Oct 31st Northern news round-up

Welcome back for another trip around the North’s hottest headlines.

Want to get up to speed quickly on the region’s biggest moves in the marketing, creative, and digital space? Let’s dive in.

Air fryer fatigue hits the Home Appliances sector ( but not my kitchen)

Remember when we were all supposed to throw out our ovens and embrace a life of crispy, healthy air-fried perfection? Well, that trend has officially hit a wall for some! Ultimate Products, the Oldham-based homewares giant (the name behind brands like Salter), has faced a challenging year, driven largely by a massive 32% slump in air fryer sales. It seems consumer demand has peaked, contributing to a drop in group revenues.
Read the full story here

Steven Bartlett: The “Disney of the creator economy”

In ‘Good News for Manchester Moguls’ corner, Steven Bartlett’s ambitious media and technology company, Steven.com, is soaring. The firm, which combines his creative, investment, and tech ventures, closed a landmark eight-figure funding round at a hefty $425 million valuation, solidifying its claim to be the “Disney of the creator economy.” This massive vote of confidence is believed to be Europe’s largest-ever creator holding company fundraising. Congratulations to Steven and his team!
Read the full story here! 

Housr targets 1 million students after £7.5M raise

Another victory for Manchester tech: student living platform Housr has secured $10 million (£7.5m) in private financing. The funding will fuel the company’s product innovation and geographic expansion, with a bold goal to service 1,000,000 students across the UK and US within the next 12 months. Housr, which helps students with everything from finding a housemate to splitting bills, is riding the wave of demand for an 'all-in-one student OS.'
More on Housr’s plans here

North-made drama drops on Amazon Prime

It’s always brilliant to see Northern production hubs thriving! Space Studios Manchester has finally been able to ‘spill the beans’ on the massive 33-week shoot for the Harlan Coben thriller Lazarus, which recently dropped on Amazon Prime. The scale of the production confirms the North West’s undeniable reputation as a world-class destination for high-end TV. 
Space Studios spills the secrets here

 

Northern leaders on 'ChatGPT Atlas'

Meanwhile, the tech world is buzzing over OpenAI’s new AI browser, 'ChatGPT Atlas,' which is being touted as a potential Google rival. Northern digital leaders have already shared their hot takes, and the big question remains: how easily will users switch from their current, comfortable browser habits to adopt a new search paradigm? We'll have to see how quickly this new tech catches on, but it’s definitely nice to play with!
Read the digital leaders’ debate

And finally: We have the Winners! 

Speaking of the digital landscape, the North’s best and brightest came together for the Prolific North Marketing Awards 2025 in Leeds (the event I was heading to last week!). The winners have been revealed, celebrating the campaigns, teams, and talent that have truly delivered outstanding results across the region over the last year. Congratulations to everyone who took home an award and here’s to another year of brilliance!
See the full list of Prolific North Marketing Awards 2025 winners

And on that very encouraging note, I’m off to put the finishing touches on our flagship event, happening next week! Prolific North Live returns to Manchester on November 6th to dive deep into the biggest trends in marketing, media, and digital that will shape the landscape headed into 2026. See you next week with the scoop!