In this week’s Our Take, young people can’t afford homes, but it’s okay, because they feel more at home online anyway. A new emoji is here and we feel seen. England’s women’s rugby team breakdown gender stats. And Ford designers hallucinate some new tech.
The internet just gets me, okay?
Young people can’t afford homes, but it’s okay, because they feel more at home online anyway. Why settle for four walls when you’ve got four bars of Wi-Fi?
According to the Consumer Trends Survey, Gen Z and Millennials feel “most like themselves” when they’re online. Contrast that with Boomers and Gen X, who feel more at home offline, and you’ve got a generational divide.
Think about it: this digital-native cohort grew up with Wi-Fi the way Boomers did with radio. It’s no surprise they’d feel more “valued for their talents,” “appreciated,” and even “creative” online. The online world isn’t just a playground for Gen Z and Millennials—it’s where they come alive. For younger folks, the digital-first mindset isn’t just a trend; it’s a lifestyle. Plan accordingly.
They still need homes though.
The internet gets you too
Eye-bags-face is here this Autumn. But it’s not a horror movie bad guy. It’s you.
The latest release of emoji includes the much needed ‘face with bags under eyes’ character. It’s designed to cater to new parents, heavy drinkers, caffeine addicts, shift workers, university students and workers. You’re in there at least once, aren’t you?
Twitter user Molly White spoke for many of us:
Rugby shirts breakdown stats
England’s Red Roses have just dropped a groundbreaking collection that’s not just stylish but also packed with facts and figures. It’s like your favourite hoodie, but smarter!
The brainchild of England full-back Ellie Kildunne (who also runs the awesome brand 5022), this “wearable report” is all about shining a light on the gender gap in rugby. And how the success of the Women’s team is rapidly closing that gap.
In 2022, awareness of the women’s team was 25% lower than that of the men’s. In 2023 the gap had closed to 15%. That’s encouraging. On the downside, 63% of rugby union fans still cannot name a single player on the women’s team. This campaign could help change that.
The collection is not just about looking good. It’s about inspiring more people to get behind women’s sports. So while we’re not thrilled about their current dominance on the field, and we certainly won’t be cheering them when they visit Ireland again next April, for now we’ll say (quietly) – go on the Red Roses!
Ford’s Illusionary Future
Image: Ford
Ford’s designers have been on the Science Fiction Juice again, filing a number of patents in an attempt to corner the future market in holographic motoring illusions.
And no futuristic holographic vision is complete without stealing Minority Report’s 3D interfaces –– this time envisioning passengers interacting with virtual cheeseburgers to order food from a nearby restaurant.
Minority Report came out in 2002 – it’s probably older than some of the people you work with – and it famously features Tom Cruise interacting with a holographic interface, sifting through online information by waving his arms about in complicated patterns – basically doing what every bored kid with a phone can do with a twitch of their thumb. But somehow there’s still ‘visionaries’ out there convinced that holographic pictures and buttons will be somehow better than the 2D pictures and buttons we already use every day.
Some of their other holographic ideas are even wilder. Patented imagery shows how Ford engineers plan to frighten children with holographic guard dogs, ward away criminals with holographic cops, and deter creeps with holographic companions in the passenger seat.
And you know what? If they can improve safety for drivers with holographic companions, then Ford should give those designers more of whatever it is they’re smoking.
Just take it away from them again when they start suggesting holographic polar bears driving cars. Because, yes, they did.