The Mock Conference

Well, duh. Dangerously in Love, Lemonade, need we say more? Not to mention Instagram record-breaking pregnancy photos.

According to Wikipedia:

Beyoncé's sixth studio album Lemonade was released on April 23, 2016, after an hour-long accompanying video that premiered on HBO. With Lemonade, Beyoncé became the first act in history to have six consecutive number one albums in the U.S. All twelve tracks from Lemonade charted within the Hot 100 in the US, breaking a record previously held by Taylor Swift for having the most songs chart consecutively with 11 for a female artist.

To hear The Guardian tell it, "Game of Thrones is the biggest TV show on television. It’s Dallas with dragons. It’s EastEnders with nudity. It’s The Apprentice with a very slightly more liberal worldview."

Wikipedia chronicles the show's success:

"Game of Thrones has attracted record viewership on HBO and has a broad, active, international fan base. It has been acclaimed by critics, particularly for its acting, complex characters, story, scope, and production values, although its frequent use of nudity and violence (including sexual violence) has been criticized. The series has received 38 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2015 and 2016, more than any other primetime scripted television series. Its other awards and nominations include three Hugo Awards for Best Dramatic Presentation (2012–2014), a 2011 Peabody Award, and five nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama (2012 and 2015–2018).

Of the ensemble cast, Peter Dinklage has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (2011 and 2015) and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (2012) for his performance as Tyrion Lannister. Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Maisie Williams, Diana Rigg, and Max von Sydow have also received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for their performances."

Fandom chronicle FanSided, which puts together a 250-strong list of the best fandoms in existence, drawing from the worlds of sports, movies, celebrities, TV and more, gave Game of Thrones fans the #2 spot in 2018. "They’re the fans that have made the show a worldwide crossover hit in an age where TV audiences are getting smaller and more segmented. They’re the fans who put together an epic convention that celebrated both the show and the Song of Ice and Fire series by examining it from every angle imaginable — as an academic subject, as a rip-roaring yarn, as a social document, as an inspiration for cosplay, and so on. They’re the fans who travel far and wide to see the locations where their favorite scenes were filmed, to the point where they’ve boosted the economies of certain countries," an article on the 2018 FanSided list announcement read.

How do you become the first female rapper to win two No. 1 singles? Cardi B could tell you.

According to a Pitchfork article July 2, 2018:

"Cardi B’s 'I Like It,' featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin, has reached no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It’s a significant chart achievement for Cardi; 'I Like It' marks her second chart-topper, after her breakout track “Bodak Yellow,” making her the first female rapper to ever score two no. 1 songs. 'I Like It' is also the first number one song for both Bad Bunny and J Balvin as well. It’s taken from her studio album Invasion of Privacy, released earlier this year."

Royal weddings, fairytale princes and princes living happily ever after. What more could an enraptured American public hope for?

Not to mention that royal weddings often lead to royal babies, and the internet loves nothing more than baby pictures. Especially royal baby pictures.

To quote the playground oral tradition:

First comes love,
then comes marriage,
then comes baby
in a baby carriage!

According to Wikipedia:  [The K-I-S-S-I-N-G nursery rhyme] really only achieves its desired effect—embarrassment—when sung among children to a couple that is in puppy love, or when two people who do not want to be associated with each other get tagged together. The embarrassment is derived from the prospect of romantic contact..."

And members of the royal family, of course, are immune to embarassment.

If you grew  up loving Star Wars, then it's logical to assume your kids will hate it. Luckily for Star Wars fans of yore, Disney's purchase of the franchise has resparked an interest in Gen Z when it comes to the Jedi, Han Solo's not-so-humble beginnings and the rebirth of the Empire. But what's next for young Star Wars fans-in-training?

About the next installment in the Star Wars series, Forbes writes: "The year of goodbyes will end with Walt Disney’s Star Wars Episode IX. The J.J. Abrams-directed trilogy capper will not only (presumably) conclude the Rey/Finn/Poe/Kylo trilogy but also wrap up the core nine-part Skywalker saga. With Han and Luke dead and Leia presumably being written out offscreen (since Carrie Fisher died in December of 2016), it’ll be the end of the line no matter if Billy Dee Williams’ Lando Calrissian survives his return to that galaxy far, far away. Disney and Lucasfilm’s’ Star Wars saga will have to thrive without explicit attachments to the original nine-part saga."

LEGO's partnership with the Star Wars brand is one of the most powerful ways to reach kids these days. With a slew of toys and video games, including a Minecraft set, Star Wars LEGOs are likely to entertain generations for years to come.

Millennials (also known as Generation Y) are the generational demographic cohort following Generation X. There are no precise dates for when this cohort starts or ends; demographers and researchers typically use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s as ending birth years. (Wikipedia)

With their spending power and comfort in a digital environment, they've captured the media narrative—and remain an enticing target audience for companies worldwide.

Just a few headlines from a recent Google search:

"Millennials want to retire by 61, but most have nothing saved"

"Don't Go Soft On Soft Skills: Setting Millennials Up For Management Success"

"IHOP President: Millennials are 'our sweet spot'"

"Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation"