IT’S A HARD KNOCK LIFE

Is Netflix now 2000 and late? Latest reports cite potential harbingers such as the streamer being outgunned at the Emmys, layoffs and the high-profile ejection of key executives. Signs of cultural decay may also be found in its glaring K-Pop Demon Hunters or Stranger Things-sized hole, the lack of a juggernaut hit that sparks the proverbial water cooler discussions all streamers unofficially look to as a North Star metric. 

Owning a space in the cultural zeitgeist is a fickle KPI, where big numbers might not always equate to being talk of the town. In this attention economy, country singer Ella Langley’s Choosin’ Texas can break records with 24 weeks on the Billboard Top 100, but guy-on-the-street interviews reveal that many people have never heard it nor of her. 

Netflix’s third quarter results met corporate expectations, but there are concerns about the US market (Netflix’s largest) in particular with lower view hours and increased churn rates. Ted Sarandos himself said that the US needs “better execution”. Netflix’s continued competition with the likes of TikTok and YouTube has led to the increase in deals for creator content, podcast-turned-video-shows and live sports on the platform. Netflix’s strategy of being the must-have service is under threat in the fight for eyeballs: though co-founder Reed Hastings’ solution for this is ‘more and better [movies and television shows]’.

OUR TAKE

Engagement is not the only indicator of relevancy though, especially when the term itself is nebulous. Netflix cites engagement as “the value we are delivering to members”, which indicates an entire basket of indicators. One example of Netflix’s so-called decline in coolness is how its most recent content no longer gets ‘tongues wagging’, back to the water cooler conversation measurement. Netflix’s 2026 original movie War Machine, starring Reacher-star Alan Ritchson, is number ten on Netflix’s global list of its most-watched films. 

It is especially important to look at non-US markets here as well. Netflix states that it is on a tear in India, growing new members as well as view hours. Indonesia and the Philippines are mentioned as having much more room to grow. The company also released data to celebrate its tenth anniversary in South Korea, where Netflix is the number one streamer in the market and where the country remains a powerhouse of original content funneled through the platform. Content from Asia Pacific continues to dominate Netflix’s Global Top Ten Non-English title lists. 

With the Netflix news, one key learning (apart from ‘be better’) is to ensure that every piece of content or product speaks to someone in a meaningful way. At the rate we’re all going in the age of AI and microdramas, it can be difficult to separate meaningful signals from sheer volume. China’s first fully AI-generated theatrical release fell off a cliff at the domestic box office, but it would be premature to say that audiences hate all AI movies: maybe they hated that movie because it was not actually good?

Netflix’s goal remains clear, to be the last service that a consumer would want to cancel. The OTT giant’s playbook is obviously evolving. How will your brand look beyond vanity metrics to ensure cultural relevance?

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EXTRA, EXTRA (READ ALL ABOUT IT)

Are clean girls putting rhinestones on their claw clips? Searches for bedazzled claw clips are up 749%, per Pinterest’s inaugural beauty trend report, with the maximalist vibes extending across nails (raspberry jelly nails, +828%), hair (pink hair stripe, +463%) and makeup (frosted makeup, +286%).

There’s a name for romanticizing the most mundane parts of daily life with gloriously unnecessary touches: whimsymaxxing. Partly thanks to Kylie Jenner’s gem-encrusted birthday cake, bedazzling coffee cups, phone cases and pill bottles is #trending, but stick-on stones are just one way to play. Sprinkle-topped sandwiches or star-shaped fruit count too. So what’s behind this sudden appetite for extra? 

OUR TAKE

Long-time readers might be feeling some whiplash. At the start of 2026 we wrote about low-energy dressing, which saw details stripped away as a way to take back control in a chaotic, over-digitized world. Whimsymaxxing piles the detail on, for many of the same reasons: when life feels overwhelming, being in control of something can help.

Financial pressure is putting big plans on pause, with 55% of Gen Z and 52% of millennials globally saying they are delaying major life decisions, including marriage, starting a family or business, or further education. With big milestones on hold or out of reach, small moments of joy feel more urgent.

In Southeast Asia, that joy seems to be more for the self than for show. Data from YouGov shows that Gen Z in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam rank mental health and wellbeing ahead of personal freedom and self-expression (49% versus 26%). Nerve also reported that 66% of Filipino Gen Z’s put their career, personal goals and finances before relationships. Meanwhile, 75% of them shop online because “they deserve it.” For this generation, bedazzled belongings or heart-shaped sandwiches might simply be a way to get through the week. 

Much of whimsymaxxing leans towards the handmade, which isn’t surprising given that interest in crafting continues to grow: #CraftTok videos on Tiktok are up 60% globally over the past year and #SewingTok is up 90%. Levi’s Wear Longer project has reached 90,000 US students since launching in January, and the brand just expanded the initiative to Europe. Mending comes from a thriftier place than bedazzling, but both give young people something to do that doesn’t require a screen (yes, these projects often end up on TikTok, but that’s a consumer paradox for another day). 

Whimsy presents a unique challenge for brands. While its enthusiasts often decry the irony of “whimsy” becoming a trendy aesthetic, the true appeal of modern maximalism lies in the act of creation itself. Much of the appeal in this new maximalist outlook lies in the DIY nature and in the intentionally ridiculous personal touch, so giving people the tools to add their own flourish is more compelling than selling a pre-finished product. Some brands, like the Canadian rhinestone manufacturer Allstarco, which usually supplies Disney and Cirque du Soleil, now sell stick-on gems to beginners. At the other end of the scale, Mellerio (considered the world’s oldest jewelry house) recently unveiled 18-karat gold nail ornaments. How’s that for max-maxxing? 

Brands have long sold big dreams: a holiday, a dream apartment or The Big Day. With so many of these on hold, people are weaving small doses of whimsy into daily life. The hashtag – or even the phrase – might not endure, but the underlying need for small everyday escape almost certainly will. How can your brand help customers add their own daily dose of whimsy?

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WE SHOULD HANG SOMETIME

It’s tempting to brush aside the term “third space” as overmarketed, but Gen Z’s search for casual venues and low-stakes community continues to spread and evolve. Brands are 100% invested, as we’ve covered in previous reports, from programs that herd hobby enthusiasts together to drum up coffee sales to more branded cafés than you’ve ever dreamed of. But does the scale of investment match the kinds of experiences Gen Z actually needs?

OUR TAKE

Needless to say, the answer depends on a brand’s KPIs and overall objective. But across Southeast Asia, we’re seeing a much broader spectrum of needs, with multiple forms of third spaces emerging to meet them.

Do you want to hang out in a recreation of someone’s living room and simply be around other people, without the formal KPI of making new friends? Singapore has you covered. Are you a fan of traditional Thai floral garlands known as malai radklao? You too can help liven up a previously quiet flower market in Bangkok, Thailand. Or do you just want to hang out under a bridge and people-watch? Head over to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In the Philippines, there’s a plethora of Gen Z-coded weekend events catering to all kinds of hobbies, from silent reading clubs to mahjong and journaling sessions. Indonesian Gen Z’s are hanging out to play padel and pickleball.

This cohort wants places to hang out, yes, but the bigger need is for IRL social connection on their own terms. After Hours, Slow House in Singapore doesn’t hit you over the head with newspeak about making doubleplusgood friends. Instead, it promises “soft moments.” You can arrive with the goal of studying by yourself, strike up a conversation with a tablemate and end up splitting a takeout order. Or you can knit peacefully in a corner. Attendees may not want to be alone, but in the words of Carrie Bradshaw, they can be “on their own” without judgment in a roomful of people.

Handicrafts are another strong draw, as Gen Z increasingly seeks out analog experiences involving art and design. Weekend bazaars feature products for sale, but also spotlight local artists, street fashion, photo spots and even professional photographers capturing market-goers. The most popular bazaars have undeniable vibes, perfect for aura-farming. There’s a distinct rebellion against templated commercial malls as people of all ages flock to these more tactile, multisensory pop-up experiences.

At the other end of this spectrum of curated offline experiences is the superfan experience. These can range from VVIP front-of-stage access to small-group meet-and-greets with talent. K-pop group ENHYPEN has an upcoming Cafe Experience in Manila with Dunkin and Shopee for an intimate group of just twelve fans, with access secured through promo and raffle mechanics. The Spotify x BTS: SWIMSIDE fan experience, exclusively for select Spotify Premium members, first took place aboard a literal cruise in Seoul earlier this year and has since toured Manila and Jakarta.

So, is the answer for brands to launch listening parties, like Miu Miu just did with its Vinyl Clubs, following its previous Literary Clubs?

Not necessarily.

It’s already a crowded landscape. Our guidance is to be particular about what kind of connection your customers actually want. Bigger doesn’t automatically mean better; a smaller, lower-pressure gathering may create more meaningful participation than another elaborate branded “third space.”

When every brand wants to build a third space, the opportunity isn’t simply to give consumers somewhere to go. It’s to understand how they want to be together once they get there.

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EXIT THROUGH THE MERCH STAND

Say Hermès aloud. How’s your pronunciation? If it’s not quite up to par, fear not – it’s common enough that Duolingo built a campaign around it. After its own research revealed that 62% of Americans were confident they could pronounce Hermès but just 15% got it right, the language learning app created The Phonetic Collection. Unveiled at New York Fashion Week, the seven-piece collection spells out tricky designer names phonetically (‘air-mess’ for Hermès, ‘zhee-vahn-shee’ for Givenchy). Existing learners can spend their streak bidding on items at the NYC pop-up, while those new to Duolingo have a reason to download the app and start one.

Merch has come a long way from logoed tees for loyal fans, with some brands using it to pull in new customers. Duolingo does it with an unserious twist. 7-Eleven Japan is at it too, last week announcing an apparel range that will include Hello Kitty hoodies. It’s all part of a push to reach younger female shoppers. So let’s unpack the merch mania.

OUR TAKE

Merch is a way for wearers to signal something about their taste and lifestyle, spending power, how in the know they are, or where they’ve been. Simple tote bags from luxury hotels and resorts have become a status flex because the brand logo is often only recognisable and affordable to a select few. And while the Aman Essentials’ classic monogram tote will set you back $2,700, IYKYK merch doesn’t have to be expensive. Trader Joe’s viral mini tote provides cultural literacy for $2.99 (although some go for much more on the resale market).

What a brand can get away with though, depends on what it already is. Duolingo’s phonetic collection works because turning a language lesson into a fashion joke fits its well-established ‘unserious’ brand identity. In the UK, Greggs can sell steak bake bean bags (yes, really) because it’s a national treasure and being in on the joke is part of the appeal. Coca-Cola can redesign chopsticks in the shape of its contour bottle because the silhouette is a logo. 

For brands looking to reach a new audience, borrowing cultural cachet is an option. That’s the route 7-Eleven Japan is pursuing, first by tapping And ST’s brands like Niko and Lowrys Farm and through the Hello Kitty items. An early pilot suggests that this could make the brand more appealing to Gen Z: overall apparel sales more than doubled during a 2025 trial that saw seasonal products and other merchandise introduced, with women making up more than 70% of customers. Younger shoppers were over 1.5 times more represented than usual.

Still, while merch can help brands extend reach, some of the biggest successes are often a reminder of how much fans want in. Some viral hits – Trader Joe’s mini tote, we’re looking at you! – play to existing stans, who spend 2.6 times more than the average shopper and visit stores more. And with 44% buying the totes as gifts, the reach goes further than the buyer. That doesn’t necessarily mean new customers, but it gives existing fans a way to share the love. Here, merch functions less like recruitment and more like an outlet for fandom. 

In 2026, merch is big business, with larger brands looking to replicate the success of indie pioneers, who showed that people will buy things that make them feel part of something. But as the merch field gets more crowded, it’s harder to stand out. The brands that continue to see success will be those whose merch has a reason to exist: it fits who they are and gives people a way to express something about themselves. After all, being a walking logo only appeals when it says the right thing about you.

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BEATS A JET2 HOLIDAY

The vacation-flex, be it Dolce & Gabbana-branded hotel towels or a behind-the-counter photo with a Michelin-starred chef, has always heroed glittery objects and covetable landscapes. However, the latest travel trend applicable across mass and luxury is rooted in a desire for transformative personal growth. Especially popular with time-poor working professionals, the skillcation is a manageable one-to-two week trip laser-focused on tangible ROI — to learn a new craft or hobby. 

OUR TAKE

We previously discussed how the 2026 Traveler now chooses experiences over just hauls. It’s common to associate travel with seeking a sense of accomplishment or even ticking a box, especially with voluntourism and destination bucket lists. The skillcation may be the epitome of a ‘working on myself first’ mentality, to satisfy the urge to learn something hard that makes you a little bit better. Also termed ‘skilliday’, 48% of surveyed Europeans say they plan to learn a new skill on holiday, and 57% of Gen Zs already have a skill-based trip booked. 

Versus checking a city or experience off the list and then forgetting about it, a skillcation often continues across multiple installments in the theme of getting the steps in to master something — often related to language, food, and crafts. 76% of people surveyed think that it’s the skills gained on a trip that are the ultimate long-lasting takeaway, more so than any purchased souvenir. Trying out surfing at a resort in Bali is one level, but intensive surf camps require commitment and create goals to strive for. Beekeeping classes in Switzerland aren’t just one-and-done, but can lead to maintaining and keeping a hive alive yourself.

Skillcations lend themselves well to solo travelers, who now tend to be older Millennials and increasingly from Southeast Asia (Indonesian travelers accounted for a 72% bump in searches for solo travel). Many of these trips actually emphasize a communal experience, which is exactly what consumers rate highest, even when traveling somewhere alone — quality time with others and learning. This can mean embedding in a local community and group of expertise, and establishing bonds with like-minded travelers. 

Luxury travel and hotel brands have taken note and offer curated experiences under the label of workshops and mentorships. Imagine funneling an interest in fishing into spending time under the tutelage of local fishermen to learn about sustainable seafood practices. For non-travel brands, these themes still resonate — consumers want to focus on and associate with apprenticeship, self-improvement, and skill accumulation. 

All of this can, and does, still live on social media in the form of ‘skillsflexing.’ Displays of uniqueness and value can take the form of luxury-branded objects and now also extend not just to performances of great feats of expertise and effort, but to the grueling journey. A destination marathon or HYROX tournament is the end goal, but the 0-to-1 training montage to max out stats (i.e., health) is especially important to get people invested and engaged. Brands now invest in storytelling that showcases the world behind the scenes to invite consumers to connect with the craftspeople and production processes involved. 

Vacations remain the top category that people are willing to spend extra on, with entertainment at #2 and almost evenly split between out-of-home and at-home. Across digital and IRL, work mode and vacation mode, consumers want and expect a brand experience that fits and accompanies them on the journey they themselves are on. #GOALS has never rung truer. 

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OFF THE RECORD

The fourth iteration of A Very Laufey Day – which takes place this weekend – is a very global affair, spanning 25 countries, including Bangkok, Singapore, Jakarta, and Manila. Curated by Laufey, Gen Z’s favorite singer-songwriter, it’s a celebration of the arts that encompasses symphony orchestras, ballet, jazz, opera and museums. According to Laufey, the goal is to help younger listeners connect with ‘high culture’, although there are less intimidating entry points like bookstores and coffee shops. She started the fan event in 2023 as a way to inspire Lauvers to get outside by sharing her ideal one-day itinerary, soundtracked by her upcoming second album. It’s expanded every year since.

Laufey isn’t the only artist meeting fans somewhere other than the music. Dua Lipa has a book club. The Weeknd streams video games and champions indie studios. Later this year, Korea’s SM Entertainment will stage a 10k race followed by live performances from idols. Taken together, they reveal new points of connection between artists and fans. For brands trying to reach the same fans, that’s important.

OUR TAKE

A side hustle used to mean a fragrance deal or a co-designed fashion label. Now, what artists do when they’re not making music is becoming more than a support act – it’s a way to build community with fans around interests that extend beyond the music. There’s interest in this type of crossover: a 2026 Eventbrite study found that 69% of 18-to-35s in the US and UK want more events that combine different interests, like crafting and cocktails or culture and movement.

The Weeknd sought out the makers of indie games he loved, spent hours with them talking about design and posted about it. Vietnamese rapper Binz eschewed a traditional listening party and instead celebrated the launch of his debut album with a painting workshop for fans and collaborators. Or consider secondhand fashion marketplace Depop, who partnered with Spotify to give music lovers access to the wardrobes of six up-and-coming artists. That gave fans a way to buy into the  taste or style of an artist, important in an age when subcultures provide fewer ready-made identity codes.

Artists’ community building efforts might not be lucrative, but crossover fandoms can result in surprising benefits. Diplo’s run clubs, which first launched in 2024 (5k, followed by a 90-minute live DJ set), expanded to 10 US locations this year. Despite attracting 10,000 to 15,000 people to each event, profitability isn’t guaranteed – the logistics are expensive. But the run clubs did help the DJ/producer become a global ambassador for Whoop and appear in an ad campaign with Cristiano ­Ronaldo. 

Plenty of brands are chasing the same thing: a loyal community that gathers and stays. It comes more easily to Laufey and co., because the interest is real and not reverse-engineered from a growth target. When BINI’s Aiah hosted the group’s second BINI Run in 2025, she called running her ‘safe space’ and hoped Blooms would feel the same benefits from exercise. That kind of genuine interest is hard for a brand to manufacture, making artists both a useful partner and a potential competitor. So where does that leave a brand that wants in? 

Brands can fund artist-led run clubs and book clubs and there is genuine demand here, with young people seeking in-person events. Thoughtful and relevant sponsorship has a place, and the wellness brands that handed out products at some of Diplo’s events are one example of that. But the community belongs to the artist, so it’s the artist’s crowd that decides if a brand is ‘worth’ letting in. The brands that earn entry will offer something the fandom couldn’t easily access (Laufey gave fans a route into art galleries and symphony halls, for example). Access, a venue, an experience, or a tool: the question isn’t which artist to book, it’s what your brand contributes to the community. 

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A STAR IS BORN

Pop Mart’s latest empire-building chess move is a double-punch opening of a two-story retail store and baked goods space in Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa. Pop Bakery is a casual, more grab-and-go experience, not to be confused with Pop Mart Cafe in Bangkok, and is the first of the sub-line to open outside of China. The character Twinkle Twinkle is the literal star of the show, though other Pop Mart IPs will also feature in the form of food, collectibles, and character meet-and-greets.

Pop Bakery is the latest in a long, ever-morphing line of branded experiences that focus on physical spaces as a channel for brand expansion and consumer loyalty cultivation. The ROI and long-term impact of these activations on brand health and longevity are still under scrutiny. When everyone and anyone is doing it, what makes a branded experience truly additive to the brand and community?

Pop Mart Co-COO and Executive Director Si De has namechecked the Disney playbook for how the company aims to maintain the longevity and value of its IPs via multiple form factors and business lines. Starting with collectible blind box toys, the ‘Disney of China’ has expanded into animation, film, as well as the ultimate Disney stamp of approval – theme parks. 

In Southeast Asia, Pop Mart’s largest region of business after China, the company already launches collaborations at breakneck speed. The region is ground zero for Pop Mart’s retail++ themed experiences after they’ve gone through the testing grounds of China, starting with F&B. 

The accessibility and communal aspect of F&B is the perfect channel for brand extension, also lending well to content creation and shareability. Pop Mart even experimented with dessert trucks in China before deciding on brick-and-mortar. Luxury retail especially is no stranger to F&B, using cafes and restaurants as lifestyle gateways into the brands. Tiffany & Co’s Blue Box Cafe launched this summer in Singapore, and Cafe Carrera serves as Porsche’s watering hole for the community (it’s important to note that this is a stand-alone cafe, and not just a coffee bar in a car showroom). 

Branded experiences are tools in the ongoing attention economy where consumers increasingly demand touchpoints that go beyond digital and into spaces where community and identity are formed. We touch upon this in previous reporting on luxury brands organizing literary salons. All brands want to become a ‘way of life’ for consumers, with experiences as a way to speak to and bolster communities anchored around the brand. Make-up brand Glossier was adept at this, creating a world around its direct-to-consumer community-driven launches, making the ‘Glossier Girl’ into a covetable everyday identity for friend groups. Malaysian coffee brand ZUS Coffee created Drip & Drop block parties as a way to cement association with these daily rituals and community activities.   

We’re not advising that every brand immediately go set up a food truck, and certainly not everyone has deep enough pockets for theme parks. With branded experiences, consistency and thought are especially important – whether a brand is seen as spraying and praying, or is truly invested in building a story and community. Activities should not be done in a vacuum or seen as long-term guaranteed engagement in isolation.

Disney celebrated its Disney100 corporate centennial in 2023, and Mickey Mouse has his 100th birthday in 2028. Pop Mart definitely has its eyes on the prize.

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HEART, SOUL… AND SILLAGE?

Forget Le Labo. The fragrance that’s proving hard to get across China this year belongs to Rafayel. The catch is that Rafayel is not a person. He’s a romance interest in the popular otome game Love and Deepspace. His birthday scent, a marine fougère which is fitting for a character tied to the sea, sold out across licensed platforms within minutes of its March release, with follow-ups for two more characters since.

Rafayel fans are buying a scent and a new way to belong to the Love and Deepspace universe. See also Pop Mart, which rolled its Petals in Four Acts fragrance sprays out across Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand in April, sold (of course) with blind-box mechanics. Street Fighter 6 is also getting room scents built around individual characters.

  OUR TAKE

Scent marketing isn’t new. Subway and Abercrombie have long used smell to pull customers in. Hotels and airlines have filled lobbies and cabins with signature scents for decades (some of them are now available to take home). But as more of the brand experience moves onto a screen, the parts that can’t — the ones that require smell, touch, or physical presence — need to do more work. Scent has a particular staying power. It can’t be experienced through a screen, yet it’s closely linked to emotion and memory.

As shopping moves online, the physical store has become less about the transaction and more about the experience. Brick-and-mortar offers the sensory stimulation and social interaction e-commerce can’t, and shoppers want more of it — 56% of surveyed consumers seek immersive, creatively designed experiences. ION Orchard, which has diffused its own 20-note signature scent for years, has re-positioned as a cultural destination, with SEA’s first Prada Caffè and Tiffany’s first regional Blue Box Café located in the mall. Rolex is staging museum-grade exhibitions of its history while luxury houses across China are turning stores and temporary spaces into galleries.

Scent is also playing a bigger role in how Gen Z constructs and expresses identity, with younger consumers interested in scent stacking, layering multiple scents to suit their mood or the occasion. This doesn’t just apply to women – 75% of Gen Z men say they layer multiple scents. Niche fragrance brands are another way to signal individuality, taste, and membership to a particular in-the-know community. On TikTok, fragrance is something to research, collect, and purchase with knowledge accruing its own cultural capital (see #smellmaxxing or one influencer’s 100 spray rule). The irony that this is all happening via a screen will not be lost on you. 

It makes sense that brands and entertainment properties want to be part of this story. FC Barcelona recently commissioned an olfactory identity: a scent ‘DNA’ developed from the club’s emotional, cultural, and distinctive attributes. Two fragrances have already been released, while an AI perfumer will allow the club to create future collections and personalized versions without losing the underlying Barça codes (for inquiring minds: the two launch scents lean on grass, bergamot, vetiver and sandalwood — a nod to the pitch but not the locker room). And with South Korean startup Deepscent able to turn moods and images into scent on demand, expect olfactory identities to become more adaptable, with custom options for launches or events. 

A scent identity has a similar function to a color palette or a sonic logo because it’s an ownable set of codes a brand can keep building from. But IP fragrances go further. FC Barcelona uses scent to evoke place and memory while Love and Deepspace gets more immersive by using it to make a fictional character feel real. Rafayel’s cologne isn’t marketed as ‘inspired by’, it’s sold as something the character would wear. 

For brands and IP owners, scent is an increasingly important way to reach people who are already spraying and layering fragrance as a form of self-expression. Thinking about how your brand might smell is just the start. What would wearing it allow someone to say about themselves? And who or what would it help them feel part of? 

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ARE WE ALL JUST CREATOR-MAXXING? 

The World Cup has never been more star-studded (covered in a previous Culture Wire), as Capital-F Famous People from across fandoms converge to celebrate one of the biggest global cultural events. So imagine the size of Unilever’s content creator Rolodex as the official personal care brand of this year’s World Cup announced it’s adopting a “Super Bowl every two days” marketing strategy. The brand has partnered with 50,000 creators worldwide across online and offline activations and campaigns, ranging from big-name athletes to micro-creators.

Once viewed as simple amplification channels for whatever direction agencies were hired to push, creators now seem to be center stage, with a seat at the table at the start of a brand’s creative funnel. Is this the dawn of a new era?

  OUR TAKE

Have we really arrived at Creator 2.0? Maybe the more interesting development is not that brands are just talking about creator-maxxing, but that heavy-hitters are investing in and scaling more diverse voices in communities and fundamentally retooling the marketing production process to bring creators to the drawing board. 

Unilever operationalized this with a Cannes Lion stamp of approval in the creative process for the 2025 Bronze Lion-winning Part of the Game with Arsenal Football Club.  The campaign message was completely overhauled based on the input of Arsenal Women’s athlete-creators, which speaks to the trust placed in the creators as the credibility sign-off. Unilever Global CMO Leandro Barreto stated that this new SOP, in which creators are recognized as voices of authenticity, double-team with agencies, and don’t just act as spellcheckers, required a shift in “relationships [and] control”. This might be an understatement, as the company now works with 30x more creators versus just two years ago, with a roster of 300,000 creators.

Brand-building has always meant partnering with different stakeholders: the classic celebrity spokesperson for clout, and a movie tentpole or IP for scale and to get the word out. As the new generation of YouTube talent gains name recognition and starts commanding dollars, these creators are now celebrities to which proximity is coveted (however mundane-seeming).

A big name doesn’t always equate to credibility, though. Celebrities and mega-influencers can be seen as Too Big To Trust. Brands are increasingly engaging with micro-creators and voices in micro-communities to build trust with consumers from the ground up. Nano-creators (1K-10K followers) in APAC are spotlighted for having higher engagement rates across platforms than macro-creators, with trust and authenticity cited as the top reasons consumers engage with creators in the first place. Visa even terms smaller creators as micro-SMBs, a fast-growing category in the USD 135.2B (2023) APAC creator economy. 

Sports brands are especially active in doing so by engaging with amateur and niche sports communities. Nike, in its battle against growth headwinds, is tapping into smaller-scale creators and communities to reposition itself and build influence. In fact, Nike and other previously entrenched multinational brands already face heightened competition in China, where key local brands are seen as more culturally connected and anti-generic. In South Korea, the popular Private Road Running Club positions itself as a community “for not only running but Korean culture across the board”, and brands must engage with it in ways that feel authentic and enrich people’s daily routines. As even these communities become more diverse, there’s growing demand for non-sports and non-performance-based brands to engage with these running groups in accessible ways.

The ways brands and creators work together are ever-evolving and increasingly corporatized, but one thing remains evergreen: how can one stay relevant and build in the culture? One marketing strategy doesn’t guarantee lasting cultural stickiness. Which communities has your brand been engaging with, and how are you crafting the brand story together?

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