand stores for their kids as well.
5. Parenting Tattoos
In our series on Millennial parents, we’re looking at their behavior, growing influence, marketing preferences, and their unique approach to the milestone. Don’t miss another unique parenting style: One dad in Canada has been tattooing his son’s childhood artwork on his arms for years, getting a new drawing added to his skin every year. The tattooed daddy says he’ll continue as long as his son wants to.
