The past decade has seen political polarisation – accelerated by social media’s filter bubbles and echo chambers – deepen and mutate. An ominous era of a polycrisis has shattered any remaining societal consensus. Meanwhile, powerful anti-establishment voices have stepped into the void.

How are threats to the Amazon impacting everyday shopping decisions? What exactly is PIX, and how is it transforming the financial landscape? And how can businesses help tackle a growing mental health crisis? Our Brazil Cultural Snapshot explores the key behaviours shaping the nation in 2022.

Depression is on the rise in Brazil, and while various factors have contributed to this silent epidemic, specialists agree that a lack of exercise, weight gain, and alcohol abuse during the pandemic played a major role. In this light, lifestyle interventions may help preserve people’s mental health.

Brazil has been hit hard by the pandemic, with marginalised and lower-income groups affected the most. But in the midst of a crisis, Confinada, a comic book strip published regularly on Instagram, has used the pandemic to illustrate issues of racism, structural inequality, and sexism.

Gen Zers in Brazil are inheriting a complex cultural, political, and economic landscape where the Amazon and vast wealth disparities put a unique spin on the challenges posed by climate change and COVID-19. So, how can brands build trust and help Zers create a reality they can believe in?