ChatGPT finally did the thing 🤖
Plus: This TV show got a new ending, luxury fragrance is coming for your counters, and more.
Welcome back, Scanner!
Hello, Grannys! That’s right, we know you’ve been junk journaling and gardening (in-between breaks from making all the memes). While you’ve been heads down in a hobby, signals have been flying around here. Pharrell Williams revealed gold invisaligns (a win for people with old retainers everywhere), and robot bees have made an appearance. It’s a wild world, and we’re just excited to talk about it.
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Here we go.
📅 CURRENT
Apple TV+ Gave Viewers Closure By Reediting ‘Mythic Quest’ Episode
What’s changing?
This is a new one: Apple’s streaming service, Apple TV+, reedited the final episode of the canceled sitcom Mythic Quest to remove the season cliffhanger and replace it with an ending that offers closure. The new ending resolves some lingering plot points and wraps the season up, reminding us that digital content is never truly “final” and can be altered even after being released.
Why does it matter?
This prioritization of fan satisfaction over preserving original content shows how meaningful customer relationships are with brands. How many times have you been invested in a show, only for it to end on a massive cliffhanger with no resolution? The reedit does more than wrap up a canceled show; it creates a new expectation for viewers and a new reason to go back and re-engage with the show. Will this lead to a boost in viewership? A new standard for canceled shows? Or something else altogether?
What could happen next?
Will we start to see streaming services offer viewers the option to choose which version of content they’d like to watch (originals vs reedits)? Could this signal be a nod to the “director’s cut” making a comeback, where you can get another imagining of the same content through a new lens (à la Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now Redux" (2001), or Peter Jackson’s extended editions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy)? Or could this lead us down a road to greater distrust with media, where we aren’t even sure if we’re watching the same version of content as others (like how Black Mirror released two versions of the same episode)? Where will reality live? Will creators and social media fill the gap? Or something else entirely? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
Scan-o-meter: 📅 📅 📅 📅 / 5
😲 SURPRISING
Meet Your New Personal Shopper: ChatGPT
What’s changing?
ChatGPT users will soon be able to buy products through the AI tool. Shopping buttons for AI-powered search queries are on the way. While you won’t be able to check out directly through ChatGPT (yet), users can ask the AI for support in choosing products to buy and then be redirected to the merchant’s website to finish the transaction. Product recommendations will be made based on what ChatGPT remembers about the user’s preferences, along with product reviews pulled from the web.
Why does it matter?
It makes sense that this is where ChatGPT evolves. The platform handles over a billion web searches weekly, making it a major competitor to Google’s dominance in product discovery. But, unlike Google Shopping, OpenAI claims that ChatGPT’s recommendations are “not ads” or sponsored placements, because, in theory, ChatGPT is a closed system that works based on your personalized preferences. We may see social platforms lose their authority as discovery platforms if users continue to turn to AI assistants for recommendations. For advertisers, Google makes billions charging businesses to show up in shopping searches, but OpenAI not charging for placements (yet) could mean a major shift in where advertising dollars go.
What could happen next?
If this signal accelerates, will success metrics for advertising move beyond clicks and impressions to things like “AI recommendations?” How will ChatGPT continue to offer this, essentially, “free” advertising? Will this create more distrust with ChatGPT (a platform many use for personal conversations these days), or will people lean into it being a do-it-all type assistant? How will we, as marketers, ensure our products and brands are “AI-approved?” Is AEO (answer engine optimization) the new SEO? And where will this shift things like customer reviews, content, and advertising dollars?
Scan-o-meter: 😲😲😲😲 / 5
🎯 SPECIFIC
Luxury Fragrance Brands Enter the Cleaning Space
What’s changing?
High-end fragrance houses, like Dedcool and Diptyque, are bringing their elusive scents to everyday items, like detergent and kitchen sprays. While used for everyday tasks, these products still boast a hefty price tag. Diptyque’s La Drogerie offers a $46 fig and cedarwood multi-surface spray. Maison Francis Kurkdjian, the house behind Baccarat Rouge 540, sells fabric conditioner at $50+ a bottle. Other brands are entering the market with scented car wipes, dish soap, car diffusers, and more.
Why does it matter?
Re-defining ordinary household items into luxury experiences, sometimes called “well-being experiences,” feels like a natural evolution of where we’ve seen luxury going over the past few years. We’ve discussed regular products, like showerheads, evolving into luxurious ones. These status-symbol products let customers (often, middle-class ones) feel special while doing everyday tasks (and post about it on social media). We can’t point out this signal without making the obvious tie to the state of the economy right now, where people can’t afford big-ticket items from high-end brands. It’s like the lipstick effect for your home. And, it does present an opportunity for marketers to transform mundane tasks into rich experiences.
What could happen next?
Will other high-end brands enter the “everyday” essential space (like brooms, scrub brushes, loofahs, lotions, etc.)? It might be hard to picture, but most of us wouldn’t have envisioned luxury multi-surface spray. Where could customization be introduced into the market, allowing people to take these product experiences a step further? Will we see these “well-being” products paired with relaxation ones, like candles or perfumes? And ultimately, how will these products redefine what “clean” means? Could this create concerning trends in inclusivity and cultural acceptance, or bring people closer as we share experiences? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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 realness: Klarna went too far with all AI agents.
People want shared moments: People are attending anti-book club, book clubs.
People want to play: Let’s go flyyy a kite.
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 👋