Insights by Infegy

A New Era of Holiday Sales: What Black Friday Means to Younger Consumers

Nikki Skyer — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:11:04 GMT

This Insight Brief is brought to you by Infegy’s partnership with Joesph Bayer’s students at The Ohio State University. We work with these students to dig into a particular topic of their interest and encourage deeper insights.

Over the last decade, holiday shopping culture in the United States has undergone a profound transformation. The hype that once surrounded a single day of deep discounts and in-store urgency has evolved into a sprawling ecosystem of e-commerce events, early promotions, and near-constant digital sales cycles. For younger consumers, with ages from 18-35, this shift has fundamentally changed the significance of Black Friday. As online shopping became frictionless, personalized, and available year-round, the symbolic weight of “the biggest shopping day of the year” has eroded. The landscape that remains is one defined by constant availability and diminished urgency.

Dating IRL: The Trend of Deleting Dating Apps

mechael.saint-val@infegy.com (Mechael Saint-Val) — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 20:31:29 GMT

Dating apps emerged as a solution to the challenges of modern romance, offering a convenient way to connect with potential partners in an increasingly busy world. Their popularity soared as they provided access to a larger pool of matches than traditional dating methods, with the convenience of browsing from anywhere at any time. At the peak of their social conversation, roughly ten years ago, dating apps generated over 6 million posts in a single month, demonstrating their cultural impact and widespread adoption.

Cost of Living Conversations: It’s Electric (Boogie-Woogie?)

Joe Drymala — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:38:42 GMT

Hi, this is Joe Drymala, guest posting - I run a firm called Share Of Voice that explores online conversations on behalf of political and advocacy campaigns. I’m excited to take the helm of Insights by Infegy today on behalf of my favorite social listening tool!

Guilt by Association? Comparing Major CEO Crisis Responses

neil@incitefulreporting.com (Neil Stout from Incite) — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 21:38:43 GMT

In the past few months, we have seen not one, but two major media moments involving CEO scandals that have rocked the brands they worked for and made headlines across all major media outlets.

The Disney Paradox: Why Guests Still Love the Magic Despite Rising Costs

nancy.dexter-milling@infegy.com (Nancy Dexter-Milling) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 21:30:49 GMT

Disney has navigated turbulent waters in 2025. The entertainment giant found itself at the center of heated free speech debates in the United States, sparking boycotts that rippled across their product lines. Meanwhile, their traditional stronghold in cable and TV continues its steady decline. Yet beneath these challenges lies a surprising success story: Disney Experiences now accounts for 60% of the corporation's profits, proving that despite everything, people still want to take part in the magic.

Understanding the Tariff Conversation: Three Distinct Personas

nancy.dexter-milling@infegy.com (Nancy Dexter-Milling) — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 18:08:06 GMT

Tariffs have dominated headlines and conversations throughout this year. Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum in the United States, trade policy has touched your life in some way. Whether through market volatility, shipping delays, or higher prices on some everyday purchases.

Can You Still Trust the Sneaker Resale Market? The Era of Replicas and Fakes

mechael.saint-val@infegy.com (Mechael Saint-Val) — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 18:02:54 GMT

The sneaker resale market, which once promised authenticity and security, is now facing a crisis of trust. Between 2020 and 2025, what was supposed to be a safe haven for collectors and enthusiasts has become a minefield of counterfeits, failed authentication processes, and broken promises. The feeling of distrust of the market in general has risen dramatically in the last five years as well (Figure 1). At the center of this storm is a high-profile lawsuit that's forcing everyone to ask: Can we still trust the platforms we've relied on?

Figure 1: Overall negative trust in resale market conversations (September 2020 - September 2025); Infegy Social Dataset.

When 30 Days Isn't Enough: How Short Data Windows Led to e.l.f.'s Matt Rife Misstep

nancy.dexter-milling@infegy.com (Nancy Dexter-Milling) — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 18:44:51 GMT

In August 2025, a highly controversial ad was released by e.l.f. Cosmetics. A brand known for more affordable products. However, the ad featured Matt Rife. Many users of the product wanted to understand why he was chosen for the ad. Let’s dig into e.l.f. and Matt Rife's audience and see why looking at only a few months of data about a person can get you in trouble.

Are EVs Still the Future? A Look at What's Really Happening

mechael.saint-val@infegy.com (Mechael Saint-Val) — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 17:58:33 GMT

The electric vehicle takeover that seemed inevitable just a few years ago is facing new challenges in 2025. What started as a clear trajectory toward electrification has become a more complex story of policy changes, economic pressures, and shifting market dynamics.

Back to School Conversations Across Social Media: A Generational Analysis

nancy.dexter-milling@infegy.com (Nancy Dexter-Milling) — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:21:22 GMT

"Back to School. Back to School. To prove to dad that I'm no fool." - Adam Sandler's Billy Madison might have said it best. Still, the reality is that different generations experience back-to-school season in vastly different ways across social media platforms.