Cultural trends

Netflix, Love, and the Black Culture Gap

Netflix’s recent lineup of dating shows featuring Black cast members has done more than stir drama; it has stirred conversation. From The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On to the viral phenomenon Pop the Balloon, these shows are no longer just... Read More

Cultural trends

Your Resume is a Vibe: Gen Z’s Branding Playbook

When Gen Z logs into TikTok, they aren’t mindlessly scrolling or just killing time. They’re building something; an identity, a business model, a media brand. What started as a seemingly unending stream of lip-sync videos and dance challenges has transformed... Read More

Cultural trends

Auntie Power: The Market Force You’re Ignoring

When brands chase fleeting trends or obsess over Gen Z virality, they often overlook a powerful, steady force driving real-world consumer behavior: midlife women. Sometimes overlooked as background figures in family and workplace narratives, these women—often Gen Xers (remember them?)... Read More

Cultural trends

Tech, Trust, & TikTok: How Gen Z Shops for Cars

It’s become on-brand for Gen Z to rewrite the rules of engagement for many industries, and this generation is in the process of steering the automotive industry into uncharted territory. Unlike the status-symbol attachment that defined older generations, this audience views... Read More

Cultural trends

The Global Plot Twist Hollywood Didn’t See Coming

Always more than just an industry, Hollywood also functions as a powerful and effective cultural barometer. But a cultural shift is percolating beneath the surface. For the first time in decades, substance is overtaking spectacle, and Hollywood is slowly leaning... Read More

Cultural trends

Desi Dollars Are Speaking. Are You Listening? 

When marketers envision the next frontier of luxury, the default setting tends to land on coastal Western cities or European fashion capitals. But look closer, and you will see a powerful trend is emerging quietly, and is gaining steam—the Desi... Read More

Cultural trends

BBL Bodies, Branding, and the New Economics of Beauty

The cultural canon of beauty is constantly shifting. Still, few trends have reverberated across so many sectors—fashion, wellness, luxury, fitness, and even travel—as dramatically as the rise of the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) aesthetic. While the surgical procedure itself has... Read More

Cultural trends

Mental Health, Black Identity, and What Brands Keep Missing

The dialogue around mental health has gotten louder in recent years, but unfortunately for Black communities, awareness and access remain weighed down by cultural stigma, structural barriers, and even life-threatening outcomes. As brands and marketers increasingly emphasize mental wellness, understanding... Read More

Cultural trends

The Business of Afrofuturism in Media and Marketing

Afrofuturism, once a cultural undercurrent largely confined to niche communities and academic circles, has emerged as a powerful mainstream force. At its core, Afrofuturism is an aesthetic and cultural philosophy that merges African diaspora culture with science fiction, technology, history,... Read More

Cultural trends

The Potential of Video Game Culture

The home video game industry has been a notable yet not dominant part of the retail market since the 1970s. As gaming systems and home computers improved, a gaming culture of young adults began to develop in the 1990s, which... Read More

Cultural trends

Instagram Entrepreneurship and the Power of Cultural Identity

The rise of Instagram as a launchpad for aspiring entrepreneurs has transformed both the way we think about small business ownership and also how cultural aspirations and identities are broadcast to– and by millions. For brands and marketers trying to... Read More

Cultural trends

Gen Z is Redefining Fine Dining

For decades, fine dining has meant images of starched white tablecloths, hushed conversations, and multi-course meals served with an almost ceremonial precision. But as Gen Z steps into its economic prime, the culinary world is in the midst of a... Read More