Topical News
Last week’s solar eclipse, the first since 1999, sent Brits outdoors in their droves to capture the rare astronomical phenomenon. Paired with the Perseid meteor showers, these celestial events propelled Science engagement to 2.1x its usual level, fuelled by a stellar 3.5x surge in Space/Astronomy and a 2x uplift in Geography.
The eclipse also cast its glow over Events & Attractions, up 37%, as Brits hunted for the best viewing spots, boosting Outdoor Activities by 2.5x.
Engagement increases in Events & Attractions can also be attributed to a series of wildfires as the UK, who enters its 5th heatwaves amongst a BBQ ban and drought restrictions. This has seen Parks & Nature grow 2.7x, while Weather has increased twofold, and BBQ & Grilling 7%. Worry over environmental impact has seen Agriculture grow 63%, and Environmental Services Industry 65% (Business & Finance)
Elsewhere, the D23 Disney Fan Event has teased some new films that has Disney fans buzzing, including Frozen 3, Coco 2, and many more. This has pushed up Animation, Comedy and Family & Children Films all by 3% as fans catch up on the new releases and what to expect. This comes after Spiderman hit $2bn globally.
Seasonal Events
A Level results last week pushed Education content into the spotlight, with subcategory engagement continuing to grow ahead of GCSE results day this Thursday. As students and parents explored what their grades could mean for the road ahead, Undergraduate Education doubled, Educational Assessment rose 61%, Standardised Testing climbed 80% and Secondary Education increased 25%.
Elsewhere, some of summer’s biggest Festivals take place this month, contributing to a 21% surge as attendees prep for the weekends ahead. Boomtown last weekend saw Concerts & Music Events grow 18%, and as we approach Reading and Leeds festival, we can expect momentum to remain high.
Travel engagement continues to grow, up 18%, as Brits jet off for the final weeks of summer. Travel Locations is up a sunny 3%, Travel Prep & Advice is up 19%, and Cities is up 47%.
The final weeks of summer are seeing flurry of summer sales and back to school shopping. The Shopping category has seen a 6% surge, and subcategory, Sales & Promotions, is up 6% as Brits hunt for end of season deals. Consumer Electronics has also seen a 6% surge as students look for the latest tech deals.
