The Story Wave 59

TikTok’s User Momentum Surges Despite A Temporary Ban – Case Study

U.S. politicians have been threatening to ban TikTok since 2020, but it wasn’t until January 2025 that the app actually went offline — temporarily, that is. On January 18, users received an in-app message stating that “a law banning TikTok has been enacted.” TikTok went dark.

• TikTok was already back online the next morning, with a message that the app “will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”
• According to QuestBrand data, there was a significant uptick in positive brand momentum among TikTok users heading into the ban, and even after.

Why would TikTok’s brand momentum increase heading into a shutdown? Download the case study for our full analysis.

Super Bowl Ads – What Viewers Do And Don’t Want To See: AdAge-Harris Poll

Super Bowl Sunday is about more than just football. While some of the 120+ million viewers show up for the touchdowns, many of us just want to see the halftime show and commercials. In anticipation of this year’s ads, we ran a Harris Poll survey that explores what Americans want to see from the advertisements:

• All eyes are glued on the screen: 72% of US adults say that they plan to watch the Super Bowl this weekend.
• Tuning in to the commercial breaks: 75% of US adults are excited to watch this year’s ads.
• Keep them laughing: 60% of viewers say that they want to watch funny ads, while only 12% want to see serious ads.
• Everyone loves food: 47% of Americans think food and beverage companies should advertise during the Super Bowl.
• But don’t bring up our bank accounts: Only 16% of US adults think financial services brands should advertise.

Brand Bowl 2025 Report: Interested to see which commercials resonate with viewers? So are we! Next week, we will release the fifth annual Brand Bowl report, recapping the greatest advertising wins of Super Bowl LIX. Stay tuned!

2025 Home Buyer Report: NerdWallet-Harris Poll

Anyone who has been house hunting in the past year can attest that it has not been an easy time to buy a home: inventory is low, costs are high, and interest rates are up. NerdWallet explores how Americans feel about the state of the housing market in their ninth annual report: 2025 Home Buyer Report.

• Hopeful homebuyers: 15% of Americans say that they plan to purchase a home in the next 12 months (prospective buyers).
• It’s not looking good: 69% of Americans say the housing market has never been worse for buyers than it is right now.
• Unrealistic expectations?: Prospective buyers are hoping to spend $259,088 on average for their new home, but the actual median sales price is $420,000.
• Feeling the pressure: 54% of Americans say that there is too much pressure to own a home in the US.

Takeaway: “What happens to the housing market this year will be dictated by two things: interest rates and the supply of homes for sale. The two are closely linked when it comes to existing homes — when rates fall, more homes come on the market — but rates also affect home construction. It will take both an increase in existing homes for sale and new homes being built to provide relief, and that’s likely to take more than a single year.” – Holden Lewis, NerdWallet Mortgages Expert