Media and Entertainment

Black Americans overwhelmingly see the news as racially biased and want to see journalists better educated about the sensitive issues they report on as a remedy. As trust in legacy news media continues to decline, people are engaging with information outlets that offer equitable representation.

With One Piece, Netflix has finally overcome a long history of failed anime adaptations. Remaining faithful to the source material and generating hype through a strong marketing campaign, the show manages to meet the expectations of the existing fans while welcoming new ones to the fandom.

Sports Direct has teamed up with Getty Images to create a bank of images that reflects the true diversity of football. Aiming to address racial and gender biases in SEO algorithms, the brands are encouraging the media to use their photo banks to better reflect the footballing world.

Marvel Comics is celebrating Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month with a line of covers and bonus stories called the Comunidades Variants. As the demographic of the US becomes increasingly diverse, people are increasingly demanding their identities are reflected in mainstream media.

A survey of US adults has shown that the vast majority of the general population supports LGBTQ+ representation in advertising and would remove their support if representation efforts were halted. The data signals a continued push for inclusivity amid growing attacks on LGBTQ+ rights.

The Gacha Pop Spotify playlist is aiming to encapsulate the global reach of J-Pop that has grown out of anime fandoms and gaming communities. The playlist spotlights unique Japanese artists who are challenging the status quo within East Asia and helps to deliver a global reach for the genre.

The Matildas have had a record-breaking World Cup campaign. Their success saw them break yearly free-to-air viewership records on multiple occasions throughout the tournament. The ratings show that people are looking for joyful narratives to unite behind and sport can offer that more than ever.

LitRPG combines reading and board games to create immersive and interactive worlds that foster serendipity – piggybacking on the increased interest in games like D&D. As people turn to kidulting as a way to escape the permacrisis, and are looking to brands to provide those opportunities.

The Barbie movie showed that comfortable shoes trumped sky-high stilettos, inspiring an ‘ugly comfort’ shoe movement amongst Chinese netizens. The blockbuster ignited several hot-button topics around patriarchal systems and gender inequality, rousing more people to reassess traditional norms.

As excitement for the Women’s World Cup builds, short-form content is being utilised to facilitate a spike in interest. Not only does this point to the continued rise of the Women’s game, but also the new ways people are engaging with sports in the context of the evolving attention economy.

Gen Z's interest in traditional news outlets has plummeted, with Irish Gen Zers turning to platforms like TikTok instead. As people experience burnout from a 24-hour news cycle due to perceived negativity, the findings show how people are searching for alternate sources of news and information.

Legible Inc., a book entertainment and media company, is releasing an AI-powered version of George Orwell's Animal Farm. The release demonstrates the AI's role in creating content, introducing classic works to new audiences in more contemporary ways, and boosting interactivity and engagement.

Puma has launched a sustainability podcast in an effort to bridge the education gap among younger audiences. While bringing clarity around its eco-concepts and behaviors, Puma is showcasing authentic collaboration with young voices to address climate change issues.

To promote the diverse range of languages and cultures represented on SBS platforms, the broadcaster has launched a campaign celebrating multicultural communities in Australia. The move reflects the desire to platform voices that are often underrepresented in mainstream media.

As people seek to mine the past for comfort and connection, especially among music listening habits, Wendy's leverages nostalgia through a collaboration with autotune hitmaker T-Pain. The partnership follows a trend of brands utilizing artists in marketing to create memorable campaigns.

I Kissed a Girl is the UK's first ever all-female and gay dating show, set to air on the BBC in Summer 2023. While the portrayal of lesbian and queer women in reality TV has been lacking, brands and content platforms now have the opportunity to centre more authentic and diverse narratives.

Esports has long been synonymous with young people but brands operating in the space are now looking to widen their target audiences, encompassing older groups and showing that anyone can game. Following this sentiment, Meituan is providing sponsorship for an aspiring esports team of elderly gamers.

Digitally fluent Gen Zers are searching for more offline connections with loved ones. Many are only on social media to stay in touch with friends and family, so there's an opportunity to foster IRL relationships and activities that help young people embrace digital downtime away from screens.

The King Sejong Institute has established a new base in the UAE's cultural capital: Sharjah's University City. As South Korea's cultural output resonates with audiences across the globe, people are finding ways to engage with and learn about foreign cultures in more meaningful ways.

Co-creation has become a staple in gaming, so The Sims has reached out to its community of Simmers to vote on the development of its upcoming Kits. This collaborative approach appeals to gamers that demand personalization and transparency, as well as fostering greater consumer relationships.

After decades of displaying a glaring lack of racial diversity, Brazilian telenovelas are finally on course for better diverse representation, both on and off-screen. People want their identities to be reflected in mainstream culture and expect to see brands address diversity concerns.

Older adults in Japan are increasingly facing loneliness and isolation alongside inadequate social support. Plan 75 is a movie that presents tough questions about Japanese society's relationship with older adults in a rapidly ageing nation, calling for greater compassion and understanding.

Entertainment company Hybe used voice AI to launch artist Midnatt simultaneously in six languages. While AI in the music industry is leading to concerns around ownership and authenticity, this shows the potential voice synthesis tools have in giving both artists and fans new music experiences.

NYX is raising awareness of anti-LGBTQ+ bullying in the online gaming world with a new campaign to commemorate Pride Month. Offering education and allyship training nationwide, the brand aims to target hate by creating safe spaces both in the metaverse and in real life.

Research suggests young people in Saudi Arabia are picking up core soft skills such as communication and analytical thinking through gaming. While gaming is often framed as a tool for escapism, its positive impacts on Gen Z are trickling into other facets of their everyday lives and their careers.

Telly is a start-up giving away free smart TVs, the catch being that they display ads 24/7 – prompting some concerns about data privacy. With concerns around privacy and ad exhaustion becoming the norm, trade-offs like Telly's may be less inviting than they sound.

As the use of generative AI tools is on the rise, music-streaming platforms are looking to balance new modes of creative expression with copyright concerns. Spotify has responded with the removal of AI-generated music from Boomy, amounting to 7% of all songs created using the service.

Oshi is an audio-based platform bringing Japanese VTubers and their fans in closer proximity – offering a chance for greater intimacy. With fan culture constantly evolving, innovations like Oshi underscore people’s desire for deeper and more personalised connections in a saturated creator economy.

SoundCloud is rolling out a tool that brings music creators even closer to their biggest fans, offering them direct interaction with their most loyal listeners. Harnessing the power of community, the move is certain to resonate with people seeking fresh ways to engage with their favourite artists.

AI-generated content is gaining traction in the media, with a swarm of click-baiting AI-powered news sites raising concerns about accuracy. As these publications grow, there are challenges to be addressed in maintaining public trust as the lines between reality and fiction continue to blur.

Known for educationally-driven children’s media, Sesame Workshop has introduced a variety of emotional wellbeing content. Through its lens of inclusion and drive to address the mental health crisis, the Workshop's initiative is an example of a brand leveraging its focus to meet emerging needs.

Time magazine is removing its paywall to expand the readership for the publication's digital news. This move makes information accessible to all audiences and is an interesting shift away from a subscription model at a time when many platforms are struggling to monetize reporting.

Social media feeds have been flooded with Wes Anderson homages that celebrate the beauty of the everyday. Innocuous enough at first glance, the videos reflect the difficulties of living in a state of permacrisis, highlighting how the creators of the content are looking to produce a sense of escapism.

People are cutting back on streaming services as a result of the cost of living crisis. But as providers attempt to drip feed content to keep people subscribed, Britons are prioritising binge-watching shows when all the content is available – removing the need for ongoing subscriptions.

Vogue Philippines has gone viral for featuring revered Indigenous tattooist Apo Whang-Od on the cover of its beauty issue. At 106 years old, she’s Vogue’s oldest cover star to date, with the move signalling the magazine’s embrace of inclusivity to authentically connect with Gen Z.

Heineken’s campaign celebrates gaming as a form of socialising, flipping stereotypes that gamers are inherently anti-social and gaming as an isolating activity. Launching in the online world with in-game bars, Heineken is attempting to shift archaic perceptions of the community.