Stop selling, start connecting.

Everyone’s over the “always online” life, and the savviest brands are catching on. Enter Bumble x Puma, teaming up for a singles-only run in Bangalore right before Singles’ Day (because, you know, swiping isn’t exactly cardio). It’s the anti-app meetup we didn’t know we needed. Skincare brand Astrid joined the party too, declaring a Sleepover Weekend to nudge us into old-school, face-to-face hangouts with pampering kits as the cherry on top. Heineken took things further with The Boring Mode app, which literally blocks your notifications so you can actually engage at parties without being glued to your screen like a zombie. The point is, brands that help us connect IRL are the ones we end up trusting in those big, meaningful moments — the kind of loyalty you can’t buy with a promo code. It’s emotional loyalty, and it’s stickier than anything a clever ad campaign can deliver.

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Heaven Mayhem

Marketing, of the Guerilla sort

Contemporary jewelry brand Heaven Mayhem whipped up interest during NYFW with a swath of inescapable marketing moments, weaving the brand into city life, the energy of the week, and consumers' hearts. The friendly, approachable, clever presence let us hear the brand voice, pick up on the personality, and understand the values. Tapping into analog and digital tactics, this brand made a mark.

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The collectible events take the gold

Sure, the competition is tough, but the most skilled athletes have “medaling” side hustles. The perennial pin-collecting pastime of off-duty athletes takes training, skill, and cunning. There are four Olympic pin types. National Olympic Committee pins, Host City pins, Media pins, Sponsor pins, and for some countries, sport-specific pins. The highest degree of difficulty? Special versions made by high-profile athletes like Simone Biles, and the most coveted of the Paris games, the Snoop Dog pin, depicting the charming commentator blowing Olympic-circle smoke rings. Our branding and marketing instincts kicked right in, and we wish that coveted consumer brands sprinkled custom pins into the Olympic Village and surroundings for an organic marketing campaign. Start planning for the Winter games or jump on the idea and develop this sticky product offering for your day-to-day business. We have tons of ideas on the topic; call us.

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Rate of Consumption

Rising concern for the planet and our resources has overconsumption on notice, consumers curbing their shopping habits, and the afterlife of products thoughtfully measured. As The Co. expected, a circular system is the end goal, particularly for the Millennial, Gen Z, and Gen A consumers. Upfront considerations now include assessing the resale value, putting the product into the second-hand market, and recouping some of the original spend. In the name of a better ecosystem all around, platforms like the Croissant browser extension, which helps you determine how an item you may purchase now will fair in the resale market, or the Fizz social app, which creates a marketplace out of your college campus, are setting all players up for a win-win.

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2. EXPOSURE TO NEWNESS, CREATIVITY, AND INSPIRATION

The crux of our Salone del Mobile reporting is the level of creative expression that is on display for all, and how important this will be for the success of all industries going forward. It levels up the discussion, imagination, and output of all those in design-related fields, as well as the attendees, the local businesses that join in, and the collaborators that learn from one another through the process. It may be the purest form of originality available for thought-starting now that Fashion Weeks have become coordinated efforts in PR and orchestrated influence. David Lynch’s unlikely involvement proves the point. Titled ‘A Thinking Room’, the installation was literally and figuratively an exercise in encouraging independent ideas and revelations.

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The death of streaming.

Troubles are ahead for streamers forced to face the reality of unprofitable business models. With revenues shrinking, audiences fragmenting, subscriptions being canceled, and content more expensive to churn, it's time to adapt. Now, desperate to recreate the lucrative format of cable television, streamers are scrambling to offer ad-supported models, with mergers in the space imminent. All to suggest, a future that looks much like the past, with ad revenue and fewer platforms to choose from. As a landscape consolidation sets in, we're eyeing YouTube as the power player to bet on. With YouTube TV, its role as a home for creators, the NFL partnership, and a new gaming hub, they're on track to become the go-to for easy viewing.

Move over, middlemen.

Tired of corporate censorship and operational hurdles, entertainers are railing against old systems as they realize they no longer need middlemen in today’s digital world and consumer-driven landscape. Both Ryan Reynolds and Idris Elba have launched their own ad agencies, allowing for complete autonomy over marketing and positioning, and hinting at a broader trend of “in-house everything.” Similarly, artists exercise creative control by launching their own production companies and networks, from comedian Nate Bergatze’s “Nateland” to Dr. Phil’s “Merit Street Media.” Meanwhile, Taylor Swift pioneers for direct distribution, eliminating the studios and selling straight to theatres to negotiate her Eras Tour concert film. The suits are in trouble!

A new era of fandom is here.

More closely related to consumer identity and belief than ever, fandom has been turbocharged by modern branding. Layer in AI, and consumer-facing opportunities multiply exponentially. Known for its savvy social-media marketing and exclusive merch, arthouse production company A24 has risen to mainstream hype brand, capitalizing on niche fandom with a new membership-based all-access app and more commercial projects like a Friday the 13th prequel TV series, which will air on Peacock. As seen with the Barbie movie, brands are the new Marvel IP—we expect many to follow Mattel’s plans to turn  other IPs into Hollywood fodder. And while many fear AI in the arts, positive use-cases will mobilize existing fanbases with attention to authenticity. Beatles fans can now stream the band’s final, unfinished song, Now And Then,thanks to a collaborative effort between Paul McCartney, Ringo Star, and machine-learning engineers able to extract John Lennon’s voice.

The milk-man model is back.

As the circular economy takes center stage in business strategies, certain companies are reimagining a classic delivery, pickup, and replenishment system reminiscent of the milkman era. Cabinet takes on single-use prescription bottles with reusable glass jars and medication refills in compostable pouches that are shipped directly to doorsteps. For groceries and other essentials, The Rounds created a system of refillable containers that come in a reusable tote bag. Once the products are used up, they will pick up the empties and clean the containers. This will become standard practice as consumers expect brands to take responsibility for packaging waste.

Maximum Effort

Ryan Reynold's personal in-house agency has our attention. Since 2018, Maximum Effort has made buzzy commercials for Reynold’s growing portfolio of businesses, such as Mint Mobile, Gin Aviation, and Wrexham AFC. But a recent partnership with Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney and his Four Walls Whiskey hints at something new. We expect to see more collaboration between these two on the marketing front, and other power players to follow suit in bringing ad operations in-house. As the industry returns to creative advertising sensibilities, we’re betting Reynolds and Maximum Effort will command this space.