The Zeitgeist: November 7, 2025

Today's Edition: Audio Summaries, Locket and Experiential Dishes

November 07, 2025

Good morning. No presidential race? No problem. This week’s elections had the country glued to their screens, popcorn in hand - probably popcorn with a celebrity investor behind it. In this case, Novak Djokovic, who just launched Cob, a sorghum-based, corn-free snack made for the GLP-1 crowd. (Functional popcorn: the sequel no one saw coming.)

Speaking of sequels, Wicked mania is hitting a high note. Between a flood of brand tie-ins, PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive reveal and NBC’s Wicked: One Wonderful Night special, the hype machine’s in full voice. Wicked: For Good lands in theaters November 21 - and for now, the buzz is defying gravity.

Campaigns

Earned-friendly campaigns & clever moments

Why brands like Ramp, Whataburger, and Hellmann’s are sponsoring weddings

To stand out in culture, brands and agencies are stepping into the role of wedding planners.

By Kristina Monllos | Marketing Brew

Why Coca-Cola keeps pushing the limits of generative AI despite backlash

Coca-Cola is sticking with its AI-driven holiday campaign after its strong performance and valuable insights.

By Chris Kelly | Marketing Dive

Also, Tito’s Vodka’s “Turkey Rot” merch, Dole’s healthy eating campaign in Minecraft, Philadelphia Cream Cheese’s Phillyhead cream cheese hat, Heinz x Herschel’s ketchup-inspired luggage collab, Club Wyndham x Pillsbury’s Let it Dough suite, Bath & Body Works’ “Grand Scentral Station” OOH campaign and Labubu-inspired “mystery box” stunts from H-E-B and Pringles.

Culture 

Snackable bites of consumer culture

‘It’s not just a book, it’s a window to my soul’: why we’re in love with literary angst

Young people are finding books in new ways as interest in existential literature grows.

By John Self | The Guardian

Move over, Spirit Halloween. Enter, Urban Air Adventure Park

With millennials seeking experiences, indoor adventure parks are reviving vacant storefronts with go-karts, mini-golf and more.

By Juliet Bennett Rylah | The Hustle

The Experiential Dish Is the New Hard-to-Get Reservation

Restaurateurs are turning meals into Instagram-worthy experiences that mix spectacle and exclusivity.

By Bettina Makalintal | Eater

Young People Are Helicopter-Parenting Themselves and Each Other

Young people’s hazy sense of privacy fuels on- and offline surveillance culture.

By Kathryn Jezer-Morton | The Cut

Corporate

Health care moves into the workplace

Companies that pair affordable in-person and virtual care with insurance often save money and boost morale.

By Erika Fry | The Washington Post

New bipartisan bill would require companies to report AI job losses

The AI Job Impacts Clarity Act would require quarterly reports on AI-related layoffs, hires, retraining and hiring slowdowns.

By Annie Palmer | CNBC

Science-based climate targets boost corporate reputation, decarbonization pace: report

Most companies with science-based climate targets saw gains in reputation, ambition, operations and investor relations, a new report says.

By Lamar Johnson | ESG Dive

Commerce

Shopper society snapshot

Walmart adds AI-generated audio summaries to select product pages

Shoppers can hit “play” and hear quick, conversational product breakdowns instead of reading full descriptions.

By Mitchell Parton | Modern Retail

How AI is reinventing the holiday gift guide

Gift guides are becoming hyper-personal as brands use them to power their AI strategies.

By Melissa Daniels | Modern Retail

Younger consumers are eating less Chipotle and Cava. They are buying more Coach bags

Gen Z may not be eating out, but they are bringing Coach bags to work.

By Melissa Repko | CNBC

Connections

Feed intelligence & AI tips

How A.I. and Social Media Contribute to ‘Brain Rot’

Studies link AI tools and social media to lower cognitive performance - a reminder to use them more mindfully.

By Brian X. Chen | The New York Times

Sora for Android saw nearly half a million installs on its first day

The launch saw over 4x its iOS debut, driven by wider availability and no invite requirement.

By Sarah Perez | TechCrunch

43% of Gen Z Prefer YouTube and TikTok to Traditional TV and Streaming, Study Finds

The Technology & Media Outlook 2026 report reveals that Gen Z is using social media platforms for news, a rise in microdramas and daily routine time.

By Leia Mendoza | Variety

Locket’s social app is picking up steam with Gen Alpha

The private social networking app for friends has scored a win with Gen Alpha users following the launch of its latest feature, Rollcall.

By Sarah Perez | TechCrunch

Media Moves & Intel:

  • Max Zeff, formerly senior AI reporter at TechCrunch, is leaving the outlet. He has yet to announce his new role, but he will “still be reporting on AI and the people at the center of it all.”

  • Jon Weigell, formerly senior producer at The Hustle, is now senior creative strategist at Snowball, an agency that focuses on creating YouTube content for brands.

  • Evelyn Kwong, formerly director of social and multiplatform strategy at Wired, is now contributor at 404 Media.

  • Karyne Levy, formerly deputy managing editor at TechCrunch, is now managing editor at VentureBeat.

  • Business Insider debuted Well Spent, a video podcast on the business, technology and culture of consumerism, hosted by senior correspondent Katie Notopoulos.

  • Forbes Vetted launched Forbes Talks Shop, a podcast and video series that interviews inspiring entrepreneurs, innovators and creators to uncover the products, tools and rituals that power their success.

  • Blockworks, crypto media company, announced the closure of its news division.

  • Gannett Co. Inc. is rebranding to USA Today Inc.

  • Layoffs were announced this week at Teen Vogue.

Also... check out these animated infographics for learning and inspiration.

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