The Zeitgeist: January 3, 2025

Today's Edition: Returnuary, Dark Mode and IRL Social

January 03, 2025

Good morning. As we kick off the new year, we’re reflecting on the rapidly changing influencer landscape and unexpected successes from 2024. Several have leveraged their viral moments into full-fledged influencing or entertainment careers. Reesa Teesa’s 500+ minute TikTok series “Who TF Did I Marry?” resulted in a contract with talent agency CAA and an in-progress TV adaptation from actor and producer Natasha Rothwell’s production company. The Costco Guys are now now represented by Night Media and have partnered with Lubriderm and Philips Sonicare. We anticipate more of this in 2025 as consumers continue craving transparency, relatability and vulnerability - and brands will want in.

Campaigns

Earned-friendly campaigns & clever moments

‘We have not shown our full hands yet’: Inside the Pop-Tart Bowl's wild ideas

From an oversized mascot to a functional toaster trophy, the Pop-Tarts Bowl brings flair to college football’s bowl season.

By J.J. Post | ESPN.com

The Duke’s Mayo Bowl Is Gross and Weird. That’s Why People Love It.

The game is one of more than 40 bowl games. But the corporate sponsor has made it an internet sensation. Warning: sickening content.

By Hank Sanders | The New York Times

RXBAR Challenges 'New Year, New You' Self-Improvement Messages

The Kellanova-owned protein bar brand is blocking new year ads with a “B.S. Blocker Truck,” encouraging people to share the “B.S” they’re blocking in 2025 on social.

By Leslie Blount | Campaign US

Also, Dunkin x Sabrina Carpenter’s new espresso drink and Chipotle x Strava’s New Year’s challenge.

Culture 

Snackable bites of consumer culture

Smells Like Protein Spirit

A deep dive into our increasing obsession with protein intake and the “proteinization of food,” where various food products are fortified with additional protein, impacting consumer choices and perceptions of health.

By Jordan Michelman | TASTE Cooking

We’re All in ‘Dark Mode’ Now

Dark mode is praised for reducing eye strain and saving battery life on certain displays, though reading white-on-black text can be harder. In just a few years, our screens -and our preferences - have gone dark.

By Ian Bogost | The Atlantic

20 Years Later, a Look at The New York Times’ 52 Places to Go

The list made its debut in 2005, when world travel was about half of today’s 1.3 billion arrivals. Smartphones, Instagram, Airbnb and Google Maps have drastically changed how we travel.

By Staff | The New York Times

Meet Gen Beta, starting to be born in 2025

The newest generation will see its youngest members be born roughly from 2025 through 2039. Projected to reach about 2.1 billion people, Beta would be the second largest cohort following Alpha's 2 billion.

By April Rubin | Axios

Corporate

This is how DEI will change in 2025

Some companies will rebrand DEI work to be centered around belonging and culture. While some leaders may feel uneasy about continuing to use the words diversity, equity and inclusion, belonging can spark more feelings of comfort.

By Mita Mallick | Fast Company

Small businesses brace themselves for potentially disruptive TikTok ban

According to TikTok’s own estimates, small businesses on TikTok would lose more than $1 billion in revenue in a single month if the ban goes into effect.

By Mae Anderson | The Associated Press

4 Workplace Trends To Watch Out For In 2025

The trends include greater adoption of AI, full return-to-office, more skills-based hiring and the rise of blue- and “gray”-collar jobs.

By Jack Kelly | Forbes

Citi and BofA exit UN-backed global climate alliance for banks

Bank of America and Citigroup said they were quitting the world’s largest climate alliance for banks, the latest sign corporate America may retreat from climate goals in the near future.

By Stephen Gandel | Financial Times

Commerce

Shopper society snapshot

‘Returnuary’ - after the peak shopping season comes the busiest return month of the year

December’s peak shopping days are closely followed by the busiest month for sending items back, which experts dub “Returnuary.” Retailers expect their return rate to be 17% higher, on average, than usual.

By Jessica Dickler | CNBC

TikTok food trends are fleeting, but in 2024 they had real sales impact

A new report from Gopuff showed that searches and sales for products like Sleepy Girl Mocktail ingredients, cucumbers for cucumber salad and high-in-protein cottage cheese were up.

By Elizabeth Segran | Fast Company

Why it seems like all of America’s chains are closing

Rising inflation and competition drove widespread store closures in 2024, but discount and niche retailers thrived by adapting to consumer trends.

By Nathaniel Meyersohn | CNN Business

Eating in Designer Stores, Shopping on TikTok: Five Consumer Trends for 2025

Increasingly skeptical shoppers head to Reddit. Brands are reaching them with podcasts, designer food, streaming sponsorships and TikTok shopping.

By Katie Deighton | The Wall Street Journal

Connections

Feed intelligence

Advertisers Keep Avoiding News Sites, and Publishers Have Had Enough of It

Publishers are grappling with subscriber declines and losses in traffic from Google and other tech platforms and are now making an aggressive push to change advertisers’ perceptions.

By Alexandra Bruell, Suzanne Vranica | The Wall Street Journal

The rise of IRL social apps: How startups are trying to get people to hang out in person and taking aim at loneliness

The IRL Social trend of 2024 is inspiring a new wave of startups capitalizing on the demand for tools that help people make plans.

By Sydney Bradley | Business Insider

Walmart’s version of the Hermès Birkin has taken over the internet

Walmart's 'Wirkin' bag, a dupe of the Hermès super-luxe and exclusive Birkin bag, is causing a stir online as influencers and social media users debate ethics behind the product.

By Auzinea Bacon | CNN

Media Moves:

  • Todd Haselton, formerly deputy technology editor at CNBC.com, is now deputy reviews and commerce editor at The Verge, running its product reviews program.

  • Brian Fung, formerly tech reporter at CNN, has left the news organization and has yet to announce his new role.

  • Tyler Mathisen, “Power Lunch” co-anchor at CNBC, is stepping away from his role after more than 27 years with CNBC. He will continue to play a key part in CNBC Events and a variety of other areas into 2025.

  • Brian Sullivan, formerly senior national correspondent and lead energy reporter at CNBC, is now “Power Lunch” co-anchor joining Kelly Evans beginning Jan. 2.

  • Karen Pensiero, formerly managing editor at The Wall Street Journal, is now standards editor at The Washington Post. She starts in January.

  • Rick Brooks, formerly standards editor at The Wall Street Journal, is now standards editor at Business Insider.

  • Martin Coulter, formerly European technology correspondent at Reuters, is now news editor at Sifted, a UK-based outlet that covers startup news and reporting on Europe’s founders, investors and operators, and is backed by the Financial Times.

Also... watch a paleontologist rate “Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic World” dinosaurs on how realistic they are, part of Business Insider’s “How Real Is It?” video series.

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