The Premier League’s New Digital Experience: Smart Play or Still in Beta?

The Premier League’s newly launched fan-facing app and website marks a decisive step in its digital transformation strategy. Backed by a five-year cloud and AI partnership with Microsoft, this isn’t just a UX refresh - it’s a structural shift in how the League intends to own the fan relationship. But while the ambition is clear, what’s the real value for marketers, and are there early signs of friction?

What’s working:

1. Platform consolidation = greater control of the fan journey
With the app acting as a gateway to clubs, broadcasters and official stats, the Premier League is reducing reliance on third-party platforms. This gives brands access to a more controlled, data-rich environment, and opens the door for higher-value, contextually relevant activations.

2. Personalisation at scale
The myPremierLeague features - especially “Line Up” and player-specific content - demonstrate a move toward the kind of tailored experience fans now expect from Spotify, TikTok, or Netflix. For brands, this allows for sharper targeting, especially in global markets where club allegiance is diverse but fandom is deep.

3. The AI Companion isn’t a gimmick
Built with Microsoft Copilot, this tool has real utility. Fans being able to access over 30 seasons of data, 9,000 videos, and personalised match insights introduces a new layer of content discovery. For brand partners, this means more moments to insert value - whether through branded storytelling, gamified trivia, or interactive content.

4. Global-first thinking
Features like Premier League Radio (with multilingual match commentary), seamless broadcaster linking, and mobile-first vertical storytelling reflect a serious commitment to serving fans well beyond the UK. For brands aiming to scale globally with Premier League IP, that matters.

What’s not (yet) delivering:

1. Commerce and ticketing still live elsewhere
While content and stats have been centralised, commercial functionality hasn’t. Merch, ticketing, travel, and loyalty experiences are still fragmented across club platforms. For marketers looking to close the loop from engagement to purchase, that’s a missed opportunity (for now).

2. Fantasy fatigue?
The integration of Fantasy Premier League is a smart retention play, but the format is largely unchanged. Gen Z and casual fans may find the experience too static, especially when competing with fantasy formats in NBA, NFL and esports that offer more real-time, mobile-first playability.

3. Broadcast links ≠ true streaming integration
The app connects fans to broadcaster platforms, but doesn't (yet) unify the live-viewing experience within its own ecosystem. This limits in-app dwell time and reduces opportunities for mid-match or reactive brand messaging.

4. Discovery bias toward superfans
With so many features built around customisation, newer or casual fans might struggle to find value without deep knowledge of clubs or players. For brands looking to reach the next-gen or international fanbase, there’s a risk the platform remains skewed toward core followers rather than onboarding new ones.

Why it matters for marketers:

This launch is a case study in what it looks like when a league builds a media platform rather than just renting space on one. For sponsors and marketers, it creates a more immersive, insight-rich environment to engage fans - but it also comes with the responsibility to tailor campaigns in ways that align with how fans are now navigating the product.

For the Premier League, it’s about owning attention, gathering first-party data, and proving its value far beyond the 90 minutes. But the next big win will come when these digital experiences begin to convert attention into commercial outcomes - across merch, tickets, content and brand activations.

The infrastructure is there. Now the test is adoption.

When Brand Activations Meet Real Utility: Why Gymshark’s ‘Lon-drette’ Nailed It

Big shout out to Lisa Buchan for spotlighting Gymshark’s Lon-drette activation at Hyrox London. This wasn’t just a clever idea, it was a sharp lesson in how brands show up with purpose.

Let’s set the scene. You’ve just completed Hyrox: a brutal, hybrid endurance race. You’re drenched, aching, exhilarated. Then Gymshark steps in - not with a selfie wall or a branded protein shake - but a fully functioning laundrette-tailor hybrid where you could get your finisher patch sewn straight onto your kit.

No plastic tat, no one-time-only merch. Just a simple, thoughtful offer: a lasting reminder of your effort stitched into something you already love. Functional touches like detergent and electrolytes sealed the deal. Zero fluff, 100 percent audience-first thinking.

This is what brand partnerships should look like. The Lon-drette wasn’t about dominating the room with logos. It was about quietly embedding the brand into a moment of personal pride.

And let’s be honest: after 20 years in this industry, the activations that really hit aren’t the ones with the biggest screens or budgets. They’re the ones that show empathy. That recognise the real need in a moment. The stuff your audience will tell their mates about on the train home, or remember every time they throw on that hoodie.

Gymshark didn’t just support athletes - they helped them celebrate themselves. And in doing so, they made belonging part of the brand experience.

What Brand Marketers Can Learn:

• Don’t interrupt - integrate. Make your brand part of the story your audience is already living.

• Think practical, not just pretty. Functional touchpoints (like electrolytes or detergent) show real understanding of the moment.

• Design for memory, not just media. A stitched patch on a favourite hoodie lasts longer - emotionally and physically - than a digital impression.

• Know when not to shout. Authenticity often speaks loudest when it whispers. Utility can be your best brand ambassador.

• Make brand love wearable. When a brand becomes part of someone’s personal milestone, it earns a place in their everyday life.

• Build for belonging. Create spaces and moments where your audience feels seen, supported, and celebrated.

More of this, please.

Doppl and the Future of Fashion: Google’s AI Styling App Is Shaping the Next Phase of Try-On Culture

Virtual try-on technology has been steadily evolving - but Doppl, Google Labs’ latest AI experiment, marks a definitive step into the future of fashion interaction.

Free to download (currently U.S. only) on iOS and Android, Doppl lets users upload a full-body photo and instantly visualise how any outfit might look and move on them. From thrifted gems to Instagram finds, users can snap, upload and watch their AI-generated selves walk, turn and style the piece - all in motion.

Where Google’s “Try-On” feature in Search stops at static images, Doppl turns styling into a dynamic, shareable, and surprisingly immersive experience. It simulates drape, flow and fit in motion - not just how something looks, but how it might feel.

This is important because shopping today isn’t linear. It doesn’t start on product pages - it starts in content. Style inspiration happens across TikTok, Threads, Pinterest, Reddit and resale platforms. Doppl builds a bridge between that moment of inspiration and self-expression. No search bar needed.

As Amanda Caswell recently explored for Tom’s Guide, Doppl’s edge is not just visual personalisation - it’s realism in motion. AI-generated videos bring a new level of intimacy and accuracy to online styling. You’re not just uploading your photo. You’re animating your taste.

That said, it’s still experimental. Expect glitches. Uploading can be patchy. Fit and fidelity aren’t perfect. Google has acknowledged this and says Doppl will evolve with better processing, more categories and international rollout. But the direction is clear.

Beyond the fun factor (and it is fun), this is a preview of what’s coming for brands and platforms:

• Commerce that begins in content, not catalogues

• Identity-driven retail powered by generative tech

• Styling that moves from static to social

It also invites fresh thinking around data and privacy. Doppl uses your images to generate try-ons - and while Google claims robust safeguards are in place, users and brands alike will need to weigh innovation against trust as these tools scale.

But the bottom line is this: Doppl’s not just about trying on clothes. It’s about trying on versions of yourself, inspired by the culture you move through. That’s not just a product tool - that’s a platform opportunity.

And for brands watching closely? This is your signal. Style discovery is becoming performance-based, creator-led and AI-assisted. Welcome to the new fitting room.

Ticketmaster, SeatGeek Lead $361M Sponsorship Surge: 23 Brands, 190 Deals, One Big Landgrab

In the ultra-competitive world of sports and entertainment in the US, ticketing sponsorships have become more than marketing plays - they’re strategic land-grabs for long-term, league-wide dominance. Last week, SponsorUnited released its much-anticipated report on sponsorship spend in the ticketing category, and the numbers speak volumes about where the industry is headed.

📊 The Big Picture: $361 Million from 23 Brands

• Total spend: $361 million

• Active investors: 23 brands

• Average deal size: $1.49 million

• Allocation to property & exposure rights: 65%

These figures underscore how deeply ticketing companies are embedding themselves into the fabric of pro and Power 4 college sports. Far from one-off activations, each sponsorship represents a strategic foothold - whether it’s naming a stadium, underwriting fan experiences, or cementing status as the “official” ticketing partner of a league.

🎯 Leaders of the Pack: Ticketmaster vs. SeatGeek

Number of Deals

• Ticketmaster 107

• SeatGeek 83

With 107 deals, Ticketmaster currently holds the crown; SeatGeek isn’t far behind at 83. Together, they account for nearly half of all ticketing sponsorship agreements in the market. This head-to-head battle reflects more than brand awareness - it’s a fight for ecosystem control, data insights, and the exclusive ability to influence where and how fans buy tickets.

⚖️ Deal Dynamics: Property Rights & Exposure

On average, each ticketing sponsorship deal is valued at $1.49 million, and about 65% of that spend is devoted to two core pillars:

1. Property Rights

   • Examples: naming rights (e.g., NWSL’s SeatGeek Stadium), branded concourses, premium lounge sponsorships.

2. Exposure & Activation

   • Examples: “official ticketing partner” entitlements (such as Ticketmaster’s WNBA partnership), in-arena signage, digital integrations.

By prioritising property rights, ticketing companies offset slotting fees and secure deeply integrated assets - things fans see and interact with every time they attend a game. Exposure rights, meanwhile, translate into constant brand reinforcement across broadcasts, social media, and on-site activations.

🕵️‍♂️ Why This Matters: Strategic Insights for Sponsorship Buyers

For Partnership Managers, Directors of Business Development, or CMOs, this data isn’t just academic. It’s the roadmap to:

• Spotting White Space: Where are competitor deals expiring? Which teams or conferences remain untapped?

• Benchmarking Market Rates: With average deals at $1.49 million, how do your current negotiations stack up?

• Assessing Overlaps & Exclusivity: In category-saturated markets, are you truly “exclusive”?

• Forecasting Shifts: As leagues evolve (e.g., growth of the WNBA or expansion of college playoffs), which new sponsorship assets will gain value?

Armed with real-time sponsorship data, teams can sharpen their pitches, negotiate smarter, and align more closely with league growth trajectories.

🚀 The Road Ahead: A Land-Grab in Perpetual Motion

Ticketing sponsorships are far from static. As new leagues emerge, digital ticketing innovations proliferate, and fan expectations evolve, the sponsorship landscape will continue to shift:

• Emerging Markets: Niche leagues (NWSL, MLS Next Pro) offer early-mover advantages.

• Digital & Hybrid Assets: NFTs, dynamic ticketing, and app integrations create fresh branding opportunities.

• Sustainability & Community: Brands that tie ticketing deals to CSR initiatives - like community ticketing programs - can stand out.

In a category where every deal is a strategic foothold, visibility is everything. By understanding who’s investing, where deals are concentrated, and how rights are being activated, ticketing companies - and their sponsorship buyers - can turn data into a decisive competitive advantage.

🔍 Key Takeaways

1. $361 M spent by 23 brands signals deep strategic commitment.

2. Ticketmaster (107 deals) and SeatGeek (83 deals) are locked in a head-to-head battle for ecosystem control.

3. 65% of deal value is focused on property and exposure rights - core to brand integration.

4. Data-driven insights are essential for spotting opportunities, benchmarking spend, and negotiating exclusivity.

As the dust settles on SponsorUnited’s report, one thing is clear: in the world of ticketing sponsorships, being everywhere - in every league, every stadium, every digital touchpoint - is the ultimate goal. And for brands that want to win, real-time data and strategic foresight have never been more critical.

📱 Creator Ad Revenue Tops Traditional Media in 2025 - A Turning Point for Marketers

In a landmark shift that rewrites the advertising playbook, 2025 marks the first year that ad revenue from creator-led content will eclipse traditional media. According to WPP’s newly released This Year Next Year mid-year forecast, creator-driven platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram are projected to pull in $235 billion in ad revenue - more than TV, print, and radio combined. It’s a cultural inflection point that signals not just a shift in spend, but a complete redefinition of influence.

👀 Creator Content Tops Traditional Channels

For years, creators have been building community, reach, and relatability in a way most media couldn’t touch. Now, that loyalty is translating into real economic power. Of the $235 billion going into creator content this year, creators themselves are expected to pocket a staggering $185 billion. That’s not just a win for the ecosystem - it’s a wake-up call for brands still overly reliant on legacy media.

🧠 A New Lens on Media Investment

WPP has introduced a new framework to make sense of this fast-moving terrain, breaking down media investment into four categories: Content, Commerce, Intelligence, and Location. The standout? Content. And more specifically, content made by humans with audiences - not just production teams with studio access.

Creator-generated ad revenue is up 20% from 2024 and is projected to more than double by 2030, reaching $376.6 billion.

💸 Why It Matters for Brands

For advertisers, especially those looking to capitalise on fast-growing segments like women’s sport or Gen Z lifestyle, creator content offers unmatched agility and authenticity. This shift also lowers the barrier to entry for brands without multi-million-pound production budgets. When the right creator meets the right brief, culture moves - and now, so does capital.

🌍 Global, Yet Personal

Markets like Brazil (11.9% growth) and India (8.4%) are powering ahead, while the US and UK remain dominant spenders. But the big story isn’t just geographic - it’s behavioural. Users now spend more time watching real people talk to them on a phone screen than anything broadcast at them on a larger one. And brands are finally reallocating spend accordingly.

🤖 AI & Autonomy: Accelerators of Change

The creator boom is also being fuelled by better tech. Generative AI, performance-optimised targeting, and agentic assistants are helping creators produce and monetise faster. It’s lowering friction and raising expectations. In this ecosystem, success depends on relevance, speed, and human resonance – not just reach.

🔑 Key Takeouts for Marketers:

1. Creator Content Is the New Mass Media: $235B in ad revenue in 2025 - creators are now bigger than TV.

2. Digital Dominance: Digital makes up 81.6% of total global ad spend.

3. Retail Media Is Surging: On track to hit $252B by 2030.

4. TV Isn’t Dead – But It’s Plateauing: Traditional channels offer diminishing returns.

5. Emerging Markets Matter: Growth in Brazil and India is outpacing the global average.

6. AI Is Reshaping the Industry: From content production to personalisation, automation is raising the bar.

✅ Actionable Steps for Marketers:

• Reallocate Budget Towards Creator-Led Content: Make creators central to your strategy - not a bolt-on.

• Design Social-First, Vertical Formats: Build natively for Reels, Shorts, and TikTok.

• Pilot Retail Media Campaigns: Test placements on Amazon, Walmart Connect, and Carrefour Links.

• Adopt AI Tools Across Creative Pipelines: For ideation, asset generation, and versioning.

• Shift from Demographic to Content-Based Targeting: Relevance is algorithmically rewarded.

• Localise for Growth Markets: Tailor creator partnerships and content for Brazil, India, and beyond.

• Use WPP’s New Classifications: Reframe your spend across Content, Commerce, Intelligence, and Location for clearer ROI storytelling.

📈 The Takeaway

Creator culture is no longer a trend. It is the new media economy. If your brand wants to stay relevant, it’s time to build like one - agile, audience-first, and socially native.

🔗 Read the full WPP TYNY 2025 report

The Rise of the Sober Rave: Why Festivals Are Embracing Moderation

Festival culture is sobering up - literally.

In 2025, a new kind of headliner is taking the stage: moderation.

Long tied to indulgence and excess, festivals have traditionally been synonymous with alcohol. But for a growing number of Gen Z and Millennial audiences, that link is starting to fray. Instead, a cultural shift is gaining ground - one that prioritises presence, connection, and personal autonomy over default behaviours.

Whether driven by mental wellness, a desire to stay sharp, or simply shifting social norms, today’s festivalgoers are showing up differently. For many, the decision to go alcohol-free isn’t about missing out - it’s about showing up fully.

📉 The Stats Tell the Story

• In the US, alcohol consumption among 18–34s has fallen from 72% to 62% over the last two decades (Gallup).

• Gen Z drinks 20% less than Millennials at the same life stage (Berenberg/WSJ).

• 58% of Gen Z plan to drink even less in 2025, citing mental health and productivity (NCSolutions).

• The no/low alcohol market is growing at +10% CAGR globally (IWSR).

This shift isn’t hypothetical - it’s playing out across real spaces and live events. At Coachella 2025, Heineken® 0.0 reported a 125.5% increase in sales compared to the previous year. In the Netherlands, consumption of 0.0 beers at festivals rose by 35%. Globally, Heineken 0.0 is now available in over 120 markets.

But this is bigger than a single brand. It’s a cultural reset.

🍺 The Brands Moving With the Beat

Lucky Saint, the UK-based alcohol-free beer brand, has become a fixture at mass-participation events like the Hackney Half and the AJ Bell Great Manchester Run, serving on-tap 0.5% beer to thousands of runners. These aren’t sober-only spaces - these are mainstream, high-energy cultural moments where moderation isn’t marginal. With its new Lemon Lager and branded experiences, Lucky Saint is proving that 0.0 doesn’t mean compromise - it means choice.

Meanwhile, CleanCo, co-founded by Spencer Matthews, is expanding the no-alcohol spirits category with a growing portfolio of gin, rum, tequila and whiskey alternatives. Positioned as “beyond mocktails,” the brand sold 8.8 million drinks in 2024 and is backed by figures like England cricket captain Ben Stokes. It’s not just sober - it's serious. And it’s fast becoming a staple in both wellness spaces and premium nightlife.

Together, these brands reflect a growing truth: non-alcoholic isn’t niche anymore - it’s a domain with its own credibility, creativity and commercial weight.

🎯 What This Means for Festivals, Brands and Marketers

For Festival Organisers
Moderation isn’t the opposite of partying - it’s a new way to engage. Forward-thinking festivals are no longer hiding 0.0 options behind a side bar. Instead, they’re investing in premium non-alc experiences: curated menus, dedicated spaces, and credible partners that reflect the values of their audience. These additions aren’t just inclusive - they're commercial, experiential, and increasingly expected.

For Alcohol Brands
Zero-alc is no longer a side hustle. It’s a central pillar of future-facing portfolios. Brands need to move beyond “offering an option” and start positioning 0.0 products as relevant lifestyle choices with taste, branding, and storytelling to match. This is about expanding the category - not shrinking expectations.

For Brand Marketers
The shift towards moderation is an opportunity to rethink how joy, identity and connection are expressed. Campaigns that centre presence, confidence and clarity are landing harder than those tied to consumption. This generation doesn’t need alcohol to participate - they need to feel seen.

🎵 The New Festival Beat

The result? A cultural remix of the live experience. Less about numbing out, more about tuning in. As the sober-curious movement continues to grow, festivals are becoming more intentional spaces - where people can celebrate on their own terms.

Moderation is no longer a side note. It’s a headliner in its own right.

You Don’t “Have” Fans. You Earn the Relationship.

Fandom is having a moment. Again.

There are endless headlines about the rise of the “new” fan - hyper-engaged, platform-native, born into meme culture and fluent in niche. Reports churn out taxonomies and traits: the Gen Z sports obsessive, the K-pop stan, the streaming superfan. The message is clear: fans are a powerful cohort, and brands need to figure them out.

But here's the problem: most of the conversation still treats fandom like a fixed attribute - a type of person to be targeted, instead of a context-dependent behaviour to be earned.

Let’s be clear: fandom is not a personality type. It’s a response.
It emerges when the right conditions exist - when people find cultural meaning, community, emotional return or creative agency in the worlds they connect with.

Some of those conditions are designed. Others are accidental. But none of them are guaranteed.

Fandom is a system, not a segment

Brands love segmentation: who are these fans, where do they live, what’s their disposable income? Useful in some ways. But it misses the deeper point.

Two people with the same music taste or media habits might engage in wildly different ways depending on what the cultural system around them offers:

• One fan watches passively. Another edits tour footage into narrative arcs with fan theories, inside jokes and timeline canon.

• One buys a jersey. Another crowdfunds a documentary to preserve the club’s grassroots story.

• One streams the album. Another builds a Discord server that outlives the release cycle.

Same interest. Different conditions. Different behaviour.

Fandom is shaped by access, expectation, community design, and the level of creative or emotional input the world around it allows. It’s not a thing people bring. It’s a thing they build - often in response to how a brand, artist or platform sets the tone.

Behaviour > Belonging

Want to understand the future of fandom? Don’t ask “Who are these people?” Ask “What are they able (or invited) to do?”

• Are they given tools to remix and reframe stories?

• Is there frictionless access to the source or mystique to unravel?

• Is it reciprocal, performative, devotional, communal?

• Does the platform enable connection or gatekeep it?

Some of the most successful fandoms didn’t scale because of who the fans were, but because of what the ecosystem allowed:

• The NBA’s growth among Gen Z isn’t about youth appeal alone. It’s about its embrace of player-as-creator culture - from TikTok to League Fits to podcasting.

• Coachella’s branded relevance isn’t rooted in legacy. It’s powered by the annual ritual of fashion, identity play, livestream hype, and digital presence far beyond the desert.

• Dungeons & Dragons’ renaissance didn’t come from rebranding the game. It came from opening the gates, letting players become performers, creators and communities.

Numbers to know

• 63% of Gen Z say they connect more deeply with brands that help them express or create, not just consume (GWI, 2024).

• The top 10% of artist superfans drive over 40% of digital music revenue - not just through streaming, but through ticketing, merch, and premium content (MIDiA Research).

• Fandom-first platforms like Discord, AO3 and Letterboxd are growing faster than social platforms in active engagement metrics year-on-year (WARC, 2024).

So what does this mean for brands?

If you want to build real fandom, stop treating it like a demographic to court.

Instead:

• Design for behaviour. Enable rituals, remixing, self-expression. Create the tools and signals that allow fans to act.

• Respect the tempo. Not all engagement is always-on. Some fandoms thrive on drops, delays, suspense.

• Map the inputs. Fandom isn’t output. It’s what happens when the cultural inputs - intimacy, relevance, recognition - align.

Because you don’t own fandom. You don’t get to define it.
You only get to design the conditions where it can emerge - or not.

Sources:

• GWI “Future of the Creator Economy” Report, 2024

• MIDiA Research: “Superfans & Monetisation” 2023

• WARC: “Fandom Platforms 2024 Benchmark”

On The Record Linkedin Newsletter 1st July

Doechii’s Glastonbury Looks Prove Fashion References Still Matter

In an era where cultural capital is currency, Doechii’s Glastonbury debut proved she’s already fluent. When the rising star stormed the West Holts stage in not one but three Vivienne Westwood looks – including a faithful nod to that Kate Moss micro mini - she wasn’t just performing. She was rewriting the brand x talent playbook through the lens of cultural fluency.

The move was more than stylistic synergy: it was a deliberate, layered message about legacy, rebellion, and creative alignment. Styled by Sam Woolf, Doechii’s “School of Hip-Hop” concept merged seamlessly with Westwood’s anarchic British heritage - think punk prep meets fashion archives, decoded for Gen Z.

What made it click? Timing and relevance. Glastonbury is synonymous with Moss, mud, and moment-making. Doechii channelled all three, referencing Westwood’s SS94 Café Society collection and paying homage to fashion’s rebellious godmothers - Kate and Naomi. But this was no nostalgia trip. The execution was sharp, contemporary, and thoroughly Doechii. Each look balanced homage with innovation, a skill that separates aesthetic mimicry from true cultural authorship.

This wasn’t about wearing vintage for the sake of retro cool. It was about placing Doechii in a lineage of powerful, genre-defining women - and staking a claim in British fashion history while doing it. The fact that Gen Z fans clocked the references and reposted them across TikTok? That’s cultural relevance in action.

Brand marketers take note: this is how you turn a headline performance into a long-tail cultural play. Through shared storytelling, stylistic credibility, and a sharp understanding of context, Doechii and Westwood reminded us that great collaborations aren’t about borrowing clout - they’re about amplifying narrative.

Because in 2025, it’s not just about showing up. It’s about showing up with intention.

AI Hitmakers and Algorithmic Hype: How Tech Took the Wheel in Culture

Meet The Velvet Sundown - a psychedelic rock “band” with over 400,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, two albums released in June, and zero confirmed human members. Their Spotify profile is verified, their bios are gibberish, and their band photos look like they were dreamt up by a machine. That’s because they probably were.

No one asked for an AI psych-rock band. But platforms made space for one. That’s the story.

Streaming services like Deezer report that nearly 20 percent of daily uploads are now fully AI-generated. No disclosure required. Spotify’s algorithms surface tracks based on predictive engagement patterns, not provenance or intent. For most users, that’s invisible. For brands, artists and culture strategists - it’s existential.

What we’re witnessing isn’t just the rise of AI in music. It’s the wider transformation of cultural influence from a human-led ecosystem to a machine-optimised economy. Tech isn’t just the stage anymore. It’s the writer, the producer and - most powerfully - the recommender.

This shift matters. Because for decades, cultural influence came from the margins. It started with subcultures, underground movements, niche tastemakers. But today, cultural moments increasingly start with algorithmic visibility: TikTok virality, FYP formatting, playlist placement.

Generative tools like AI image-makers or text-to-music models might still feel novel - but they’re scaling fast, and so are the incentives to use them. For platforms, synthetic content is cheap, controllable, and doesn’t argue about royalties. For brands chasing ‘always-on’ presence, it's tempting too.

But there’s a cost. When cultural relevance is reduced to performance metrics and recommendation logic, we risk losing the depth, risk-taking and community-first thinking that actually makes culture stick.

For brands and creators that care about legacy, not just visibility, this is the moment to double down on intent. The best strategy now isn’t to ignore tech - it’s to use it critically. To understand how it’s shaping taste and attention, yes - but to invest even harder in human insight, creative bravery and cultural point of view.

Because in this new era, the question isn’t can you scale content with AI. It’s: should you?

And if your brand wants to lead culture - not just fill the feed - you’ll need more than tools. You’ll need taste.

More Than a Game: How Football Foundations Are Rebuilding Community Bonds

Football is often described as a religion, a theatre, a war without weapons. But perhaps most powerfully, it's also a mirror to community. From their inception in shipyards and churches to the sprawling foundations of today, football clubs have always reflected the needs, values, and spirit of the people around them.

Across the UK, every professional club now runs a dedicated foundation - an often-overlooked extension of the club that operates not on matchdays, but every other day that matters. These organisations are not PR vehicles. They’re purpose-built, professional outfits delivering long-term, local impact: from health programmes for over-60s to pathways into employment for young people.

And while the foundations may be relatively new (most were established in the last 30 years), the ethos they embody is anything but. Many of the earliest clubs, including Manchester United and West Ham, were founded as workplace teams promoting physical and mental wellbeing. Others, such as Everton and Southampton, were formed by churches as moral and social outlets, guided by the values of muscular Christianity - a Victorian movement that saw sport as a tool for discipline, inclusion, and upliftment.

That lineage lives on. Celtic and Hibernian were established to serve the Irish working-class diaspora in Glasgow and Edinburgh, respectively. Today, their foundations still carry the baton - funding educational initiatives, delivering anti-racism workshops, and providing free meals in low-income neighbourhoods.

What does this look like in practice?

• Aston Villa Foundation’s ‘Villa Vision’: In partnership with Specsavers, they deliver free eye tests and prescription glasses to pupils in areas with high deprivation, improving classroom confidence and academic performance through better vision.

• Brentford FC Community Sports Trust’s refugee programme: Through football sessions and English classes, the club has created a powerful inclusion initiative for newly arrived refugees, helping them integrate through both play and language.

• Everton in the Community’s ‘Blue Family’: Originally launched during COVID-19, this initiative delivers food parcels, mental health support, and welfare checks to vulnerable fans and families. It's evolved into a permanent community safety net.

• Leeds United Foundation’s ‘Youth Hub’: Working with the Department for Work and Pensions, this hub supports 16 to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit with employability training, CV workshops, and direct access to jobs and apprenticeships.

• Liverpool FC Foundation’s ‘Open Goals’: Free outdoor physical activity sessions across Merseyside parks, aimed at getting families and young people moving, while also subtly embedding mental health check-ins and nutritional advice.

At their best, football foundations are not just reactive, but proactive. They take a holistic approach to wellbeing, recognising that physical health, mental resilience, economic opportunity and social inclusion are all interconnected. And while they may operate independently of club ownership, their success proves that the strength of a football brand is still measured by its social footprint.

Of course, this sits in stark contrast to the realities of modern football economics. Rising ticket prices, billionaire owners, and commercialisation have increasingly alienated local fans. But foundations offer a way back - a reconnection to the game’s roots. They’re a reminder that football is not just a business asset or broadcast product. It’s a civic institution. A shared identity. A cultural glue.

So when we talk about the power of football, it’s not just about what happens in the 90 minutes. It’s about everything that happens beyond them - in classrooms, job centres, food banks and five-a-side pitches. The foundations are proof that while the business of football may have changed, its beating heart remains exactly where it started: with the people.

Protest, Platforms and the Politics of Performance: Who Decides What Belongs on Stage?

This year’s Glastonbury sparked a national conversation far beyond music, with performances by Bob Vylan and Kneecap now under police review and political scrutiny. Their sets included explicit political commentary, chants around the Israel-Palestine conflict, and criticism of political leaders - prompting questions about the role of artists, the responsibilities of broadcasters and festivals, and the place of government in shaping cultural spaces.

🔍 The Case for Responsibility and Oversight

Some argue that with freedom of expression comes responsibility - particularly when messages may be interpreted as inciting violence. When phrases like “Death to the IDF” or “start a riot” are broadcast to thousands, organisers and broadcasters face legitimate questions about where to draw the line. For critics, this isn't about silencing dissent, but about upholding public safety and ensuring platforms aren't used - intentionally or otherwise - to legitimise hate.

With events like Glastonbury carrying global reach, there’s pressure on institutions like the BBC to apply due diligence. Publicly funded organisations have accountability to a diverse audience, and it's argued that they must weigh the potential harm of broadcasting extreme or emotionally charged content without sufficient context.

🎙 The Case for Artistic Freedom and Cultural Space

On the other hand, protest has always had a place in art. Many see performances like these as part of a long tradition of artists using the stage to confront uncomfortable truths, provoke thought, and speak to lived experiences. To investigate or suppress those performances risks criminalising artistic expression and setting dangerous precedents for creative freedom.

Supporters of the artists argue that context matters: punk, satire, character performance and cultural commentary are often provocative by nature. Calls for censorship can flatten the complexity of these performances and disproportionately target marginalised or politically critical voices.

There is also concern around selective outrage - why are some forms of political speech tolerated while others face backlash? And at what point does state involvement in curating cultural content become interference?

🤝 A Shared Challenge

Ultimately, this is a complex issue with no easy answers. Festivals and broadcasters have a responsibility to ensure safe, inclusive spaces, but also to protect artistic expression. Governments, too, must tread carefully - upholding law and public order without encroaching on the creative freedoms that are vital to a healthy, democratic society.

These questions aren’t new, but they are urgent. As the lines between art, protest, and politics become increasingly blurred, institutions, audiences, and artists will need to navigate these tensions with nuance, empathy, and accountability.

🎗️ Amid all of this, it’s important to remember that the conversations sparked on stage reflect a backdrop of real human suffering. Whatever your views, humanitarian aid remains critical in Gaza and across conflict zones. If you’re able, consider donating to relief organisations delivering medical and essential support on the ground.

This is about more than what happens on stage - it’s about how we hold space for culture, conflict, and compassion at the same time.

In a Sea of Silence, Willy Spoke Loud: Fashion as Protest, Not Performance

At a moment when fashion’s biggest stages are filled with fantasy and distraction, Willy Chavarria brought hard reality to the runway. His SS26 show at Paris Fashion Week didn’t entertain. It intervened.

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As the lights came up, models slowly took formation: kneeling, heads shaved, hands behind their backs. Dressed in plain white tees and loose shorts, the cast - some long-time collaborators, some discovered via open call - recreated the pose of those detained by ICE and incarcerated across Latin America. A confronting and deliberate gesture that turned the runway into a space of resistance.

While the fashion industry largely avoided political confrontation this season, Chavarria made the consequences of silence impossible to ignore.

In an era where brands chase “relevance” through aesthetics, virality, and surface-level collaboration, Chavarria reminds us that true relevance is rooted in risk, responsibility, and resonance. You don’t earn cultural capital by riding trends - you earn it by standing for something.

Fashion, at its core, is a language. What we wear can speak volumes. But the industry too often chooses neutrality to protect its bottom line. Chavarria’s show was a powerful counterpoint: a designer using fashion not to escape from the world, but to confront it head-on.

The collection that followed kept the energy tight: boxy tailoring in highlighter pinks and punchy reds, sharp womenswear silhouettes, and American sportswear distorted to exaggerated proportions. A wink to Chavarria’s Ralph Lauren past, but with the volume turned all the way up - and the messaging layered deep.

This was America reimagined. This was fashion politicised. This was a designer at the top of his game, refusing to look away.

In cultural marketing, we talk a lot about belonging, storytelling, and emotional connection. Willy Chavarria lives it.
He doesn’t posture. He positions.
He doesn’t speak for the culture - he speaks from it.

As brands scramble to insert themselves into moments, here’s a masterclass in how to make one.

Because cultural relevance isn’t about proximity to cool.
It’s about proximity to truth.

The Tate’s £150m Endowment: A Bold Step into a New Funding Future

The Tate’s launch of a US-style endowment fund is a significant and symbolic shift in how one of the UK’s leading cultural institutions plans to futureproof itself. The ambition: raise £150 million by 2030. The reality: a £43 million head start, and a new chapter in arts funding strategy that will draw both applause and scrutiny in equal measure.

Here’s a balanced take on why this matters right now - and what it means for the future of UK cultural funding.

Why This Move Is Notable Now

1. Context: Shrinking Public Funding and Economic Headwinds
Arts organisations across the UK have faced sustained financial pressure for over a decade. With static or falling government grant-in-aid and the economic aftershocks of Brexit, Covid-19, and inflation, traditional funding avenues are increasingly under strain. The Tate’s recent operating deficit and 7% staff cuts are just the latest signs.

2. A Strategic Pivot Towards Long-Term Resilience
Unlike annual fundraising campaigns or short-term sponsorship deals, an endowment fund is built for permanence. By drawing only on investment income - not the capital itself - the Tate hopes to create a financial buffer that sustains its artistic and educational output even during periods of economic instability. In principle, this is an investment in generational continuity, not just annual programming.

3. Borrowing from the US Playbook
The Tate is openly inspired by its American counterparts - from MoMA to the Met - where large-scale endowments are standard operating procedure. The difference in the UK is both cultural and structural: British institutions have historically leaned on public funding and corporate partnerships, with philanthropic culture less embedded. The Tate’s shift could help normalise the idea of legacy giving and long-term investment in UK arts infrastructure.

The Pros

• Stability in Uncertain Times: Endowments offer a reliable revenue stream, mitigating reliance on unpredictable grants or market-dependent income.

• Artistic Ambition: Tate’s director Maria Balshaw says the fund will underpin the “bold” programming the institution is known for - from blockbuster exhibitions to long-term curatorial posts.

• Protecting Public Benefit: Supporters can earmark donations for social programmes - like school and family education—helping ensure public access doesn’t erode under financial pressure.

• Signal to Global Donors: With major backers including Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Pérez family already onboard, this puts the Tate in better alignment with international fundraising norms.

The Cons

• Philanthropy ≠ Neutral: Accepting large-scale donations - especially from board members and high-net-worth individuals - always raises questions of influence, optics, and access. Even with an ethics committee in place, the perception of “pay-to-play” can linger.

• Ethical Investment Scrutiny: As noted by fundraising consultants, endowment investments must align with Tate’s environmental commitments. Public trust could be quickly undermined by investments tied to fossil fuels or socially contentious industries.

• Cultural Shift, Not Just Financial: This is more than a funding model - it's a philosophical repositioning. Will it lead to more American-style institutional cultures in the UK, where private donors increasingly shape public cultural narratives?

• Who Gets Left Behind? As large institutions like Tate professionalise and expand their fundraising arms, smaller galleries and regional museums may struggle to compete for the same philanthropic pool.

Final Thoughts

The Tate’s endowment marks a clear and calculated pivot toward long-term sustainability in a volatile cultural economy. It’s a decision grounded in realism, but not without risks. If executed with integrity and transparency, it could inspire a new funding era for UK arts. But it must also be watched closely: who funds culture often shapes culture. The Tate’s next chapter will not just be about money- it will be about power, access, and public trust.

Hashtags Are Dead (on X Ads): What Brand Marketers Should Do Next

Elon Musk has officially banned hashtags from all advertising on X (formerly Twitter), calling them an “esthetic nightmare.” From Friday, brands running paid campaigns will need to operate without one of the oldest tools in the social media playbook.

While this may appear to be a small UX update, it actually marks a significant shift in how brand content is structured, discovered and engaged with. It's not just about hashtags - it's about the evolving rules of platform-native creativity, discoverability, and control.

Let’s break down what this means for brand marketers, and where we go from here.

Why It Matters

Since their rise to prominence in the early days of Twitter, hashtags have been a shortcut for visibility. They grouped conversations, surfaced content and served as cheap signals of relevance - particularly in paid content. But X is changing the rules.

Musk’s decision to ban hashtags in ads is the latest in a broader recalibration of the platform. Think fewer legacy tools, more control over how content flows, and a harder lean into algorithmic decision-making.

Regular posts can still use hashtags (for now), but the move signals a longer-term trend: platforms are moving away from overt, manual signals of relevance in favour of subtler, AI-powered ones.

Key Takeouts for Brand Marketers

1. The Creative Is Now the Context
Without hashtags, paid ads have to work harder to earn attention. That means creative quality is non-negotiable. Messaging must be clear, relevant and culturally attuned - there’s no shortcut to context anymore.

2. The Algorithm Is the New Discovery Engine
Think less about search-based discovery, and more about algorithmic stickiness. Is your content optimised to provoke engagement signals that matter? Comments, saves, shares and dwell time will do more for reach than any tag ever could.

3. Paid and Organic Must Work in Tandem
With hashtags still live in organic (for now), marketers can create cross-format ecosystems. Use organic to drive community interaction and trend alignment, while using paid to reinforce the story with sharp creative.

4. Brand Language > Hashtag Lists
This is a wake-up call to ditch generic tags like #MondayMotivation or #Inspo. Instead, double down on authentic tone of voice, insider references and culturally specific language that resonates without relying on tags.

5. Creators Will Be More Valuable Than Ever
If hashtags were a distribution hack, creators are now the distribution strategy. Their reach is native, their engagement real. Strategic creator partnerships offer built-in discovery and cultural clout.

What to Do Next

• Audit your paid social copy: Remove dependency on hashtags and sharpen the messaging.

• Train your teams on platform-native content: No more recycling copy across channels. What works on Instagram won't work on X.

• Invest in testing formats: Explore interactivity, carousels, polls and video to maximise engagement.

• Brief creators better: Instead of mandating tags, give them cultural cues and creative freedom to express your brand story in native ways.

In Summary

This isn’t the end of the world - it’s the end of lazy formatting. The ban on hashtags in X ads is part of a wider movement toward smarter, more nuanced storytelling in digital environments. For brands, it’s an opportunity to evolve from reach-at-all-costs tactics to relevance-at-all-touchpoints strategy.

In short: adapt or become irrelevant.

#BrandMarketing #SocialStrategy #XPlatform #DigitalTrends #CreativeStrategy #PaidSocial

Most Brands Get Fandom Wrong. Here’s Why.

Fandom is having a moment. Again.

There are endless headlines about the rise of the “new” fan - hyper-engaged, platform-native, born into meme culture and fluent in niche. Reports churn out taxonomies and traits: the Gen Z sports obsessive, the K-pop stan, the streaming superfan. The message is clear: fans are a powerful cohort, and brands need to figure them out.

But here's the problem: most of the conversation still treats fandom like a fixed attribute - a type of person to be targeted, instead of a context-dependent behaviour to be earned.

Let’s be clear: fandom is not a personality type. It’s a response.
It emerges when the right conditions exist - when people find cultural meaning, community, emotional return or creative agency in the worlds they connect with.

Some of those conditions are designed. Others are accidental. But none of them are guaranteed.

Fandom is a system, not a segment

Brands love segmentation: who are these fans, where do they live, what’s their disposable income? Useful in some ways. But it misses the deeper point.

Two people with the same music taste or media habits might engage in wildly different ways depending on what the cultural system around them offers:

• One fan watches passively. Another edits tour footage into narrative arcs with fan theories, inside jokes and timeline canon.

• One buys a jersey. Another crowdfunds a documentary to preserve the club’s grassroots story.

• One streams the album. Another builds a Discord server that outlives the release cycle.

Same interest. Different conditions. Different behaviour.

Fandom is shaped by access, expectation, community design, and the level of creative or emotional input the world around it allows. It’s not a thing people bring. It’s a thing they build - often in response to how a brand, artist or platform sets the tone.

Behaviour > Belonging

Want to understand the future of fandom? Don’t ask “Who are these people?” Ask “What are they able (or invited) to do?”

• Are they given tools to remix and reframe stories?

• Is there frictionless access to the source or mystique to unravel?

• Is it reciprocal, performative, devotional, communal?

• Does the platform enable connection or gatekeep it?

Some of the most successful fandoms didn’t scale because of who the fans were, but because of what the ecosystem allowed:

• The NBA’s growth among Gen Z isn’t about youth appeal alone. It’s about its embrace of player-as-creator culture - from TikTok to League Fits to podcasting.

• Coachella’s branded relevance isn’t rooted in legacy. It’s powered by the annual ritual of fashion, identity play, livestream hype, and digital presence far beyond the desert.

• Dungeons & Dragons’ renaissance didn’t come from rebranding the game. It came from opening the gates, letting players become performers, creators and communities.

Numbers to know

• 63% of Gen Z say they connect more deeply with brands that help them express or create, not just consume (GWI, 2024).

• The top 10% of artist superfans drive over 40% of digital music revenue - not just through streaming, but through ticketing, merch, and premium content (MIDiA Research).

• Fandom-first platforms like Discord, AO3 and Letterboxd are growing faster than social platforms in active engagement metrics year-on-year (WARC, 2024).

So what does this mean for brands?

If you want to build real fandom, stop treating it like a demographic to court.

Instead:

• Design for behaviour. Enable rituals, remixing, self-expression. Create the tools and signals that allow fans to act.

• Respect the tempo. Not all engagement is always-on. Some fandoms thrive on drops, delays, suspense.

• Map the inputs. Fandom isn’t output. It’s what happens when the cultural inputs - intimacy, relevance, recognition - align.

Because you don’t own fandom. You don’t get to define it.

You only get to design the conditions where it can emerge - or not.

Sources:

• GWI “Future of the Creator Economy” Report, 2024

• MIDiA Research: “Superfans & Monetisation” 2023

• WARC: “Fandom Platforms 2024 Benchmark”

🕶️ Anna Wintour Steps Aside: The Legacy Behind the Sunglasses

Anna Wintour is stepping back from her role as head of editorial content at American Vogue after more than 35 years at the helm. It’s a cultural inflection point that signals more than a shift in personnel: it closes one of fashion media’s most defining chapters. While she retains her positions as Condé Nast’s chief content officer and global editorial director for Vogue, the move invites reflection on the legacy of a woman who, for four decades, didn’t just shape taste - she engineered the industry.

When Wintour took over as Vogue editor in 1988, the fashion landscape was teetering between tradition and transformation. She didn’t wait for evolution. From that very first cover- Michaela Bercu in a bejewelled Christian Lacroix T-shirt and faded jeans -Wintour made her intention clear: fashion would reflect real life, and the magazine would lead, not follow.

What followed was a cultural reorientation built on bold decisions and game-changing firsts:

• In the early 1990s, she championed the rise of the supermodel, elevating figures like Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista to global celebrity.

• In 1998, she launched the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, a powerful pipeline for nurturing emerging American design talent.

• She was a pioneer of celebrity covers, with Gwyneth Paltrow’s 1999 cover marking a new age of blending Hollywood and high fashion.

• Under her vision, the Met Gala evolved from a niche costume benefit into fashion’s most-watched red carpet event, generating over 1 billion social impressions annually.

• In 2006, her fictional counterpart, The Devil Wears Prada’s Miranda Priestly, entered pop culture, cementing her as a household name.

• She famously put Kim Kardashian and Kanye West on the cover in 2014, a polarising but culturally prescient move that reflected the growing influence of reality and digital celebrities.

• Following the 2020 racial reckoning, she acknowledged Vogue’s failures on diversity and led initiatives to broaden representation across Condé Nast.

• In her global role, she oversaw Condé Nast’s editorial consolidation, transforming Vogue into a unified, international brand with centralised creative direction.

• And in 2024, Vogue launched its first AI-assisted editorial feature, signalling her continued push to adapt legacy media to the tools and tempo of the now.

Wintour’s cool demeanour, trademark bob, and iconic shades became shorthand for editorial authority - but beneath that unmistakable image was an editor who understood the machinery of influence. She knew when fashion needed spectacle, when it needed politics, and when it needed intimacy. She didn’t just report on culture - she commissioned it.

Now, as Vogue U.S. searches for a new editorial head, fashion finds itself in a decentralised, creator-led era. The baton may be passing, but Wintour’s playbook still guides how brands build prestige, how images become moments, and how fashion media holds cultural power.

Anna Wintour didn’t just edit a magazine. She authored the modern fashion system - and her legacy will outlive any masthead.

• Wintour’s exit marks the end of the single-most influential editorial tenure in fashion history.

• Her legacy shaped how fashion, celebrity, and media intersect.

• Her influence built a blueprint for brand-building that still underpins cultural strategy today.

• Anna Wintour oversaw 800+ covers during her time at Vogue, pioneering the shift to celebrity-first editorial.

• The Met Gala, under her curation, now brings in over $15 million in donations annually for the Costume Institute (The Met, 2024).

• 46% of Gen Z say social media is their main source for fashion discovery, versus just 6% citing traditional magazines (McKinsey, 2024).

Mustard Meets Mustard: How Kraft Heinz Just Turned a Condiment into a Cultural Moment

It’s not often that a product drop gets people talking outside of food circles. But when HEINZ and Grammy-winning producer Mustard teamed up to launch a smoky-sweet chipotle honey mustard - they didn’t just launch a product. They created a cultural crossover event.

And here’s why it hits the mark.

1. Cultural Casting, Not Just Influencer Collab

The brilliance here isn’t just the pun (though Mustard making mustard is meme-worthy). It’s the casting. HEINZ didn’t just plug in a celebrity for awareness - they picked a collaborator whose name, sound, and cultural capital align with the product in a way that’s playful, authentic, and strategic.

Mustard isn’t just a name on the label. He’s in the kitchen. A self-proclaimed BBQ obsessive, Mustard helped co-create the flavour profile alongside Kraft Heinz chefs, giving the campaign the credibility today’s audiences expect. This is culture marketing done right - not by proxy, but by partnership.

2. Timing It Right: From Grammys to Grilling Season

The campaign’s rollout is pure rhythm. HEINZ teased the collaboration back in February at the Grammys, just as Kendrick Lamar and Mustard were reigniting conversation around West Coast culture and artistic excellence. Fast-forward four months and the product drops as summer grilling season heats up - and just ahead of 4th of July cookouts. This isn’t just a condiment; it’s summer’s new cultural accessory.

3. From Studio to Supermarket: The Format Flip

This is the kind of brand move we’ve come to expect from fashion and music, not food. HEINZ has taken the drop culture playbook - think SNKRS releases and surprise mixtapes - and applied it to a product category that’s typically anything but hype. The exclusive partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings, where fans can score a free bottle with a burger for two weeks only, builds scarcity and community. Then, it hits retail. Culture-first, mass-following next.

It’s a textbook example of how a legacy brand can play in culture without chasing relevance. HEINZ didn’t try to become something it’s not. Instead, it let the product - and its partner - do the talking.

4. Humour + Heat = Virality

Let’s be honest: the name alone - HEINZ MUSTAAAAAARD! - is built for the timeline. It’s cheeky, memorable, and made to be memed. Paired with a serious product (this isn’t novelty, it’s a genuinely great mustard), it strikes that rare balance of being both funny and good.

And that balance matters more than ever. In a marketing moment where even beefs (see: Kendrick vs Drake) are dissected like Super Bowl ads, audiences crave craft and entertainment in equal measure. This drop delivers both.

The Verdict:
HEINZ MUSTAAAAAARD! is more than a flavour launch. It’s a case study in modern brand building - where co-creation, cultural fluency, and clever timing elevate a pantry staple into a pop culture moment.

Let the other brands play ketchup.

All Aboard The Louis: Louis Vuitton’s Immersive Shanghai Activation Charts a Bold New Retail Course

All Aboard The Louis: Louis Vuitton’s Immersive Shanghai Activation Charts a Bold New Retail Course

Louis Vuitton’s new Shanghai flagship is impossible to ignore. Standing 30 metres tall, wrapped in monogrammed hull panelling, and shaped like a full-scale cruise ship, The Louis has docked not just in Taikoo Hui mall - but in the wider cultural conversation.

What It Delivers On

1. Flagship as Cultural Statement
The Louis doesn’t just sell product - it sells mythology. By drawing on its 19th-century trunk-making origins and leaning into Shanghai’s maritime identity, Louis Vuitton successfully localises a global brand story. The result? A physical space that fuses heritage with relevance in a way that feels both intentional and Instagrammable.

2. Immersion > Transaction
This is where the activation excels. The Extraordinary Journey exhibition offers depth, not just decoration. From a curated Perfume Room to live artisan demonstrations, the store serves as a multi-sensory museum as much as a retail environment. It’s a reminder that in the luxury sector, storytelling isn’t a nice-to-have - it’s the product.

3. Culinary and Cultural Crossovers
Le Café Louis Vuitton adds another layer to the experience economy. Blending local Shanghai flavours with Western dishes positions the brand not just as a tastemaker in fashion, but also in lifestyle. In a region where luxury is increasingly defined by experiences, this cross-disciplinary approach signals cultural fluency.

Where It Misses the Mark

1. Spectacle Over Substance?
While The Louis is a masterclass in spatial branding, there’s a question of who it really serves. The activation generates global buzz and undoubtedly appeals to luxury tourists and influencers - but does it speak to local consumers in a meaningful, accessible way? Beneath the theatrics, the connection risks feeling surface-level for wider audiences.

2. Sustainability in Question
In 2025, any large-scale installation demands scrutiny through a sustainability lens. A 30-metre ship-shaped pop-up, even one made from brand-coded travel trunks, invites questions: How long will it remain? What materials were used? How will it be repurposed? Without transparent answers, the environmental cost undermines the brand’s modern luxury narrative.

3. Commerce Can Get Lost in Concept
While immersive experiences are key to building brand equity, there’s a delicate balance between world-building and actual selling. The sheer scale and thematic density of The Louis may overshadow the retail core - raising the question: is it a store you shop in, or a museum you post from?

Final Take

The Louis is ambitious, arresting, and unapologetically extravagant. It’s a symbol of what brand flagships can be when they break free from conventional retail frameworks. But it also walks a fine line - between inspiration and indulgence, localisation and luxury theatre. For brand marketers, it’s a case study in pushing the format. For Louis Vuitton, it’s a reminder: the journey is extraordinary, but the destination must still deliver.

Is Converse Finally Making a Comeback?

Credit where it’s due: this question first landed in my inbox courtesy of Daniel-Yaw Miller’s SportsVerse - a sharp read on the brand, sport and culture crossover. And yes, after years on the sidelines, Converse is (finally) giving us something to talk about.

Let’s be honest: it’s been a slow fade for a brand once synonymous with basketball heritage and subcultural cool. While Nike and Adidas battled it out over technical innovation and lifestyle dominance, Converse drifted into background noise - over-assorted, under-strategised, and increasingly out of step with today’s sneaker cycles.

But now? There’s movement.

Enter: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

26 years old, newly crowned NBA champion, MVP, and quietly one of the most influential players in the fashion-meets-sport conversation. Converse didn’t just sign him. They made him Creative Director of Basketball and handed him a signature shoe: the Shai 001.

That’s not a partnership. It’s a brand pivot.

And it’s working. His on-court dominance, off-court tunnel fits, and clear sense of brand have made Shai a walking billboard. Converse even laced him with a custom gold pair of the Shai 001 post-finals - no billboard required.

But here’s the catch: the shoe isn’t available yet.

Timing Is Everything

This is where it gets interesting. Converse nailed the story, the product, and the placement. But they’ve missed the peak moment for a commercial drop. The hype is real. But so is the delay.

The Shai 001 won’t hit shelves until autumn. That’s a risk in today’s culture cycle where attention is fleeting and momentum is hard to sustain. The NBA offseason is notoriously quiet. By the time the shoe lands, so might a hundred other stories.

Still, here’s why this might be the right kind of risk.

The Long Game: Relevance over Revenue

Performance sneakers rarely shift units like lifestyle kicks (see: Sambas, Dunks, Jordans). But that’s not the point. A strong performance line is about heat, halo, and headline moments. And right now, Converse has that.

If they get the launch right, seed it smartly, and continue to build around Shai’s crossover appeal, this could be the start of something bigger. Not just a player collab, but a credible return to basketball culture. And in a saturated market, that kind of positioning is priceless.

Brand Takeaway:

Relevance isn't just about product. It's about timing, talent, and storytelling. Converse is betting on all three - and for the first time in years, it looks like the odds might be on their side.

Is Converse back, or is this just a moment?