The Zeitgeist: March 28, 2025

Today's Edition: BuyBuy Baby, Signalgate and Cottage Cheese

March 28, 2025

Good morning. Signal, the encrypted messaging app, found itself in the center of a national security crisis this week. With 40-70M users compared to WhatsApp’s 2B+, Signal is far smaller, but this moment gave it rare, widespread name recognition. We included an interesting article on Signal’s branding moment under Corporate (also here) - it’s worth a read.

In other news, as Duke advances in March Madness, it’s also sparring with HBO’s The White Lotus over the use of its branding in the show’s third season. It’s reminiscent of Peloton’s moment in And Just Like That…, when branding became part of the plot. When brands and their logos become part of a character-driven story, it’s powerful - but it also means they’re in a narrative they don’t fully control. What brands can control is how, or if, they choose to respond.

Campaigns

Earned-friendly campaigns & clever moments

Coca-Cola brings back ‘Share a Coke’ for Gen Z

In bringing back the 2011 campaign, the brand is infusing digital elements and a partnership with McDonald’s in hopes of deepening connections.

By Grace Snelling | Fast Company

The Ordinary Is Selling… Eggs?

Known for its skincare products, The Ordinary teamed up with art collective MSCHF to bring ordinary prices ($3.37) back to eggs at two of its NYC boutiques last weekend.

By Asia Milia Ware | The Cut

Also, Frida’s breastmilk-flavored ice cream, Rimowa’s pre-owned suitcases, Brach’s Egg Hunt Hiders service for Easter, Kimpton Hotels x Tiny Zaps’ tattoo pop-ups and be careful! April Fool’s Day is Tuesday.

Culture 

Snackable bites of consumer culture

Something Bizarre Is Happening to People Who Use ChatGPT a Lot

A study from OpenAI and the MIT Media Lab found that ChatGPT “power users,” or those who use it the most, are becoming dependent upon - or even addicted to - the chatbot.

By Noor Al-Sibai | Futurism

Gen Z is changing the way America drinks coffee

An interview with the president of Nestlé’s USA beverage division reveals that younger coffee drinkers are turning to cold brews, instant options and lots of creamer.

By Anna-Louise Jackson | Fast Company

The Cottage-Cheese Craze

An obsession with protein has led to a major uptick in what was once a generally despised cheese.

By Danya Issawi | The Cut

Gen Z is falling in love with the charm and ‘cringe’ of millennials

No longer feeling burdened by the ‘cringe’ of millennial culture, Gen Z is looking back at a time that is perceived to be more hopeful and stable.

By Kyla Guilfoil | NBC News

Corporate

How Signal turned a national security crisis into a branding moment

The encrypted communication app turned “Signalgate” into a branding opportunity, highlighting the app’s robust security features and increasing its prominence among users. It’s rocketing up the app charts.

By Rob Walker | Fast Company

5 years into the remote work boom, the return-to-office push is stronger than ever

While remote job opportunities are down, the competition to land one is fierce: Just 20% of LinkedIn postings are for remote or hybrid jobs, but they’re getting 60% of applications.

By Jennifer Liu, Valentina Duarte | CNBC “Make It”

These People Found Fame and Money - on LinkedIn

Some users have forged a path to low-level fame and fortune by injecting personality into a site that is typically all business, using their popularity to build their brands, find clients and sign sponsorship deals. 

By Ann-Marie Alcántara | The Wall Street Journal

Companies Pull Back From Pride Events as Trump Targets D.E.I.

Pride organizers say major longtime backers are reducing their support as corporate America retreats from diversity initiatives under President Trump.

By Jonathan Wolfe | The New York Times

Commerce

Shopper society snapshot

Wellness is king on TikTok Shop. But consumer trust is harder to come by

Nearly 80% of U.S. TikTok Shop purchases are going to health and beauty purchases, but convincing consumers to make a purchase is not always an easy gambit, according to a new survey.

By Emily Jensen | Glossy

How Private-label Beauty Quietly Became Sexy

Private-label brands by retailers like Target, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens and more are becoming more quality-driven, at an affordable price point.

By Noor Lobad | Women’s Wear Daily

BuyBuy Baby Sets Due Date for Online (Re)Birth

BuyBuy Baby will officially re-enter the world of online retail on May 8, just days before Mother’s Day.

By Adam Blair | Retail TouchPoints

US shoppers averaged $700 on TikTok Shop in the last year

Gen Z in particular uses the app’s shopping feature the most and increasingly trusts influencers, according to a report by Partner Centric of American consumers under 60.

By Xanayra Marin-Lopez | Retail Dive

Connections

Feed intelligence

For Gen Z, viral videos are the new primetime

Deloitte’s latest Digital Media Trends survey shows younger audiences prefer social media stars over traditional TV and film - forcing the entertainment industry to play catch-up.

By Eve Upton-Clark | Fast Company

Why ‘Allure’ joined Substack

An interview with Allure’s content director Kara McGrath about the magazine’s Substack, The Beauty Chat by Allure, how they’re differentiating it from the website and what success for publishers can look like on Substack.

By Kate Lindsay | Embedded (Substack)

More than half of Americans over the age of 11 have watched a video podcast

90% of those aged 12-34 listen to online audio monthly, while Gen Z overwhelmingly prefers audio podcasts over video.

By Sam Gutelle | tube filter

TikTokers Invaded YouTube Shorts

This week, TikTokers planned a playful “invasion” of YouTube Shorts to counter AI-generated content, combat outdated memes and bring the platform in line with TikTok’s trend-driven culture.

By Dani Di Placido | Forbes

Media Moves:

  • Alex Konrad, formerly senior editor at Forbes who left in January, has started Upstarts Media, a new tech publication covering the startup ecosystem.

  • Haleluya Hadero, formerly retail and tech reporter at The Associated Press, is now black church editor at Christianity Today.

  • Melia Russell, senior tech reporter at Business Insider, is moving to a new beat to cover how artificial intelligence is transforming legal and professional services.

  • Deena Shanker, staff writer at Bloomberg News, is moving to Bloomberg Businessweek to cover the intersection of business and food along with health and personal products.

  • Laila Maidan, formerly investing correspondent at Business Insider, is now tech and investing reporter at MarketWatch.

  • Emily Rella, formerly senior news writer at Entrepreneur, is now food editor at PEOPLE.

  • Rose Minutaglio, formerly senior editor, features & special projects at ELLE, is now senior editor at National Geographic.

  • Fabiana Buontempo, formerly lifestyle writer at BuzzFeed, is now lifestyle editor at the New York Post.

  • Marissa Matozzo, formerly senior staff writer at SheFinds Media, is now lifestyle reporter at the New York Post, covering beauty, fashion, entertainment, pop culture and compelling NYC human interest stories.

  • Anna Silman, formerly senior features reporter at Business Insider, is leaving the news outlet to pursue freelance opportunities.

  • Audrey Kemp, formerly staff reporter at The Drum, is now agencies reporter at Adweek.

Also... read this Popular Science article on how cars get their names.

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