Absolutely Nothing Could Go Wrong Here… 👀
H&M makes AI “digital twins,” people are back on Tumblr, and Deloitte could have paid you for this info instead.
Welcome back, Scanner!
How’s your innie doing this week? Between buy now pay later recession indicators and Tumblr having a resurgence, we don’t quite know what to make of the state of the internet right now. It can be a wild time to be working in the depths of social media, but don’t fret – we’ve done the work and dug up this week’s most fascinating (and bizarre) signals, so you don’t have to. Consider this read your macro-data refinement of the day.
Here we go.
📅 CURRENT
Sober Parties Take Over Montreal Coffee Shops
What’s changing?
The latest evolution of the sober curious movement? Coffee shop raves. Specifically, Croissound, a daytime dance party that has been taking over Montreal coffee shops. Founded by Lisa Rey, the events are responding to people growing tired of the nighttime club scene (and 30-year-olds dreaming of that sweet, sweet 9pm bedtime). Running from 11am until 2pm, Croissound is alcohol-free and features music, dancing, and (of course) coffee.
Why does it matter?
There has been an evolution in consumer values, with priorities shifting toward wellness, productivity, and social connection. Brands can and should be considering this. What opportunities exist to connect with consumers earlier in the day? This signal also reminds us of the growing trend (from all demographics) to play. Group activities that create fun, genuine moments are bringing people in the door. The cherry on top is when the experience is also highly shareable.
What could happen next?
Celebrating healthy lifestyle choices without sacrificing social experiences? Chef’s kiss. What other lifestyle choices are being talked about more frequently? Will we see more consumers looking for daytime events? Or events that don’t center around alcohol (or coffee)? Could this branch out to creating more flexible work schedules, where social gatherings happen before work instead of afterward? What other environments are perfect for a fun social gathering? We’re seeing Landromats take off as a social hub in Singapore. Let us know what you’re thinking in the comments below!
Scan-o-meter: 📅 📅 📅 📅 / 5
😲 SURPRISING
H&M Launched Controversial “Digital Twins”
What’s changing?
AI has infiltrated almost every corner of our digital lives, and now brands are taking things a step further. H&M is working with their models and agencies to create digital replicas, known as “digital twins,” of 30 different models. These “twins” will be used to develop AI-generated images for social media and marketing campaigns. From what H&M shares, the models themselves will own the rights to their twins and will be able to determine which brands use them (including competitors of H&M). However, as with most things “AI,” a lot has yet to be determined.
Why does it matter?
Questions immediately came up for our team when we discussed this during our internal SCAN 👀 CLUB session, including: who owns the rights to the makeup? What about the hair or styling? Does the original photographer of the model get a cut? How much does a brand need to “edit” the digital twin until it is no longer considered the model’s IP? Can the twin work indefinitely, or does it need to be updated to stay “true” to the original model’s look? How helpful could this be for jet-lagged models living in unhealthy conditions to do their jobs? Is this more cost-effective for smaller brands? Is it naive to think we can escape AI at this scale? Clearly, we’ve got a lot of questions and maybe you do, too. Drop those in the comments below! It feels like this is just the start of some critical conversations in the e-commerce/AI space.
What could happen next?
A while ago, Pinterest shared new filtering options to find people who look more like you in search results. Could these digital twins allow for more precise personalization in marketing and imagery, allowing brands to customize marketing for viewers and target audiences? Or will we see backlash that results in more regulation, intervention, talent contracts, or digital rights contracts? How transparent will brands need to be when using digital twins? And will audiences care? For our industry, could content creators and photographers shift from working with people IRL to directing and designing AI campaigns? And, most importantly, when will we get an AI that fills out our reports for us (just asking for a colleague…)?
Scan-o-meter: 😲😲😲😲😲 / 5
🎯 SPECIFIC
Study Shows Gen Z Would Rather Watch Creators Than Big-Budget Entertainment
What’s changing?
This is a signal SMMs have already had on their radar for years. Still, Deloitte has made it official with their 19th annual digital media trends survey: 56% of Gen Zs and 43% of millennials surveyed find social media content more relevant than traditional TV shows and movies. Another finding Deloitte likely could have just paid a SMM to tell them: roughly half of folks surveyed feel a personal connection to creators over actors and TV personalities. The findings quoted the usual suspects, which include attention span, cost, and time spent on apps.
Why does it matter?
While it likely feels like a major “duh” moment for most of you, it’s important for us to formally keep tabs on viewing habits across the generations. Gen Z shows that they are distinctly different from other generations, with a unique preference for short-form, creator-led content that’s personalized, interactive, and community-driven. Research like this backs up what SMMs have been screaming from the rooftops for years. This is a reminder for brands that attention is not infinite and gets redistributed (in this case, from the big to the small screen). But we can’t put all of the responsibility for this change on users alone; streaming services create an overwhelming amount of (mid) content that isn’t always well done. When digital audiences have so many options, assuming they’ll choose the biggest budget pick doesn’t fly anymore.
What could happen next?
Where will content naturally evolve as parasocial relationships with creators accelerate? We’ve seen prominent creators, like Mr. Beast, launch game shows on Prime while others run TV up-fronts for their YouTube channels. Large YouTube channels have been approached for streaming deals. The latest big TikTok series to captivate audiences is about a dissolving Group Chat. Streaming giants have clued in that these community-oriented creators are masters at capturing the attention (and engagement) their platforms need to survive. Because of this, we’ll likely continue seeing creators launch product lines that compete with established brands outside of typical streaming platforms. We may also see creators take over other more surprising industries that establish them as household names outside of the Gen Z or Gen Alpha algorithm. Any ideas? Drop them in the comments!
Scan-o-meter: 🎯🎯🎯🎯/ 5
🔍 TREND REPORT IRL
Updates from our Trend Forecast
We recently shared our second Trend Report with you! As the year goes on, we’ll continue investigating signals that further the conversation around our two forecasts. Here’s what we’re watching this week:
People want a whole new world: Grimace is busy being a cutie in Minecraft these days.
People want realness: Sponsored comments are coming to Instagram.
People want ease: Estée Lauder is betting on sleep as the next big opportunity for beauty.
Want more trend news? Check out What (Digital) Audiences Want In 2025!
🤔 BEFORE YOU GO
To help keep these signals top-of-mind, we share 1 question to ask yourself (or your team) in each edition. Your question to mull on this week is:
See you next time 👋