💻 Modern Luddites fight for humanised AI – amid the proliferation of AI-generated cultural production, a counter-movement is emerging, championing the human premium in the creative process. Rather than fight back against the increased use of AI, artists are finding ways to leverage automation to withhold greater control and ownership of their intellectual property.

📲 Employees use AI to enhance workplace productivity – modern workplaces grapple with app overwhelm as the proliferation of digital tools inundates employees, leading to distraction and decreased efficiency. Brands like Slack are helping employees and employers prosper by offering a unified platform that fosters collaboration, communication, and flexibility.

DoDo PHANTHAMALY (2017)

🌍 Digital nomads flock to Southeast Asia – Southeast Asia has become a top destination for digital nomads, a region famous for its hospitality, tropical weather, and affordability for Westerners. As remote work increases allowing many professionals seeking flexibility and comfort to try working from anywhere, ‘bleisure’ (business leisure) is sought after by many workers globally.

📺 Binge-watching behaviours take over entertainment – binge-watching shows or scrolling social media feeds can lead to hours of entertainment, leading people to be sucked down entertainment and content rabbit holes. With consumers increasingly conscious of how much time they spend online, there’s a growing desire for media platforms to foster healthier habits.

✨ Consumers seek connection and cult status – heritage products such as Stanley cups can acquire new meaning when applied to fresh cultural contexts. Beverage trends on social media have become a cultural vehicle for young women to express the stresses associated with everyday life, and brands are engaging these fans through a blend of modern wellness and collectibles culture.

❣️ RHOC captures East London’s creative class – the Instagram page Real Housewives of Clapton serves as both a satirical commentary and a cultural barometer of the UK’s creative class. In a time where social cohesion is strained, and markers of adulthood are shifting, hyper-localised meme pages help build a sense of creative expression and community.

💰 Young Indonesians blend family and finances – bearing a rising cost of living and the financial burdens of their parents and children, Indonesians are now managing their finances at much younger ages. As they brace themselves for this double whammy, brands like Gen Z-focused app Whiz aim to empower them – one less lonely financial journey at a time.

ROMAN ODINTSOV (2020)

💭 Netizens want mindful technology – James Clear – author of Atomic Habits – has launched an app that acts as an accountability partner, helping people build better habits. The launch underscores a broader cultural emphasis on mindful technology usage and the demand for hyper-personalised tech solutions to optimise lifestyles.

🍜 'Third culture kids' push culinary boundaries – so-called 'third culture kids' are sharing fusion recipes that are near to their hearts online and finding global fandom for their creations – even if they don’t fit in a neat cultural box. Notions of culinary authenticity are changing, and people are hungry for food content that reflects this.

💡 Anime fandoms gather around IRL experiences – McDonald's has introduced a four-episode campaign to pay tribute to the chain’s omnipresence in anime and manga, reacting to the art form's growing popularity among young people worldwide. Other brands are also tapping into this hyper-engaged fandom community via exclusive content and experiential marketing.