Media Consumer Insights

Trend - While reality TV and telenovelas remain staples of entertainment, brands are increasingly adopting their emotional or exaggerated intensity, heightened storytelling, and episodic suspense to power product launches and campaigns that aim to sustain attention and build anticipation.

Insight - As consumers face increasing advertising and social media fatigue, capturing attention has become more challenging. In response, some brands are incorporating dramatized, entertainment-led storytelling that mirrors how audiences already consume content, as serialized narratives create emotional hooks and continuity; making products feel embedded in everyday life rather than disruptive advertisements—as characters and integral components to a story in ways that feel memorable and aligned with contemporary viewing behaviors.

Trend - The intersection of crime reporting and podcasting has created an engaged audience centered around a shared fascination with criminal cases, forensic science, and criminal justice. Using immersive storytelling, these platforms invite audiences to share theories and express their opinions on cases.

Insight - The true crime community, largely made up of millennial and Gen Z consumers, is captivated by intricate narratives that delve into criminal justice and human psychology. As a result, brands are producing audio content that delivers immersive storytelling elements but also offers meaningful commentary and fosters active community engagement. These brands understand that their audience not only craves suspenseful narratives but also values opportunities for education and greater social awareness.

Trend - Entertainment companies are integrating AI-powered radio hosts into mobile apps, creating dynamic and interactive audio experiences. These digital hosts leverage artificial intelligence to curate playlists, provide commentary, and even engage listeners with personalized content.

Insight - Consumers are increasingly looking for personalized entertainment options that fit their schedules and interests. The desire for intelligent curation, paired with the convenience of on-demand audio apps, has driven demand for AI-driven hosts. Additionally, pressures to differentiate in the competitive streaming apps and radio markets have motivated companies to adopt AI-powered solutions that provide real-time adaptability and interactive elements.

Trend - Though streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Paramount + and more have transformed consumers' relationships with television, they have yet to crack the code on live events. That is, until, the recent rise of sports-specific streaming partners and services. Expanding programming into these areas ensures larger viewership, especially around huge events like the Super Bowl.

Insight - The target demographic for live sporting events has changed in recent years; take, for example, the Super Bowl -- between Rihanna's halftime show and Taylor Swift's much-covered relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, the event has begun to attract more than just football fans. This introduces an opportunity for not just increased eyeballs, but additional merchandising and programming. As streaming services develop into production houses and even media conglomerates, their ability to seize these opportunities becomes irresistible.

Trend - Online retailers are launching shopping services specifically for VR headsets. By adding shopping directly to these devices, e-commerce is made more convenient for consumers. These immersive apps enable try-ons and previews in a 3D environment, more accurately conveying the details of products.

Insight - Tech-forward consumers have begun adopting spacial computing at accelerated rates while citing limitations of traditional human-machine interface (HMI) devices. In recognizing that consumer-grade spatial computing is in its early stages, brands are racing to ensure their services are available on these modern platforms. Brands that take advantage of the interactive HMI features native to these devices can more effectively market to both long-time users and new consumers entering this space.

Trend - Companies are using artificial intelligence to enhance news delivery through AI-powered applications and services. These tools curate news delivery to ensure only relevant information is delivered clearly and concisely. The AI tools are intended to reduce redundancy in news feeds significantly.

Insight - Time constraints are one of the largest factors that inhibit regular citizens' abilities to stay up to date on news stories. Most people do not have time to check several news outlets to sift through swathes of information, leading to most simply using social media feeds. Brands are identifying the challenges related to time and effort for news, and are creating easy-to-use, AI-powered news aggregators to draw in busier users.

Trend - Brands in the audio hardware space are releasing toned-down version of sound samplers in portable formats. These samplers enable quick, impromptu sampling in high quality. These are designed to fit in a user's pocket, ensuring they are always ready to capture desired audio clips.

Insight - Creative professionals often struggle with finding inspiration and are unable to choose when motivation will come. These professionals desire convenient devices that work alongside their busy schedules. As a result, many creative professionals are gravitating toward smaller solutions, such as ultralight laptops, or pocket-sized devices, even if they come with performance tradeoffs. Brands are acknowledging this as a priority, and are responding with low-cost, size-efficient devices.

Trend - As artificial intelligence (AI)-based art generators become more mainstream, galleries and curators are adapting by showcasing notable AI artworks from prompt writers. These exhibitions showcase the potential of AI art while allowing galleries to gauge customer reception of generated works.

Insight - Consumers that attend art exhibitions and galleries consistently desire new, avant-garde artworks and technologies. Incorporation AI-generated works not only showcases the capabilities of modern technology, but also shows how artists and viewers alike can express themselves through AI as prompt writers. These galleries satiate desires for new forms of art while provoking thoughtful discussion regarding art production and the meaning of artworks.

Trend - Tech companies are using artificial intelligence (AI) to create advanced dubbing software to help with translation and localization. AI dubbing goes beyond simple translation and text-to-speech, offering services that use the original actors' voices, dub in real-time, or maintain emotions.

Insight - Pandemic-induced lockdowns led to an influx of content and media consumption around the world. Many consumers began experimenting with international forms of content, having to enjoy this content with subtitles or poor translations, leading to a desire for improved content accessibility. AI solves this issue by providing curated dubbing services for each type of content, such as real-time dubbing for news broadcasts, or emotion-retaining, original-voice dubbing for television media.

Trend - Game developers are addressing the issue of inadequate LGBTQ+ representation in gaming. These communities often feel unrepresented by games that center around straight, cisgender characters. Development studios are addressing this blindspot by promoting LGBTQ+ characters and stories in video games.

Insight - Representation is key in the media as all consumers, from teens to adults, look for themselves in content that they consume. In gaming, members of the LGBQT+ community often feel unrepresented, turning to small-budget independent games that tell their stories. This has placed pressure on more prominent, mainstream game creators to incorporate more diverse stories, characters, and identities into video games. These titles also strive to educate gamers on LGBTQ+ issues.