What does it mean to be culturally credible? How do brands build a presence within culture that feels organic and tangible, rather than performative or superficial?Â
Itâs a question which has stumped marketing departments for decades. The answer, it turns out, is deceptively simple.
Recent furores over the Met Gala and music industry marketing have highlighted big techâs lack of cultural credibility. But Gen Z consumers are clear: they want bolder creative and cultural moves.
âEverything is starting to look and feel the same - very clean and minimal, but sometimes a bit too safe and predictable,â 27-year-old Ismail told us.
Once upon a time, reaching for a quick cultural tie-in might have felt like a bold, disruptive move for tech brands. Today, faced with increasingly savvy and sceptical Gen Z audiences, itâs unlikely to cut through.
For brands without a strong grounding in culture, piggybacking onto a scene youâre not truly connected to can come with serious risks.
Read the full story via the link in our bio.
When did we stop asking questions? Research shows our critical thinking skills have been in decline recently.
Thankfully, young people are now rebuilding this endangered quality, by leaning into their curiosity in new and enriching ways.
Read the full article here to find out more: https://lnkd.in/eCvFUXNj
From Eileen Guâs earnest press conference speech, to Chalametâs high-risk Oscar strategy, and the bizarre rise of chess documentaries - one thing is clear this year: itâs now cool to care.
As part of our recent 'Play First' series, we unpack how sincerity has become the new currency of youth culture.
Check our website to find out more: https://lnkd.in/eCvFUXNj
This Friday weâre back on Subtle Radio for another Serious Play takeover đđ
@kat.alyssst hosting with @essosajoy pulling up as special guest đď¸ 8-9pm donât sleep on this one âźď¸đ¨
Another successful book club night in the spaceđGood Good Loving by @yvvetteedwards had everyone locked in. Big shoutout to the Casual Readers club for bringing the energy, and to Yvvette for coming through and taking the convo even deeper.
this is exactly what the space is here for.If youâve been thinking about hosting something of your own, take this as your sign.
more soon!
We're taking it outside. Free football sessions for the ON ROAD network starting 5th May in Hackney. If you're in the community and fancy a game, sign up using the link in bio! Spaces are limited so don't sleep on it đ
Weâre looking for London and Paris based creatives aged 20-28 to take part in paid focus groups with a leading fashion brand. To take part you must live and breathe fashion and streetwear, be bold and expressive with your approach to style, have a strong interest in arts & culture and be comfortable and confident talking about fashion & style in a group setting.
Successful applicants will be paid a cash incentive and receive some free product from the brand for taking part in a 2 hour focus group. To apply click the link in our bio and complete the relevant form titled âFashion & Streetwear Screenerâ.
We spoke to 4 incredible changemakers about how play is shaping the way young people connect, create & express themselves â¨
Now weâre going to break it all down for you.
đ Join our debrief webinar for the key insights, trends & what it means for your brand
đ 23rd & 24th April
â° 1PM & 5PM GMT
Save your spot via the link in bio đŤ
Status Shift: A Changing of the Signals.
Fashion used to be the ultimate flex. What you wore told the world who you were. But TikTok democratised cultural knowledge, the algorithm killed the trend cycle, and status had to find somewhere new to live.
It moved from what you own to what you do. Run clubs. Listening sessions. Film screenings. Book clubs. The things that canât be bought on TikTok Shop or faked on a feed.
Privacy, free time, community and rest, things that were once normal life are now deemed aspirational. And the fact that theyâre considered luxury says something deeper about the world weâre living in.
Let us know what you think the next status signal isđand get in touch if you want to chat through our findings
In our latest series âPlay Firstâ, we delved into the way communities are coming together to create new infrastructure - from football pitches and social media feeds to underground venues and grassroots platforms - where institutions are lagging behind.
The question is, what happens when these DIY platforms expand, and how can brands contribute meaningfully when they do?
Check our website to find out more: link in bioâŚ
Q1, wrapped.
From hosting our first International Womenâs Day dinner with Nandoâs, to exploring the Future of Cool with our global network in the States, weâve been shaping conversations through youth-led initiatives.
Along the way, weâve put our community on the 1Xtra airwaves with Tiffany Calver, and weâve been quietly building something new⌠our very own book!
Weâre just getting started. More webinars. More Serious Play x Subtle FM takeovers. More global studies helping brands truly understand youth culture.
Love to the young people paving their own paths that we proudly get to work with day in day out, we canât wait to build more with you.
To round off our âThe Future is Playâ series, we talked with @hannahmakonnen , founder of the discovery and events platform @place.ltd , to explore how a proliferation of creative and sports-led youth collectives are fuelling Londonâs cultural scene by creating spaces for PLAY.
Read the full piece on our website đ
