5 JULY 2024
Welcome to this week’s edition of Culture Wire, a newsletter brought to you by Singapore-based pop culture and lifestyle marketing agency Culture Group.
In this week’s edition:
- Innovation of the Week: Emotions soar for a box office score
- Fax, No Printer: What percentage of Gen Z consider themselves to be ‘creators’?
- Regional Round-up: Local culture renaissance, the pop star effect, and more
Innovation of the Week
🧡💚💜💗ALL THE FEELS
Earlier this week, Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 became the first movie to hit US$1B at the global box office, making it the year’s highest-grossing film to date. It hit that target in less than three weeks of release. This is particularly notable because a) it’s animated, and is one of only 11 animated titles to surpass this box office total, and b) it’s a sequel, which seems to be on the wane amongst younger viewers. So, just why is this movie doing so well?
💡 OUR TAKE
It’s #relatable
Inside Out 2, released almost 10 years after the original film, picks up with Riley – now a teenager – as she discovers some new but universally relatable emotions: anxiety, envy, embarrassment, and ennui. Anxiety in particular is often mentioned alongside Gen Z, with young people across the globe worrying about the climate, AI, inflation, and more. According to one report over half (56%) of Singaporeans aged 21 to 34 experience anxiety during in-person interactions, compared to 32% of those aged 50 to 64.
💡Just like its predecessor, Inside Out 2 brings abstract emotions to life in a tangible way. Not only could this help viewers feel less isolated, it could kickstart difficult conversations between kids and parents or Gen Z friends. Can you create campaigns that do something similar?
The nostalgia factor
This is a family-friendly film but it’s not just for kids and parents. Per one report, the top age demographic for Inside Out 2‘s opening weekend was the under 12s (23%). But 19% of the audience was aged 25 to 34, and 18% of the audience was aged 18 to 24. And as The Wrap observed, the large gap between sequels means that some viewers who saw the first film are now returning with more purchasing power. Some might even be bringing their own kids. This is a film that’s grown up with its audience, but is still bringing new fans on board. Note that this is a formula that seems to work for Pixar: there was a 14-year (!) hiatus between The Incredibles (2004) and Incredibles 2 (2018).
💡How might you build campaigns that have a similarly broad demographic appeal? Heritage brands can mine past campaigns for links to the present; newer brands might not be thinking about 10-year release cycles but should be prioritizing ongoing storytelling, rapport building and cultivating nostalgia.
Success with strategy, not hype
Ahead of the film’s launch Pixar’s creative head, Pete Docter, admitted to TIME that, if the movie didn’t do well, they would need to ‘think even more radically about how we run our business’. The studio laid out the path to success with brand partnerships, teaser trailers (157M views in the first 24 hours across various social media platforms), and viral filters, including one that assigns users a character from the film. Wisely there weren’t attempts to manufacture the buzz seen around Gentle Minions, Barbie, and Anyone But You.
💡Over the past couple of years, movie-going (not movie-watching) has become the event. But that doesn’t mean that every film should try to tap into that behavior. Knowing when to stay in your lane also has benefits! Are you smart enough to spot the difference?
Fax, No Printer*
For those of you born before 1997, ‘fax, no printer‘ is Gen Z speak for ‘undeniable facts I agree with’
What percentage of Gen Z consider themselves to be ‘creators’?
A. 47%
B. 65%
C. 74%
Scroll down to the end of the newsletter for the correct answer!
Regional Round-up
🌹 We’ve seen time and time again in this newsletter how stories rooted in local culture are enjoying a renaissance. Next up? Champion of the Rose, a four-part manga series set in a fantasy world inspired by the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. In a recent interview, creators Cat Aquino and Dominique Duran explored how the series is a ‘conversation with history’ – one that might not be easy but is certainly worth having.
🌟 BLACKPINK’s Lisa is back, and she’s breaking records with a new music video filmed in Bangkok’s Chinatown (apparently the idol paid each store THB 20,000 to close early, meaning the streets are empty) and featuring Thai trans influencers. No doubt it will further contribute to the country’s tourism boom, with the Bangkok Post reporting the region would be promoted to overseas visitors. Some commentators have observed how it further blurs the line between K-pop and T-pop… a reminder that you need to move at the tempo of pop culture!
🏪 To celebrate 7-Eleven’s 40th year in Malaysia, the brand launched an AR experience that can be accessed via in-store QR codes. Customers can explore four worlds, with themed challenges inspired by the brand’s iconic Slurpee drinks and soft serve ice cream. Experiential activations like this allow stores to move beyond transactional experiences and are a way to build community around brand IPs.
⚽🔎 Tying into EURO 2024 and Copa América fever, Unilever-owned shampoo brand CLEAR has tapped two soccer players (Norway’s Erling Haaland and Brazil’s Vinícius Jr.) to solve a hair-related mystery. It’s a playful take on an increasingly popular genre – crime drama – and avoids the cliches often associated with grooming ads. Could the right ambassadors bring a surprising twist to a genre audiences already love?
⚠️ ICYMI: We recently explored how female fans are flocking to mainstream sports. This week, beauty brand Glossier became the first official beauty partner of the USA women’s basketball teams ahead of the Paris Olympics and amid the rise and rise of the sport. Brands typically sponsor both the men’s and women’s teams but Glossier knew where they could make the most impact.
This Week's Trivia Answer
B. 65%
YouTube just released its latest Culture & Trends report and while the whole report is worth a read, there’s one stat we wanted to highlight: for the first time, more than half (65%) of Gen Z respondents identify as content creators. That’s up from 40% in the 2023 report. With gen AI democratizing creativity, it’s likely that number will continue to rise.
That has important implications for brands – younger consumers will expect to be more actively involved in content creation, they will expect media and campaigns that are personalized or can be remixed to suit their needs and they increasingly understand the value of their contributions. We’ll continue to track fan culture throughout the year, but if you need help leaning into fan communities or showing up where creators are, just hit reply to this newsletter.
🚀 Over and Out!
Pop culture insights are better when shared. Subscribe, forward this on, or share the love on social media. Thanks for reading!
Your Culture Mavens,
Angela, Catherine, Teri, Twila, & Vicki
