TR.BIZ: 4.9.2026
From new drinking stats to Milla "AI" Jovovich, this is your late-mid-week check-in š«
Welcome to The Trend Report: Business Editionā¢, a midweek look at top stories, trends, and more of whatās happening online and off by Kyle of The Trend Reportā¢. Today, weāre getting into Milla Jovovichās AI project, a new effort from an agency fave, a creator who has turned into an AI testing service, and a trend of "āgapsā in relationships.
š Hell Care: Non-drinking people
A quick stop to acknowledge a new study from IWSR, one of the leading drinking data organizations in the world, to share a finding on why people arenāt drinking: everyoneās broke, dummy. āUS total beverage alcohol (TBA) volumes contracted by -5% in 2025, as economic pressures continued to weigh on consumers and to shape their drinking behaviour,ā they claimed, as preliminary data rolls in, noting that ācost is now the most common driver of moderation in the market, with 31% of US drinkers citing this as a reason for drinking less.ā This is fascinating but obvious, something that gets tossed around again and again, only to be eclipsed by wellness blubbering and supposed youth quirks. This is may be why ādaycapsā are having a moment because day drinking, like a happy hour, is spiritually cheaper and can be contained by drinking-until-X-time versus the yawning, economically precarious nights at a boutique cocktail bar that leaves you waking up with a financial hangover thanks to too many $30 drinks ā which should be a criminal offence, less to buy and more to sell such a beverage at a third of a hundred dollars. This shouldnāt be surprising to anyone given these economically dour times, which weāll get into later with āgapā relationships forming. Consider this a reminder: make things cheaper or free, if you want to connect with young people ā or anyone ā these days. Tale as old as time!
š©¹ Branded: An agency side project
Long-time readers know my thoughts about the agency model, that it upholds old values that prey on the young without compensation, all creating a trap for the old as those they burned will one day eat their lunch. But, in a landscape of bleh, a few jump out as truly special ā and Day One is certainly an agency to be excited about. I got a message a few days ago from Clara Malley on their team, about a new project that really captures why Day One is a leader: Side Projects, a new studio practice and publication that she and Eli Williams launched from within, where sheās Editorial Directory with Eli as Strategy Director. Itās the sort of dream job young creatives fantasize about and ā Thankfully! ā efforts like this illustrate it can be a reality. I sent Clara a few questions about where this project comes from, hopefully to inspire some agency and marketing types to invest in young talent and creatives, giving them platforms to lead instead of lick the boots of the old guard.
Where did the Side Projects idea originate from?
Editorial has always been a big part of Day Oneās offering and Eliās and my work specifically over the past five years with the Predictionary, Day One Almanac, Day One FM alongside our co-host Trey Taylor. This will be both of our full-ish time jobs now, and we see it as an opportunity to take all of that weāve been doing to the next level.
Side Projects is a natural evolution of that longterm investment, but we also just think itās the right time for a move like this. We see an opportunity for media about advertising thatās irreverent and critical of how the industry approaches ācultural relevanceā but also aware of how the practical realities facing a lot of brands (tiny budgets, fast timelines, pressure to resonate with Gen Z, etc) are leading to a crisis of creative confidence, if you will.
That spirit comes through in the name too. āSide projectsā broadly are the space where you can recharge yourself creatively and get a fresh take on the challenges you might be facing. We see that spirit coming through in the Side Projects editorial but also as the type of partner weāll be for brands: helping them get out of their heads and into a clearer state of mind. Our client services will be a real extension of our editorial POV, from creative approaches to internal programming to macro strategy challenges that will shape the work brands put out in the world.
Where do you see the Side Projects project going? More issues? Events? Reports? Collabs?
Weāre also really stoked about how ISSUE 01 came together: as both an introduction to us and as an exploration of some of the key opportunities and challenges we see in advertising right now. Weāve made some great connections through our editorial work over the years (like Kyle!), so weāll be looking to bring people together for events and other collaborative projects in the next year or two. Itās really important to us that Side Projects is a place to test out new ideas and bring new voices into the fold. And on that note: if you want to stay in touch, you can find us on Substack, Spotify, Instagram and at side-projects.co, where you can also order ISSUE 01.
See? Exciting industry things can happen, despite the larger landscape pivoting to AI slop whilst indulging anti-human mindsets. This is great news of the creative who-is-going-to-be-okay variety.
š² Tech Talk: Milla Jovovich launchedā¦an AI tool?
