As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

Today, audiences are shaping the cultural agenda. Empowered to speak up for the causes they believe in, people are actively calling out brands they see as inauthentic. What are the main drivers of this behavioural shift? And how can brands win the trust of these outspoken advocates?

QR codes are being added to abandoned houses in Baltimore to increase residents’ access to information amid a growing housing crisis. People are using technology to make public information salient and accessible, tapping into demands for greater transparency, accountability, and control.

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need for change in various parts of everyday life – including the ways people get around. How are renewed concerns about hygiene, the environment, and physical safety sparking a shift to make urban hubs accessible and equitable to all Americans?

The pandemic brought the importance of communities to the forefront of many people’s minds, prompting some to reconsider their living arrangements. How are co-living and co-housing projects catering to the desire for togetherness? And why else are people pursuing communal living?

While people may be used to the idea of renting a place to live, renting furniture – from cameras to coffee machines to couches – is less commonplace. Circular economy marketplace Fat Llama connects people who have things they want to rent out to those who would like to borrow them.