Signals

Global – Fast food giant McDonald’s is bringing fans’ beloved WcDonald’s from anime fiction into reality. Since 26 February 2024, the WcDonald’s anime-inspired universe has been introduced in restaurants and beyond in over 30 global markets. This immersive experience includes a new savoury chilli WcDonald’s sauce boasting a flavourful blend of ginger, garlic, soy and chilli flakes.

Collaborating with renowned manga artist Acky Bright, McDonald’s has also introduced customised manga packaging featuring WcDonald’s crew characters. Fans can also enjoy weekly digital manga drops, accessible by scanning the packaging. In addition, McDonald’s has partnered with animation agency Studio Pierrot to produce the first official WcDonald’s anime series, consisting of four short episodes airing weekly from 26 February 2024 to 18 March 2024.

The immersive journey will culminate in the WcDonald’s Immersive Dining Experience in Los Angeles on 9–10 March, which promises a multi-sensory fusion of entertainment and cuisine, inspired by the popular isekai anime sub-genre. McDonald’s investing in WcDonald’s is an excellent example of how a brand is capitalising on the opportunities presented within its Digital Fandom Market.

UK – Research from the Resolution Foundation (RF) highlights a concerning rise in mental health difficulties among young people in the UK, affecting their ability to work. The study reveals that those in their early 20s are more likely to be out of work due to ill health than those in their early 40s, a radically different picture from that of the past. Twenty-five years ago, there was a clear pattern that the older you were, the more likely you were to be not working because of ill health.

The RF’s analysis also indicates that over a third (34%) of young individuals in this age group are grappling with common mental disorders (CMD) like depression and anxiety, a sharp increase from 2000 (24%). This mental health crisis is further intensified among women, with two out of five reporting CMD compared to a quarter of men.

‘Youth worklessness due to ill health is a real and growing trend; it is worrying that young people in their early 20s, just embarking on their adult life, are more likely to be out of work due to ill health than those in their early 40s,’ RF researchers said.

The think tank calls for increased awareness and initiatives, urging sectors with a substantial young workforce to prioritise hiring mental health-aware managers to shape tomorrow’s supportive and productive work environment, as we explored in our Work States Futures macrotrend report.