Lab Weekly - 03/15/2024
The rise of therapeutic dining experiences; Plus, the latest news about TikTok, Discord, Roblox, and more
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Dining as Therapy: The Rise of Wellness-Oriented Restaurants
Like many things in our wellness-obsessed society today, dining out is increasingly being positioned as a therapeutic experience that aims to enhance the wellness of diners through empathic and inclusive design. Moreover, it is also a part of the so-called “joyconomy,” boosting customers’ serotonin by bringing local communities together.
In case you missed it…
The Rising Ozempic Economy & Its Wide-Ranging Impact
In an era where pharmaceutical innovations may dramatically alter economic landscapes, the emergence of the so-called "Ozempic economy" has captured quite a lot of eyeballs and mindshare lately. In this week’s original article, we take a close look at the behavioral changes that could be potentially unleashed by the new class of weight loss medications.
Electrifying Rides & Robotaxi Growing Pains: Key 2024 Mobility Trends
The growth of EV sales is slowing down in the U.S., with some automakers blaming weak demand and slashing production, whereas the rollout of self-driving cars in the forms of robotaxi services has been fraught with tensions and setbacks, as public backlash over safety and ethical concerns continues to pose significant hurdles to widespread adoption. Yet, there is hope on the horizon.
What Marketers Should Know About Apple Vision Pro At Launch
Nearly a week post-Vision Pro launch, much ink has been spilled over speculating on how Vision Pro might shift the paradigm of personal computing, entertainment, and digital interaction. Based on this initial wave of reactions and hot takes, some key aspects about this much-anticipated headset are becoming a bit more defined. By extension, its long-term impact on the media landscape is also starting to take shape.
TikTok Faces A Potential Forced Divestment Or U.S. Ban [Washington Post]
By now, you’ve probably heard about the news that the House has voted to pass the bill that could force a TikTok sale to a US entity, or face a ban in the U.S. The Senate is expected to weigh the wider implications a ban could cause, and whether the bill will pass there remains uncertain. If the bill does pass, and TikTok refuses to divest itself from ByteDance, then the app will be cut off from the U.S. market. If it does sell to a U.S. entity, then ByteDance would lose control over the app in all global markets outside of China (where it operates as Douyin).
Of course, this story is too big and up-in-the-air to be properly covered here as a pithy news update. Two noteworthy things to call out here as we continue to monitor the development: one, TikTok is already fighting back with a self-funded report that underlines its economic contribution to the U.S. economy. The report claims that TikTok drove $14.7 billion in small business owners’ revenue last year, and supports at least 224,000 jobs in the U.S. Take that with a grain of salt, since the report is funded by TikTok, but it is understandable that some content creators are genuinely concerned about their livelihoods if a ban comes to fruition.
The other interesting thing to note is that the growing threat of the ban is also spotlighting an open secret about the app’s profitability. Despite its dominance on culture, TikTok is not a profitable app yet. While ByteDance doesn’t disclose TikTok’s financial performance, The Information reports that ByteDance investors estimate TikTok lost several billion dollars last year on revenue of roughly $20 billion. So whoever ends up buying it would be purchasing it for its growth potential and, more importantly, social influence, rather than short-term financial gain.
Related: TikTok is “disappointed” that the US House passed the TikTok divestment bill, and reiterates its plans to lobby the Senate not to pass the legislation [Bloomberg]; TikTok is working on a new Photo Sharing platform to compete with Instagram [TheSPandroid]
Discord Opens Up To Games And Apps Embedded In Its Chat App [The Verge]
More games and apps are coming to Discord, as the popular messaging platform now allows developers to create new games and apps that can be embedded directly within its chat app via an Embedded App SDK. Previously, Discord had offered a selection of minigames and apps, such as YouTube, poker, and a shared whiteboard experience. But this new SDK will likely significantly increase the variety and availability of in-app games and mini-apps on Discord, fostering a more interactive and engaging user experience.
While this approach seems to aspire towards WeChat’s enviable “super-app” status, realistically, Discord is still too comparatively niche to achieve that goal. However, the likely influx of in-app games and other app integrations will help make Discord a stickier platform and offer more value to the vibrant communities that live on its chat platform.
For brands to directly engage with Discord communities, they can now leverage this new SDK to develop custom games and apps to reach their audiences and build their communities. Brands can gain valuable insights from those in-app activations, and effectively leverage Discord as a powerful content distribution and discovery channel.
Related: Telegram launches its own “WhatsApp Business” as a new in-app subscription [GizChina]; Discord lays off 17 percent of employees [The Verge]
‘Godzilla x Kong’ Activates Roblox’s First Immersive Movie Trailer [Marketing Dive]
Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures are running a gamified experience within Roblox to promote their upcoming movie, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.” Collaborating with Roblox developer “The Gang,” they've created an "immersive trailer" experience on Roblox, marking a first of its kind. This experience involves players watching a teaser trailer and then being transported into the movie's "Hollow Earth" environment to undertake challenges and collect tokens, which can later be exchanged for exclusive digital items related to the movie.
This campaign represents entertainment brands’ continuing interest in the intersection of gaming and immersive experiences. While the term "metaverse" has waned in popularity, the underlying goal of creating immersive experiences that bridge online activities to drive real-world box office remains clear.
This strategy reflects a broader trend of movie studios using popular gaming platforms like Roblox and Fortnite to engage with younger audiences, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who are moving away from traditional media. In Newzoo’s 2023 Global Gamer Study, which compared how different generations spent leisure time outside of work, Newzoo found that video games are the No. 1 source of entertainment for Gen Alpha and tie for first place with social networks for Gen Z. (More on this study below.)
Related: Fortnite continues to expand with two new Lego games [The Verge]; AI is already taking video game illustrators’ jobs in China [Rest of the World]
Situational Awareness:
Midjourney debuts feature for generating consistent characters across multiple gen AI images [VentureBeat]
Obviously, major implications for creators who wish to leverage Midjourney to create storyboards or even create a whole comic book with it. It remains unclear who actually owns the copyright on those characters.
European Parliament passes landmark AI legislation with AI Act vote [Digiday]
Following the footsteps of GDPR and DMA, the EU continues to prove itself as the global standard-setter in tech regulations. The regulation is expected to enter into force at the end of the legislature in May. Critics say it could ‘suppress AI innovations.”
Waymo to launch commercial robotaxi service in Austin by end of the year [TechCrunch]
Waymo’s expansion continues, but judging by the recent booing of a pro-AI clip at the SXSW screenings in Austin, maybe Waymo needs to be prepared for another round of backlash.
Spotify adds music videos in some countries [TechCrunch]
Worth noting that this feature is only available for paid subscribers for now, so while it is another way for Spotify to shore up video content, it won’t boost those video ad impressions just yet.
Amazon will now deliver Eli Lilly's weight loss drug Zepbound [Quartz]
Amazon jumping in on the Ozempic economy was not on my 2024 bingo card, but in retrospect, it definitely should have been, considering Amazon’s increscent push into the healthcare space over the past few years.
In Newzoo’s 2023 Global Gamer Study, which compared how different generations spent leisure time outside of work, Newzoo found that video games are the No. 1 source of entertainment for Gen Alpha and tie for first place with social networks for Gen Z. In contrast, only 10% of Baby Boomers’ leisure time is dedicated to video games and gaming content. Meanwhile, a new Deloitte study found that 40% of the Gen Z and Millennial respondents say they socialize more in video games than in the physical world.
A majority, 4 in 5 workers say they want to learn more about AI and how it can be used in their role, according to LinkedIn’s latest workplace learning report. Some 84% of global workers believe AI will help them get ahead in their careers, and 58% believe it will significantly change the way they work in the next year, the report finds. Meanwhile, just 38% of U.S. executives say they’re currently helping workers become AI-literate.
Americans are spending an average of $119.76 a month on streaming video services, more than the average $112.11 per month they spend on gas, according to a new report from Tubi and The Harris Poll, Morning Brew reports.
More than 19.5 million people tuned in to watch the Oscars on Sunday — a four-year high, according to Nielsen. ABC credited an earlier start time (7pm ET instead of 8pm) for the ratings boost.
Bitcoin’s price set a record high, soaring above $69,000, after US-based spot bitcoin ETFs started purchasing in waves, CoinDesk reports.
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