There are few things I enjoy more than observing trends. One of the benefits of having a fairly nomadic lifestyle, like I do, is that I come into regular contact with various cultures & geographies, and people of all professional and socio-economic backgrounds. The huge advantage of this is that I can sometimes observe (especially social) trends that are brewing in sections of society or parts of the world that might have global impact. I am also fortunate that I often move around in the world’s cultural capitals - that influence the rest of the world: Atlanta (music, especially hip-hop and related culture), Monte-Carlo (all things luxury), Basel (ArtBasel, etc)…
So, I have decided to share with you some trends that I think might be relevant for 2025 and beyond - some are more obvious than others. Of course, this isn’t an exact science - and I am mostly writing about things that I am seeing or exposed to first-hand.
BRANDING & CONTENT TRENDS
TRUST IN CELEBRITIES PLUMMETS FURTHER
We have seen a few years of high-profile celebrity scandals, like the Diddy scandal and previously Harvey Weinstein to name a few, which have smeared the celebrity class as a whole. The perception that celebrities are very dark and twisted, and that they all know about or are involved in each other scandals is increasingly prevalent. Coupled with the inauthenticity of endorsements of Kamala’s campaign, where so many celebrities have been revealed to have taken huge payment in exchange for their public support - the public has had just about enough. Why should such twisted, hypocritical people tell ME what to do with my life - while they make millions? The new generation of celebrities will either: a) have to very much stay in their lane and stop trying to preach values, or b) come across as a lot more authentic, genuine and flawed and avoid outright selling of anything.
AUTHENTICITY IS IN, VIRTUE SIGNALING IS OUT
Tied with the trend of plummeting celebrity trust is the fact that people are sick of virtue signaling and hypocrisy. Celebs, Politicians and Corporations have all adopted moral high-ground with various causes that they have weaponized in many cases for their own popularity - which has often come across as preachy or fake. So, true authenticity will be “in”. It’s okay to be imperfect. It’s okay to enjoy your life. It’s far worse to talk about issues like environmental protection, when you’re flying your private jet every other day.
Also, the understanding of authenticity (at least by mainstream US standards) will need to evolve. Authenticity isn’t peppering token minorities as lead characters in various films or shows. It isn’t limited to a having a socially-acceptable story that a Hollywood studio would greenlight. Authenticity means different world views, personalities, ways of doing things - some of which we may agree or disagree with - but it’s there, it exists and it’s not meant to please us. Part of being an intellectually evolved human being is the ability to think critically, and not live in an echo chamber of our own preferred belief systems.
ORIGINALITY IN CONTENT WILL COME FROM NICHES AND BE LOW-COST
While new streamers and exhibitors will probably emerge in the near future, it seems unlikely that there will be a massive shift in the strategies that the current studios and streamers are employing. Most of it will be “playing it safe” - a reduction in output, with a primary focus on validated, existing IP (yes, I fear that means Fast & Furious 18 - It’s all about FAMILY is in the cards). The mass exodus from Hollywood and the industry globally will continue, but while some people might make a career change, others will come together and use new technologies to self-produce and distribute cutting edge, low-cost content geared towards specific niche subcultures and interest groups. More high-profile talent will also look to do these types of experimental ultra-low budget projects.
A-LIST SHOWRUNNERS AND CREATORS GO ABROAD
The streaming model has proven to be less than equitable for a lot of people that aren’t huge brands. Who other than Taylor Sheridan has a great deal currently? Creators and showrunners for some of the biggest shows out there (Squid Game, Suits, etc.) are getting the tiniest fractions of royalties because of the way the streaming model is structured. Many of these are now looking to produce premium content abroad, at what might be the cost of a catering budget in the US, but in exchange they have meaningful creative freedom and an actual backend. They are betting on themselves.
BATTLEFIELD EVERYWHERE
With Ukraine/Russia and Israel/Palestine in particular, we have had the first true media wars. Since content is such an integral part of our everyday lives, and news has morphed into entertainment, it is therefore expected that war now is not reserved for the battlefield or the trenches. Instead, it has aggressively expanded into news, media & entertainment, social media content, finance, administration, sports, travel and education. The US has for the first time ever weaponized the US dollar in its sanctioning of Russia, and consequently, there have been whispers among many of the so-called BRICS countries of their intent to reduce their reliance on the US Dollar as their main reserve currency. TikTok is facing a ban in the US because of its supposed affiliations with the Chinese government, just as Meta and some of the major US social media, communications and news outlets have come under fire for censoring or promoting a side in the domestic election or in relation to a foreign conflict. What does this mean? Stress will go up, trust will go down, and new niche substitutes for both mainstream media and social media platforms will blossom.
BRANDING BECOMES IMPERMANENT
Everything today moves quickly, and brands need to adapt at an unprecedented pace to remain relevant. That doesn’t mean that brands shouldn’t stand for something, on the contrary - they need to have clear values. But they need to be a lot more versatile and flexible in the way that they execute their branding and promotional campaigns on a day to day basis. A slew of celebrity scandals & controversies - Conor McGregor, Diddy, Jay-Z, Mr. Beast, to name a few - have all raised the alarm bells with brands, demonstrating the fragility of relying on a single brand ambassador that’s a flawed human being. The other part of it is being adaptable to the current social conversation, but without going into virtual signaling or taking yourself too seriously (e.g. Pepsi - Kendall Jenner “Live for Now” commercial). Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort marketing agency has been employing a form of “creativity as a service” with a fair amount of success. But of course, this is a risky game and taking swings can result in success or failure - which is part of the game of trying to stand out.
SUPERBOWL COMMERCIALS GO AI
The first fully AI SuperBowl commercial will likely happen within a year or two. And it will probably be a “novelty” that’s ultimately a bit underwhelming compared to the hype and outrage it will cause. However, the impressive part of the AI won’t be the video - it will be something totally unexpected, probably in how that AI tool was employed in a creative way.
RISKY BUSINESS
Every day we are uncovering corruption scandals of the rich & powerful, too often without too much consequence. We are told “do as I say, not as I do” by people that frequently have more power and influence than we do. Nancy Pelosi and other politicians are outperforming the best of investors with their stock portfolios…is it because they’re brilliant, or is it that they have insider information? Murderers and crooks are celebrated in Netflix series (think Menendez Brothers, Tinder Swindler and Tiger King) and becoming endearing public figures. It feels sometimes like even the most abominable of transgressions can be fixed by going on Dancing With the Stars, demonstrating vulnerability and publicly showing your “transformation”, before the public welcomes you back with open arms. What is a common young person with few opportunities to think? I suspect that many more impressionable and disadvantaged young people will take big, risky swings and try to do all-or-nothing gambles that could make or break their lives. This means everything from investing in highly risky meme-coins, to more nefarious actions.
SOCIAL, CONSUMER & LIFESTYLE TRENDS
PEOPLE SEEK COMFORT FROM CHAOS IN…:
- Tech detox: dumb phones, social media blackout periods, tech-free retreats, etc.
- New detox
- Pop-Philosophy (outlined below)
- Nostalgia & Retro trends
- In-person communities
- Escapism through entertainment: mindless/background viewing (reality TV, B-movies, etc.), comedy, sci-fi, alternate universes, old films, faith-based, family-oriented, animated
- Multilingualism & Multi-citizenship edges closer to the mainstream
POP-PHILOSOPHY SAVES THE DAY
In such a chaotic world, society will look to all types of interpretations on life, its meaning and how to go through it. This is where philosophy makes appearance in the mainstream…but with a pop, bite-sized twist. We will see broad selection of philosophy-themed content on social media, printed or embroidered as fashion statements, and many other applications. Shoutout to one of my very favourite bite-sized philosophy blogs The Marginalian.
DATING GOES FULL-CIRCLE
I have had a few friends get married and have kids after having met on dating apps, but for the vast majority, it’s safe to say that dating apps haven’t been working. More and more people are seeking potential partners, but also friends and a community, in real life rather than online. Run clubs, pilates classes, MBA programs are some common new places people are looking for suitable friends or life partners. There are also creative new solutions - like the supermarket in Barcelona where single people come and put a pineapple in their shopping card to signalize their status and openness to meet somebody. New businesses will be built around this trend, where they mix online and offline interactions.
SIMON SAYS
Decision fatigue gives rise to a new type of business (strategy): telling people what they need to do. With organized religion in a steady freefall in popularity among younger generations, a “higher power” or general life guidance and community is being replaced by other ideologies or “religions”: Elonism, Apple-ism, yoga, astrology, and so forth. In a way, all of these are ways of following a lifestyle an externalizing decision-making responsibility to someone else. This trend is status-agnostic: it happens with the poor and with the ultra-rich.
STOICISM IS SEXY
Whenever there’s extreme trends pushing one way, there usually is at least a micro trend going in the completely opposite direction. Various forms of stoicism will be promoted as a way to deal with crises and chaos in the world. This will especially be attractive to a younger male subsection society that feels lost and out of place in modern society. As Scott Galloway, amongst others, puts it - many men are being left behind in terms of education, socializing, professional advancement and employment, personal finance and mating. Already drawn to loud, brash figures with radical views like Andrew Tate - part of these young men will be drawn to communities, people and philosophies that promote stoicism, discipline, spirituality, and essentially a return to more traditional values. This trend is also illustrated in a significant rise of young male converts into Eastern Orthodox Christianity (The New York Post had an interesting article about this).
ESCAPISM THROUGH FANTASY
Reality is becoming overwhelming for many people, and financial challenges are mounting. Credit card delinquency rates have increased in 2024. All of this will fuel the need for escapism from reality. This can manifest in many different behaviours, and I believe some of the interesting ones are as a follows:
- Personal style becomes eclectic and allows you to fantasize and “play dress up”, almost as if you’re pretending to be someone else (which is in itself a powerful form of manifestation).
- Makeup and beauty trends also go towards experimenting with different personas and characters, using more bold looks.
- More “disposable-style” clothing will make a return: think workwear, but with personalization.
- Cold War era retro (especially 70s to 90s) makes a return, in terms of fashion, accessories, home decor, and certain consumer products.
EYES WIDE SHUT
In a time were we all carry cameras and phones, anonymity becomes the ultimate cool in international party circuit. This can take various forms: tech-free events where being present is encouraged, to more costume parties like the Venice biennale.
SLOW BURN
Covid had an awakening effect on many - allowing us to reconnect with nature and forcing us to doing things in ways that we might not have done in a long time, if ever. With greater “noise” and stress around us, an escape will be to do many things slowly and mindfully, and to enjoy the process. We have already seen an uptick in arts & crafts hobbies in recent years, but other sectors will see this trend too: for example slow travel (train journeys vs flights). More people will choose to do things meticulously and with intent. In an era of disposable and instant everything - taking the time to experience something, or to build something or master a skill will be the new cool.
TRUE EXPERTISE BECOMES COOL AGAIN
We have too many opinions, experts and “experts” and generally, bad information or tainted information. Harvard has taken a public beating in recent years, as has Forbes 30under30 - often because of the perception that both (and not only them, they are just examples) accept too many well-connected legacy candidates, or people that look good on paper for perception and marketing purposes - as opposed to who deserves to be there because of their skill and expertise. Soon it will no longer be enough to have a fancy car and a big bank account in order to be considered an authority on something. Trust in expertise will make a big return - along with new trusted certifications and validations of that expertise that are more transparent and neutral.
NEW MAINSTREAM JETSET DESTINATION EMERGES
The global jet-set circuit has remained relatively unchanged for decades, with a few newcomers here & there. The issue is that these places have now become overcrowded, and definitely not worth the price that they are still charging for what’s now become mass-tourism. New, quieter, more selective destinations will timidly emerge for those in the know. While the go-to locations will still remain ones that are more accessible within a 3-4 hour flight (i.e. Europeans won’t venture outside of Europe on a very regular basis, and same for elites of other countries), we will see more under-the-radar countries and quieter locales being exploited by influential developers that have social clout and can bring their friends over to make it popular.