McDonald’s has launched an e-commerce store selling everything from fry-emblazoned hair ties to burger bun umbrellas – all branded with Golden Arches imagery. No longer just going to restaurants for the food, people want to buy into a lifestyle, especially if it lends itself to meme culture.

KFC and Crocs have entered into a collaboration to create a fried chicken-themed ‘Bucket Clog’, complete with chicken-scented charms. As young people engage with fashion in a more playful, tongue-in-cheek way, iconic brands are luring fans with lighthearted and ironic merch.

Branded merchandise was once solely found at business conventions and in the wardrobes of fervent fans, but it’s enjoying a renaissance as Gen Yers and Zers seek new ways of expressing their identity. What does this resurgence reveal of the shifting nature of consumer-brand relationships?

The COVID-19 pandemic has upheaved societies around the world – perhaps permanently. There’s an acknowledgement that everyday life will have to change post-lockdown to avoid further outbreaks, but could this transition also present a chance to usher in a fairer, greener, and less lonely future?