This week the labor market is stagnant, firms are investing in cultural translators, everyone’s getting tricked by AI videos now, and more.
The Culture [Un]Wrapped Newsletter is published every Friday. To receive it via email, subscribe here.
TRENDING
The job market is ‘bed rotting’
America’s job market has hit snooze. Hiring, firing, and job switching have all slowed, what one economist calls labor market “bed rotting,” in reference to the social media term meaning staying in bed and doing nothing. With fewer openings and stagnant wages, the slowdown could weaken the economy and the stock market. The question now is whether the job market will wake up on its own or need a jolt from the Fed. Source: Axios
Everything has become political
Politics now extends beyond government and into nearly every aspect of daily life, from clothing brands to dating preferences. Political divisions now define culture itself. Research shows that political identity has become deeply personal, shaping who people marry, where they live, what they buy, and even their health choices. While only about 30% of Americans identify strongly with a political party, those who do increasingly organize their social worlds around partisanship, reinforcing ideological bubbles. This change has made politics a central marker of identity, fueling polarization that influences everything from brand loyalty to life and death decisions, leaving little space for neutrality. Source: Vox
TECHNOLOGY
Americans are growing wary of AI
Half of U.S. adults now say they’re more concerned than excited about AI, a rise in the sentiment since 2022. Many find AI search results unreliable and workplace tools intrusive or ineffective. Users are frustrated that AI often fails to match its hype, too error-prone and impersonal to replace human creativity. The broader sentiment is that AI is being pushed into daily life faster than people can opt in. Source: The Washington Post
New AI video app will have your eyes deceiving you
OpenAI’s new app Sora, which turns text prompts into lifelike videos, is now the most downloaded free app on the App Store. Users are flooding social media with clips so realistic they’re fooling viewers, including fake dash cam footage and imaginary news reports. Experts warn the tool could erase public trust in visual evidence, making it nearly impossible to tell what is real from what is generated. Source: The New York Times
BRAND
The business of ‘getting’ Gen Z
A growing wave of agencies and brand consultancies, like NinetyEight, Cafeteria, and Edelman’s Gen Z Lab, are building or adding businesses centered around helping brands connect with Gen Z. For this generation, branding functions as identity and community, with nearly 60% feeling connected to others who use the same brands. As companies worry about staying relevant to younger audiences, “Gen Z translation” has become one of marketing’s most in-demand services. Source: Wall Street Journal
PepsiCo is making changes to its portfolio to align with ongoing health trends. Later this year, Lay’s will debut packaging that highlights “Made with real potatoes,” and will swap some recipes to align with the broader MAHA movement and growing skepticism around seed oils. At the same time, PepsiCo is leaning into the protein boom with new products and reformulations geared toward consumers seeking higher protein and better nutrition. Source: Fast Company
SOCIAL
The power of food trends on TikTok
Buldak’s spicy ramen has become one of the fastest-growing instant noodle brands in the world, driven by repeated waves of social media attention. Parent company Samyang Foods projects revenue to more than double since 2022, reaching $1.5 billion in 2025, with the U.S. now accounting for roughly 30% of overseas sales. The company continues to expand into new flavors and categories, using online trends to guide product development and marketing. Source: Bloomberg
