Nostalgia, Health Shifts, and Viral Marketing Reshape Industries

Morning Brew Daily · December 26, 2025 · Listen to Original Episode →

Original Title:

TL;DR

Fast-casual dining's resurgence, exemplified by Chili's 24% quarterly sales increase and a rise in unit volume from $3.1M to $4.5M, indicates a consumer demand for value and familiar, nostalgic experiences.
A 28% increase in Americans viewing moderate drinking as unhealthy since 2015, coupled with a decrease in average weekly drinks to 2.8, signals a significant societal shift towards reduced alcohol consumption.
The cancellation of Stephen Colbert's Late Show, attributed to financial challenges in late-night television, highlights a broader industry shift away from legacy media and toward new content distribution models.
Viral marketing campaigns, like American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney ad, can generate substantial brand value, doubling web traffic and adding an estimated $400 million in market capitalization, even amidst controversy.
The increasing availability and quality of non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages, alongside potential cannabis alternatives, contribute to the decline in alcohol consumption by offering comparable social experiences.
The rapid proliferation of marketing trends, such as spin-offs of viral moments, leads to short-lived consumer engagement due to content saturation and the fleeting nature of online trends.

Deep Dive

This year's media landscape reveals a dynamic shift in consumer behavior and industry adaptation, highlighting how nostalgia, health consciousness, and controversial marketing can significantly impact business outcomes. The producers of Morning Brew Daily reflect on pivotal stories, demonstrating that while legacy media faces disruption, agile brands and evolving consumer preferences are reshaping industries from fast-casual dining to entertainment.

The fast-casual dining sector experienced a resurgence driven by a potent mix of nostalgia and value. Brands like Chili's saw substantial sales and traffic increases, with average revenue per location climbing significantly. This trend is amplified by a broader consumer embrace of nostalgia, as seen with Dave & Buster's, which leverages childhood memories to revive its business. Simultaneously, a growing number of Americans are re-evaluating alcohol consumption, with a notable increase in those viewing moderate drinking as detrimental to health. This societal shift is reflected in decreased alcohol use across demographics, particularly among Gen Z, who are also influenced by budget constraints and the increasing availability of appealing non-alcoholic beverage options. This trend suggests a long-term recalibration of social habits and spending priorities, impacting industries reliant on traditional social consumption.

The entertainment industry is navigating a profound transformation, with the cancellation of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" signaling a potential inflection point for legacy media. While officially attributed to financial challenges, the cancellation sparked speculation amidst broader industry consolidation and cost-cutting measures at parent company Paramount. This event, coupled with other high-profile shifts in late-night television, underscores the precarious state of traditional broadcast models. The rise of podcasting and online content platforms offers alternative avenues for engagement, demonstrating that while established formats may struggle, opportunities for adaptation and innovation persist. This indicates a necessary evolution for media companies to survive by embracing new models and audience engagement strategies.

In marketing, controversy has proven to be a potent, albeit risky, driver of brand visibility and financial gain. American Eagle's collaboration with Sydney Sweeney, despite accusations of bordering on eugenics, generated massive viewership and a significant increase in customer acquisition and market value. This campaign, alongside others like Beyoncé's Levi's ad and Gap's "Khakis" campaign, illustrates a trend where provocative or trending marketing moments can create a "rising tide lifts all boats" effect, driving conversation and engagement across a brand's ecosystem. The rapid proliferation of such viral moments, however, also leads to short-lived trends as content saturates the market. This highlights a delicate balance for brands: leveraging controversy for immediate impact versus maintaining long-term brand integrity and avoiding backlash.

The overarching implication is that adaptability and an understanding of evolving consumer sentiment are crucial for success. From food preferences and social habits to media consumption and marketing strategies, industries are being reshaped by a confluence of factors including nostalgia, health awareness, economic pressures, and the strategic use of controversy. Brands that can effectively tap into these trends, whether by offering value, evoking positive memories, or navigating public discourse, are poised to thrive in this dynamic environment.

Action Items

Audit marketing campaigns: Analyze 3-5 recent viral campaigns for potential unintended consequences or negative public perception before launch.
Create brand messaging framework: Define guidelines for provocative marketing to prevent crossing ethical or legal boundaries while maximizing engagement.
Track consumer sentiment shifts: Monitor social media and news for 5-10 emerging trends in consumer values (e.g., health, authenticity) to inform future product development.
Evaluate media industry trends: Analyze 2-3 legacy media companies' adaptation strategies to digital platforms to identify best practices for content creation.

Key Quotes

"2025 was the year of slop balls and fast casual dining when I was going through our prep docs for almost a year's worth of shows I came across April 18th where we did a big food roundup let me read you the headlines Chili's trolls McDonald's with its new quarter pounder burger McDonald's teases the return of snack wraps on social media Taco Bell is bringing back a wildly popular menu item chicken nuggets and Red Robin unveils burger pass that can get you bottomless burgers."

Producer Emily highlights the significant activity in the fast-casual dining sector during 2025, noting several major chains reintroduced popular items or offered new value propositions. This indicates a consumer focus on accessible and familiar food options. Emily's personal experience trying a Chili's burger further illustrates the tangible impact of these food stories on consumer behavior.

"we took the whole team to Dave Buster's like a week ago for our end of year holiday extravaganza because December gets pretty crazy for us so we thought before Thanksgiving well I'll hit up Dave Buster's in Times Square and they were I was talking to the waiter and I was like hey like how are you guys doing like what's customer traffic when's your busiest time and he was actually saying that in the past year they're really banking on that nostalgia from people like oh yeah I went to Dave Buster's when I was like 13 for a birthday party and now that kind of wave is reviving their business which I thought was really interesting."

Producer Olivia Graham points out that nostalgia played a significant role in reviving businesses like Dave & Buster's. This suggests that for certain entertainment and dining venues, tapping into past positive experiences can be a powerful strategy to attract customers. Olivia's personal connection to this trend underscores its broad appeal.

"53 of Americans believe that drinking even moderate drinking was bad for their health this is up 28 back in 2015 and 2015 I was definitely doing a lot of drinking myself but that's neither here nor there even for those who still have a drinky drink every now and then alcohol use has decreased across the board the average number of drinks in a week has gone down to 2.8 which is actually the lowest it's been in decades."

Producer Ray shares data from a Gallup poll indicating a significant shift in American attitudes towards alcohol consumption. Ray notes that a majority of Americans now view even moderate drinking as detrimental to health, a sentiment that has grown substantially since 2015. This trend is reflected in a decrease in overall alcohol consumption across the population.

"it was announced in July that the show would end its run in May of 2026 CBS famously stated that the decision was purely financial due to economic challenges in late night not a reflection of the show's performance or content but that did not stop people from speculating since the cancellation followed Colbert's on air criticism of a recent settlement by CBS's parent company Paramount."

Producer Olivia Lake discusses the cancellation of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," noting the official reason cited was financial challenges within late-night television. Olivia points out that speculation arose due to the timing of the cancellation following Colbert's public criticism of CBS's parent company. This suggests that financial decisions in media can be influenced by or perceived to be influenced by factors beyond pure performance.

"the ad raked up nearly 150 million views across social platforms while American Eagle reported its customer count jumped by more than 700,000 following the launch of Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce campaigns and according to data from the brokerage platform broke chuser Sydney's denim debut boosted the retailer's shares by roughly 10 doubled its web traffic and added an estimated 400 million in market value."

Producer Emily details the significant commercial success of American Eagle's marketing campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney. Emily highlights that the campaign garnered substantial viewership and led to a notable increase in customer acquisition, stock value, and web traffic for the retailer. This demonstrates the powerful impact of a high-profile marketing collaboration on a brand's financial performance.

"I hadn't heard anyone mention American Eagle in years before this right exactly so I mean it's been Abercrombie Abercrombie's back Abercrombie they make good jeans good good to know."

Producer Olivia Graham observes that American Eagle had not been a prominent topic of conversation for years prior to the Sydney Sweeney campaign. Olivia contrasts this with the renewed attention on brands like Abercrombie, suggesting that the American Eagle campaign successfully brought the retailer back into public discourse. This indicates that even controversial marketing can re-establish brand relevance.

Resources

External Resources

Books

"The Year of Fast-Casual Dining" - Mentioned as a topic covered by the show.

Articles & Papers

"Gallup poll on alcohol consumption" (Source not specified) - Discussed as evidence for decreasing alcohol use among Americans.
"Study on fast food restaurant favorites" (Source not specified) - Mentioned as a topic covered by the show.
"Article on viral marketing moments" (Source not specified) - Mentioned as a topic covered by the show.
"Article on the cancellation of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert" (Source not specified) - Discussed as a major Hollywood story and a shift in legacy media.
"Article on American Eagle's viral ad campaign with Sydney Sweeney" (Source not specified) - Discussed as a significant marketing event of the year.
"Article on Beyoncé's Levi's jeans ad" (Source not specified) - Mentioned as an example of a marketing campaign that generated mixed reactions.
"Article on Lululemon founder's net worth" (Source not specified) - Mentioned as an example of a company that gained significant attention.
"Article on Gap ad with Khakis" (Source not specified) - Mentioned as a marketing campaign that drew comparisons to the American Eagle ad.

People

Stephen Colbert - Host of The Late Show, whose show was canceled.
Sydney Sweeney - Featured in an American Eagle ad campaign.
Travis Kelce - Featured in an American Eagle campaign.
Donald Trump - Praised the American Eagle ad campaign.
Beyoncé - Featured in a Levi's jeans ad.

Organizations & Institutions

Morning Brew Daily - The podcast hosting the discussion.
Chili's - Restaurant chain discussed for its sales increase and menu items.
McDonald's - Restaurant chain mentioned in relation to its menu items and pricing.
Taco Bell - Restaurant chain mentioned for bringing back popular menu items.
Red Robin - Restaurant chain mentioned for its burger pass.
Dave's Hot Chicken - Restaurant chain mentioned for its popularity.
Luckin Coffee - Coffee chain discussed in a comparison with Starbucks.
Starbucks - Coffee chain discussed in a comparison with Luckin Coffee.
Cracker Barrel - Restaurant chain mentioned in relation to its interior changes.
CBS - Network that aired The Late Show.
Paramount - Parent company of CBS, mentioned in relation to a settlement.
Sinclair - Television station owner mentioned in the context of media industry changes.
Tegna - Company mentioned in the context of local news and media industry changes.
Nexstar - Company mentioned in the context of local news and media industry changes.
Scripps - Company mentioned in the context of local news and media industry changes.
American Eagle - Retailer discussed for its viral ad campaign and customer growth.
Levi's - Jeans brand mentioned in relation to a Beyoncé ad.
Lululemon - Company mentioned in relation to its founder's net worth.
Gap - Retailer discussed for its khaki ad campaign.
Abercrombie - Retailer mentioned for making jeans.

Websites & Online Resources

public.com/morningbrew - Website mentioned for more information.
swap.fm/l/mbd-note - Link to listen to Morning Brew Daily.
youtube.com/@MorningBrewDailyShow - Link to watch Morning Brew Daily.
fidelity.com/trading - Website mentioned for investment services.
advertising.amazon.com - Website mentioned for information on Amazon Ads.
vanta.com/morningbrew - Website mentioned for compliance and security solutions.
public.com/disclosures/ga - Website mentioned for disclosures.
public.com/disclosures/matchprogram - Website mentioned for terms of a match program.
gq.com - Publication where Sydney Sweeney addressed backlash.

Podcasts & Audio

Morning Brew Daily - The podcast being transcribed.

Other Resources

Generated Assets - An interactive analysis tool by Public Advisors for creating investable indexes.
Recurring Investments - An investment feature offered by Fidelity.
Dry January - A period of abstaining from alcohol, discussed in relation to decreasing alcohol consumption.
Damp January - A less strict version of Dry January.
Eugenics - A concept mentioned in relation to accusations against the American Eagle ad campaign.
Racial Superiority - A concept mentioned in relation to accusations against the American Eagle ad campaign.
Legacy Media - Discussed in the context of industry changes and challenges.
Streaming - Discussed as a dominant force in media consumption.
Podcasting - Discussed as a growing medium in the media industry.
Non-alcoholic beverages - Discussed as an alternative to alcoholic drinks.
Low-alcoholic beverages - Discussed as an alternative to alcoholic drinks.
Cannabis - Mentioned as a potential substance for social activities.
Fast-Casual Dining - A trend in the food industry discussed in the episode.
Slop balls - A food item mentioned in the context of fast-casual dining.
Snack wraps - A menu item mentioned as being brought back by McDonald's.
Quarter pounder burger - A menu item mentioned by Chili's and McDonald's.
Burger pass - A program offered by Red Robin.
Bar tab - Discussed in relation to Gen Z's drinking habits.
Nostalgia - Discussed as a factor reviving business for restaurants like Dave's Hot Chicken.
Viral Marketing Campaigns - Discussed as a significant marketing trend.
All press is good press - A concept debated in relation to marketing controversies.
Rising tides lift all boats - A concept used to describe how one campaign can benefit others.
Khakis - A product mentioned in relation to a Gap ad campaign.