It’s all about the long weekend this week. Easter is driving a lot of the conversation, from food and family plans to things to keep kids busy, while big moments across TV, sport and retail are still keeping engagement ticking over.
Topical News
Something magical is in the air as HBO released their trailer for their highly anticipated Harry Potter series, uplifting Television content by 5%. With the show set to release at Christmas, anticipation for the show has surged Festive TV by a huge 4.7x, showing seasonal content can surge year-round when fuelled by major cultural moments.
Elsewhere, Meta and YouTube have been found liable in the USA for deliberately designing addictive products that cause harm to young people, contributing to a 2% uplift in News & Politics content, Technology Industry surging 65% as Brits look to understand the outcome of the trial.
Meanwhile, a march against the far right in London on Saturday also added to News & Politics’ slight boost, with Protest & Demonstrations marching up 21% and Political Issues rising 2.2x.
Fears of another cost of living crisis are beginning to arise as a result of conflicts in the Middle East. These concerns have pushed Personal Finance content up 12%, with Personal Investing surging 32%, Saving 42% and Personal Taxes 48% as British audiences seek to understand how they may be impacted.
Over in sport, last week’s World Cup qualifiers lifted Football content 4%. England and Scotland friendlies kept engagement high. Looking ahead, excitement is building for next week’s Masters, with Golf content putting up 2.2x.
Seasonal Events
It’s the week before Easter, and Brits are prepping for the long bank holiday weekend ahead. Party Supplies & Decorations have surged 2.1x, while Food & Drink is up 10% week-on-week, driven by a 41% spike in Desserts & Baking as audience hunt for the perfect Easter treats. Fast Food content has also seen a golden 76% rise, fuelled by the buzz around US favourite Chick-fil-A opening its first UK branch this weekend. Curious foodies are flocking to find out if it really lives up to the hype.
Many schools have broken up for the long Easter holiday, driving a 7% increase in Family & Relationships content as parents search for inspiration on how to keep their children entertained. This has also boosted Parenting content by 18% and Objects for Children by 9%. Meanwhile, interest in Museums & Galleries has risen by 12%.
Hobbies & Interest is not exempt from the Easter surge, up 7% WoW, as kids get stuck into Easter crafts and look ahead for activities over the two-week school holidays. Notably, Drawing / Sketching has doodled up 41%, and Workshops / Classes 2.4x.
Cambridge and Oxford once again take to the Thames this weekend for their famed Boat Race, a nearly 200 year old tradition. Boats & Watercrafts has sailed up a mighty 28% in anticipation, and we can expect Rowing content to paddle it’s way up after the big event takes place on Sunday.
