Gen Z perspectives: Local flavours, AI watermarks and Instagram's new look

Happy Friday, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE readers and welcome back to Gen Z Perspectives, your go-to feature where we unpack the week’s top stories and trending topics through the eyes of Gen Z. From the biggest industry moves to viral moments and marketing controversies worth dissecting, we’re bringing the heat with authenticity, awareness and probably a few unfiltered takes.

This week, Pocky is putting a snackable spin on Singapore’s classic breakfast combo, Anthropic is preparing to watermark text generated by future Claude models, and Instagram is refreshing its identity with its first wordmark update in a decade.

Stick around, we’re breaking it all down.

Don't miss: Gen Z perspectives: New agencies, new interiors and National Day's AI reality check

1. Pocky wants a seat at Singapore’s breakfast table

Pocky is giving Singapore's classic breakfast combo a snackable spin, launching limited-edition 'Kopi-O' and 'Kaya toast' flavours as it looks to connect with younger consumers through familiar local tastes.

The launch forms part of the brand's "Pocky-Tiam" campaign, which draws inspiration from Singapore's kopitiam culture and its role as an everyday gathering point across generations.

Read more here. 

2. Claude is leaving its invisible mark, and the internet has questions

Anthropic is preparing to watermark text generated by future Claude models, introducing an invisible method of identifying the likelihood that its AI was involved in producing a piece of content as new European Union transparency requirements come into force.

The AI company said the watermark will be applied globally at launch and will not add hidden characters, identifying information or additional tokens to Claude's responses. Instead, it will create a detectable pattern through the word choices the model makes while generating text, allowing those with the appropriate key to assess the likelihood of Claude's involvement.

Read more here. 

3. Instagram refreshes its wordmark, gets the internet (and brands) talking

Instagram has given its identity a refresh, updating its familiar wordmark for the first time in a decade with a cleaner, more contemporary take on its signature script. The new wordmark retains Instagram's signature script, with subtle changes to its lettering and overall design.

According to Meta, the design team explored hundreds of directions, from all-caps and camera-inspired concepts to literal handwriting, before returning to the script style long associated with the platform. 

Read more here. 

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