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.

October 10, 2025

Trending 1: Trump’s tariffs

The what… Donald Trump has once again threatened to impose heavy tariffs on films produced outside the United States, asserting that other countries have "stolen" America's film industry. “To fix this long-standing, never-ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% tariff on any and all movies made outside of the United States,” he wrote. Trump did not offer additional details about his plans or specify a timeline for when the tariffs could be implemented.

Trending 2: Warner Bros hit $4 Billion at Global Box Office

The what… Warner Bros has become the first U.S. studio to surpass $4 billion in global box office revenue in 2025. The milestone was reached with just 11 films — nearly half the number it took to hit the same mark six years ago.

Trending 3: The Simpsons Movie returns

The what… Nearly 20 years after the release of the original film, a sequel to The Simpsons Movie has officially been announced. 20th Century Studios confirmed the news on Monday, setting the release date for 23 July 2027.

Trending 4: EA sold to Saudi Arabia’s PIF

The what… Electronic Arts (EA), one of the world's leading video game companies, has reached an agreement to be sold in a $55 billion (£41 billion) deal. The group of buyers includes Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners. EA is renowned for developing and publishing blockbuster franchises like EA FC (formerly FIFA), The Sims, and Mass Effect.

Official announcement... Exciting news about our future

Trending 5: The resurrection of Jimmy Kimmel

The what… Jimmy Kimmel returned to his late-night show on Tuesday, less than a week after ABC took him off the air indefinitely following backlash over his remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk earlier this month. During an emotional opening monologue, Kimmel nearly broke down twice as he told viewers, “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.”

You don’t mess around with Jim... ABC takes Jimmy Kimmel off air over Charlie Kirk comments

Trending 6: Emmy Awards 2025

The what… Television’s biggest night was hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, marking his debut as host of a major awards ceremony. The event included the usual Awards show staples—cheesy musical numbers and nostalgic cast reunions—but the standout moments came from breakthrough wins by first-time shows and performers, as well as long-overdue recognition for a few perennial underdogs.

Trending 7: Murdoch’s succession drama concludes

The what… The Murdoch family's long-standing power struggle has concluded with Lachlan Murdoch taking control of both Fox and News Corp. The deal that brings an end to the real-life succession saga was motivated by a desire to safeguard the two key pillars of the media empire: power and wealth.

“Sometimes, it is a big d**k competition”… Murdochs reach deal in succession battle over media empire

“The future is real, but the past, well it's... all made up"… Will heir to Murdoch’s empire keep newspapers at its heart?

“What am I gonna do with a soul anyways?”... The Murdochs’ Fox Corp. Wants to Own a Piece of TikTok

With thanks to the characters from Succession.

Trending 8: Intervision… Russia’s answer to Eurovision

The what… Moscow’s 11,000-seat Live Arena hosted the Intervision Song Contest, signalling the revival of the Soviet-era alternative to Europe’s Eurovision. The Intervision competition was a staple in Soviet states throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

“A heady mix of pop, rap and dubstep”… Vietnam’s Duc Phuc wins Intervision

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.

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

How does the timing of a game's release affect its performance? To explore this, Newzoo analysed the average player count during the first three months after launch for thousands of single-player games, ranging from indie projects to major AAA titles. They focused on this initial three-month window to better capture the immediate impact of a release, minimizing the influence of post-launch discounts. For this analysis, Newzoo concentrated on AAA games, where notable patterns quickly emerged. These high-profile titles tend to dominate monthly player counts, often releasing in clusters around September–November and February–March. However, a deeper dive suggests that this release strategy might be doing more harm than good. Source: Newzoo (Global Games Market Report 2025)

Don’t Believe Everything You See On The Internet…

A video showing rabbits jumping on a trampoline, which went viral in the US after being posted on a TikTok channel, has been revealed to be AI-generated. This footage is part of a strange trend of AI-created CCTV-style videos featuring animals, designed to give viewers a sense of 'reality' or 'authenticity' while concealing their artificial origins. Read the full story here.

Ads We Love

Nike is reintroducing “Just Do It” to a new generation with the launch of its latest campaign, "Why Do It?” designed to connect with young athletes wherever they are. The campaign reframes greatness as a choice, not an outcome — handing “Just Do It” to today’s generation and emboldening them to write the next chapter - link