How do brands losing Gen Z get them back? Don’t be boring. According to Hinge and Smirnoff, two brands in categories that have notable struggles with the next gen, “meeting [Gen Z] where they are” is key. This means taking “calculated risks” that might be more out-of-the-box than past marketing efforts. Hinge released a romance audiobook on Substack to appeal to the BookTok crowd, and followed up with a limited-edition hardcover to give young consumers a tangible experience. Smirnoff tapped Troye Sivan as their “Chief Vibes Officer” and strategically didn’t show him in a bar, where Gen Z is less likely to be drinking. They also included some less-scripted audio content from Sivan that Gen Z could download and use themselves. Whatever the approach, “Make sure that it’s from Gen Z to Gen Z.” (Marketing Dive)
👀 Read more from YPulse: 4 Brands Getting Gen Z to Listen to Them—Literally
Netflix will exclusively stream the 2030 World Cup. Young viewers spent all summer talking about and following the World Cup, so it’s obvious why brands are already thinking about the next one. But if having to get subscriptions just to follow their favorite team or a fraction of a league’s games was something Gen Z had to do before, they’ll definitely being signing up to Netflix during those months—or relying on their local watch parties to get around it. (Especially now that password sharing crackdowns have really made an impact.) Netflix has also secured rights for streaming the Women’s World Cup in the U.S. and Canada for both 2027 and 2031, further cementing their space in sports media. The 2030 deal does include one match per day streaming for free in Spain—one of three co-hosting countries—though the broadcaster who’s secured those rights hasn’t been announced yet. (Variety)
👀 Read more from YPulse: How the World Cup is Winning Over Gen Z—in 3 Stats
Parents are getting frustrated by YouTubers showing up on their streaming services. Controlling their kids’ exposure to “slop” content on YouTube is hard enough. Parents are concerned about kids getting hooked on instantly gratifying content, between the retention editing style—bright colors, quick cuts, and loud, exaggerated speaking—and the extreme challenge-based content. Particularly, they’re worried about the “dopamine crash” they feel comes after it, which is somewhat supported by guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommending limits on “engagement-prolonging design.” But now, alongside cartoons like Cocomelon and Blippi, creators like MrBeast, Salish Matter, and the Stokes Twins are popping up on streamers like Netflix, so limiting access has become a “digital whack-a-mole.” Obviously, the streamers want content creator deals because they pull in massive, engaged audiences. However, parents who aren’t on board are feeling like the options they approve for their kids are dwindling, and no amount of deeply layered parental control settings suffices. (The Guardian)
👀 Read more from YPulse: Where Kids Are Watching Video Content
The Traitors is one of the biggest cultural phenomena right now. The U.K. version swept all seven Emmy nominations it received this year, while The Celebrity Traitors season two drew 9.9M viewers to its BBC premiere. Across the Atlantic, The Traitors: New Blood—the first U.S. version featuring only regular people (88K of whom applied!)—averaged 6.6M viewers across its first two episodes. And, of course, the franchise’s reach extends well beyond the screen. Across socials, young fans bring the backstabbing fun into real life with Traitors-inspired parties where friends play social-deduction games to uncover hidden opps. Their fandom has also inspired an official board game, a sold-out immersive experience in London, and a West End stage show planned for next year. Even the signature traitor cloaks (on sale for $47) are flying off shelves year-round. And if that wasn’t enough, 10K people have already signed up for “The Traitors: Anywhere,” the show’s official WhatsApp experience. (WSJ)
👀 Read more from YPulse: The Top 10 TV Shows Gen Z Loves Right Now
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