The Zeitgeist: June 13, 2025

Today's Edition: AI Hotlines, Goodyear and Coolcations

June 13, 2025

Good morning. This week, Walmart is facing calls for a boycott after renewed scrutiny of Walmart heiress Christy Walton’s political donations reignited controversy. The NYT “No Kings Day” ad she took out has sparked debate over the company’s relationship with the president and where it stands politically. Now, Walmart is under pressure to respond and protect its reputation with customers.

Also, Father’s Day is this Sunday. Gift trends highlight a shift toward personalized, experience-driven and practical presents, and consumers are projected to spend a record $24B - up from $22.4B in 2024.

Campaigns

Earned-friendly campaigns & clever moments

How Heinz ketchup is fighting hot sauce at breakfast

As part of its new “Rise and Heinz” campaign, Heinz is rolling out limited-edition “breakfast ketchup” in glass syrup bottles that will be placed in 50 local diners across the U.S.

By Erika Wheless | AdAge

How E.l.f. is using humor and hard data to push for boardroom diversity

E.l.f’s “So Many Dicks” campaign revealed there are more men named Dick on corporate boards than members of entire underrepresented groups - highlighting the lack of boardroom diversity and the brand’s commitment to DEI.

By Anna-Louise Jackson | Fast Company

Also, Chipotle’s Friday the 13th tattoo promo, Tinder’s RelationChips snack, KidSuper x Papa Johns’ croissant pizza hot bag (debuting at Paris Fashion Week), Frida’s FridaBalls kid-proof underwear, Cheetos’ Shape Hunt and Crocs x American Girl.

Culture 

Snackable bites of consumer culture

Forget The Heatwave: ‘Coolcations’ Are The Way To Travel Europe This Summer

In 2024, “coolcation” was named one of the biggest travel trends. Now, bookings to European destinations with moderate climates (i.e. Scandinavia, Finland, Iceland) are up 263% YoY.

By Emese Maczko | Forbes

Gen Z is embracing a digital detox and the ‘Martha Stewart summer’

Pinterest’s 2025 Summer Trend Report reveals that Gen Z is swapping screen time for slow living, nature retreats and nostalgic simplicity.

By Eve Upton-Clark | Fast Company

Why the Goodyear Blimp Hasn’t Been Replaced by Drones

Goodyear’s relationship with TV networks and event organizers is a unique and enduring sponsorship.

By Ken Belson | The New York Times

White picket rents: Tenants are flooding the suburbs where they can’t afford to buy

Renting in the suburbs is becoming more popular as mortgage costs have risen and homeownership is unreachable.

By Evie Steele | NBC News

Corporate

Only One in Four Gen Zers are Committed to Their Jobs

Ochuko worked with Pulse Check’s Kate Whalen on a career survey that revealed what Gen Z really wants from work, why 77% are actively job hunting or open to new roles and more.

By Ochuko Akpovbovbo | As Seen On (Substack)

Immigration fight moves to the workplace

The White House has taken its immigration efforts inside the American workplace, and unions have been a key player in pushing back.

By Emily Peck | Axios

Klarna’s CEO is now taking your calls — over an AI hotline

The hotline engages users, gathers feedback and showcases the company’s tech-forward approach to customer service and corporate transparency.

By Jay Peters | The Verge

This Year’s Pride Festivals Are Brought to You by Small Businesses

Amid waning corporate support for Pride events, local businesses are stepping in to sustain celebrations in support of the LGBTQ+ community and their local economies.

By Niko Gallogly | The New York Times

Commerce

Shopper society snapshot

The death of the checkout counter is leading brands to rethink their store layouts

Brands like Glossier and Mejuri are ditching traditional checkout counters in favor of mobile POS systems and open layouts.

By Melissa Daniels | Modern Retail

Gen Alpha side hustles: How kids are earning big online before they can even drive

More than half of the people surveyed are earning money online through digital side hustles.

By Eve Upton-Clark | Fast Company

Social Media Shopping Activity Is Becoming Common Across Generations

As shopping through social media grows, more consumers are favoring platforms that enable inspiration to conversion in one place.

By Claire Tassin | Morning Consult

Walmart and Wing expand drone delivery to five more US cities

Walmart and Wing are expanding their partnership and rolling out drone delivery to dozens of more stores in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando and Tampa.

By Kirsten Korosec | TechCrunch

Connections

Feed intelligence

Instagram Wants Gen Z. What Does Gen Z Want From Instagram?

Gen Z is least interested in the public photo feed that was once Instagram’s marquee offering.

By Callie Holtermann | The New York Times

The New York Times is changing the recipe behind its iconic Dining brand

The paper announced major changes to its iconic Dining beat: the appointment of two co-chief restaurant critics, Tejal Rao and Ligaya Mishan, and an expansion into video reviews.

By Liam Reilly | CNN Business

Social media creators to overtake traditional media in ad revenue this year

In 2025, advertising revenue from UGC on platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram will surpass that of traditional media for the first time.

By Michael Savage | The Guardian

Media Moves:

  • Emma Hinchlifee, formerly senior writer at Fortune, is now Most Powerful Women editor at the publication. She will lead editorial, working across the newsroom and live events, and continue to write and lead the newsletter MPW Daily (formerly the Broadsheet).

  • Julia Herbst, senior editor at Fast Company overseeing work life coverage, has left the magazine and has not yet announced her new role.

  • Sarah Needleman, formerly tech reporter at The Wall Street Journal, is now leadership and workplace correspondent at Business Insider.

  • Kyle Wiggers, formerly AI editor at TechCrunch, is leaving the outlet to pursue a career in communications.

  • Amy O’Brien, formerly freelance, is now tech editor at VOGUE Business, covering topics such as algorithms, beauty tech, Big Tech, circular economy, data, discovery, design tech, e-commerce, longevity, personalization, social platforms and wearables.

  • Hannah Chubb, formerly lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, is now senior commerce editor at Condé Nast Traveler.

  • Nikol Slatinska, formerly commerce writer at Apartment Therapy, is now associate home and gifts editor at CNN Underscored.

  • Alberto Riva, formerly editor at Upgraded Points, is now senior money editor at CNN Underscored, overseeing money coverage including travel, credit cards and points and miles.

Also... check out images from the 2025 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards in Popular Science.

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