Opening 2025, we shared predictions from the brightest and boldest thought-leaders from the world of business (if you missed it, catch up here). This week, we’re exploring what will shape young people’s lives in the year ahead. We’re taking a closer look at their work, media habits, shopping, travel, and sporting lifestyles. And, of course, we’ll be highlighting the opportunities for brands to get involved along the way. New Year, New Niche We read our youngest account exec’s tea leaves before the cup hit the sink and it was revealed: the Side Hustle Strategy is taking centre stage. As the cost of living continues to rise, IFSC research found two-thirds of professionals under 24 years old claim to have a ‘side hustle’, with 72% stating it is ‘too risky’ to focus on just having one job as they may have done pre-pandemic. In fact, 54% of young Irish workers have stated that flexible hours and a hybrid working environment are a must when looking for a job – otherwise, it will impact their side hustle. Likewise in the UK, Sage research reveals nearly 50% of Brits have a side hustle on top of their main job, with 7 in 10 young people juggling multiple incomes. Among those under 34, 9 out of 10 plan to transition their side hustle into full-time businesses. “I firmly believe that people are happier when they do things they’re passionate about. Without that, they hit frustration, burnout, and exhaustion, and that’s when they leave jobs because they feel like those jobs are keeping them from being creative and doing the things they love.” Source: Rory Brown - Worklife Brand Opportunity: Is your brand in a position to collaborate with young entrepreneurs to create limited-edition products/services? Maybe you can support young people by championing the side hustle. Consider launching initiatives to fund or spotlight promising side hustlers.
Tell Me a Story: YouTube Dominates With Long-Form Content “I always loved YouTube because people take pride in making content like it’s not just generic brainrot. Clip farming wasn’t really a thing as it is now. Also, YouTube creators tend to have way better and more entertaining content in my opinion, TikTok is like everyone copying each other to get fame or go viral.” Source: JMann717 - Reddit At the end of 2024, Pew Research Center released its latest survey of US teens aged 13 to 17. While concerns rage about the impact of social media on young people's mental health, with an explosion of campaigns to ban phones in schools, life goes on as normal for youth: the study found teens are using tech as much as ever with nearly half saying they are online “almost constantly.” 90% go on YouTube daily (down from 95% in 2023), while 63% say they visit TikTok daily (down from 67% in 2023). Approximately half of teens say they go on Instagram or Snapchat every day. With an audience hungry for more substance and tired of brain rot, YouTube continues to outrank as the social platform that reaches the parts others can’t. Brand Opportunity: Open the door to longer, more diverse content. Think like a media company, creating mini-series, game shows, documentaries and extending this offline into zines and even books.
Fashion Forward: How Vinted and TikTok Shop Are Redefining Retail Freshly arrived on Ireland’s shores in the last two months, Vinted and TikTok Shop are serving two sides of the same coin to shoppers. From the slower, more conscious second-hand marketplace of Vinted to the fast-paced TikTok Shop (likened to QVC on steroids) the marketplace format is taking centre stage in retail. “To be fair, it hasn’t always been this way. TikTok was actually pretty fun back between 2019-2021, but then they introduced this TikTok Shop sh*t and now it’s just the Home Shopping Network and everything revolves around shilling these Temu products.” Source: u/Massloser on Reddit While it's not for everyone (lol!), TikTok Shop sales in the US reached $100 million on Black Friday, triple the amount of sales from that day in 2023, shopping on social media is likely to rise in 2025. While TikTok Shop enables businesses and influencers to directly market and sell to followers, Vinted is the community marketplace for buying and selling preloved pieces, from clothes to electronics. Leading the European market with 22 countries and more than 65 million registered users, the platform encourages new consumption habits, with more than a third (37%) of members saying that second-hand makes up at least half of their wardrobe. Now that’s a win for the Circular Economy. Brand Opportunity: Marketplace retail is revolutionising retail media, with advertising spend in Europe projected to hit €31bn by 2028, according to IAB Europe. As 52% of brands reallocate budgets from Linear TV to Retail Media, this shift offers a unique chance to engage young shoppers directly within the marketplaces where they are already active and spending.
Your TikTok Travelling Companion “I think of TikTok as my travel best friend. It’s so good for finding recommendations for places to have lunch, dinner, brunch, breakfast, drinks, events happening that maybe when you Google a place they’re just showing you sponsored ads.” Gilleesa, 24, Berlin. Six months ago, we talked about how 89% of 18-25 year olds in the US, UK, Canada and Australia discovered new destinations through TikTok. A more recent study by IBIS reveals travel intent of Gen Z and Millennials in 2025 and yes, TikTok is top of the trends for research and planning. Euronews Travel reports 64% of Gen Z and 49% of millennials have used the app as a search engine, with 77% of users inspired to visit a destination, or even purchase a travel-related product, after discovering it on TikTok. IBIS cites 58% of respondents globally believe “experiences are better than stuff,” a mindset that is redefining travel expectations. It makes sense that the second most popular traveller intention is City Hopping, with 26% of young people planning to visit multiple cities during a single vacation, especially in areas with well-connected transportation systems. “I want to see beyond a travel hotspot and explore more of the world. I always make the most of a trip by exploring more than one destination. It’s a brilliant way to deepen the experience, discover more, and make the absolute most out of my AL, my flight and my own time.” Ciaran, 25, The Love Network, Dublin The third leading travel trend is Gig Tripping, with nearly half (48%) prioritising attending events or festivals over merely checking destinations off their travel lists. Dallas-based Swiftie Megan Levi made concert-centric travel plans that began in Portugal and continued on to Madrid, Paris, and Italy, where she met up with friends. "I walked into the hostel and it was like all Swifties and we're all there for the same reason, so it was very easy to make friends and you didn't feel like you're alone cause it was so easy to connect." Megan, 26, Dallas Source: ABC News Brand Opportunity: Reach beyond the familiar needs and domestic turf to add value to youth audiences on the move, connecting around cultural immersion, self-discovery and active participation in shared passions.
Team Players: Run Clubs Become Community Hubs and Challenge Dating Apps Running is not a new leisure pursuit per se, but the Rub Club puts running top of the 2025 List as young people savour the benefits of exercise, but more importantly the chance to meet new people. LADnation’s 2024 study into the rise of running identified social media and the need for social connection as important drivers for young people. Nearly half (49%) of Gen Z are hitting the pavement monthly, 75% prefer to run with someone else and 72% go to a run club to meet new people. It's also worth noting that 63% of runners find their gear through platforms like TikTok and Instagram, and 65% of Gen Z post about their running on social media. Inclusive, community - based fitness is growing strongly with the likes of Sole Mates run club, launched in Dublin in 2024, for “beginners, slow runners and everyone in between”. With four runs every weekend and over 120 runners joining each time, it's not just the running that keeps people coming for more. "You know, the funny thing is I think it has grown so much because of the amazing people who come and the good vibes, not so much about the running!” Source: Aoibhinn Raleigh, 26, Founder of Sole Mates Run clubs are also providing a wholesome alternative to a new generation of daters who are sick of swiping, over the hangovers, and craving authentic connection, reports Vogue UK, reinforced by LADnation Research identifying 22% Gen Z are more likely than millennials to agree “Run clubs are the new dating app”. “You just show up in a slightly less filtered way than perhaps you would if you were meeting someone from an app.” Sarah, 33, London. Source: Vogue Brand Opportunity: Young people are hungry for safe spaces to meet others with an established common interest as a starting point for building relationships. For a generation tired of swiping, but at a loss for how to meet people in the real world, the growth of IRL over online reflects the need for authentic connection.
LOOK TO THE FUTURE
In 2025, young people are reimagining their idea of a good life, side hustles are booming, YouTube is resurging as demand for meaningful content grows, and platforms like Vinted and TikTok Shop are redefining retail. For brands, this is a chance to support creativity, sustainability, and foster community—meeting young people where they are and helping them thrive.
THINKHOUSE NEWS:
Looking for more insights? Join us on January 22nd at 3PM (GMT) for a FREE webinar with THINKHOUSE’s Jane McDaid, to learn how to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha through authentic content, cultural trends, and meaningful brand relationships. Sign up here.
CIÉ Youth Board - busy at work: Last weekend, we had the privilege of facilitating an inspiring Sustainability Workshop at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) with CIÉ Youth Board members from across Ireland. They shared their fresh perspectives and innovative ideas on how CIÉ can reimagine its operations to increase its positive impact for generations today, and tomorrow. A special thank you to our client partner IMMA for the use of the inspiring Matheson Creative Hub and to our partners at GOAL GLOBAL who hosted an SDG Workshop. As an SDG Champion this truly is SDG17 (Working In Partnership) in action! Read more here #SDGsIRL #SDGChampion #YouthVoices | 
