What should she do, Charli wonders, now that the clock on her relevance is ticking? Even though "people are getting sick of [her]," should she "go even harder," as Kylie Jenner advises her, and continue to celebrate "brat summer forever"? Or should she stop harping on the same string and, instead, recede, regroup, and attempt to remake herself into an avatar for a new era?
We meet CultureSync Media founder Timmy Bankole, formerly of SCMP, discusses why cultural insight and audience understanding are fast becoming the most valuable currencies in modern advertising... Timmy Bankole has a wide range of experience across the ad tech spectrum, counting roles at Blis, PHD and South China Morning Post, and has recently founded agency CultureSync Media. In this Q&A, Timmy shares how agencies can move beyond generic targeting to uncover the deeper cultural codes shaping consumer behaviour.
This year's Super Bowl highlighted a striking reality: companies are willing to spend record sums for cultural relevance they often lack the organizational capability to sustain. With viewership projected to rival last year's 127-plus million U.S. audience, yesterday's Super Bowl LX reinforced the event's unrivaled power to concentrate mass attention as the Seahawks and Patriots took the field and Bad Bunny delivered a halftime performance engineered to dominate global conversation.
"AI can definitely help brands work more efficiently, for example by scaling moderation and keeping content safe," she says. "It can also support content creation, though that is trickier to navigate. To truly stand out, brands need to listen to their communities and understand what matters to them. That personal connection comes from genuine human insight, something AI can support but never fully replace."
In recent years, companies have turned to marketing as a shortcut to growth, pouring millions into campaigns, cultural plays, and acquisition tactics. But this focus often comes at the expense of what truly drives loyalty: better products and services. Consumers see the gap between glossy promises and lived experience - and their patience is wearing thin. The customer satisfaction crisis Customer satisfaction is at an all-time low. Across industries, American consumers are frustrated, feeling they get less value for more money.
Brand crossovers are everywhere right now - and getting weirder. Kate Spade released crossbody bags in the form of giant Heinz ketchup packets. Urban Outfitters released a back-to-school dorm collection with Chipotle that included a lamp shaped like a bag of chips and a metallic blanket that lets you wrap yourself up like a burrito. And Tecovas released $345 cowboy boots made with the same red vinyl used for Chili's restaurant booths and stamped with chili peppers, of course.
The traditional nonprofit theater model isn't sustainable anymore, and our choice in this moment was really innovation over inertia, says Raphael Picciarelli, managing director of strategy and transformation at Williamstown.
Architectural competitions provide a platform for innovative ideas, allowing architects to creatively engage with environmental, cultural, and social challenges through unrestrained design.
Formichettiâs design ethos is rooted in extremity: think retro motocross gear meets PlayStation-era futurism, with a healthy dose of downtown grit.
"Whether it's a pop-up at a music festival, a collaboration with an iconic club, or creative project with a DJ we admire - Von Dutch Loves is our playground to create, connect, and celebrate the culture and communities that inspire us."
