TikTok Leans Into News as Meta Bows Out: What It Means for Platforms, Publishers and Public Trust

📱 TikTok backs news influencers while Meta backs off - and the implications are cultural as much as strategic.

In a move that signals shifting sands in the digital news ecosystem, TikTok is stepping up its support for news creators on the platform, just as Meta continues to retreat from its role in news dissemination. Axios Media reports that TikTok is not only encouraging news influencers to keep posting but is also offering resources and guidance to help them navigate responsible reporting.

This comes at a time when around half of American TikTok users say they get their news from the platform - a figure that puts TikTok shoulder-to-shoulder with traditional outlets in terms of public influence.

Meanwhile, Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) has doubled down on its distancing from news content. From ending fact-checking partnerships to actively blocking news on its platforms in countries like Canada, Meta is making a deliberate pivot away from being seen as a news source.

So what does this divergence tell us?

Platforms Are Picking Sides in the Information Economy

Meta's retreat reflects a longer-term strategy: reducing liability, appeasing regulators, and shifting focus toward entertainment and creator commerce. News, by contrast, brings risk, complexity, and political scrutiny. Its ROI is harder to prove - and harder to monetise.

TikTok, however, sees opportunity in the vacuum. News creators on the platform range from independent journalists to educators and analysts - often with huge Gen Z and Millennial followings. Their content is short-form, highly visual, and community-driven: tailor-made for TikTok’s algorithm and audience behaviour.

While the platform hasn't gone so far as to create an official "news tab", its behind-the-scenes support for these voices suggests it sees value in becoming a trusted, if unconventional, news source - especially for younger users less likely to visit legacy media sites.

Implications for Brands, Publishers and the Public

1. Brand Strategy:
As audiences increasingly treat social platforms as their front page, brands will need to rethink how they show up in those spaces - not just through ads or branded content, but through credible voices, partnerships with newsfluencers, and value-based storytelling.

2. Publisher Survival:
Legacy media should see TikTok’s move as a call to experiment. The door is open for news outlets willing to meet users where they are - not with clickbait or repurposed headlines, but with platform-native, personality-led reporting that builds community, not just traffic.

3. Public Trust:
The rise of news influencers raises questions around accuracy, accountability, and platform responsibility. TikTok’s approach - supporting but not centrally regulating - could leave room for innovation, but also for misinformation. The next phase will require clearer guardrails to maintain public trust.

In a world where attention is everything, the battle for “newsfluence” is officially on. TikTok isn’t trying to become the new BBC - but it is signalling that it wants to be more than just dance trends and recipes.

And when the world’s biggest social platforms start choosing sides in the future of news, brands, creators and consumers alike need to pay attention.

Because the feed is the new front page - and who curates it matters.

What Cazadores and Cristo Fernández Teach Us About Fandom-First Brand Strategy

When heritage meets hype, it’s a recipe for cultural relevance. Enter: Cazadores’ latest fan-inspired campaign starring Ted Lasso’s Cristo Fernández - Mexican actor, ex-professional footballer, and now tequila ambassador.

Cazadores didn’t just cast a recognisable face. They tapped into fandom.

From Football Pitches to Prime Time

Cristo Fernández is more than just a breakout star from Ted Lasso. He’s a former pro footballer turned actor, embodying two of Mexico’s most influential exports: sport and storytelling. In this campaign, he bridges Cazadores’ roots in Jalisco with the cultural currency of global entertainment.

By aligning with a figure who holds cross-border appeal and authentic Mexican heritage, Cazadores isn't just promoting tequila - it’s championing identity, aspiration, and the everyday joy of celebration.

Why This Campaign Hits Different

Unlike traditional celebrity endorsements, this work taps into the energy of the fan community. The concept was directly inspired by Cazadores’ audience, drawing from insights around how fans celebrate goals, milestones, and moments - all with a drink in hand.

It’s a reminder: meaningful campaigns are often built with, not just for, fans.

The visuals? Cinematic, sun-drenched, and fiesta-ready. The tone? Joyful, proud, and unmistakably Mexican - not as a cliché, but as a lived cultural rhythm.

Takeaway for Brands

In 2025, star power alone doesn’t cut it. Cultural authenticity and fan-informed strategy are the new baselines. The best campaigns are built on participation and relevance, not just reach.

By letting fandom lead, Cazadores positions itself not just as a tequila brand - but as a co-conspirator in how moments of joy are remembered.

🏃 What to Run In: Why Bandit Is the Hypebrand Rethinking Running Culture

Once sidelined as a functional afterthought, running apparel is stepping into its fashion era - and Bandit is leading the charge. If you haven’t clocked them yet, consider this your starting pistol.

Launched out of Brooklyn, Bandit has quickly carved a lane as the running brand for those who care as much about aesthetics as they do about splits. This isn’t just activewear. It’s runwear with hype credentials - designed for the track, the tempo run, and the tunnel rave after.

🧢 From Side Streets to Spotlight

Bandit doesn’t look or feel like a legacy sportswear giant. Its drops are streetwear-coded: small-batch, limited-release, community-first. Think Nike Tech Fleece energy, but built to clock PBs. Their recent Spring collection sold out almost instantly, driven by a cult following that treats each new capsule like sneakerheads treat a Jordan drop.

But this isn’t just another fashion brand in fitness clothing. Bandit builds for performance and cultural relevance. Moisture-wicking tees and race-day shorts come with ultra-premium materials, elevated cuts, and a considered brand world that actually reflects today’s running communities: urban, diverse, style-conscious.

📸 The Instagrammable Marathoner

Let’s be real: running has a new aesthetic. Post-COVID, the growth of amateur racing, run crews, and Sunday long-run culture has reshaped how we view the sport. From London’s Track Mafia to NYC’s Old Man Run Club, performance is now paired with personality. Bandit gets this — and builds gear to match.

They’re not shouting at you with slogans or legacy athlete rosters. They’re showing up at community races, building editorial-style campaign drops, and offering kits that wouldn’t look out of place in a KITH or Aimé Leon Dore store. And yes, people are styling their Bandit gear with Salomons, Arcteryx shells, and Oakleys. It’s a vibe.

🏁 More Than a Brand - a Movement

Bandit is making the case that running can be stylish, expressive, and cool again. That you don’t need to compromise between pace and taste. For marketers and brand builders, it’s a masterclass in carving new lanes: speaking to niche sport cultures through a streetwear lens, and showing that performance wear can (and should) look this good.

TL;DR: If your running gear still looks like you borrowed it from your school PE kit, it’s time for an upgrade. Bandit is what happens when high-performance meets high-design. And the culture’s sprinting to keep up.

Music Deserves More Than a Moment: Why One-Second Hacks Hurt Culture and Brand Integrity

At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity - a global stage meant to celebrate creative excellence - a campaign was awarded the industry’s highest honour: a Grand Prix. Its hook? Using one-second snippets of popular songs to trigger recognition, while reportedly dodging music licensing fees.

That headline should make anyone in music and brand marketing sit up.

It did for me. And it clearly did for many others, thanks to Shez Mehra, who highlighted the campaign, and Dave Chase, whose sharp commentary gave this issue the platform it deserves. Their reflections have pushed an uncomfortable but crucial conversation into the mainstream - and it’s one we all need to reckon with.

Because this moment says something deeper about how the industry values culture, and by extension, the creators who build it.

One Second of Sound, a Lifetime of Impact

The campaign’s conceit was clever: one second is just long enough to trigger your brain’s emotional connection to a hit song - and just short enough to (allegedly) avoid paying for it. But while the execution may have been slick, the signal it sent was anything but.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about tearing down the brand or the creatives behind the work. It’s about what we, as an industry, choose to celebrate - and the wider consequences of those choices.

Because if the creative benchmark becomes “how cleverly can you not pay artists?”, we’ve got a serious problem.

Culture Can’t Be Borrowed Without Permission

Music isn’t just a marketing tool. It’s a memory. A movement. A way for brands - especially those in lifestyle spaces like alcohol - to build lasting emotional connections.

But those connections must be earned. Not extracted.

Authentic music partnerships build credibility, loyalty, and resonance. Shortcuts, on the other hand, erode trust - both with creators and with audiences who see through it faster than ever.

In a world where every deck says “authenticity” and “equity”, celebrating a workaround that avoids paying musicians is more than a contradiction. It’s a warning sign.

What Can Brands Do Better?

If you work in brand or campaign strategy - especially in alcohol or FMCG, where music and lifestyle go hand in hand - here are some ways to raise the standard, not lower it:

1. Invest in the Relationship, Not Just the Track

Approach music as a long-term creative partner, not a one-off asset. Think campaigns that build with artists, not just feature them.

2. Don’t Mistake Cleverness for Creativity

Real creativity doesn’t avoid the value chain - it uplifts it. If a tactic feels like a loophole, it probably is.

3. Embed Music Early in the Brief

Don’t retrofit music as a post-production bolt-on. Co-create with artists and rights holders from day one.

4. Measure Cultural Impact, Not Just Efficiency

Ask whether your campaign is building brand legacy - or borrowing from someone else’s.

Advice for Artists Working With Brands

The best partnerships are reciprocal. Here’s how artists and teams can approach brand work with clarity and confidence:

1. Protect Your IP and Story

Even one second of your work has value. Make sure usage rights are clear and fair.

2. Get Involved Creatively

Push to be part of the process - not just the final cut. The more collaborative the partnership, the more authentic the result.

3. Align With Brands That Share Your Values

If a brand wants to licence your sound but not your story, think twice.

4. Know When to Say No

Not every opportunity is worth it. If it feels off, it probably is.

Final Word

This wasn’t just a Cannes case study. It was a test. And it revealed some uncomfortable truths about how we still treat creators in advertising.

So, to Shez Mehra and Dave Chase: thank you for raising the profile of this moment. For reminding the industry that if we truly care about creativity, culture, and equity - we need to prove it.

Let’s stop applauding the workaround and start rewarding the work. Music isn’t a hack. It’s heritage.

Creativity pays off. But only if we pay in.

🌟 Spotlight: Broadway Protest Reclaims the Kennedy Center

Rainbow flags. Rewritten lyrics. A Tony-winning producer. Five senators.
This wasn’t your usual evening at the Kennedy Center - it was political theatre in the most literal sense.

Last week, the storied Washington venue became the site of Love Is Love, a Pride Month Broadway concert that doubled as a pointed protest against President Trump’s recent takeover of the cultural institution. Staged in the Justice Forum, a 144-seat theatre within the Reach expansion, the event featured performances by LGBTQ+ Broadway stars and a closing number that repurposed Les Misérables' “One Day More” into a satirical swipe at the president himself.

Orchestrated by five Democratic senators - including John Hickenlooper, Tammy Baldwin, and Elizabeth Warren - and directed by Hamilton’s lead producer Jeffrey Seller, the concert was both symbolic and strategic: a cultural stand against Trump’s erasure of the Kennedy Center’s progressive legacy.

🎭 Why It Matters

Seller had already cancelled Hamilton’s planned 2026 run at the venue, citing misalignment with Trump’s agenda. This concert was the live-action follow-up: part celebration, part confrontation, and a clear message that artistic spaces are not neutral ground.

“This is our way of reoccupying the Kennedy Center,” Seller said. “We are here, we exist, and you can’t ignore us.”

While Trump and newly appointed Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell attempted to frame the event as a “first annual talent show,” the reality was far more pointed. With performances from Falsettos, The Wild Party, and I Am Harvey Milk, the night embodied queer joy and protest as creative tools.

🏳️‍🌈 Cultural Courage in Real Time

Unlike glossy corporate Pride campaigns, Love Is Love carried weight. It wasn’t a brand stunt or a rainbow overlay. It was a grassroots reclaiming of space at a time when LGBTQ+ representation at the federal level has been quietly stripped back. For artists and allies, this was resistance through repertoire - a defiant act wrapped in song, solidarity, and stagecraft.

Why Brands Should Care

This moment is a reminder that culture is never neutral, and that cultural institutions are battlegrounds for identity, inclusion, and narrative control. For brands that show up around Pride or position themselves as allies, Love Is Love is a case study in action over aesthetics. Visibility is not enough - it has to be meaningful, and sometimes, it has to be loud.

From Sidelines to Front Rows: Vogue’s Sports Desk Makes Sport Fashion’s New Power Player

Vogue’s launch of The Sports Desk, in partnership with Google Pixel, confirms what sharp-eyed brand marketeers already knew: sport isn’t just influencing fashion - it’s becoming integral to how fashion expresses relevance, identity and reach.

Why This Matters

The fashion world has long flirted with sport - from Serena in Valentino to footballers fronting fashion campaigns - but this is the first time British Vogue has carved out dedicated editorial space to cover women’s sport with such depth and cultural weight.

This isn’t just about sport showing up in fashion. It’s about fashion repositioning itself through the lens of sport - performance, community, identity, strength. For brands in fashion, this is a wake-up call: sport isn’t a bolt-on. It’s part of the cultural engine room.

Fashion’s New Front Row

In launching The Sports Desk, Vogue is making women’s sport part of the fashion conversation - not as a seasonal trend, but as an ongoing influence. That matters in a market where brands are increasingly judged on cultural fluency and values alignment.

From AJ Odudu speaking with Alessia Russo at Wembley, to Rio Ferdinand interviewing the next generation of Lionesses, the content goes beyond highlight reels. It leans into personality, presence and purpose - exactly the kind of narrative fashion brands love to trade in.

How the Game is Changing for Brands

The rise of athlete as icon isn’t new - but it’s gaining new dimension. Athletes are no longer just brand ambassadors in campaigns. They’re muses, moodboards and cultural markers.

This matters for any brand that wants to stay in step with what’s shaping identity today. Gen Z and Gen Alpha see no hard lines between pitch, catwalk and content. That crossover is where the next era of brand storytelling is already playing out.

Key Moves Brand Marketeers Should Take From This

1. Reframe sport as a cultural driver, not a vertical: it’s a source of inspiration, not just affiliation.

2. Bring editorial energy to brand partnerships: think storytelling, not just sponsorship.

3. Recognise women’s sport as a fashion influence, not a sideline.

4. Use tech to enhance the narrative: like Google Pixel, be part of the experience, not just the logo.

Final Word

As Chioma Nnadi put it: “The influence of sport on the culture at large has never been greater.”
And now, it’s not just being featured in fashion - it’s shaping the way fashion talks, walks and leads.

Explore Vogue’s Sports Desk here 👉 British Vogue – The Sports Desk

Fashion’s Soft Power Play at Paris Men’s Week

Why silence spoke louder than spectacle this season - and what it means for brand marketers in fashion

Paris Men’s Week 2025 didn’t go big - it went deep. In a cultural moment that’s oversaturated with noise, distraction and short-form hype, the most influential players chose quiet confidence over bombastic theatrics.

Loewe leaned into abstraction and sensual restraint. Dior revisited its archives with clean precision. Wales Bonner offered up a soulful, pan-African aesthetic that resonated far beyond the front row. No gimmicks. No viral stunts. Just brand codes, cultural depth, and creative clarity.

In short: this was fashion’s soft power era in action - and it wasn’t just beautiful to look at. It was strategic.

Because fashion isn’t just about garments anymore - it’s about signalling. And in today’s attention economy, subtlety can speak louder than spectacle. Brands that understand this are rewriting the playbook: less flex, more finesse. Less volume, more value.

📈 Culture moves fast. Fashion brands need to move smarter.

In 2025, fashion weeks are no longer industry-only enclaves. They are live, public, and platform-native events. One viral moment can globalise a collection before it’s even walked. One brand misstep can unravel years of equity.

💡 81% of Gen Z and millennials globally say they “prefer brands that have a strong point of view” — Wunderman Thompson, 2024
💡 Only 16% trust fashion influencers to be truly authentic — Statista, 2024
💡 Fashion-related content on TikTok drives 5x higher engagement than on Instagram, on average — Dash Hudson, 2025

Soft power wins in this context. Not by shouting, but by sticking to a story, owning a mood, and creating meaning.

🧭 What smart fashion brands are doing right now:

1. Building multi-platform runway ecosystems
It’s not about the show. It’s about everything around the show - pre-show film drops, lookbook leaks on Discord, behind-the-scenes stories on Instagram Close Friends, Substack dispatches from stylists. Think like a media company, not just a fashion house.

2. Prioritising creative direction over content volume
Not every asset needs to go viral. What matters more: that each touchpoint feels intentional and emotionally on-brand.

3. Choosing collaboration over co-signing
Partnerships this season weren’t transactional. They were cultural. Wales Bonner isn’t a “fashion collab” - she’s an ecosystem of influence, spanning music, academia, diaspora and design. The audience knows the difference.

4. Playing the long game with cultural equity
You might not be front row at Paris, but you can still be part of the cultural conversation - if your point of view is clear, and your presence is earned.

🔑 Key Takeaways for Fashion Brand Marketers:

• Narrative is the new campaign: Clear, consistent storytelling beats trend-chasing every time.

• Fashion weeks are full-funnel: Leverage pre-show teasers, real-time social, and post-show content to sustain attention and drive brand desire.

• Don’t rent relevance - build it: Work with talent and collaborators who align with your long-term positioning, not just your seasonal product.

• Create content with rhythm: Know when to drop your moments - pre-show exclusives, live commentary, delayed drops - timing is everything.

• Design for depth, not just demand: Subtle codes and creative restraint often build more loyalty than hype drops and maximalist stunts.

Want to stay relevant without shouting? Take a cue from Paris. In 2025, understatement is a power move - and soft power is the strategy that sticks.

From Club to Campaign: How Dance Music is Driving Brand Energy in 2025

Rave is the new ROI

Dance music has always pulsed beneath youth culture - but in 2025, it’s front and centre again. From Fred again..’s global festival domination to Boiler Room’s branded takeovers, club culture is creating the kind of collective moments brands crave. And unlike the hyper-polished campaigns of yesteryear, the club offers something raw, emotive, and full of edge.

What’s changed? Gen Z have grown up in crises - economic, climate, political. Escapism is no longer optional. Dance floors represent joy, release, and identity. They’re where music meets movement, and where brands can plug into something real - if they know how.

It’s not about just slapping a logo on a flyer. Smart brands are embedding in these spaces - through co-creation with DJs, thoughtful IRL activations, or tapping into sound itself as a branding tool.

🔑 Key Takeaways for Brand Marketers:

• Lead with feeling, not form: Club culture is about energy. Translate it through experience, music, and emotional resonance.

• Partner with the ecosystem: Think beyond headliners. Work with collectives, promoters, platforms. Authenticity lives in the details.

• Use music as a brand code: Invest in sonic branding that feels native to your audience’s world - not like an afterthought.

• Test in the underground before going global: Small events often build bigger affinity than huge headline slots.

🛍 TikTok Shop & the Redefinition of Aesthetic Culture

Raw, real and retail-ready - but how far can brands go before losing themselves?

TikTok Shop is flooding our feeds - and not with curated lifestyle content. It’s hauls, lives, side-eyes, and unboxings in bedroom lighting. And it's working. Products are flying. Creators are converting. The algorithm is doing its job.

But here’s the thing: just because it works doesn’t mean it builds. For brand marketers working at the intersection of culture and commerce, TikTok Shop is less of a gold rush, more of a tightrope. One that demands we ask: how do we show up in real-time, retail spaces without stripping away brand meaning?

What we’re seeing is not the death of aesthetics - but the redefinition of them. Raw doesn’t have to mean throwaway. Unfiltered doesn’t have to mean off-brand. But chasing sales without intention? That’s when you lose control.

The brands doing this well? They’re working with creators who get the product, but also the cultural context. They're building toolkits, not just briefs. They know TikTok Shop is a platform - not a strategy.

✳️ And yes, Cannes Lions still matters

While TikTok Shop shouts in the scroll, Cannes Lions 2025 reminded us that brand craft, emotional depth, and big ideas still cut through. It’s not about either-or - it’s knowing where your brand speaks loudest and truest.

Conversion content might grab attention - but it’s cultural consistency that earns trust.

🔑 Key Takeaways for Brand Marketers:

• Protect your brand codes: Just because the platform’s lo-fi doesn’t mean your identity should be.

• Use TikTok Shop selectively: Let it complement your strategy - not drive it.

• Choose creators who can sell and storytell: The best ones don’t feel like ads - they feel like allies.

• Build for both brand and behaviour: The creative needs to flex for scroll and soul.

• Keep your cultural POV sharp: Being everywhere isn’t useful if your message gets diluted in the process.

Cracks in the Search Empire: Why Brand Marketers Should Care About the UK’s Push to Dismantle Google’s Monopoly

Big Tech, AI search and the future of branded visibility are under scrutiny - here’s what CMOs, strategists and agencies need to know.

This week, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) made waves by proposing to curb Google’s dominance in search - and it’s not just a regulatory battle. It’s a strategic fault line for anyone who builds brand value through digital discoverability.

At the heart of the proposal is a plan to give Google “Strategic Market Status (SMS)” under the UK’s new digital competition rules - a label that would force it to comply with tougher conduct obligations. Among them:

• “Fair ranking” principles for search results

• Increased publisher control over how their content appears (especially in AI-generated summaries)

• More transparent options for users to switch between search engines

For Google, this is “punitive.” For the CMA, it’s about restoring competition and innovation to a market dominated by one gatekeeper.

But for brand marketers? It’s a flashing red signal that the ground is shifting beneath your search strategy.

What’s Really at Stake for Brand Marketing

Marketers have long relied on Google as the default path to consumer attention. But what happens when that grip is loosened? When content licensing becomes contested? When AI-generated search results remove context, brand attribution - or visibility entirely?

This isn’t just a tech issue. It cuts to the core of how brand equity, reach and relevance are built in the digital age.

Here’s why it matters:

1. The Search Algorithm Is a Brand Filter

Your organic performance isn’t just about content quality - it’s shaped by ranking systems built in Google's image. If those systems are forced to become more transparent or fairer, your brand could either gain ground or lose privileged visibility.

2. AI Is Changing How People ‘Search’

AI-generated summaries are rewriting the SERP (Search Engine Results Page). If the CMA succeeds in giving publishers and brands more control, it could offer leverage in negotiating how your content is used in these AI answers - or how it’s monetised.

3. The Ad Model Is Under Pressure

The CMA has called out Google’s advertising business for inflating prices in a non-competitive market. If this results in a shake-up of ad pricing and placement, marketers could see more value — or more volatility - in paid search ROI.

4. Choice Screens Will Disrupt Defaults

If Apple and others are forced to offer users more options to switch search engines, that means more fragmentation. It’s no longer enough to optimise for Google alone.

What Brand Marketers Should Do Next

This isn’t a time to sit back. It’s a moment to lead with foresight, internally and across agency ecosystems.

🔍 In-House Teams

Audit your digital dependency
Where are you over-indexing on Google - for visibility, traffic or lead gen? What happens if ranking systems change or content indexing slows?

Map your brand’s role in AI search
Test how your brand shows up in Gemini, Perplexity or ChatGPT search integrations. Are your assets being cited? Is your brand voice being respected?

Strengthen your IP and content strategy
If AI-generated answers are built on your brand’s content, you need internal alignment across legal, comms and marketing to protect that value.

Push for channel diversification
Ramp up efforts in TikTok SEO, YouTube Shorts, Reddit threads, Pinterest discovery and newsletter ecosystems. The future is platform-agnostic.

💼 For Agencies and Strategic Partners

Lead with POV, not panic
This is an opportunity to advise clients proactively. Build trust through clarity, not alarmism.

Experiment with alternative platforms
Don’t wait for the dust to settle. Run pilot tests in non-Google search and discovery tools to gather real data on ROI, discoverability and consumer intent.

Align on new performance metrics
Traditional SEO and PPC benchmarks may lose relevance. Collaborate on future-facing KPIs that reflect changing paths to brand discovery.

Build regulatory fluency
Clients need more than media buying - they need partners who understand digital policy and platform accountability. Be the agency that speaks both languages.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Moment Is Cultural

We often talk about brand building through culture, but in many ways, culture is filtered through search. If one company controls what people see, it controls what people believe.

This CMA move is about more than economics - it’s about democratising access to visibility. That’s why this matters for marketers. Because if you want to build lasting brand relevance, you need to be seen - not just by Google, but by the people who matter.

The fight for fairer search is a fight for cultural equity. And marketers who show up early, with strategic clarity and diversified thinking, will be the ones who win.

TL;DR for the Boardroom

• What’s happening: The UK wants to force Google to play fair in search

• Why it matters: It could radically shift how consumers find and engage with brands

• What to do: Audit your dependency, diversify your discoverability, prepare for platform change

• Opportunity: Get ahead by treating digital visibility as a brand governance issue, not just a media line item

From Merch to Meaning: How Oasis Are Monetising Cultural Nostalgia with adidas and Burberry

Two high-impact collabs, a pop-up store, and a sold-out reunion tour - Oasis are writing the playbook on music-led brand strategy in 2025.

Oasis aren’t just getting back together - they’re cashing in on the cultural capital they built across three decades. As Liam Gallagher gears up to front the Oasis Live ‘25 tour celebrating Definitely Maybe, the band is making strategic moves offstage too, with not one but two brand collaborations: adidas Originals and Burberry.

Both partnerships go beyond standard artist merch - they’re part of a 360° commercial and cultural strategy to monetise nostalgia, drive new revenue streams, and anchor Oasis as a multi-generational brand.

And the smart move? They’ve opened a limited-run Oasis pop-up retail store in Manchester, selling exclusive pieces from the adidas collab alongside music memorabilia and archive content. It’s not just a store — it’s a destination, designed to convert fandom into footfall and sales into story.

Oasis x adidas: Terracewear Meets Timeless Relevance

The “Original Forever” campaign with adidas is a full-circle moment. The collection revives 90s Oasis staples - Firebird tracksuits, bucket hats, coach jackets - for a new generation. But this isn’t just retro flair. It’s a way of hardwiring Oasis into the current Gen Z/Y2K fashion boom, while keeping their roots in terrace culture and Britpop style.

🔗 Watch the promo video:

Available online, in flagship stores, and at live tour venues, the apparel line is embedded directly into the Oasis Live ‘25 experience. For adidas, it strengthens Originals’ long-standing presence in music. For Oasis, it’s a profitable, credible way to align with cultural authenticity - and a fanbase who still see adidas as their generational uniform.

Oasis x Burberry: From Tracksuits to Trench Coats

If adidas is the sound of the people, Burberry brings the polish. Teased via Liam Gallagher’s trench-clad turn in Burberry’s new campaign, this partnership repositions Oasis within a more elevated narrative — still British, still rebellious, but reimagined through luxury tailoring.

🔗 Watch the campaign teaser:

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A post shared by Liam Gallagher Daily (@liamgallagher.daily)

Burberry has been doubling down on its Britishness under Daniel Lee, and Oasis are a strategic fit. Their music defined an era of working-class aspiration and attitude - a mood that fashion now actively seeks out to feel relevant. The collab hints at a creative capsule dropping later this year, with rumours of limited outerwear and exclusive tour-inspired pieces.

The Pop-Up: Turning Fandom into Footfall

Running for a limited time in the band’s hometown of Manchester, the Oasis x adidas pop-up isn’t just a store - it’s a love letter to fandom. Featuring the new collection, rare band archive items, and curated playlists, it bridges commerce and culture. For fans, it’s a pilgrimage. For the band, it’s another layer of monetisation around the reunion moment - direct-to-consumer, high-margin, and fully immersive.

Why This Strategy Matters

This is brand-building through music, not merch. Oasis are showing how legacy artists can use cultural storytelling to reignite commercial fire - especially when aligned with brands who get it. In 2025, nostalgia isn't just sentiment - it's strategy.

Fashion and music partnerships have always made noise, but this model is a masterclass in revenue diversification. It blends emotion and execution. Relevance and retail. And it proves that bands with cultural equity can still convert cool into cash - on their own terms.

On The Record Linkedin Newsletter 24th June

⚾ The Dodgers' Million-Dollar Message: Why Brands Must Meet the Moment with Courage and Community

In a move that is both strategic and symbolic, the Los Angeles Dodgers, a franchise deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles, have pledged $1 million in direct financial assistance to families affected by recent ICE raids. This is not merely an act of charity. It marks a defining moment in how brands are expected to engage with the real-world issues impacting their communities.

As a professional working at the intersection of brand marketing and social impact, I see this as a compelling example of what authentic leadership looks like in practice.

Cultural Relevance Is No Longer Optional

Los Angeles is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and the Dodgers are more than just a sports team. They are a community institution. Since the era of Fernandomania in the 1980s, when Mexican-born pitcher Fernando Valenzuela electrified the city, the Dodgers have cultivated a strong connection with their Latino fanbase. In light of this, staying silent on the recent immigration raids would not only have felt out of touch, but would have represented a failure to support the very people who have built the team's legacy.

The Dodgers have chosen to stand with their community when it counts.

This Is Strategy with Substance

Let us be honest. The $1 million pledge is not only a moral decision. It is a savvy move that aligns with the expectations of today’s consumer. Increasingly, Millennials and Gen Z are making purchasing and loyalty decisions based on a brand’s values, not just its products or services.

By acting decisively, the Dodgers are strengthening their identity rather than risking it. They are building deeper loyalty by proving that cultural awareness and social responsibility are part of their core values, not optional extras.

A New Benchmark for Civic Leadership in Sport

In an environment where most professional sports organisations prefer to stay silent on divisive issues, the Dodgers have chosen action. They have not only committed financial support to families in need, but have also taken steps such as denying ICE agents access to the stadium car park. This is a rare example of a club using its physical and social capital to stand up for the community it represents.

Other clubs in Los Angeles, such as LAFC and Angel City FC, have issued supportive statements. But the Dodgers have gone further by converting sentiment into action. That difference matters.

A Lesson for All Brands

This should serve as a clear message to brands across all sectors. Remaining silent in moments of crisis is not a neutral act. Today, consumers expect brands to be engaged, responsive and accountable. That does not mean every brand must comment on every issue, but when your own customers, employees or communities are directly affected, your silence speaks volumes.

The Dodgers have demonstrated that leadership is not about staying comfortable. It is about doing what is right, even when it may be controversial.

Cultural Relevance Takes Time, but Moments Like This Define It

This decision will be remembered well beyond the immediate headlines. It will be remembered by the families receiving aid, by fans across Los Angeles, and by a wider public who are paying attention to which organisations show up when it matters most.

The Dodgers have not just protected their brand. They have advanced it. They have responded with action rather than platitudes, and that is what earns trust in the long term.

In 2025, brand equity is shaped as much by social consciousness as it is by financial performance. True relevance is built over time, but it is moments like these that reveal whether a brand truly understands its role in society.

The question for every brand is no longer whether to respond, but how. When your community looks to you for leadership, will you answer the call?

IMPACT: When the Truth Is Televised: How Documentaries and Dramas Are Becoming Catalysts for Justice

When journalism informs, but storytelling moves, something extraordinary happens: people care. They act. And occasionally, justice follows.

That’s the quiet transformation unfolding on our screens today.

For decades, investigative journalism has been the foundation of public accountability - relentlessly uncovering injustice and shining a light into the darkest corners of power. But in recent years, broadcasters and streaming platforms have taken that legacy and reimagined it. Through emotionally driven dramas and hard-hitting documentaries, they’re not just reporting injustice - they’re immersing us in it.

These stories don’t just explain what happened. They let us feel what it meant. And that’s when things start to change.

Grenfell: Uncovered (Netflix, 2025) & The Tower: Grenfell (BBC, 2023)

“No arrests. Eight years. Two powerful stories. One call for justice.”

In June 2025, Netflix released Grenfell: Uncovered, a blistering documentary marking the eighth anniversary of the fire that killed 72 people in West London. It doesn’t just recount the night of the blaze - it dissects the years of failure that led to it: deregulation, ignored warnings, dangerous materials, and institutional apathy.

Survivors speak. Whistleblowers come forward. Documents surface. The film is unflinching - and it lands like a punch to the national conscience.

Impact after airing:

Sparked widespread national and global media attention.

Gave renewed platform to survivors and campaigners.

Reignited calls for prosecutions of companies and individuals responsible.

Reopened political debate over housing reform and inquiry transparency.

Put pressure on the Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service over delays.

But Grenfell: Uncovered did not emerge in isolation.

In 2023, the BBC aired The Tower: Grenfell - a dramatised mini-series that brought the human side of the story into sharper focus. It offered what a documentary couldn’t: an intimate window into life inside the tower, the confusion of the night itself, and the heartbreak of the aftermath.

Where Netflix presented hard facts, the BBC offered emotional truth. And between them, a full picture began to form.

Impact of The Tower: Grenfell:

Helped the public emotionally connect with the people and experiences behind the headlines.

Ensured Grenfell stayed visible in public memory between phases of the official inquiry.

Used as an educational tool to provoke debate on housing inequality and social neglect.

Amplified calls from justice groups, particularly among younger viewers and educators.

Together, these two projects form a devastating one-two punch: one appeals to the mind, the other to the heart. Both make it painfully clear that Grenfell was not a freak accident - but a preventable outcome of greed, failure, and systemic neglect.

And crucially, both arrive at a time when justice remains stalled. No arrests. No prosecutions. A community still waiting.

Their combined message? We will not forget. And we will not stop asking why no one has been held accountable.

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Mr Bates vs The Post Office (ITV, 2024)

“A drama so powerful, it rewrote the law.”

This four-part ITV drama told the true story of hundreds of innocent subpostmasters falsely accused of theft, fraud and false accounting - victims of a faulty Horizon computer system and a ruthless institution.

Impact after airing:

Triggered emergency legislation to quash convictions.

Accelerated compensation payments.

Former CEO Paula Vennells returned her CBE amid national backlash.

Prompted new parliamentary investigations.

Widely credited with transforming public understanding of the scandal.

A real-life injustice, long overlooked, was finally seen - because the nation watched, cried, and demanded better.

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Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire (ABC Australia, 2021)

“A forgotten fire. A reopened wound.”

In 1979, a fire at Sydney’s Luna Park killed seven people. It was declared accidental. Exposed reopened the case with devastating effect—revealing possible arson, institutional failure, and high-level corruption.

Impact after airing:

Calls for renewed criminal investigations.

Reignited national debate about government integrity.

Gave families a long-overdue platform and public support.

It showed that even after decades of silence, the truth can still rise.

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When They See Us (Netflix, 2019 - resurged post - 2020)

“They were boys. The world called them criminals.”

Ava DuVernay’s dramatisation of the Central Park Five case broke open a painful history of racial injustice and wrongful conviction.

Impact after airing:

Brought global attention to the lives of the exonerated men.

Sparked new conversations around race and justice in U.S. schools and media.

Helped shift public opinion on police and prosecutorial accountability.

A story known to many - but felt by far more after the series aired.

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Other Stories That Stirred Action

💊 The Pharmacist (Netflix, 2020)

• One man’s quest against opioid abuse laid bare Big Pharma’s role in an American health crisis. It mobilised public concern around accountability in healthcare.

🐟 Seaspiracy (Netflix, 2021)

• Investigated the global fishing industry’s hidden environmental impact. Resulted in widespread scrutiny of “sustainable” labelling practices and conservation claims.

⏳ Time (BBC, 2021)

• Explored the UK prison system with depth and compassion. Used by advocacy groups and policymakers in justice reform conversations.

🏛 Capitol Riot Documentaries (BBC, HBO, 2021–2022)

• Detailed the lead-up and aftermath of the January 6 attack in the U.S. Used in public hearings and reinforced the need for democratic safeguards.

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The New Power of Storytelling

These films and series do something journalism alone can struggle to do - they translate complexity into compassion, and statistics into stories. They help us not only understand injustice, but feel its urgency. And when people feel, they act.

Streaming platforms and broadcasters aren’t replacing traditional journalism. They’re magnifying it. They’re giving it rhythm, colour, faces, and consequences.

They are, increasingly, a vital part of how justice begins.

And Still, Grenfell

Which brings us back to Grenfell: Uncovered - a documentary airing into a country that still hasn’t delivered justice.

No arrests. No prosecutions. No full accountability.

But now, millions are watching. And when that happens - when truth is finally seen - it becomes harder for power to hide.

Because when storytelling moves us, something extraordinary happens: people care. They act. And occasionally - if we keep the pressure - justice follows.

If you want to get involved and support the ongoing call for justice, visit Justice for Grenfell.

📱 Who Wants a BlackBerry? Apparently, Gen Z - and They’re Dead Serious

You read that right. Gen Z - the generation raised on touchscreens, swipe gestures, and Instagram filters - is craving the click-clack charm of a BlackBerry keyboard.

Welcome to the age of nostalgia tech, where retro gadgets like flip phones, digital cameras, and yes, even the BlackBerry, are experiencing a renaissance - not in corporate boardrooms, but on TikTok. The resurgence is being driven not by practicality, but by sentiment, aesthetics, and cultural rebellion. And if you’re still dismissing Gen Z as digital addicts incapable of analog affection, it's time for a reality check.

📱 Gen Z and the Retro Tech Rebellion

Despite being born after the BlackBerry’s 1999 debut, Gen Z is falling for the brand that once defined corporate cool. This isn’t ironic posturing or retro cosplay - it’s part of a much larger movement of digital disconnection and identity reclamation.

67% of Gen Z say they feel “overwhelmed by digital notifications,” according to a 2024 Pew Research study. That digital fatigue is real. And it’s driving them to rediscover simpler tech - tools that offered communication without domination.

BlackBerry represents something they rarely get: focus, privacy, and physicality.

“I feel like the time of the BlackBerry phone was very nostalgic,” says Victoria Zannino, 25, whose TikTok plea to resurrect the device has racked up over 6 million views. Her sentiment is echoed across a growing subculture of TikTokers who romanticize early-2000s tech - not because they lived it, but because they long for its boundaries.

⌨️ What’s So Appealing About a Phone with Buttons?

To understand the BlackBerry revival, we have to understand Gen Z’s values. This is a generation that’s both hyper-connected and hyper-aware of the toll that connection takes. The return to BlackBerry is part rebellion, part romanticism - and completely on brand for a generation that celebrates the analog aesthetic of vinyl records, disposable cameras, and Y2K fashion.

93% of Gen Z say they use TikTok daily, yet they also lead the charge on digital detoxes. This contradiction isn't hypocrisy - it’s cultural duality. The BlackBerry, with its physical keyboard and pre-screen-life simplicity, represents an emotional safe haven. It’s not just a phone. It’s a symbol.

“It ties into vinyls and Polaroid pictures,” says Dan Kassim, 29. “Phones were tools, not the center of your life.”

This retro appeal also taps into the Y2K revival, a broader Gen Z aesthetic that’s powered entire industries - from fashion to film - to repackage the early-2000s cool factor.

🎯 Brands, Are You Paying Attention?

Gen Z is making a clear statement: They don’t want more tech. They want better tech. They crave devices that help them curate reality, not escape it.

This nostalgia isn’t about regression. It’s about retrofitting the future with tools that support intentionality over addiction. The failed relaunch of the 5G BlackBerry by OnwardMobility wasn’t a rejection of the brand - it was a missed opportunity to meet Gen Z where they are: craving simplicity with style.

Smart brands should take note: there is real market potential in nostalgia tech. Just ask the companies profiting off Gen Z’s love for disposable cameras, Tamagotchis, or flip phones.

🧠 Why This Matters Culturally

This trend isn’t just about phones - it’s about control. Gen Z has inherited a world of information overload, algorithmic manipulation, and digital burnout. Reclaiming outdated tech isn’t retro irony - it’s a form of cultural resilience.

A BlackBerry can’t run TikTok. And that’s exactly the point.

🔮 The Future Is Retro

Whether or not BlackBerry makes a comeback, its cultural relevance is already sealed. What started as a corporate communications tool has become a Gen Z totem of authenticity, rebellion, and analog joy.

Don’t underestimate this generation. They may be digital natives, but they’re also nostalgic nomads - and right now, they’re typing their future on a keyboard from the past.

In Short:
Gen Z doesn’t just want to connect - they want to connect on their own terms. And if that means blowing the dust off a BlackBerry in the process? That’s not just a flex. It’s a movement.

You can check out the NY Times article that informed this piece here: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/20/style/blackberry-nostalgia-tiktok.html

🧠 Bose Puts Paid Search Under the Microscope: Are Brand Terms Really Worth the Spend?

At the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Bose CMO Jim Mollica made headlines with a deceptively simple but industry-shaking question:

“How incremental is paid Google Search, particularly for branded terms?”

To find out, Bose has done what few major brands dare to do - it has paused its paid search activity in half of its U.S. markets. The aim? To determine whether paid ads on brand-related queries like “Bose Ultra Open Earbuds” are genuinely driving incremental sales, or simply claiming credit for purchases that were going to happen anyway.

This isn't just a strategic test - it’s a challenge to one of digital marketing’s longest-standing assumptions.

Brand Search vs. Generic Search: Understanding Intent

Mollica articulated a point many performance marketers acknowledge privately but rarely act on publicly: not all search traffic is equally valuable.

• A generic search like “headphones” reflects a consumer in discovery mode — open to influence, comparison and brand persuasion.

• A branded search like “Bose QuietComfort Ultra”, however, often signals that a consumer has already made up their mind.

Paid search tends to perform well on paper in both cases. But in the latter, it may simply intercept intent that organic results or direct navigation would have captured anyway.

And this is a broader industry issue. According to a 2023 study by the UK’s Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), up to 40% of paid search clicks on brand terms are “non-incremental” - meaning they do not drive new business, only accelerate or claim credit for what would have occurred organically.

Similarly, Analytic Partners reported in their ROI Genome 2024 findings that generic search delivers 2–3 times the ROI of branded search on average, precisely because it reaches consumers higher in the funnel.

A Data-Driven Reckoning for Digital Attribution

The marketing industry’s dependency on last-click attribution models has long been under scrutiny. These models disproportionately credit the final interaction before purchase - often a brand’s own paid ad - without recognising the influence of prior brand-building efforts, social content, or even physical retail exposure.

Mollica’s move to pause search activity is a rare real-world holdout test at scale - a true A/B comparison across markets. It’s the sort of experiment that could finally put hard numbers to long-standing assumptions.

Bose also plans to build an AI-powered incrementality model, combining search data, conversion patterns and offline signals to understand which types of search spend genuinely move the needle.

Marketing Efficiency in a Post-Performance Era

As marketing budgets come under increasing scrutiny, this type of experimentation could soon become the norm.

• A 2024 Gartner survey found that 74% of CMOs feel pressured to prove ROI more clearly across all digital channels, with paid search under particular examination.

• Despite this, nearly 65% of paid search budgets in the U.S. go toward branded terms, according to Tinuiti’s Q1 2025 Performance Benchmark Report.

If Bose’s test validates Mollica’s hypothesis, it may open the door for a widespread shift in paid media investment — prioritising discovery-based search and upper-funnel brand marketing over what Mollica describes as "advertising to people already in line to pay."

The Implications: Courage, Clarity and Calibration

By asking a provocative but data-led question — and backing it with a meaningful test - Bose is doing what more brands should: questioning the efficiency of entrenched practices. In a digital ecosystem flooded with dashboards and attribution models, true marketing intelligence comes not from more data, but from better-designed experiments.

For marketers, this is a wake-up call: it may be time to stop paying for the illusion of performance and start investing in actual impact.

Final Thought

As the Bose experiment unfolds, the results could redefine how brands worldwide view search investment - especially in an era where every marketing pound must pull its weight.

Sometimes, progress in marketing doesn’t come from adding more tech or spend - but from pausing, observing, and asking the uncomfortable question:

“What if we’ve been measuring it all wrong?”

🎉 Why the Notting Hill Carnival Must Be Saved: A Cultural Beacon in Peril

The Notting Hill Carnival is not just an event; it is a vital cultural institution, a living tapestry of history, community resilience, and multicultural celebration. As the largest street festival in Europe - second only to Rio’s Carnival in size - its survival is under serious threat without urgent government funding, a reality brought to light by a recent leaked letter from the carnival’s organisers. But why does this carnival matter so much, and why must it be preserved at all costs?

🌍 A Historical and Cultural Legacy

The roots of the Notting Hill Carnival stretch back to the late 1950s and early 1960s, a period marked by racial tension and social upheaval in London. In 1959, Claudia Jones, a Trinidadian-born activist and journalist, hosted an indoor Caribbean carnival at St Pancras Town Hall. Her event was designed as a joyful response to the racial violence and social exclusion faced by the West Indian community. Jones’s vision planted the seed for what would become the outdoor Notting Hill Carnival, first held in 1966.

That inaugural outdoor carnival was organised by Rhaune Laslett, a community worker committed to bridging divides in a neighborhood scarred by race riots. What began as a modest gathering aimed at local children quickly evolved into a vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture, music, and heritage, drawing hundreds of thousands of revellers over the years.

🎶 Subcultures and Community Spirit

Notting Hill Carnival is a unique cultural melting pot that showcases diverse subcultures within the Caribbean diaspora and beyond. From the pulsating rhythms of calypso, soca, and reggae to the intricate artistry of steelpan bands and flamboyant masquerade costumes, the carnival is a living archive of Caribbean expression.

It is also a space where Afro-Caribbean identities assert their place in British society, creating a sense of belonging and pride. The carnival fosters community cohesion, economic opportunities for local vendors, and a platform for emerging artists and musicians.

📊 The Scale and Significance

The carnival draws approximately 2 million attendees over the August bank holiday weekend, transforming West London into an open-air festival of sound, colour, and life. Last year, nearly 7,000 Metropolitan Police officers were deployed to manage crowd safety and public order.

This scale underscores not just the carnival’s popularity but also its logistical complexity and the critical need for adequate funding and resources to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all participants.

⚠️ The Crisis: Urgent Funding Needed

Despite its immense cultural and economic value, the Notting Hill Carnival is now facing an existential threat. Ian Comfort, the carnival chair, has revealed in a leaked letter to the UK Culture Secretary that urgent government funding is essential to safeguard the event’s future.

An independent safety review highlighted “critical public safety concerns” requiring immediate action, including enhanced stewarding and crowd management. With operational demands escalating and police resources stretched thin, the risk of a “mass casualty event,” as warned by the Met Police’s Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, is a grave concern.

The carnival’s traditional supporters - the Greater London Authority and local councils - can no longer meet these growing needs alone, placing this iconic cultural institution at serious risk.

❤️ Why Saving Notting Hill Carnival Matters

To lose Notting Hill Carnival would mean more than losing a party. It would mean erasing a vital symbol of Black British culture, community resilience, and multicultural celebration. It would silence a powerful platform for cultural education and identity affirmation.

The carnival also contributes significantly to the local and national economy, supporting hundreds of jobs and small businesses, and drawing tourism revenue.

🚀 Moving Forward: A Call to Action

Protecting Notting Hill Carnival requires immediate and sustained investment from government bodies, alongside community and private sector support. Funding must prioritize safety improvements while preserving the authentic spirit of the event.

This moment is a crossroads. The carnival’s survival is not guaranteed, but with urgent action, it can continue to flourish as a beacon of cultural relevance and communal joy.

The Notting Hill Carnival is far more than a festival - it is a testament to the power of culture to build bridges, celebrate identity, and transform communities. Saving it is not just about preserving a tradition; it is about honoring the past and empowering future generations.

🎤 The Rise of Independent Artists: How 2025’s Music Streaming Landscape Is Changing the Game

The Japanese House (photo credit Max Barnett)

In 2025, the music industry has reached a turning point. Over 50 per cent of all music streamed globally now comes from independent or unsigned artists. This dramatic shift marks the democratisation of music creation and distribution, transforming how we discover, share and enjoy music.

The Democratisation of Music

Major record labels no longer hold the near-monopoly on which artists reach worldwide audiences. Advances in technology, social media and digital distribution platforms have enabled musicians to produce, promote and monetise their work independently. Platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud and emerging decentralised streaming services provide artists with unprecedented access to listeners around the globe.

Independent artists now enjoy greater creative control, keep a larger share of their earnings and engage directly with their fans. According to a 2024 MIDiA Research report, independent music revenues have grown by 25% annually over the past five years, reaching an estimated $2.5 billion globally in 2024 (MIDiA Research, 2024).

In the UK alone, independent artists accounted for 55% of total streams in the first quarter of 2025 — a milestone that reflects the sector’s rapid growth (BPI, 2025). Globally, over 70% of newly released tracks come from independent artists, a stark contrast to just 30% a decade ago (IFPI, 2024).

Opportunities Abound

For artists, this rise in streaming share means more opportunities to break through without major label backing. Viral hits can come from bedroom producers, indie bands can sustain touring careers and previously underrepresented voices can reach audiences hungry for authentic sounds.

Listeners also benefit from greater variety. In 2025, 65% of music consumers reported discovering new artists through independent music platforms or social media rather than traditional radio or TV (YouGov, 2025). Playlists curated by algorithms or tastemakers feature a broader range of music styles and artists from every corner of the world. Fans feel more connected to creators who are accessible and relatable, encouraging deeper engagement and loyalty.

Challenges to Navigate

However, this transformation brings new challenges. With over 60,000 tracks uploaded daily on streaming platforms, independent artists face intense competition to be heard (Spotify Insights, 2024). Without the marketing budgets of major labels, success often depends on savvy self-promotion, community building and sometimes a touch of luck.

Monetising music remains difficult. Streaming services typically pay between $0.003 and $0.005 per stream, making it hard for independent artists to sustain income through streaming alone (SoundExchange, 2024). Many musicians supplement income through merchandise, live shows, licensing and crowdfunding.

There is also concern about the power of streaming platforms themselves. Algorithms play a key role in determining what music gains exposure, meaning artists must learn to work with these systems or risk being overlooked.

What the Future Holds

This rise in independent music streaming represents a fundamental change in the industry’s power dynamics. Artists and listeners alike benefit from increased choice and control, but success requires adaptability, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.

As Warner Music Group CEO Max Lousada recently said, “The future of music is diverse, independent and artist-led. The industry must embrace this evolution to thrive.”

In 2025 and beyond, the music industry is no longer dominated by major labels and blockbuster hits. It is about community, innovation and the rich tapestry of voices that make music such a powerful cultural force.

🎯 Cannes Lions 2025: Key Takeaways: The Year Creativity Got Real - Entertainment, AI and Culture in the Spotlight

This year at Cannes Lions, the message was loud and clear: creativity in 2025 is no longer about chasing attention, it’s about earning it.

With global shifts in tech, culture, and audience expectations, the brands that stood out were those that entertained with purpose, embraced AI with intention, and stayed rooted in cultural nuance. Whether through music, sport, fashion or film, creative leaders are proving that real impact starts with real relevance.

🎭 1. Entertainment as the Engine of Engagement

Inspired by: "From Meme to Movement: The Duolingo Playbook" with CMO Cammie Dunaway
and "MrBeast: Building Empires Through Entertainment" featuring Jimmy Donaldson’s team

Duolingo’s green owl isn’t just a mascot. It’s a meme, a movement and now a growth driver. MrBeast’s session proved that when content is truly entertaining, it transcends platforms and turns attention into affinity.

Opportunities:

• Develop characters and IP that evolve across platforms

• Embrace humour, community storytelling and internet-native tone

• Build franchises, not just campaigns

Challenges:

• Avoid becoming a parody of your own brand

• Measuring long-term impact of entertainment-led marketing

• Staying agile in ever-shifting meme culture

🤖 2. AI That Powers Creativity, Not Replaces It

Inspired by: "Creativity in the Age of AI" with Apple VP Tor Myhren and "The Art and Science of Speed" from Adobe

AI was centre stage at Cannes - but not in a way that sidelined human talent. Apple’s Tor Myhren delivered the quote of the week: “AI won’t save advertising. Creative humans still need to lead.”

Opportunities:

• Boost productivity in asset creation, localisation and testing

• Unlock new ways to tell stories faster and better

• Personalise at scale without losing consistency

Challenges:

• Risk of losing brand tone or emotional depth

• Legal and ethical considerations

• Ensuring AI is used as a co-pilot, not a creative crutch

💥 3. Authenticity at Scale: Micro-Influencers and Real People

Inspired by: "Representation Rewired: Building Brands With Real People" featuring Savage X Fenty, and "Creator Culture: The Power of Niche" with TikTok, Pinterest and leading creators

The old influencer playbook is fading. The most powerful brand-building stories are now being shaped in collaboration with micro-communities and creators with real cultural credibility.

Opportunities:

• Build community, not just visibility

• Invest in long-term creator partnerships

• Show, don’t say, when it comes to values

Challenges:

• Requires sustained investment and attention

• Brands must cede some control to creators

• Authenticity is not easily scalable

⚽ 4. Sport as a Cultural Powerhouse

Inspired by: "Welcome to Wrexham: Sports, Storytelling and Soul" with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney

In one of the most heartfelt sessions of the week, Ryan Reynolds spoke not about content or business KPIs, but about “collective effervescence” - the pure joy and community power of sport as culture.

Opportunities:

• Use sport to connect across age, class and borders

• Integrate fashion, gaming and music into sports activations

• Build fan-first, story-led brand ecosystems

Challenges:

• Sport is emotionally volatile - narratives can shift fast

• Major sponsorships are expensive and competitive

• Success requires cultural fluency, not just logo placement

🎥 5. Branded Entertainment Goes Cinematic

Inspired by: Entertainment Grand Prix Winner - “Night Fishing” by Hyundai,
and "Entertainment That Earns Its Place in Culture" with Riot Games, Rimas Entertainment and Anitta

The Night Fishing short film stunned the jury and set a new bar for cinematic brand storytelling. Other sessions focused on how music labels and streamers are shaping brand IP through episodic and artist-led formats.

Opportunities:

• Create content worth bingeing, not skipping

• Partner with entertainment creators to boost cultural capital

• Build brand as studio, not just advertiser

Challenges:

• Long-form requires long-term thinking

• High investment with less predictable ROI

• Stakeholders must value impact over immediacy

📈 6. Commerce Media and the Business of Creativity

Inspired by: "The New Media Money: What’s Next for Retail, Commerce and AI-Led Performance" with Amazon Ads, Publicis and retail media experts

Cannes isn’t just a creative festival anymore — it’s a commerce summit. The discussion was sharp and clear: the most powerful work of the future will connect media, data and creative in one intelligent loop.

Opportunities:

• Close the loop between brand and conversion

• Use retail data to inform creative at every stage

• Combine storytelling with measurable outcomes

Challenges:

• Creative teams need performance fluency

• Risk of over-relying on short-term optimisation

• Fragmentation of platforms can make consistency hard

⚖️ 7. Culture Wars and Brand Caution

Inspired by: "Can Brands Still Stand for Something?" with Unilever, Nike and McKinsey, and "The New Risk Equation for Marketers" with Edelman and global CMOs

Some brands are stepping back from bold value-led messaging, fearing backlash. Others are doubling down, refusing to retreat from inclusion and purpose. The tension was palpable across sessions.

Opportunities:

• Define a values-led strategy that is embedded, not surface

• Be consistent across time and markets

• Back up statements with genuine action

Challenges:

• The landscape is polarised and fast-changing

• Missteps are amplified instantly

• Requires cross-functional bravery to stay true

🏆 Winning Brand Activations at Cannes Lions 2025

Here are the standout campaigns that took home the big wins - and dominated conversations on the Croisette:

• Pinterest - Manifestival
  A bold, immersive experience that turned mood boards into real-world moments, bridging aspiration and action through creativity and curation.

• Hyundai -  Night Fishing
  A 13-minute sci-fi film shot using in-car cameras that blurred the line between product and prestige cinema.

• Clash of Clans - Haaland: Payback Time
  A blockbuster-style brand film starring Erling Haaland that brought gaming to life through live-action film.

• Bad Bunny x Rimas - Interactive Album Drop
  A genre-blending music release where fans shaped the experience, merging commerce, fandom and tech.

• Duolingo - The Rise of the Owl
  A case study in meme marketing and fandom-building, with zero media spend and major cultural footprint.

• Savage X Fenty - No Edits. No Excuses.
  A fashion campaign that championed real people, unfiltered bodies and raw narratives.

• Barbie x Xbox - Crossover Activation
  A playful tech-meets-nostalgia partnership that reimagined Barbie in the world of gaming.

🤖 Cannes Lions 2025: Media Convergence and AI Are Reshaping Brand Strategy

At this year’s Cannes Lions, one panel in particular cut through the noise: The Female Quotient’s FQ Lounge session on media convergence and the future of brand engagement. Leaders from Procter & Gamble, dentsu, LiveRamp, Hilton, Strava and more tackled one of the most urgent shifts in our industry: the collapse of traditional media boundaries and the rise of an AI-powered, data-driven, culturally fluid ecosystem.

The panel didn’t just talk about trends. It addressed a deeper truth: that the way we define media, engage audiences, and measure success has fundamentally changed - and our strategies need to catch up.

Here’s why AI now sits at the heart of this transformation, and what it means for marketers ready to lead, not just follow.

1. Media Has Converged. Now Strategy Must Too.

We’ve moved beyond the era of “channel planning.” Consumers no longer experience media in silos - neither should our strategies. What we’re seeing is a true convergence of traditional, digital, and social touchpoints, with blurred lines between paid, owned, earned, and organic content.

The challenge? While audiences are flowing seamlessly, most brand structures, teams, and data systems aren’t. AI enables us to unify fragmented signals into a coherent view of how people engage. But we must design for convergence—not just tactically, but organisationally and culturally.

2. Master Dashboards Are Only as Good as the Questions We Ask

The panel rightly spotlighted the industry's obsession with the “master dashboard.” But the real power lies not in centralisation - it lies in clarity. In a converged landscape, it’s no longer just about reach or frequency. It’s about understanding interplay: between paid and organic, performance and brand, short-term impact and long-term resonance.

AI allows us to move from passive reporting to active decision-making - surfacing real-time insights that enable marketers to test, iterate and scale quickly with far less wastage. But only if we’re asking the right questions.

3. From Keywords to Conversations: AI and Cultural Relevance

AI is fundamentally changing the creative brief. We’re moving from targeting based on static demographics or keyword-driven intent to dynamic, cultural understanding. Large language models and generative AI allow us to analyse live conversations at scale, anticipate emerging narratives, and craft messaging that resonates before trends go mainstream.

It’s no longer about jumping on the latest meme or hashtag - it’s about understanding the cultural pulse in real time. With AI, brands can stop reacting and start participating meaningfully.

4. Empower People. Don’t Replace Them.

A powerful moment from the panel: the call to bring people with us on the AI journey. There’s still fear - of irrelevance, of replacement, of not keeping up. But the real opportunity lies in using AI to enhance human creativity, not sideline it.

This requires a cultural shift. Teams must be encouraged to experiment, unlearn legacy thinking, and not be afraid to step away from what we’ve always done. AI is a partner in innovation, not a shortcut - and certainly not something to be ashamed of using.

5. Innovation Without Integrity Is a Dead End

As we scale our use of AI and data, we must lead with responsibility. Privacy, transparency and data ethics are not separate from creativity - they are essential to it. The trust we build with our audiences is our greatest asset, and the brands that balance innovation with integrity will be the ones that thrive in the long run.

Yes, we can move fast. But we must also move responsibly.

The Marketer’s New Mandate

The message from Cannes was clear: We’re not just building media plans anymore - we’re shaping ecosystems.

To lead in this converged, AI-accelerated environment, marketers must:

• Design for convergence, not just coordination

• Build agile, data-smart systems that empower decision-making

• Move from keyword targeting to cultural fluency

• Equip teams to see AI as a creative and strategic amplifier

• Lead with data integrity, not just efficiency

The future of brand engagement isn’t defined by platform or placement - it’s defined by our ability to listen deeply, respond intelligently, and engage meaningfully in the moments that matter.

And that future is already here.

Watch the full Female Quotient panel here: