Welcome to the next edition of On The Record, thoughtful analysis on culture, entertainment, tech, fashion, music, sport, and brands. Here’s a round-up of key conversations and campaigns that caught my attention this week.
🔥 Apple x WSL: Tech Giant Levels the Playing Field in Women’s Football
📌 Apple has entered women’s football for the first time through a landmark partnership with WSL Football, supplying top-tier clubs across the Barclays Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship with Apple technology. The initiative provides players, coaches, and analysts with MacBook Pros, iPads, iPhones, and AirPods to enhance training, match analysis, and officiating workflows. Beyond performance, the move is positioned as an equity-driven effort to close the tech access gap across clubs.
From iPads for real-time sideline analysis to digital team sheets handled via iPad Air, the partnership represents both a symbolic and practical upgrade for the women’s game. For Apple, it’s an opportunity to align with a fast-growing, values-led sport - and to extend its ecosystem into professional performance environments historically dominated by PC-based systems.
Apple’s first-ever partnership in women’s football.
Includes device rollout across both WSL and WSL2 clubs.
Supports digital transformation in match operations and analysis.
💡 Tech equity is becoming the new frontier of sports innovation - and Apple’s entry into women’s football shows how performance, access, and purpose can align. ⚽💻
🎧 Spotify x Netflix: The Stream Dream Team
📌 Spotify is bringing its top video podcasts to Netflix in a new partnership launching early 2026. Shows from Spotify Studios and The Ringer - including The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Rewatchables, The Dave Chang Show, and Conspiracy Theories - will debut on Netflix in the U.S., with other markets to follow. The deal marks Spotify’s most significant distribution expansion yet, as both companies seek to challenge YouTube’s dominance as the leading platform for video podcasts.
For Spotify, the move extends its footprint from audio to full-stack video distribution, while Netflix gains new unscripted and conversational content to diversify its entertainment lineup. The collaboration signals the formal arrival of podcasts as a mainstream visual entertainment format - a fusion of streaming and creator culture that could reshape how audiences watch and listen across platforms.
YouTube currently commands 13.1% of total U.S. streaming time, compared with 8.7% for Netflix. (Nielsen, 2025)
Video podcast consumption on Spotify has tripled year-on-year, led by Gen Z audiences. (Spotify, 2025)
The global podcasting market is projected to exceed $42 billion by 2028, driven by video-first formats. (PwC, 2025)
💡Podcasts have officially entered their TV era - where storytelling meets streaming, and creators become on-screen talent. 🎥
🔥 OpenAI Launches Third-Party Apps Inside ChatGPT
📌 OpenAI has rolled out a major update allowing users to interact with third-party apps directly inside ChatGPT. The integration includes platforms like Spotify, Canva, Zillow, and Expedia, enabling users to create playlists, design posters, or browse homes without ever leaving the chat. Built on OpenAI’s new Model Context Protocol, the Apps SDK gives developers the ability to design and test custom in-chat apps. The move brings ChatGPT closer to becoming a full-service interactive platform rather than a static chatbot.
Apps like Booking.com, Coursera, and Figma are now live for all logged-in ChatGPT users outside the EU, with more - such as DoorDash, OpenTable, Target, and Uber - on the way. OpenAI says this marks “a new generation of apps users can chat with,” supporting personalised, context-aware interactions directly inside conversations. Developers will soon gain access to a public directory and monetisation options, signalling a new ecosystem within ChatGPT itself.
Available apps include Spotify, Canva, and Zillow; more brands to follow in coming weeks.
Apps SDK built on Model Context Protocol (MCP) to support custom development.
Feature live for all Free, Go, Plus, and Pro users outside the EU.
💡 ChatGPT is evolving from a conversational interface to a full-scale operating environment for brands and developers ⚙️
🔥 Domino’s “Mmm”-powered Brand Refresh Puts Craveability at the Core
📌 Domino’s has unveiled its first brand refresh in 13 years, blending heritage with a modern, sensory overhaul designed to make the brand as craveable as its pizza. The revamp introduces hotter red and blue tones, bolder packaging, and a new bespoke font, “Domino’s Sans.” At its heart sits a sonic identity built around a name-bending jingle - “Dommmino’s” - voiced by five-time GRAMMY® nominee Shaboozey. From boxes to team gear, the refresh reclaims Domino’s playful spirit while doubling down on its “Hungry for MORE” growth strategy.
Rather than launching a traditional tagline, the brand is embedding craveability into every touchpoint – from the sound of its name to the heat of its colours. For CMO Kate Trumbull, this marks a pivot from “tech company that sells pizza” back to “pizza brand that leads culture.” The update rolls out across U.S. and global markets through Q4 2025.
$19.4B global retail sales across 21,500+ stores in 90+ markets (FY2025)
85% of U.S. sales made digitally in 2024
99% of Domino’s stores are independently franchised
💡 Audio branding is the new appetite trigger - Domino’s shows how sound can drive craveability as powerfully as sight or taste. 🎶
👟 Pokémon x Adidas Originals: 30th Anniversary Collection Announced
📌 Pokémon will mark its 30th anniversary in 2026 with a special Adidas Originals collaboration spanning footwear, apparel, and accessories for adults and youth. The line will feature iconic silhouettes like the Samba and Superstar, continuing the brands’ past linkups and tapping into Pokémon’s enduring pop-cultural legacy. While designs remain under wraps, fans can expect nostalgic cues, special packaging, and retail activations celebrating three decades of the beloved franchise.
This partnership underscores how fashion and gaming IP continue to intertwine, using nostalgia and cross-generational fandom as cultural currency.
🎮 Pokémon is valued at over $100 billion globally – making it the highest-grossing entertainment franchise in the world. (Statista, 2025)
👟 Adidas Originals’ collaborations segment grew 28% year-on-year, fuelled by nostalgia-led drops like the Samba and Superstar revivals. (Adidas Annual Report, 2024)
🧢 73% of Gen Z say nostalgia influences their fashion purchases, particularly around gaming and Y2K culture. (Dazed Studio x GWI, 2025)
💥 Over 60% of gaming-inspired fashion collaborations sell out within 48 hours of launch. (Lyst Index, Q2 2025)
💡 Retro gaming nostalgia is fast becoming fashion’s most enduring form of IP storytelling 👾
🎬 Warner Music x Netflix: Streaming the Soundtrack of a Generation
📌 Warner Music Group is reportedly partnering with Netflix to produce a slate of movies and documentaries inspired by its vast artist and song catalogue. The move marks a fresh audiovisual strategy for the label after closing its in-house film and TV division earlier this year as part of cost-cutting measures.
CEO Robert Kyncl hinted at the deal during the Bloomberg Screentime conference, highlighting the “tremendous catalogue” of stories yet to be told - from Madonna to Fleetwood Mac and Prince. The collaboration positions Warner to capitalise on music-driven storytelling at global scale, as demand for nostalgic and artist-led content surges across streaming.
Warner Music is targeting $300m in cost savings while co-investing up to $1.2bn in catalogues with Bain Capital.
Music films and docs have shown strong ROI - recent releases like Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere boosted catalogue streams.
💡 Music catalogues are becoming cinematic IP - the next wave of brand-building lies in storytelling, not just streaming. 🎥
🎮 Not Just Gameboys: Women Make Up 52% of U.S. Gamers; 22% of Players Are Over 65 Years Old
📌 The Entertainment Software Association’s “Power of Play” report dismantles decades of gamer stereotypes, revealing that women now represent a majority of U.S. gamers and that older adults make up a significant share of players. The global survey of 24,000+ gamers found the average gamer is 41 years old, with Italy topping the chart at 50. In the U.S., 22% of gamers are aged 65+, while just 9% are 16–24. The report highlights gaming’s evolution beyond consoles and combat genres, spanning mobile, puzzles, and strategy titles. Respondents cited reduced stress, improved creativity, and enhanced problem-solving as key benefits of gaming.
52% of U.S. gamers are women.
22% of U.S. gamers are aged 65+.
76% say gaming boosts problem-solving skills; 50% say it benefits their careers.
💡 Gaming is no longer niche entertainment - it’s a multigenerational, gender-balanced culture driver shaping wellbeing and skill development. 🎮
🤖 How AI Became Our Personal Assistant
📌 New data reveals how deeply AI has integrated into everyday life. OpenAI reports 18 billion ChatGPT messages sent weekly, with more than one in ten people worldwide now using the tool – a rate of adoption the internet itself didn’t reach for a decade. Most activity centres on practical guidance and writing tasks, with non-work use making up over 70% of all messages. Teachers, developers, and students lead adoption, while “shadow AI” use within workplaces continues to grow as employees quietly rely on consumer tools to automate tasks.
Big Tech is betting on continued expansion: Meta’s AI assistant has reached 1 billion monthly users, Microsoft Copilot has surpassed 100 million, and Google’s AI Overviews serve 2 billion users across 200 countries. The UAE now leads global adoption at 59%, showing a strong correlation between AI use and GDP growth. Yet researchers warn of growing “cognitive debt,” as nearly half of ChatGPT users are under 25 and increasingly outsource thinking and writing to AI.
💬 18 billion messages are sent to ChatGPT every week. (Financial Times)
🌍 Over 1 in 10 people globally have used ChatGPT – a rate of adoption the internet took a decade to reach. (Financial Times)
🧠 70% of ChatGPT use is now non-work related. (OpenAI via FT)
📈 Google’s AI Overviews reach 2 billion monthly users across 200+ countries and 40 languages. (Google via FT)
📱 Meta’s AI assistant serves 1 billion monthly users across its apps. (Meta via FT)
💻 Microsoft Copilot has topped 100 million monthly active users. (Microsoft via FT)
🇦🇪 The UAE leads global AI adoption, with 59% of people using AI tools. (Microsoft AI for Good Lab via FT)
👩🎓 Nearly half of ChatGPT users are aged 25 or younger. (Financial Times)
💡 AI has quietly evolved from productivity tool to personal companion – reshaping how people think, learn and decide. 🧠
📰 🚨Pentagon Reporters Turn In Badges Amid New Restrictions
📌 Dozens of long-serving Pentagon journalists returned their press badges this week after refusing to sign new media guidelines introduced by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. The rules, criticised as incompatible with press freedom, include limits on “soliciting” information from defence employees and warn of possible criminal penalties for unauthorised disclosures. Major U.S. networks including CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox issued a joint statement rejecting the terms, saying they “threaten core journalistic principles.”
In a statement, the Pentagon Press Association (PPA), representing over 100 news organisations, said: “Today, the Defence Department confiscated the badges of the Pentagon reporters from virtually every major media organisation in America. Make no mistake, today is a dark day for press freedom that raises concerns about a weakening U.S. commitment to transparency in governance, public accountability at the Pentagon, and free speech for all.” The PPA reaffirmed that its members “remain committed to reporting on the U.S. military.”
Independent Pentagon reporting has historically produced some of the most consequential stories in modern journalism. During the Vietnam War, reporters stationed in Washington and Saigon exposed contradictions in official narratives, paving the way for the release of the Pentagon Papers. In the 1980s, defence journalists uncovered the Iran-Contra affair, revealing how the U.S. secretly sold arms to Iran to fund Nicaraguan rebels. The 1991 Tailhook scandal was exposed by military reporters investigating sexual harassment within the Navy, sparking institutional reforms. In 2004, coverage of Abu Ghraib by independent correspondents revealed the abuse of Iraqi detainees, leading to global outrage and court-martials. The Washington Post’s 2019 Afghanistan Papers investigation uncovered systemic failures in U.S. military strategy across two decades of war. And decades of reporting on Pentagon procurement - from the $1.7 trillion F-35 programme to repeated audit failures - has highlighted chronic inefficiencies in defence spending.
These landmark investigations were made possible through on-site access, open communication, and the ability to question officials directly - conditions now under threat by the new guidelines.
22+ journalists evacuated their media rooms inside the Pentagon, ending decades of direct newsroom access.
Five major U.S. networks issued a rare joint statement rejecting the new rules.
Pentagon policy language now explicitly warns of “criminal liability” for unauthorised information sharing.
💡 The Pentagon’s press lockdown marks a pivotal test for American transparency - history shows that when reporters lose access, accountability loses ground too. 🕵️♀️
Jimmy Fallon and Bozoma Saint John on What It Takes for People, Products, and Brands to Break Through
📌 In this episode, Fallon (late-night host) and Bozoma Saint John (marketing executive and strategist) unpack how to cut through today’s saturated media landscape. They reflect on personal branding, collaborative creativity, team dynamics, and how to centre cultural relevance while scaling reach.
✅ Why This Episode Matters Right Now:
Dual-lensed on brand and culture. Fallon gives a media-maker’s perspective on audience trends, while Bozoma brings the brand strategist’s view, bridging creative vision and tactical execution.
Lessons in collision management. Their conversation reveals how to hold tension between brand discipline and creative disorder - a classic tension for marketers today.
Actionable on amplification. They break down how meta-moments, celebrity association, and platform decisions amplify or limit campaigns - especially when culture shifts fast.
🏀 NBA Opening Week – 21–27 Oct – USA Opening games include Lakers vs Warriors, Celtics vs Knicks, Rockets vs Thunder, and Bulls vs Heat
🏎 F1 Mexico City Grand Prix – 24–26 Oct – Mexico City, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Latin America’s biggest motorsport moment; a major weekend for brands and live audience energy.
⚽ UEFA Champions League (Matchday 3) – 21–22 Oct – Europe Fixtures include Barcelona vs Olympiacos, Arsenal vs Atlético Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen vs PSG, Copenhagen vs Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle vs Benfica, PSV Eindhoven vs Napoli, Union Saint-Gilloise vs Inter, Villarreal vs Manchester City, Athletic Club vs Qarabağ, Galatasaray vs Bodø/Glimt, Monaco vs Tottenham, Bayern Munich vs Club Brugge, Chelsea vs Ajax, and Eintracht Frankfurt vs Liverpool
🏈 NFL Week 8 – 26–27 Oct – US & global Games include Vikings vs Chargers, Dolphins vs Falcons, Bears vs Ravens, Bills vs Panthers, Jets vs Bengals, 49ers vs Texans, and Commanders vs Chiefs
⚽ Premier League Matchday – 25–26 Oct – England Chelsea vs Sunderland, Manchester United vs Brighton, Brentford vs Liverpool, Arsenal vs Crystal Palace, Aston Villa vs Manchester City, and more
🍄 Merlin Sheldrake: The Secret Lives of Fungi LIVE – 20 Oct – Barbican A mind-expanding evening blending ecology, art, and storytelling.
🧵 Do Ho Suh: Walk the House (final week) – until 26 Oct – Tate Modern Immersive, hand-stitched architectural installations exploring memory and belonging.
🇳🇬 Nigerian Modernism (final week) – until 26 Oct – Tate Modern Critically acclaimed survey reframing African modernist movements.
🔴 Radical Harmony: Helene Kröller-Müller’s Neo-Impressionists – ongoing – National Gallery Seurat, Van Gogh, and Signac headline a luminous exhibition of colour and form.
🧪 IWM Lecture Day: Legacies of Empire – 25 Oct – Imperial War Museum Debate-driven talks examining Britain’s imperial past and its modern implications.
🎭 Kiefer / Van Gogh (final days) – until 26 Oct – Royal Academy of Arts Blockbuster artistic dialogue between two visionary painters - closing weekend.
🎨 Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur – closing 26 Oct – Wallace Collection Playful, provocative and closing soon - contemporary craft meets cultural commentary.
Arty & Cultural Things to Do With Kids During Half Term (UK)
🎃 Bank of England Museum – Spooky Craft Activities – 27–31 Oct – London Create Halloween-inspired money boxes and discover the design behind currency.
🌊 Museum of London Docklands – Thames at Night & Moon Myths – 27–30 Oct – London Craft pop-up cards and enjoy family storytelling around the moon and river.
🎭 Lakeside Arts – Egg Box Theatre Workshop – 24 Oct – Nottingham Transform simple materials into creative miniature theatre sets.
🚋 London Transport Museum – Roaring Twenties Family Activities – 27–31 Oct – London Hands-on crafts and themed tours celebrating 1920s design and innovation.
🍃 Nature in Art – Children’s Activity Days – 27–31 Oct – Gloucestershire Daily nature-inspired creative workshops for families.
🖌 Kettle’s Yard – From Pattern to Painting Workshop – 29 Oct – Cambridge Ages 7–11 reimagine African textile patterns through colour and paint.
No Kings March – A Global Stand for Democracy
On Saturday, 18 October 2025, over 7 million people across the United States and around the world took to the streets for the second No Kings march: a sweeping, decentralised demonstration demanding democratic accountability and rejecting authoritarian power.
Organisers reported a turnout of around 10 million people across more than 2,500 U.S. cities, making it one of the largest coordinated protests in modern American history. The slogan “No one is above the law” united a diverse coalition of civic groups, artists, and community leaders under a shared call for institutional integrity and the protection of democratic norms.
📍 Where It Happened
Major demonstrations took place in:
New York City – massive crowds filled Union Square and Times Square.
Washington D.C. – vigils and teach-ins spread across the capital rather than a central march.
Philadelphia – tens of thousands rallied along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Boston – Boston Common hosted civic leaders and cultural performances.
Chicago – Grant Park and Daley Plaza overflowed with protestors.
Houston and Austin – drew thousands to Discovery Green and the Texas State Capitol.
San Francisco & Bay Area – Dolores Park to Civic Center, joined by marches in Oakland, San Jose, and Palo Alto.
Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, Atlanta, Miami, Phoenix, Portland, Detroit, Cleveland, and Minneapolis also saw record turnouts.
🌍 Global Solidarity
Simultaneous marches were held in London, Berlin, Paris, Toronto, Dublin, Sydney, and Mexico City, with smaller vigils in Amsterdam, Warsaw, and São Paulo. International demonstrators gathered outside U.S. embassies to express unity with American protestors and concern over democratic backsliding worldwide.
✊ What Drove the Movement
Defending Democracy: challenging executive overreach and the erosion of checks and balances.
Rejecting Authoritarianism: reaffirming that no individual stands above the law.
Demanding Accountability: connecting frustration over the U.S. government shutdown to systemic leadership failures.
Protecting Civil Liberties: defending the right to protest and freedom of expression.
Reclaiming Patriotism: redefining national pride through democratic action, not political theatre.
💡 The Takeaway
No Kings was not only a political moment but a cultural one. It proved that civic participation- driven by storytelling, symbolism, and shared purpose - can mobilise millions and re-centre democratic values in public life.
🔥 18 billion messages are sent to ChatGPT every week, with 70% now non-work related. (Financial Times, OpenAI)
🎧 Video podcast viewing has tripled year-on-year on Spotify, driven by Gen Z audiences. (Spotify)
⚽ Women’s football viewership has grown 35% globally since 2023, led by the WSL and NWSL. (FIFA, 2025)
🎮 52% of U.S. gamers are women, and 22% are aged 65+. (Entertainment Software Association)
👟 Adidas Originals collaborations rose 28% YoY, fuelled by nostalgia-driven drops like Samba and Superstar. (Adidas Annual Report, 2024)
🍕 Domino’s hit $19.4B in global retail sales, with 85% of U.S. orders placed digitally. (Domino’s FY2025)
🎥 Music documentaries boosted streaming of featured catalogues by 50% within two weeks of release. (MIDiA Research, 2025)
🪧 10 million people joined the global No Kings march for democracy across 2,500 U.S. cities and 20+ countries. (Organisers’ Estimates, 2025)