Nintendo plans to keep using Millennials’ nostalgia to buy big (for the holidays), how Starbucks is embracing a colorful fan-created trend, an update on all things Pokémon Go, signs the Ghostbusters reboot could be big, and more links you’ll want to read before the week is over…
1. How Nintendo Might Win The Holidays With Nostalgia
In the short week since Nintendo’s new Pokémon augmented reality app was released, it has become an international sensation. For Millennials, many lifelong fans of Pokémon, the game is enabling them to re-live their childhood dreams via augmented reality. Don’t miss how Nintendo will continue to ride the Millennial nostalgia train with the relaunch of their classic NES gaming system, which might just be the tech item of the 2017 holiday season. Being released in November, the old-school system has been shrunk down, and comes pre-loaded with 30 retro games—including the beloved The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. (Need-to blow cartridges no longer included.) Millennials are already buzzing about wanting the console reboot.
2. Gotta Catch Them All
Speaking of the most-talked about game in…almost ever, we gave you a breakdown of everything you need to know about Pokémon Go earlier this week. But don’t miss how it has surpassed Twitter’s daily users and engagement on Facebook, how sponsored locations will soon be coming to the app, and an explanation from the game’s CEO on why it has taken off. From man who has quit his job to be a full-time hunter to the girl who caught her boyfriend cheating through the game’s tracking abilities, more and more stories are coming out daily thanks to the cultural phenomenon. Still not convinced on the power of Pokémon Go? Don’t miss this video of a mob of players storming a park to catch a Squirtle.
3. Millennials Ain’t Afraid of No Ghosts
Millennials are reportedly in the midst of a movie-attendance resurgence, and we asked 1000 13-33-year-olds which of the movies being released this summer they’re planning to see in theaters, and it looks like they aren’t afraid of no ghosts. The controversial reboot of Ghostbusters was in the top five list of films young females are most excited to see, and 30% of 13-17-year-olds and 25% of 18-33-year-olds say they plan to see it. Don’t miss how forecasters are predicting a close to $50 million opening for the flick in the U.S., and how it’s now Fandango’s top pre-selling live-action comedy of the year.
4. Starbucks Embraces The Fan-Made Rainbow Drink Trend
Viral foods like rainbow bagels made Millennial foodies’ list of the top trends they’re interested in, and foods like rainbow sushi and rainbow grilled cheese have helped make multi-hued treats a social media trend with staying power. Don’t miss how Starbucks has embraced their own fan-created color trend: Rainbow Drinks. Customers have invented their own beverages at the chain, sharing photos and recipes for Orange Drink, Pink Drink, Green Drink, Purple Drink, Blue Drink and more online. Starbucks has been encouraging the colorful secret menu, posting the recipes on social media, and an Instagram post that celebrate the beverages with the message, “Your creations = our inspiration. #RainbowDrinks.”
5. Where To Find The Elusive Teenage Girl
As we’ve seen with Snapchat, apps that start by attracting teen users can become major mainstream platforms, and serious marketing players. To keep you ahead of the curve, we covered five up-and-coming apps with teens and tweens this week. Don’t miss another new app that will cover all things teen, in the design of a brightly colored “teenage girl’s scrapbook.” Clover Letter, a teen-focused email newsletter that reportedly reaches tens of thousands of readers, is launching a free mobile app to overcome the limitations of the email format. According to our own Ypulse Chief Content Officer, MaryLeigh Bliss, if your target is the elusive teenage girl, the move is a smart one: “Young consumers, including young girls, are ‘app jugglers’ and are always looking for something new to entertain them on their phone.”
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