TAYLOR'S TOP FIVE TRENDS: March 5, 2025

Concert Ticket Prices Are Soaring, and Busting Gen Z’s Budgets

• The average ticket price for top tours has surged from $52 (adjusted for inflation) in 1996 to $135.92 in 2024, with some high-demand shows—like Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour—averaging $1,088 per ticket. This surge is driven by increased demand post-pandemic, limited seating, high service fees, and resale market inflation. Many fans, like 20-year-old Ignacio Vasquez, struggle to afford tickets, often abandoning purchases due to steep costs, while others rely on presales through credit card partnerships for lower-priced options.
• Some fans, like 27-year-old Chricket Cho, willingly spend thousands—$8,400 in her case—on tickets, travel, and merchandise, with no set price cap for their favorite artists. Others, like 26-year-old Abbas Tayebali and 27-year-old Allison Santa, have gone into credit card debt due to ticket purchases. A survey by Merge found that 86% of Gen Z respondents admitted to overspending on live events, largely influenced by FOMO. Many fans, however, are now reconsidering their spending and opting for smaller, more affordable shows.
• While some, like Yazmin Nevarez, prioritize special cultural experiences—spending $300 on airfare and $80 on a ticket to see Bad Bunny in Puerto Rico—others, like Ms. Santa, are shifting their spending toward travel rather than expensive concerts. The growing prevalence of scams, as Ms. Santa experienced when she lost $400 on fake tickets, further complicates concert affordability, leading fans to rely on verified sellers like Ticketmaster despite its controversial pricing practices.

The Global Matcha Boom Is Driving a Shortage in Japan

• Content creators have fueled matcha’s popularity, with viral TikTok videos showcasing lattes, pastries, and desserts made with the green tea powder. In 2024, Japan’s export value of green tea, including matcha, hit a record ￥36.4 billion ($244 million), a 25% increase from the previous year. The rise in demand is further amplified by a surge in international travel to Japan, where 37 million visitors arrived in 2024, up 47% from 2023.
• Matcha is made from shade-grown tea leaves harvested once a year, making production highly seasonal. Compounding the issue, Japan’s matcha production in 2023 was only 78% of its 2008 levels, as the country's aging population has led to fewer farmers willing to continue cultivation. Established tea brands like Marukyu Koyamaen and Ippodo Tea have had to limit sales, prioritizing long-standing customers, while newer businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to secure enough matcha to meet demand.
• Global retailers are experiencing record sales, with some, like Australia’s Simply Native, imposing purchase limits due to demand spikes. Influencers are also monetizing the trend, with YouTuber Emma Chamberlain launching her own matcha products. In Japan, cafes are adjusting to international preferences, such as adding oat milk for foreign visitors. Despite the current shortage, industry experts believe the demand for matcha has not yet peaked.

A deep dive into the Peterverse

• The "Peterverse" has emerged as a viral Instagram trend where AI-generated Peter Griffin-themed accounts serve as both entertainment and educational hubs. Thousands of accounts have been created, using AI tools like CapCut and Character AI to generate videos where Peter Griffin discusses topics ranging from pop culture to politics. The trend started with an account explaining Islam and quickly expanded into various niche interests, with each version of Peter Griffin tailored to its theme. The accounts, primarily run by teenagers and young adults, use AI voice replication and gaming footage, making content creation easy and accessible.
• Beyond memes, the Peterverse has become a digital community where young people connect, share ideas, and learn. Many participants see the accounts as a way to explore interests and engage in discussions without showing their real identities, alleviating social anxiety. Followers use group chats, Discord servers, and Minecraft communities to continue conversations beyond Instagram. Some creators emphasize the educational value of their content, providing diverse viewpoints that prevent ideological echo chambers. However, the viral nature of the trend has also attracted far-right extremists attempting to infiltrate the space with controversial and extremist messaging.
• The trend has become monetized, with marketers, agencies, and creators finding financial opportunities within the Peterverse. Some accounts have begun running ad campaigns, charging bands and brands for promotions, and even generating revenue through platforms like Venmo. A media agency called HAYAT now helps Peterverse creators monetize their content by selling ads, though some have engaged in scams, such as promoting fraudulent cryptocurrency. As the trend gains traction, some creators plan to expand beyond Peter Griffin, integrating other pop culture characters like The Simpsons. However, fatigue is setting in, with some creators quitting, predicting that the meme’s popularity may soon decline due to oversaturation.

Digg is coming back, thanks to its founder — and Reddit’s

• Digg is making a comeback under its original founder, Kevin Rose, with a new AI-driven approach to social link-sharing. Once known as "the homepage of the internet," Digg faded after multiple ownership changes, but Rose, alongside Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and CEO Justin Mezzell, has repurchased the domain to relaunch the platform. The new Digg retains its core functionality—users share and vote on links—but removes features like downvotes and follower counts to prioritize content and community-driven discussions.
• AI will play a central role in shaping Digg’s moderation and user experience, aiming to create a more sustainable and engaging social platform. Rose and Ohanian believe AI can automate tedious moderation tasks, allowing community managers to focus on fostering discussions instead of filtering spam and enforcing rules. Users will also have access to AI-driven tools for customizing their communities, from language translations to automatic content filtering, making the platform more dynamic and adaptable.
• The new Digg launches as a prototype with plans to evolve based on user feedback, positioning itself as an alternative to Reddit and traditional social networks. While Reddit remains dominant in community-based link sharing, Digg aims to differentiate itself by emphasizing quality discussions and human curation over engagement metrics. The team acknowledges challenges in rewarding valuable contributions without replicating the flaws of follower-based platforms. The initial release focuses on nostalgia, but the founders promise rapid iterations to build a modern, community-first social platform.

7 Gen Alpha characteristics to know for 2025

• Gen Alpha is redefining digital engagement by balancing technology with offline experiences, shaping new consumer behaviors. Unlike previous generations, they have never known a world without the internet, yet they are increasingly prioritizing in-person interactions. Since early 2023, the number of 8-15-year-olds meeting friends after school has risen by 12%, while video gaming has declined by 6%. Their tech-savviness extends to online shopping, where social media plays a critical role—since 2023, Gen Alpha’s use of social platforms to discover products has increased by 11%, and online purchasing by 12-15-year-olds has surged 39% since 2021. Brands like Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour have benefited, with interest among this demographic rising by up to 22%.
• This generation is highly privacy-conscious and independent, influencing how brands must engage with them. Unlike Millennials and Gen Z, who often overshared online, Gen Alpha is more cautious—since 2021, there has been a 15% decline in 12-15-year-olds posting everything on social media. Simultaneously, an 8% increase in those who say they know how to stay safe online reflects their heightened digital awareness. They are also making more autonomous decisions—an 11% rise in kids choosing which apps to download and a 12% increase in those deciding their own meals indicate that Gen Alpha demands direct engagement from brands rather than through their parents. This independence makes them a powerful consumer force.
• Gen Alpha is reshaping cultural priorities, favoring social issues over environmental activism and maintaining strong engagement with traditional media. While still environmentally conscious, their prioritization of eco-issues has declined, with those citing environmental protection as a top concern dropping from 34% in 2021 to 31% in 2024. Instead, social empowerment—especially among young girls—is rising, with an 18% increase in confidence to express opinions online. In media consumption, this generation continues to embrace traditional entertainment—cinema attendance among 12-15-year-olds in the U.S. has grown by 12%, podcast listening by 12%, and daily TV watching by 8% since 2022. To remain relevant, brands must align with these shifts by appearing across diverse media platforms and addressing Gen Alpha’s evolving values.