Pop Culture Pulse, May 2025: Content-Creator TV Originals, Snap Map Success & Papal Memes
Our Pop Culture Pulse is a monthly download of the buzziest cultural developments, emerging fandoms and audience trends. This month, we’re investigating how streaming platforms Peacock and Netflix are investing in content-creator-led TV originals, Snapchat’s Snap Map hitting 400 million monthly active users (and its opportunity for brands), and how #PopeTok signals how fandom language has taken over internet culture.
Entertainment: Creator-Centric TV Gains Momentum
Social Media & Internet Culture: Snap Map Succeeds with Pro-Social Media
Social Media & Internet Culture: #PopeTok & The Digital Dialects of Fandom
As Gen Z and Alpha cord-nevers (digital natives who’ve never relied on cable TV for entertainment) increasingly ignore TV in favour of social media, streaming platforms are courting them to subscription by bringing storytelling content creators in-house. Efforts include Peacock developing TikTokkers’ concepts into full shows and Netflix lending its platform to YouTubers.
As Gen Z and Alpha cord-nevers (digital natives who’ve never relied on cable TV for entertainment) increasingly ignore TV in favour of social media, streaming platforms are courting them to subscription by bringing storytelling content creators in-house. Efforts include Peacock developing TikTokkers’ concepts into full shows and Netflix lending its platform to YouTubers.
Summary
Entertainment: Creator-Centric TV Gains Momentum | As Gen Z and Alpha cord-nevers (digital natives who’ve never relied on cable TV for entertainment) increasingly ignore TV in favour of social media, streaming platforms are courting them to subscription by bringing storytelling content creators in-house. Efforts include Peacock developing TikTokkers’ concepts into full shows and Netflix lending its platform to YouTubers. |
Social Media & Internet Culture: Snap Map Succeeds with Pro-Social Media | Snap Map, Snapchat’s geolocation service that lets people find friends, browse public Snaps and discover local things to do, has hit 400 million global monthly active users. With netizens seeking paths to connection as well as entertainment, Snap Map – and a similar solution incoming from Instagram – demonstrates how to reintegrate extra social features into social media. |
Social Media & Internet Culture: #PopeTok & The Digital Dialects of Fandom | With disconnected young people keen for unifying, light-hearted internet culture moments, the papal conclave and resulting election of Pope Leo XVI have sparked a rare moment of collective online joy. From J-pop-style fan edits of potential popes to TikTok series reimagining the Vatican as reality TV, we unpack this unlikely micro-trend, offering insight into the language of fandoms with mileage beyond the papacy. |
Pop Culture Pulse, May 2025: Content-Creator TV Originals, Snap Map Success & Papal Memes
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