- Ignition Zeitgeist
- Posts
- IGNITION ZEITGEIST
IGNITION ZEITGEIST
Ignition Zeitgeist is a handy resource for staying ahead of the cultural curve, covering the latest trends in entertainment, tech and marketing. Delivered straight to your inbox, Ignition Zeitgeist is designed for everyone who wants to stay informed, but only has time for the headlines. Whether it's the latest industry flash-in-the-pan, intriguing augurs of genuine cultural and societal change or the latest ephemeral viral sensation... Ignition Creative has you covered.
Trending… news to be aware of
Trending 1: Netflix And Paramount Bid For Warner Bros.
The what… Shortly after it was reported that Netflix had reached an agreement to purchase the film and streaming divisions of Warner Bros. Discovery for $72bn (£54bn), Paramount launched a hostile bid, creating a high profile bidding war.
Strangest Thing… Netflix to acquire Warner Bros.
What’s next? … Where the Netflix vs Paramount battle stands
Trending 2: ITV In Talks To Sell Television Business To Sky
The what… ITV has announced that it is in early talks to sell its broadcasting arm to Sky for £1.6bn, a deal that could significantly alter the UK’s television industry. The discussions centre on ITV’s Media and Entertainment division, which encompasses its free-to-air channels along with the ITVX streaming platform.
Looking to the Sky… ITV in talks to sell television business to Sky
Believe In Better?... Concern Sky’s ITV bid imperils public service broadcasting
Trending 3: Paramount Soccer Play
The what… Paramount Skydance, the US media and entertainment conglomerate, has secured the auction to broadcast the majority of Champions League games in the UK from 2027 to 2031, marking a significant shift in the domestic broadcasting landscape.
A Sacka cash... Paramount+ signs marketing deal with Arsenal soccer club after winning U.K. Champions League rights
Trending 4: Zootropolis and Thanksgiving Cinema
The what… Zootropolis 2 premiered on Wednesday 26th November, launching a five-day Thanksgiving opening run. Its estimated $156 million haul marks the second-largest Thanksgiving debut over that period, trailing only Disney’s Moana 2, which earned $225 million domestically when it opened in 2024.
Trending 5: CocaCola AI Truck
The what… Coca-Cola is encountering online criticism over an AI-generated Christmas promotional video that many viewers have described as “soulless” and lacking genuine creativity. The video, created using artificial intelligence, includes scenes of iconic red Coca-Cola trucks driving through snowy streets and people bundled in scarves and knitted hats holding Coke bottles. It was intended as a tribute to the brand’s 1995 'Holidays Are Coming' commercial, which showcased similar visuals but featured real actors and actual trucks.
It’s the real thing?… Coca-Cola | Holidays Are Coming
The pause that entertains... The truck is different in every shot of Coca-Cola’s AI Christmas ad. Surely that matters?
Taste the lack of feeling… The battle between AI and human-made stories
Trending 6: Warner Music Group Partner With Suno
The what… Warner Music Group (WMG) is launching an artificial intelligence (AI) music partnership with tech start-up Suno — one year after filing a landmark lawsuit against the company. Under the settlement reached between the two parties, Warner will allow users to generate AI-created music on Suno’s platform using the voices, names, and likenesses of artists who choose to opt in.
Shape of the deal... Warner Music Group and Suno forge groundbreaking partnership
Burning down the house... Warner Music Group partners with Suno to offer AI likenesses of its artists
Trending 7: GTA VI DELAYED
The what… Grand Theft Auto 6 has been pushed back again, now set for release on 19 November 2026. The highly anticipated sequel from Rockstar Games was originally scheduled for May 2026, after already being delayed once from its initial autumn 2025 launch window.
Trending 8: 2025 All Wrapped Up
The what… Year-end “Wrapped” features—first introduced by Spotify—are personalized recaps from streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. They highlight your most-played songs, artists, genres, podcasts, and overall listening habits, packaged into vibrant, shareable graphics that often include quizzes and data-driven stories about your music year.
Musical memories... Spotify Wrapped
Article anamneses... Wikipedia’s most-read articles of 2025
Monitoring… news to keep an eye on
Monitoring 1: Entertainment / Video Game Crossovers
The what… With 40+ video game based movies currently in development and a string of recent success stories to prove the model, we’re excited to see our two favourite sectors collide and are eagerly watching to see if these crossovers can continue to realise their potential. In this section we also cover video games based on entertainment IP.
Monitoring 2: AI Marketing
The what… Where to start… AI is already having a tangible influence on the entertainment and creative sectors, with the potential for greater impact yet to come. Ignition Zeitgeist will tease out the latest meaningful developments and noteworthy uses.
News: Disney making $1 billion investment in OpenAI, will allow characters on Sora AI video generator
Monitoring 3: TikTok
The what… It’s been hard to escape the existential drama concerning the future of TikTok in the US. With an array of high profile suitors waiting in the wings and a change of administration, it feels like there are lots of twists and turns to come.
Insight Of The Week
GWI data shows sharp increases in ad-supported viewing across several major platforms, with around 1 in 3 internet users now holding an ad-based TV streaming account.
While most of us still watch broadcast TV, ad-backed streaming is building a highly engaged, influential audience. Excluding YouTube, ad-supported viewers have an average of 4.5 TV streaming accounts and estimate spending much more time watching this channel each week than live TV audiences spend on their equivalent (8h35 vs. 5h41). They’re also more likely to scan QR codes and click on website ads.
Source: GWI Core 2024-2025 (Select markets)
Don’t Believe Everything You See On The Internet…
Facebook owner Meta has been accused of allowing misleading companies to "run rampant" on its platforms, as dozens of people say they have fallen victim to sellers using AI-generated adverts. Learn more here.
Meta projected 10% of its 2024 revenue would come from ads for scams and banned goods, documents seen by Reuters show. Learn more here.
Ads We Love #1
A24 - Marty Supreme promo
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s an orange Marty Supreme blimp. If you’re on social media, chances are you’ve seen Timothée Chalamet and the buzzy rollout for A24’s upcoming sports drama.
One of the most viral moments of the campaign came from an 18-minute video in which A24 and Chalamet staged a spoofed Zoom meeting. In it, the actor plays an egomaniac pitching increasingly absurd marketing ideas. Learn more here.
Ads We Love #2
Disney+ - Percy Jackson And The Olympians special build
Disney+ brought a splash of the mythological to Hollywood this week, unveiling a live water-filled billboard to promote Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2. Installed at the high-traffic Hollywood and Vine intersection, the billboard was no static poster. Assembled with a real water tank, complete with cascading fountains, mist bursts, and synced video footage from the newly released Season 2 trailer. Learn more here.
Ads We Love #3
Netflix - Stranger Things radio station
A brand-new radio station is turning the airwaves upside down from today as Global, the Media & Entertainment group, unveils WSQK ‘The Squawk’, a fully immersive pop-up radio station from the world of Stranger Things 5. Radio station WSQK ‘The Squawk’ will blast non-stop 1980s hits, and be presented by a line-up of American DJs, including Vance Goodman and Mindy Flare, along with a full run of retro American-style ads straight out of Hawkins. Learn more here.
