While not the first series to explore these themes, Race Across the World, Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown and Somebody Feed Phil also focus on cultural immersion – Levy’s quest to discover the je ne sais quoi of a place sets him apart. Whether it’s La Dolce Vita in Italy or Pura Vida in Costa Rica, these cultural expressions reveal something deeper than lifestyle – they point to the values and rhythms shaping how people see the world. Levy’s question is simple: how does this community live their lives and how can it change him for the better?

Levy’s approach to travel mirrors a broader industry shift. Many consumers are reshaping travel by redefining ‘richness’ as ‘once in a lifetime experiences’ over material benefits and status symbols. Reels on TikTok abound with travellers looking for meaning and emotional resonance in the places they visit, with captions like: “gone so far out of my comfort zone I’m on the other side of the world” and “there’s more to life than the bubble you live in.”

This craving for meaning isn’t just a social media trend. Recent industry research shows that 63% of travellers now prioritise experiences over destinations, reflecting a broader desire for depth and emotion in travel. Yet many travellers still feel major destinations do not consistently deliver the authentic, personal experiences they seek, driving the rise of more varied and niche trends in global travel behavior: wellness beyond the spa, sober travel, off-grid escapes, slow stays, solo and ancestry journeys, as well as literary, culinary, entertainment and shelf-discovery travel – a theme that’s surfaced in our work Edible Escapism over the last 3 years.

At the heart of these shifts is a desire not only to be immersed in local cultures and places, but to be changed by them. Emerging Gen Z and Millennial groups lead this search for transformation. As Forbes notes on Glomads: ‘this movement is fueled not just by the lure of mobility, but ‘Gen Z’s identity-driven approach, their embrace of artificial intelligence, and a commitment to sustainability and immersive cultural exchange’.

With 65 % of global travellers linking travel to identity, this new definition of value in travel has become impossible to ignore. People no longer travel to escape their lives, but to recast their place in the world. People seek to recalibrate their perspectives through ‘micro moments’ – the quiet unfiltered encounters, like sharing a meal with a local family or seeing the sunrise across the world - to catalyse lasting changes in mindset.

It is this hunger in people that has made travel so resilient. Even as the geopolitical climate casts a threatening glow and politicians build walls, a new generation journeys to enrich their lives and engage in cultural exchange, reshaping individual and collective boundaries.

It is because these encounters carry such weight that they remain a priority even as economic divides widen and people tighten their belts on everyday costs. Within the pressure of a K shaped Economy - another topic we’ve delved into recently - travel remains the one space where people are still finding room for the journeys that actually mean something.

This shift is already visible in how the industry’s major players are pivoting. Delta’s ‘Locals’ platform, for instance, curates narrative-rich itineraries rooted in local culture, while Airbnb’s expansion into host-led Experiences positions travel as participation and belonging rather than a simple stay. Ultimately, the brands that cut through are not just providing trips, they are providing the tools to see the world through a different lens.

Here are some ways brands can help deliver the experiences travellers are looking for:

1. Be explicit about the transformation you enable
Define the specific change your brand makes possible. Move beyond generic itineraries to craft journeys that challenge curiosity and actively shift a traveller’s mindset.

2. Choose a cultural role and commit to it
Decide the role your brand plays in traveller’s lives and build consistently around it. At this level, depth of engagement matters far more than mass-market scale.

3. Use technology to deepen meaning, not just reduce friction
Personalisation should clarify identity and context, not simply optimize convenience. Use AI-driven itineraries in-journey (onboard in the entertainment system, or in your app), adaptive content, or recommendation engines to surface experiences aligned with a person’s core motivations.

4. Design for depth not just delight
Build in moments that allow travellers to process, reflect, and reframe their perspectives. This could be as simple as journaling prompts within an app, or AI-powered discussions, or immersive cultural storytelling that help them navigate alternative ways of living and thinking.

5. Make meaning durable
The journey shouldn’t end at the departure gate. Extend the emotional arc with tools for post-trip storytelling or platforms that help travellers stay connected to the communities they met, reinforcing their new sense of identity long after the flight home.

The real opportunity isn’t just in reaching more people, but in reaching them more deeply. When travel moves beyond a simple transaction, it becomes a shared investment in how we see and experience the world.

If you’re looking to build those kinds of lasting connections, we’d love to help you start the conversation. Just get in touch.

Article by Roisin O’Sullivan, Strategist at The Mix Global

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HYBE is growing fast, and makes most of its money through ‘indirect revenue’ - merchandise, fan clubs, their immersive app etc - but this isn’t just about membership fees. I don’t even think it’s even about superfans. This is about attention.

I’m going to talk about four different trends in visual content that demonstrate what it takes to hold onto attention in 2026. But first I’m going to ask you a question.

How much of an impact does Brain Fog have on your life?

‘Brain Fog’ is an informal term for the feeling of mental struggle; struggling to focus, refer to memories and maintain a line of thought. It was popularised post-Covid and, much like the pandemic, we are still making sense of it.

This experience can be a direct after-effect of the disease, but it could also have been caused by everything else that we experienced around lockdown, from social isolation through to social media overexposure. Breaking it down into simple terms in 2025, BBC Health commented that ‘it can also strike when you’ve got too much on your mind at once.’

The most obvious anti-Brain Fog industries started growing immediately after lockdown, with Red Bull selling 5 billion more cans in 2024 than 2019, and no-jitter alternatives like Lion’s Mane growing at the same rate.

However, this is what I think Hollywood hasn’t caught up to yet. It is still appealing for our attention in the same way. It still assumes that the viewer is:  

• Rested 

• Focused  

• Willing to invest 2+ hours  

• Cognitively ready to track narrative, character, symbolism  

Outside the cinema, the wider world of visual entertainment is gradually adapting to the new needs of the brain fog generation, and I think that there are lessons that Hollywood can learn.

Trend 1: Microdrama

[The viral ‘Subway Takes’ video series, © Kareem Rahma]

The recent adverts for Avengers Doomsday were received poorly, because nothing happens in them. They are all essentially 80 second adaptations of the sentence “[X] Will Return in Avengers: Doomsday.”

Imagine that you’re working from home, you decide to pause that PowerPoint for a quick break. Maybe you’re following the Pomodoro Technique and taking your allotted 90 seconds, or maybe you’re having lunch and want to get straight back into it after you’re done eating. You could put a TV show on, but then you’ll finish your food and you’ll have just started an episode. You just want something entertaining and mildly stimulating, to refresh your brain and show you something new.

Maybe you watch one of Kareem Rahma’s ‘Subway Takes’ conversations that start with the ‘take’ (and whether Kareem agrees with it), moves onto a discussion around the take, and wraps up with a final say on the matter. These clips have a clear beginning, middle and end.

Maybe you want something more explosive, and you download one of the ‘microdrama’ apps that have been gathering millions of dollars of funding, like Holywater or Gammatime. Gammatime’s current ‘top trending’ series have amazingly bad names (‘Lust Cop’, ‘The Temptress’ and ‘The Vengeance Affair’) but at least you know that something is going to happen, you’re not just going to watch a beloved character brooding and thinking about big things that will happen in a movie 12 months from now.

Interestingly, TikTok has just debuted a new ad offering for streaming services wherein users see an interactive carousel of clips from different shows. It brings to mind the Netflix mechanism, whereby titles are previewed in-platform with a scene, a quick blast of something that happens in that title (not a trailer).

Hollywood needs to get better at treating marketing as part of the creative process, not as a teaser tacked onto the end of their production. What if the Avengers: Doomsday trailer showed what Thor’s morning routine looks like, now that he has a daughter? It doesn’t need to be explosive, but you need to respect the audience’s time; appreciate that they might not be overwhelmingly excited when they watch your trailer and show them something that stands on its own.

Trend 2: Companion Content

[Straightiolab, ‘The Gay Podcast About Straight Culture’, © iHeartRadio]

Music is the artform that matters most to me, but there have been times post-covid when it it felt like I needed something else. Thinking back to my commute the last time I had a stressful job, I often felt like my brain just wasn’t ready to enjoy music.

That is when I got really into podcasts, specifically podcasts that revolve around light, playful conversation. I was particularly hooked on one named Straightiolab, wherein two gay American comedians humorously dissect subjects that feel definitively straight to them. At the end of each pod, they take turns to ‘shout out’ something that they are enjoying right now, with the enthusiasm of a Bro shouting out to their squad back home.

I particularly loved the guaranteed positivity of that Shout Outs segment. You don’t learn much listening to these podcasts, but you know what kind of tone you can expect, it’s never going to get too deep. I could often feel my brain starting to make happy chemicals as I listened to Straightiolab, to the extent that I would sometimes switch to music because I knew that I was ready to appreciate it now.

‘Companion Content’ isn’t new - the reason that there are so many quiz shows on TV around the world is that they are cheap to make and always get viewers, they’re perfect for putting on in the background while you get on with your day. Netflix is currently trying to move into this world by buying a lot of sports-themed video podcasts, a potential double whammy as it can also help them stay relevant to the world of sports.

Again, this is a hard trend to apply directly to cinema, but there are lessons to be learned about marketing and the different ways that people want to feel right now.

Loneliness is more widespread than ever, the Cambridge Dictionary word of the year for 2025 was ‘Parasocial’, so it’s worth thinking about how you use talent and build out the world of your film.

The 18-minute Marty Supreme ‘Zoom Call’ worked so well as a playful marketing stunt because it was easy to get lost in – we’ve all been on Zoom calls, stuff like this is a lot easier to relate to than an Awards Show ceremony. It was also a form of marketing that made canny decisions about which aspects of the film to play on, building intrigue without asking viewers to contemplate the film’s deeper themes from their desks. You can save that stuff for the big screen, where it’s a lot easier to process.

[The Marty Supreme ‘Zoom Call’ promotion video, © HBO, Warner Bros Discovery]

Trend 3: Agency Modelling

So far, I have discussed forms of entertainment that appeal when Brain Fog is thick and heavy; when people don’t have the time to watch anything longer than 90 seconds, or the bandwidth to process anything deeper than a comedy podcast.

But what about those moments later in the day, when you’re ready to actually watch something in full, you want to watch something that you can discuss with your friends, but you’re feeling spiritually drained. Who is serving you then?

Enter ‘The Pitt’, a medical drama set in Pittsburgh. Produced by HBO, it is by all accounts a normal TV show, and yet it has inspired a new genre tag in articles from the Washington Post and The Guardian; ‘Competency Porn’.

[Medical drama series The Pitt, © HBO, Warner Bros Discovery]

The idea is that the news is so destabilizing right now that people simply appreciate watching characters with a steady hand who are good at their (important) job. It harkens back to the USA’s ‘Blue Sky Network’ shows that aired from 2005-2016, with shows like ‘Psych’ and ‘Suits’ full of successful, intelligent professionals. No anti-heroes here, this is about following process and doing what is needed, competently.

You could apply the logic of ‘Competency Porn’ to recently successful TV show formats like ‘The Traitors’, which similarly focusses around problem solving, where the rules of right and wrong are very clear. This stuff particularly appeals to the literal, quick-hit ‘left brain’ thought processes primed by social media; we want to see answers to problems and strategies for success (marketing whizz Orlando Wood wrote a great book about this named ‘Lemon’).

At a deeper level, beyond the specifics of professional competency, there is something to be said for reminding people that it is possible to have agency in their lives, it is possible to achieve amazing things. There has been so much dark, gritty, serious art in the last decade, HBO shows like Game of Thrones, Succession and Industry that repeatedly punish their protagonists’ ambition. It makes sense that people are excited by the prospect of a prestige TV show for grown-ups that also won’t turn around and punch them in the face.

My lesson for Hollywood would be to think about what it takes to inspire adults. Think of 90s megahits like Forrest Gump, Jerry Maguire or Mrs Doubtfire, and look at the way they were marketed, the tone that their campaigns implied. We’re long overdue an accessible but grown-up film that empowers its viewers.

Trend 4. Community Engagement

Last but not least, we come back around to the K-Pop model, the hardest but most effective way to engage depleted, brain-fogged audiences: stop thinking about them as one audience and try to connect with them more directly.

The biggest exception to the “movies don’t have superfans” truism is in Horror. Fans of gore, jump-scares and frights have historically been highly loyal to creators, and last year, horror movie director Eli Roth launched a ‘fan-owned studio’ named “The Horror Section“, sharing royalties with investors.

[‘Fan-owned’ Horror Studio, © Eli Roth]

What I find particularly interesting about Eli Roth’s project is the promise to develop a particular kind of dark, ‘unrated’ horror movie, to differentiate his studio. This isn’t about leveraging safe, reliable IP, it’s about committing to give a certain kind of fan what they really want.

This reflects a trend for small independent film clubs across the UK (Paraphysis Cinema, Deeper Into Movies, Speed and Strike) hosting screenings of previously released films, selected because they feel like they have something to say to viewers now.

It would be great to explore more different ways of curating studios’ huge back-catalogues and hosting them in cinemas, without waiting for the cinemas themselves to request it. It takes years to develop a new movie, but curation can happen at light speed. Why not respond to the popularity of a film like Marty Supreme by pitching out to theaters the screening of iconic sports films with iconic scores like Chariots of Fire or Challengers? Or respond to developments in AI by screening thoughtful films like Her and Ex Machina?

As for new releases, I find myself thinking of two of my favourite films (and success stories) from recent years; Sinners and Barbie. I don’t belong to either of the communities that those films were written about, but I really appreciated that they had something to say, and I enjoyed how much joy they found by leaning heavily into characteristic tropes, with adventurous music and costume design.

All of which is to say, there are a lot of ways for the studios to engage and collaborate with communities in 2026. Whichever way they choose, the impact comes from to making viewers feel connected to something bigger than themselves, and to feel connected with the rest of the world.

We’re living through a time of deep confusion, so it is art’s job to light a way through the fog.

[Sinners, the most Oscar-nominated film of all time, © Warner Bros. Pictures/WBD]

Today, romance is a culturally influential genre in entertainment, fuelled by a global, hyper-engaged fandom. Romance readers form communities around the stories they read by showing up for author events, debating character arcs online, and rallying around adaptations. What was once niche now mirrors the energy of major pop-culture fandoms.

For brands, this shift matters. The romance genre thrives because it prioritizes emotion, belonging, and continuity, qualities that audiences increasingly expect from brands as well.

So, what can brands learn from this space?

• Lead with emotion, not just messaging: Romance works because it makes people feel something. Brands that show empathy and emotional intelligence earn deeper engagement.

• Create spaces for participation: Romance fandoms thrive on discussion and shared experience. Brands can create spaces (digital or physical) where audiences feel invited to react, contribute, and connect with one another.

• Think in long-term stories: Romance rewards loyalty through ongoing narratives. Brands that build over time, rather than relying on one-off moments, are more likely to stick.

• Understand cultural codes: Romance fans are fluent in tropes and subgenres. Authenticity comes from understanding these nuances, not chasing trends.

The stigma around romance fandom has largely disappeared. Today, loving the genre is worn as a badge of pride.

For a deeper look at the romance boom and what it means for brands, read the full article from Reema “The Romance Boom: What Brands need to know about this Hyper Engaged Community” on The Branding Journal

Three forces are disrupting flavor as we know it:

1. Emotional flavoring

Gen Z picks flavors based on how they want to feel, not just what they want to taste. Calm, cosy, chaotic, nostalgic, emotion is now a key flavour driver.

2. Visual-first choices

Food decisions increasingly start on a screen. If a flavor doesn’t look good, it doesn’t make the cut. Aesthetic impact is becoming as important as sensory impact.

3. Cultural mashups

This generation remixes global influences playfully: sweet-heat blends, nostalgic comfort meets chaotic crunch, unexpected pairings that tell a story. And its already extending to Gen Alpha too.

As such, flavor strategies need a reset. Brands must design for emotion, test ideas visually, build ‘flavour worlds’ and use culture, not category cues, as their starting point.

We’ve created a framework to help brands do exactly that.

Want to know more?
Explore the Edible Escapism Flavor Strategy

If your flavor pipeline is still built for yesterday’s consumer, now’s the moment to rethink it.

At 7pm on a bitterly cold, windy Saturday, Londoners wait quietly on the Wandsworth Town overground platform. Beneath their feet lies a warm, raucous dancefloor, where Ghanaian rapper Bryte high fives dancers, teaches us to “move sɛsɛ, and go down low”, and leads a conga. The song ends, everyone claps and whoops, and Bryte thanks us for our energy with a smile on his face, “and the best thing is, no one here is drunk, we’re just having a good time.”

The event is named Club Soft, organised by critically acclaimed DJ/producer Mina. The bar is stocked with organic lemonades, ice teas and alcohol-free beers, and the lineup is full of joyous, global club sounds. Having followed Mina for some time and booked her for my own event series, I’ve got a lot of respect for her work exploring party business models that don’t rely on alcohol sales. There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world of music about our future.

In my Monday-Thursday strategy job at the Mix, we work with a lot of beverage companies (alcoholic and non) that are also looking to futureproof themselves (see my previous article on the subject). In the hopes of bridging these worlds, I thought it would be good to give Mina a call a few days after I attended the last Club Soft. I hope you enjoy reading our chat, and if you want a proper knees up, the next Club Soft is this Saturday on March 29^th, !

…

The Mix: Hi Mina! I know that you’re talking to me from Ghana right now, and you've travelled around the world with your work. Could you tell me about some spaces that inspired you?

Mina: There was this incredible venue in Cape Town called Ghost. It was a co-working space, they had a radio station and it was a real kind of hub for the creative community, and then there were workshops and events in the evenings. It was right in the center of the city and kind of hidden, they didn't post the address publicly.

The Mix: And what about aesthetically, what visual memories do you have?

Mina: Well at Ghost you had Table Mountain in the background and everything was peaceful. There are some clubs in China that are really cool, Oil Club in Shenzhen is incredible, it feels like every aspect has been purposefully thought out for, like, making a nice experience, it's got this beautiful walkway entrance.

I think I'm moving more towards venues that are less warehouse-y and have a more homely atmosphere. I played this bar in Japan that was just felt like someone's living room, you know. In contrast, I recently went to Drumsheds [15,000 capacity electronic music venue in London] and you really feel like you’re being herded, there was no warmth there.

When people walk into Club Soft I want them to feel like “ah I’m home, I’ve found my people.” Like that's how I felt, you know? I feel like I'm putting on my perfect party; great sound, all the music I love, finishes at 9pm, loads of alcohol free drinks. It’s literally my dream, so I just feel grateful that other people enjoyed it.

The Mix: Have you seen any other promoters doing interesting things that could work in a future where people are drinking less?

Mina: Cobalt Studios in Newcastle are doing Thursday events where they do live music with a meal and then you watch live music, and it’s like £13, which is such a good deal.

[Cobalt Studios’ website describes ‘Fresh Thursdays’ as “a platform to bring you fresh new music served up alongside a homecooked plant based meal, board games and candles… these gigs are cosy, communal nights and often you get to hear completely new music for the very first time. The music varies across multiple genres but it is usually fairly gentle listening type music & well suited to a relaxed Thursday night.”]

The Mix: Genius. Could you imagine this at Club Soft?

Mina: Well people like to dance and let loose, so I don't think having a massive meal beforehand is that great, but maybe at the end of the event, we could work out some really nice vegan food, and then everyone could just stuff their faces because they'd be so hungry and tired! Maybe we could walk out a table for everyone to sit around, it could be like a family dinner with people to meet. But it would be complicated, getting the licenses that you need.

The Mix: There was a point on Saturday, Bryte was teaching us a dance move where you kick your shin out really fast, I found it really exciting getting the hang of it. I definitely wouldn’t have tried it in an alcohol-focussed space! At my events we provide paints and art tools to ticket holders so they can respond to the music in that way, are there any other activities that you want to facilitate at your party?

Mina: I’m really focussed on having people dance in an amazing space. I’d like to explore having a live band perform, as I feel like it can bring people out of their shells a bit more, because you’ve got someone to bounce off, who’s bringing that energy out. Aside from that, I’d like to really go in on the production and decoration, get loads of really delicious snacks and drinks and just elevate it.

The Mix: Thinking about how we could make that possible, let’s imagine that a big alcohol brand was launching a new soft drink, and they wanted to put its name on your flyer. Would that work?

Mina: It’s hard to say from hypotheticals, it depends on the relationship. Maybe there could be space for some kind of activation, but I don’t think I would want a brand logo on the flyer. I like the idea of them having an overall vision that aligns with what I'm looking for, and for it to grow organically. Lemonaid & ChariTea have been great in providing drinks for us, they clearly want to support cool stuff that’s happening and see the value of their drink being drunk at the event.

The Mix: Interesting, food for thought! Thank you for talking to me, and congratulations on the event, it was really great.

Mina: Thank you! I feel like everyone in that room had the cheat code of like, how to have fun in life. A lot of people would look at the flyer and think, “I'm not going to have fun”. And it's like, you're actually going to have *more* fun than you do in the regular party.

…

Mina’s original interest in alcohol-free partying came because she suffers from chronic migraines; she wanted to reduce their triggers, and moreover to show people that they can enjoy the mental and physical benefits of dancing without alcohol. All around the world, people like her are going outside and making the case for social culture, fighting against the coalescent factors of post-covid anxiety, cost of living crises, anti-social social media and an intense cultural focus upon appearance. 

There are a lot of memories waiting to be made and a lot of value for brands in being there when they happen (no one is going to tell their grandkids about all-night Netflix sessions). Any company with a stake in the act of socialising should do what they can to support creative promoters, put their money where their mouth is and get involved.

The world is obsessed with romance and dating. The old saying is “sex sells” but what sells even more than sex is love. According to a recent report from Bumble, over half (52%) of women globally are self-proclaimed romantics who love love. This is no surprise: love is the most transformative and yet the most commodified force in the world. Everyone wants some version of it, right? This definitely feels true as we are continually inundated with dating reality shows, from Love Island to Love is Blind to Ex on the Beach to Married at First Sight.

Despite this, no one appears to be having a good time dating right now. You only have to open TikTok to quickly find a viral video detailing a ridiculous but hilarious dating horror story. From viral content like Who TF Did I Marry?, Dating Wrapped and illustrations of dating disasters, there’s a hunger for stories about dating. Yes, it’s entertaining, but it also shows how widespread these kinds of experiences are.

The dating apps popular today have taken the essence of traditional dating websites, like Plenty of Fish and Match.com, and combined them with sophisticated algorithms and filters. For a while, it was going really well.

According to one survey, 39% of American heterosexual couples reported meeting their partner online in 2017, compared to 22% in 2009. Similarly, the study found 65% of same-sex couples met their partner online. Apps revolutionised dating, giving access to a bigger pool of people than ever before.

However, that popularity is waning. According to Ofcom’s 2024 report, dating app use declined significantly between 2023 and 2024, with a drop of almost 16% in the use of the top 10 most popular dating apps last year.

So, what’s behind this decline?

Concerns about personal safety: In recent years, the dark side of dating apps has been widely documented. From The Tinder Swindler to My Lover, the Killer, people, especially women, have been given a deep awareness of the risks from app interactions. These examples are extreme but smaller acts of harassment, such as unwanted nudes or aggressive messages, are regularly reported by users: more than a third of women under 40 have received unsolicited sexual photos, according to a 2024 YouGov survey. This happens so often that as of 2024 “cyberflashing” is now a criminal offence.

Dating app fatigue: In 2024, Forbes Health reported that 78% of dating app users reportedly feel “emotionally, mentally, or physically exhausted” by them. Most users are active on multiple apps at a time to increase their chances of finding potential connections but, for a lot of daters, this does not yield better results. This often leads to them deleting the apps, only to find themselves back on them again, repeating the same exhausting cycle.

Increasing cost of apps: Many are still free to use but most apps now offer additional subscription plans that profess to provide a better service, such as stronger recommendations, more likes, or the ability to set more dating preferences. Life is now full of an endless offer of subscriptions and yet these additional services still can’t guarantee success, leaving people disillusioned with the whole experience.

User and algorithmic biases: Statistically, Black women and East Asian men are least likely to have success on dating apps. Apryl Williams, author of “Not My Type: Automating Sexual Racism in Online Dating" explained that “Black women are often over-targeted by those seeking exoticism, but a study also found they are classed as the least desired dating demographic”. Dating apps, like many other apps, tend to centre the white experience. Williams says that “in many cases algorithms worsen things. The bias we experience online isn’t different from the bias we experience in other areas of life, it’s just amplified by algorithms. Social apps use techniques like collaborative filtering to guess what a user will like based on what similar users are interested in.”

Bias isn’t just racial: plus size women have been vocal about their difficult experiences on apps. Plus-size author and blogger Stephanie Yeboah talked about going dates with a man she met on Bumble, who eventually ghosted her. “His friend tells me that in the interests of full transparency, he thought he should let me know that the reason I had not heard from Robert since our second date was because he had been dared to 'pull a fat chick' and – upon completing the dare – had won a sum of money his friends had pooled.” These experiences are driving people who fit outside of Eurocentric beauty standards away from using dating apps.

Hunger for IRL connection: Higher levels of post-pandemic loneliness, alongside an increased need for third spaces, have contributed to deeper desires for real-life connection in order to foster more meaningful connections. We see this through people participating in more group activities like run clubs, supper clubs and book clubs to meet people with similar interests. Nearly half (46%) of singles feel that unique and quirky interests are now a key attribute to attractiveness (Bumble, 2025). Some app creators are realising this: last year, dating app Thursday shared its renewed focus on creating IRL events.

Younger daters: the romanticisation of having a “meet-cute”, like bumping into the love of your life at a coffee shop feels more heartwarming than swiping through a dating app. Coupled with a growing fear of rejection and safety concerns, dating apps feel less appealing to younger daters.

This doesn’t necessarily mean the end of dating apps. There is still a big demand for them, but in order to ensure safer user experiences, something has to change.

So, if I were the owner of a popular dating app brand, here’s what I’d be considering:

Be more inclusive: apps should be considering more sexual orientations and relationship styles. People are now more fluid in their sexuality and open to more than just monogamy. Yes, there are apps such as HER, Feeld and Pure that cater to specific groups, but for those big dating apps that are supposed to cater to everyone, how can they make themselves more open?

Recognising the experiences shared by marginalised groups and plus size women, brands should be thinking about how they can foster a more positive app experience for these groups.

Foster more IRL connections: More people, particularly younger daters, want to connect in person. This is something that some dating apps and event organisers are taking on board.

More awareness of different life stages: Everyone wants some version of love. Dating apps shouldn’t just be focusing their marketing on representing young daters. There is a wealth of older people - from empty nesters to single parents to widows – looking for love. how can you include a greater range of people on your apps?

Better safety: People, especially more vulnerable users, are scared. How can dating apps ensure a safer app experience for users?

It’s time for apps to step up. Address these issues and dating apps can secure their future - and help countless romantics find love.

Over the summer, we had the incredible opportunity to travel across the U.S. as part of The Mix’s five-week sabbatical programme. Starting in New York, then moving to Texas and ending in Los Angeles, our mission was to explore what drives people to be more environmentally conscious in their day-to-day lives.

Unsurprisingly, the topic of fashion came up in our discussions around sustainable behaviours. According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the industry is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions and is the second-biggest consumer of water. A shocking stat which brings that to life: the equivalent of one garbage truck’s worth of clothes is burned or dumped in a landfill every second.

However, more and more shoppers are turning to second-hand clothing. Last year, the second-hand market in the U.S. grew seven times faster than overall fashion retail. This preloved revolution has been aided by the rise of apps such as Depop, Vinted and Poshmark, as well as the continued growth of more established businesses like eBay, and has been a boost to the circular economy.

As part of our research, we spoke to people across all three regions, with varying levels of commitment to sustainable behaviours. One was Blessing, a 20-year-old student in Houston, Texas. Blessing became keenly aware of climate change and the environment during high school, when she noticed the intense weather changes in the U.S., particularly the heat in Florida during a holiday. So, she decided to focus on climate change during a school project, immersing herself in the topic and volunteering to collect litter around the city.

When it comes to fashion, Blessing is an avid thrifter. During our meeting, she took us to a local thrift shop, which offers a 25-cent sale every Wednesday. The store was bustling, its tills lined with long queues as people of all ages sifted through rows and piles of garments in every colour and texture.

Back home, Blessing showed us pieces she’s found throughout the years. From cowboy boots to vintage handbags, it was a treasure trove of fashion finds. She’s also passionate about sewing and enjoys making her own clothes. “Sewing gives me joy in knowing I could imagine something and bring it to life; an added bonus is getting to wear clothes I made and actually like,” she explained.

Not only has Blessing tapped into a more sustainable way of shopping, but thrifting and upcycling also allow her to express her individuality. By discovering unique, timeless pieces and customising her clothes, she can showcase her creativity and personal style. It’s a win-win.

For many, these aspects are the real drivers behind their love of second-hand shopping or upcycling: it’s a way to express themselves as individuals, and to develop their own style.

The growing popularity of vintage clothing, such as the revival of ‘90s and noughties trends among Gen Z, has contributed to this popularity in thrifting. It also means that sustainability is often a secondary benefit, rather than the primary motivation.

This connection between fashion, identity and sustainability presents an interesting opportunity for brands and businesses. How can they leverage this secondary motivation to encourage more sustainable shopping habits?

One way is to highlight the creativity and self-expression that comes with thrifting, upcycling, and finding one-of-a-kind pieces, using this as the primary messaging while keeping sustainability as a natural bonus. Research shows that Gen Z in particular are keen to express themselves through the items they buy, and clothing is one of the main ways of doing so.

Depop, for example, describes its marketplace as a place where anyone can “explore their style, where new cult brands are born, and where celebrities and stylists source unique vintage finds”. At the same time, it is contributing to a more circular fashion industry, but Depop recognises that this isn’t necessarily the hook that people need.

Our research found that people’s motivations for being more environmentally friendly are multifaceted. For example, KeAndre from Dallas had installed solar panels, bought an electric car and upgraded his pool’s water pump to be more energy-efficient. These are sustainable practices, but they’re also about KeAndre’s passion for technology and the joy he finds in being more energy-efficient.

This dual benefit is something that brands should explore. In the second-hand fashion market, second-hand shopping can be shown as the savvy choice, not just for the planet, but for building a high-quality, lasting wardrobe.

There’s also an emotional element to vintage shopping. During our research, Kim from New York told us that her mother was “super into fashion”. “I have some of her vintage pieces and they're beautiful, and one day, if I have children, that I would like to pass down,” she explained. This emotional connection doesn’t have to come from a direct family link; it could stem from a love of a past era or the thrill of discovering a timeless piece. By weaving storytelling into their messaging and celebrating the history behind vintage fashion, brands can tap into this sentiment.

For brands in this space, understanding these multifaceted benefits of second-hand shopping will help them reach more consumers, and build a user base who see thrifting or vintage shopping as part of their identity and way of life, just like Blessing. Rather than asking people to disengage from fast fashion simply because “it’s the right thing to do” - a request that many organisations have found is insufficient - brands should tap into what truly motivates shoppers. This way, sustainable fashion becomes an exciting choice, rather than a sacrifice.

How do you categorise people? In research, it’s typically as students and young adults, family, older families and empty-nesters. But these categories are outdated, built on the assumption that people’s life trajectory is based around having children. They fail to recognise the shifting priorities of millennials, Gen Z and even those in older generations.

Maybe it’s time to add another category, already very much live on social media: DINKS. It stands for Dual Income No Kids, a group embracing the freedom that comes with having disposable income without the costs of raising children.

According to a Pew Research Center survey, the proportion of adults under 50 in the US who do not have children is growing — jumping from 37% in 2018 to 47% in 2023. In the UK, the fertility rate – which measures how many children are born per woman during her child-bearing years – for 2024 was the lowest on record at 1.44. Across Europe, the fertility rate has also been dropping, to 1.46 in 2022.

Another survey, by MarketWatch, found that 50% of childless couples in the U.S. don’t ever want kids, 25% said they plan to soon, and 23% said they would at some point. The top two reasons for not currently having children were financial freedom and the day-to-day flexibility of not having children.

So, where are they spending their money? And how can brands react to this shift?

New priorities: pets

When JD Vance’s dismissive comments about “childless cat ladies” surfaced, it showed not only his disdain for women but also a complete lack of understanding of the shifting attitudes towards children and pet ownership. In fact, today, people increasing choosing pets over children, and shouting loud and proud about it.

It’s understandable, as the cost of raising a child continues to grow – estimated to be around £150,000 - £200,000 over the course of a child’s life to 18 in the UK, whereas Battersea Dogs Home estimates it costs around £2,000 a year to take care of a dog – and traditional ideas about what “family” looks like evolve. Pets are an appealing option: they offer companionship, freedom and something to spoil.

As of 2023, over 66 percent of Americans reported having at least one pet. In the UK, the pet care market has grown into a £10 billion industry, with much of the growth driven by a dramatic shift toward premium and luxury pet products, according to Forbes. In an article in the Telegraph that year, Tom Woods and Mags Doyle spoke about Atticus, their three-year-old Lhasa Apso “who really is living his best life”.

‘“If somewhere isn’t dog-friendly, chances are it’s not somewhere we’ll spend our money,” according to Mags. “He’s part of our family, we don’t want to leave him behind if we can avoid it.”’

Similarly, George Bridges, told the paper he would “always spend more on the dogs than I would myself. They have luxury collars, leads, bowls, blankets and beds, and they get treats and lots of toys.”

To appeal to this DINKWAPS (dual income no kids with a pet) brands will need to understand the elevation of pets in the home. They want to feed them high quality, human-grade food, and are buying them luxury beds and accessories. It’s “pet humanization”, according to one BBC report.

In 2024, Nationwide’s Spending Report found that spending on pets had jumped 76 per cent in the past five years. And this is not just a trend that relates to couples: more and more single men and women are taking on pet ownership. The pandemic highlighted just how easy it was to feel isolated, and pets offer companionship and bring structure to daily routines.

Travel takes precedence

Travel is also frequently highlighted on social media as a priority for DINKs. The MarketWatch survey found that 48% of respondents would spend their spare cash on travel, with childless couples across all generations - Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers – choosing travel as the top expense to spend it on. At the same time, research by Hotels.com shows that 41 per cent of the DINKs surveyed had put off having kids so they can enjoy more adventurous holidays.

For brands, this means taking a deeper look at what DINKS are looking for from their travel: adventure? Relaxation? Cultural experience? Escapism? All of the above?

It's also an opportunity for travel brands to provide for DINKWAPS & SINKWAPS, how can they make their offerings more pet friendly? What ways can these people who love their pets like children be made to feel that their pets are well looked after while they’re on holiday?

Financial freedom

While acronyms and TikToks offer a lighthearted take on people’s shifting priorities, they reflect very real considerations and diverse lifestyles. It’s something that brands need to bear in mind, they don’t want their choices diminished or minimised.

DINKS are largely thought of as childless by choice, but there are those who have embraced the lifestyle that was perhaps not what they had envisioned. It doesn’t mean they hate children, or want to be pitted against those with kids, but have made choices based on their priorities.

This group is going largely overlooked by research, falling between the cracks of “young family” and “pre-family”, but they are different. They have different needs, but they do have spending power.

If you’re interested in finding out more about how DINKS intersect with your brand, get in touch.

It was after six on a Tuesday evening, and I decided to pop into Kiehl’s while waiting for my train. The shop was small and quiet, except for one or two ladies perusing the shelves. As a skincare girlie, I love getting lost in their latest products – scoping out new serums to get samples of and seeing if there are any enticing deals. However, my attention quickly flitted to the next five customers that entered the store.

They were all men.

I quickly put on my researcher hat and observed each of them from afar.

The first was a well-dressed chap. He wasn’t in there for very long. He knew what he wanted, grabbed it, paid and then left.

The next two were friends. One knew the lady at the till. They exchanged brief introductions before she recommended their latest moisturiser for men. The other friend bought it without any questions.

The fourth and fifth made their way straight to the men’s section, albeit slowly and a little flustered. One went to check out the bundles while the other waved the lady over for help.

Despite this small sample size, it was a perfect example of the evolution of the beauty market: men are getting into skincare, but their confidence varies.

According to Straits Research, the global men’s skincare products market is estimated to grow from $14.12 billion in 2024 to $20.15 billion by 2032. Although these figures still trail behind women’s skincare, they shouldn’t be ignored. Gone are the days when skincare was seen as a women-only domain.

So, what’s driving this demand?

Skincare is evolving: now, everyone seems to use it in some form, even if it’s just a daily SPF or if it’s a full five-step routine. The rising focus on self-care—especially skin health—has captured interest across generations; particularly since the pandemic. So, it’s no surprise that men are also starting to embrace skincare as part of looking after their health and well-being.

This movement is all over social media: on TikTok, the hashtag #menskincare currently accounts for 292.7 million views, while on Instagram there are 3.1 million posts under the hashtag #mensgrooming. There has also been a noticeable rise in male influencers creating skincare content, fostering an environment where others feel encouraged to experiment without judgment or stigma. Celebrities such as Pharrell Williams, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, and Chris Hemsworth have also openly shared their skincare routines, with some, even launching their own lines.

‘Skincare is for people, it’s not a gender-specific thing. You want to take care of your skin’. – Pharrell Williams

It appears that the two main demographics driving this movement among men are Gen Z and successful middle-aged professionals. These two groups typically demonstrate a stronger awareness of the benefits of skincare, a keen interest in organic and natural ingredients, and higher levels of disposable income.

But do men approach skincare the same way women do?

The simple answer is, no.

While skincare stores can feel like a playground for female skincare enthusiasts, it is still unchartered territory for many men. Take my five examples above. Each had unique shopping experiences, yet they all shared one common behaviour: they didn’t look comfortable shopping in-store.

This could explain the rapid spike in online content, particularly for tips and tricks, product recommendations for male skin and expert advice. We also see male-centric brands enhancing their online presence by offering subscription options, quizzes for personalised skincare regimes, through brands like Hims, or comprehensive guides to support their customers’ every grooming need without the hassle of shopping in-store.

So, how can brands make shopping for skincare in-store less daunting and more accessible?

We need to take a step back and gain a deeper understanding of men’s broader approach to self-care, not just skincare. In what other ways do they look after themselves, and what factors have encouraged this change in behaviour? More importantly, how can we create safe and open discussions about male skincare?

We’ve seen this industry grow considerably through the years, but there’s more to explore and understand as societal norms continue to shift and consumer attitudes change. We’re welcoming a new era of modern masculinity and it’s clear we’ve only just scratched the surface.

So, at The Mix Global we are diving deeper into this topic, exploring what men want and need from their skincare, how expectations around gender and beauty are evolving and the ways men are exploring skincare themselves.

If you’re interested in learning more contact charlotte@themixglobal.com or sam@themixglobal.com

Ethnography, digital or in-person, is integral to our work at The Mix - and it’s without a doubt my favourite part of the job. It’s a privilege to be privy to other people’s lives.

But, as researchers, we must acknowledge our role within the research itself. Every human carries their own background and experiences within them: this includes our privileges and our biases. This is important to admit. So, in the dynamic we create in our conversations with others, we need to acknowledge that our differences can alienate some and bring others closer.

Let’s say you’re a researcher from South London, tasked with speaking to a fellow South Londoner about sports culture. You will likely find similarities in the places you frequent, the expressions you use to describe things, you might even support the same sports teams. On the flip side, perhaps you were raised across the pond and tasked with speaking to Europeans about drinking culture across the continent. Your accent easily gives you away but, perhaps, you also don’t understand all their references. Which of these two scenarios do we assume is the more considered? The one more likely to get the best response?  

When I reflect on all the people I’ve spoken to in the early stages of my career, I immediately think of the range. At the same time, I also think about the times where I was told, indirectly but often directly, that perhaps “on this occasion” it would be best to send someone else. After all, I am not white. I am not originally from the UK. My accent is ambiguous, my ethnicity is in plain sight, and I am a woman. I am, by general societal perceptions, still young.

Through ingrained unspoken rules of research, we can end up making assumptions: for example, that a vast age gap between participant and researcher will result in awkward lack of common ground, that a junior strategist should let their senior take on the higher-income bracket, or that the city local will know best. Yet, when we take a step back, who decided what really makes each of these pairings strongest for the research?

This article isn’t about deciding which scenario is right or wrong. We know that each case presents its own strengths and weaknesses. There’s usually a decent enough argument behind what makes the most sense. So, what’s there to talk about?

I’ll never forget the conversations I’ve had with a young mum in the suburbs, the pool player who was redecorating his flat so he could foster two kids, the Muslim women whose weekly grocery shop I joined across East London, Arsenal mums and dads who showed me their beloved football trinkets (but kept insisting it was their kids’), the San Francisco and Hong Kong natives who hosted the most remarkable get-togethers, the list goes on. These conversations were not without hurdles - language, socio-economic differences, and cultural divides - yet we arrived at a real appreciation for what we didn’t know of each other, and from this came a willingness to open up and discover what really moves them.

It is our responsibility to think more intentionally and talk more openly about how we pair and plan our project teams, research design, and the fieldwork itself. It’s about tapping into the invaluable cultural know-how of a team member and asking how our individual biases might sway our thinking. It’s about doing our due diligence in making sure our team members - junior and more senior alike - are empowered to bring out the best possible conversations with participants.

And consider this: when your team is fundamentally diverse, it’s inevitable that your researchers do not always “match” the participants they might speak to. So, it’s a matter of training up your team to tackle any scenario they’re faced with. It’s about challenging ourselves to move beyond obvious pairings and instead towards what will make this research braver and stronger? There are always more ways to ask questions, so there are always as many, if not more ways to arrive at our responses. We’re in the business of people, local and global - nothing should feel out of bounds.

We’ve been on a journey – literally and metaphorically – to understand what drives people to be, but also what prevents them from being, more environmentally conscious in their day-to-day lives.

As part of our MixSafari project, we travelled across the US, talking to ordinary people about their varying degrees of engagement with sustainability. We discovered that the desire to "do good" doesn’t look the same for everyone; it can show up in countless ways, shaped by individual priorities, people’s backgrounds, and everyday actions.

For some, it’s about resourcefulness, like reusing and repurposing. For others, it’s finding eco-friendly technology or brands that align with their values. Yet, even those who say they are eco-conscious still face contradictions: doing well in one area, while relying on less sustainable choices in another. There is often a sense that people don’t make more sustainable choices because it’s too expensive, but we found that there’s so much more to it than that.  

For brands, the opportunity is clear: to understand this diversity in attitudes and behaviours, and to listen and evolve alongside them. Real change will never be about a single narrative.

This photo essay is the first chapter in a series looking to highlight what everyone – you, your brand(s), your company and ours – can learn from the real people behind the purchase.

Austin, 28, Houston - Amateur Naturalist

Ever since I was a little kid, I was always outside, always exploring and just enjoying nature. My Grandpa is a biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife. It was so natural for us to just talk for hours about wildlife and the environment.

I feel like my capacity to have much of an impact right now is limited. I guess sometimes I feel a bit like a hypocrite, because I could do a lot more.

We do want to have a homestead someday, and cut down the reliance we have on the wasteful system we live in. However, I know we need to play the game and earn as much money as we can to be able to afford it.

Blessing, 20, Houston - Stylish Super-seamstress

Thrifting is something I do by myself, with my sister, on dates... It is so nice to know you are getting unique pieces for cheap and honestly saves me so much.

I can see so many ordinary people making efforts to be kind to the planet. And I can't help but think that I don't see big companies making the same amount of effort. And that’s concerning because those are the ones that mass produced the stuff. So, okay, we're cleaning up, we're recycling, but you're still pumping out ten times what we do a day.

I recently saw in the news that the Walmart higher management was confronted about how many plastic bags they contribute to the world every day but they walked away from the interviewer, declining to make a statement.

KeAndre, 50, Dallas - Tech Enthusiast

I'm kind of a technology guy. I don't know that I go out and actively feel “I need to recycle today” or “I need to think about how this can be more sustainable”, but I think what's happened is that as technology has progressed. It's become easier and easier to do the right things or the right things for the environment.

Here in Texas over the past few years, we've gone through some very traumatic weather events. So, I’ve been thinking about how important it is to have alternative sources of energy outside of the grid. Whether that's using solar panels, whether that is, you know, finding ways to collect rainwater, I’m looking at things that mean we’ll have options.

Marian, 34, New York - Thrifty Gardener

All of my environmentally friendly practices began when I was a kid, mostly because my family grew up with not a lot of money. We reused everything. I grew up in Chinatown with a lot of other Chinese folks, mostly immigrant. You reuse your plastic water bottle. You use your pencil until there’s one inch left. We did all these little things that I never really thought of as sustainable practices until I realised that most people don't buy one plastic bottle and reuse it for a whole month or a year. That people just throw away willy nilly.

When we eat our oranges or our tangerines, we take the peels and we dry them out for soups and stuff. You know, even with our eggs, we take the egg shells and we feed them back to our chickens. We try not to make any waste at all.

I think the saddest thing for me is that no matter what I do as one person, I don't think I really affect the world as much as I’d like to think that I affect the world.

Andromeda, 24, New York - Spiritual Activist

I think for me, especially in my indigenization and in my spiritual practice, I have been building a relationship with the environment and with nature. I’ve been learning how to connect with it in deep and substantial ways, which I feel like a lot of us just don't do anymore because we're so sucked into like the grind and technology and whatever else.

I think it’s vital to focus on what I can control, rather than what is so far outside of my wheelhouse. It's like people have rendered themselves immobile worrying about ice caps melting, fossil fuel usage, all of these things are so outside of our reach.

In reality, a lot of different things come into play. Cost especially, and how much of my personal energy it costs as well. Can I build this into my routine? Those are the big things that play into whether or not I'm going to be able to make a change and stick to it.

Horacio, 30, Los Angeles - Outdoor-loving Optimist

I would say living in L.A, I am more aware [of the need for sustainability] than when I lived in Texas, you see it on bumper stickers or in the way grocery stores are managed. It's definitely part of L.A. culture to have your own reusable water bottle. There's a lot more reminders here of how you can step up.

When I hear about big companies and oil spills, and other things that they're doing, but they just buy their way out of it, I do feel pretty discouraged. Sometimes, in fact most of the time, I fall into the trap of thinking “it doesn't matter if I do this”. You just think, you're just one person, it doesn’t matter.

Tom + Thea, 33, Los Angeles - Eco-power couple

Thea: At a young age, I was very conscious about my own consumption, so I got into the minimalist mindset very early on. Living more resourcefully, being more independent is empowering. It’s kind of cool, you just feel more invincible in a way. You don't need trash or single use items.

Tom: I kind of try to have fun with [planet friendly switches]! I like the resourcefulness behind all of it. I like to avoid waste, thinking about ‘how do we do it’? There's not a blueprint for your lifestyle or every situation, but there are solutions. And I think for me is just finding out like, okay, how can I save water? I enjoy it.

Thea: At our shop, we want it to make it look like sustainability is an enjoyable thing, a rewarding thing. And we get to slow down and experience life a little bit more. The thing we hear most is ‘what difference does it make, really’? We have to convince people, not by telling them, but by showing them. And that does take a lot of work.

Brand collabs have been on the rise for the past few years, and 2024 has been no different. From autumn’s exciting new fashion pairings, such as Gap x Cult Gaia and the already-sold-out M&S x Bella Freud line, to the Wicked film’s collaborations with everyone from Starbucks to Pernod Ricard, brand collaborations are inescapable.

You can easily see why: they can create excitement and build a feeling of anticipation, providing brands with the ability to open up to new audiences, tap into new occasions and expand beyond their traditional market. It’s a win-win for all involved, surely?

But not every collaboration is able to capture that sparkle, and as more collabs saturate the market, it’s crucial to know what actually makes a brand partnership stand out. Among a sea of new pairings, what makes a winning combination? What makes a person think “I have to get my hands on that”?

More than the sum of its parts

The most successful collaborations are the ones that go beyond expectations, offering something exciting that people haven’t seen before. Ice cream and shoes aren’t an obvious combination but 2020’s Nike x Ben & Jerrys limited release was a surprise hit, even now the sold-out trainers’ resell prices can fetch up to $3,000. Lego is another brand that really understands this. It’s ongoing collaborations with Adidas evoke a sense of playfulness and creativity: the Originals Superstar LEGO shoes came with Lego brick attachments that users can swap and customise. The collabs not only appeal to younger Lego fans but also adults nostalgic for the joy of play.

Beauty brands have also successfully tapped into nostalgia with their collaborations: Clinique’s partnership with Crayola brought back the fun of crayon colouring except this time on the lips, while MAC’s Disney-themed makeup lines have been sell-outs.

These collaborations succeed because they push the edges of the imagination and deliver something greater than what either brand could do alone: a dose of nostalgia in your make-up bag or a trainer that evokes a childhood sense of fun.

Blending high and low culture

There is a big appeal in collaborations that offer general consumers a taste of premium experiences or bring a high-end brand a wider audience. This year H&M celebrates 20 years of successful designer collaborations, each line a sell-out, starting with the iconic Karl Lagerfield x H&M line in 2004. According to one of the Chanel designer’s biographers it was “the moment that Karl turned from being an important designer into an international superstar”. That’s the beauty of a high-low collaboration: it allows a company such as H&M to give its customers access to designs that would usually be unaffordable and, at the same time, extends the reach and awareness of the designer or premium brand. The brand’s collaborators over the years haven’t just been big names like Balmain and Versace. As H&M’s chief creative advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson told Vogue: “You have to have the feeling for when something is kind of on the rise, when we think our customers are ready for it, and to really capture the zeitgeist”, which has led to collabs with designers like Erdem and Maison Martin Margiela.

High-low brow combinations aren’t confined to fashion either: last year the Pringles x The Caviar Co sell-out snack collab became a viral sensation, while the Nespresso’s collaboration with the high-end British department store Liberty was hailed for its stylishness. 

What’s important is to consider is how this kind of collaboration can raise a brand’s ceilings or create new opportunities in premium segments. The best high-low collaborations touch on the allure of offering something that usually feels out of reach for their consumers.

So, look at the brand’s strata: what’s the pillar that the brand operates in, what does the brand do really well, and then what’s that aspirationational plane to get to.

What are you trying to achieve?

Collaborations can end up costing a lot of money, so before embarking on one, it’s crucial to set out exactly what you want to achieve. Are you trying to surprise your current audience? Or bring in new audiences? A collaboration needs a goal: whether it’s building awareness, driving sales, or repositioning.

Take, Adidas x Gucci. The collaboration wasn’t just about merging sportswear with high fashion, but also about repositioning Adidas in the luxury space. It allowed the sports brand to access a wealthier, more fashion-conscious audience. In contrast, Crocs x Post Malone, brought a sense of fun and counterculture to an already casual brand, tapping into the pop star's fanbase.

You need to ask: does this help elevate the brand? Does it bring something new or exciting to the table? If it’s just more of the same, it risks being forgotten.

Will the magic wear off?

Collaborations should feel authentic. You don’t want to come across as money-grabbing to new consumers or alienate your current ones. Don’t dilute the brand—add to it. The danger of over-collaboration is real: at what point did all those Barbie collaborations start to feel like overkill, and is the same going to happen with Wicked and its multitude of partnerships ahead of the movie’s release? Over-saturation can make even the most innovative partnerships feel tired.

Balance the excitement of collaboration with careful curation. Successful brand partnerships are ones that not only excite and delight but also feel like a natural fit for both brands involved.

Last week, some of our team attended the annual MRS Pride Show Up! Summit, which focused on conversations and creative work that centre the diverse lived experiences of LGBTQ+ communities. As a Black queer woman, hearing the vulnerability and dedication spoken across the panels made me feel seen - but it also motivated me to strive for more inclusion in research practices. 

Here are some of the main lessons from the summit:

No two LGBTQ+ stories are the same: throughout the day, we heard an incredibly broad range of experiences: from coming out later in life to being queer and Muslim to navigating not feeling “trans enough”. Although some of the panellists said they resonated with what others were saying, each individual experience was unique. People may be grouped under the same LGBTQ+ umbrella, but we should always remember that they are individuals with diverse experiences.  

Even traditional FMCG brands can be forward thinking: The E45 and The Diversity Standards Collective spotlight on their campaign was probably one of the most eye-opening conversations. They highlighted their ground-breaking research into the skincare journeys of members of trans communities. This research informed E45’s latest campaign “This Is Me, This Is My Space”, which recently won Channel 4’s Diversity in Advertising Award.

This campaign shows that even very traditional, FMCG brands can be forward thinking and trans inclusive. It’s an amazing example of holistic thinking on how to help trans communities, such as E45 leaflets about trans skincare being available in clinics. Virginia Melis, the Global Healthcare Professional Marketing Lead at Karo (E45), shared that the research prompted uncomfortable internal conversations, but then led to internal policies becoming more trans inclusive. The team at E45 were also dedicated to supporting the trans community when the campaign received external backlash. This level of unwavering dedication to these communities is something that many brands should learn from. 

The importance of the small moments: Rich Miles, CEO of the Diversity Standards Collective, noted that the smaller everyday moments that are important LGBTQ+ community are often overlooked, in favour of the more momentous occasions, such as coming out. Miles shared that one participant explained that they found real joy in simply being in a supermarket, buying fajita mix with their partner. It was the mundanity and normalcy of that moment that gave them that feeling. At the end of the day, all this participant - like many other trans people - wanted was to be happy in everyday human moments. 

The importance of tackling issues at their root: Boots talked about wanting improve their website copy after noting the language was very gendered and quite outdated, but quickly realising their problems went deeper than just website copy. So, Boots commissioned their first research study into the lives of trans and non-binary consumers in the UK, finding that many trans and non-binary consumers had issues with Boots’ in-store experience. Based on this research, Boots put in place policies and employee training. The company did not just tackle the lowest hanging fruit; they challenged a deeper issue. For a brand that is 175 years old, that’s pretty progressive.

Sustaining long-lasting, collaborative relationships with creators: Durex explained that, when collaborating with creators, they have an “always on” approach and treat creators like team members, rather than participants. Importantly, the creators share their lived experiences, which then help shape everything from pack design, imagery and tone of voice. The continued communication only makes for better products, Durex said. It also boosts levels of affinity from the LGBTQ+ community, which then helps with trust when it comes to events like Pride Month. 

The need to continuously break down stigmas: A keynote conversation from Ignacio Labayen De Inza, founder of the charity Controlling Chemsex, brought awareness to an issue many of us in the audience were not educated on. Chemsex is a term associated with MSM (men who have sex with men) and refers to the use of any combination of drugs taken before or during sex. Ignacio shared a personal story about what led him to dabbling in chemsex, sharing the painful realities of how the stigma surrounding chemsex is destroying the lives and livelihoods of thousands of gay men globally. The stigma around this issue is linked to two taboo topics - drugs and sex – and has greatly impacted the charity’s ability to get funding or support from the media and brands, which is so desperately needed.

At The Mix Global, we pride ourselves on our curiosity and are continuously striving for greater inclusion. The MRS Pride summit was an invitation to dig deeper, to explore our curiosity, share these learnings with our clients and continue to authentically reflect the experiences of the LGBTQ+ communities in our research. 

It took a while for the world to respect, honor, and truly grasp the wonders of a curly head of hair—especially Black women’s hair. It also took time for many of us to embrace it ourselves. And while everyone is on different stages of our journey, one thing’s for certain: women in sports are making their mark, whether the world is ready or not.

Hair is becoming a symbol in sports, something to be shown off rather than hidden, gelled down, or tucked away, as it used to be. In events such as track and tennis, hairstyles have become a highly anticipated and defining element of athletes' public personas.

When you see Jamaican gold-medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce at the track starting line, whipping her green and gold tresses, it’s more than just a fashion choice—it’s a statement. She’s THAT girl. She leaves a lasting impression, not just by setting world records but by showing us that there’s no one else like her, and that uniqueness creates a competitive edge.

Performance beauty, as it’s often called, is just as much about feeling powerful and owning the moment, as it is about looking gorgeous during it. This challenges the traditional view that beauty and athleticism are mutually exclusive. These women are showing us every year that being an athlete doesn’t mean you automatically don’t care about beauty. Now, hair, skincare, and fashion are all fair game. There’s room to play and shine in many ways, and we’re overdue to break these one-dimensional stereotypes in women’s sports.

This shift signifies a larger cultural change. Whether it’s Serena Williams causing a stir in her sleek catsuit or world champion sprinter Sha'carri Richardson dazzling with her nail art, athletes are bringing play, fun, beauty and style to the game, and it’s commanding attention. So much so, that it’s become a form of psychological warfare as much as it is a celebration of individuality. To some, it may seem an impracticality but when a competitor steps onto the field, their look tells the world they’re there to win—and they’re gonna look damn good doing it.

Brands are beginning to recognize that there is a whole segment of multidimensional consumers—both competitive athletes and people who live very active lifestyles—that haven’t been catered to at all.

WYN Beauty, Offcourt, and Freaks of Nature are just a few upcoming brands that understand and are capitalizing on this, designing products that start to meet this growing demand and lifestyle. And there’s so much more that can be done. As we looked at in our Curl Communities project, hair and the perception of hair holds so much meaning. As these sporting stars are showing, this is nowhere more the case than on the track or pitch.

The right brands have an opportunity to support women in how they see themselves and how they express themselves through their hair.

In an industry that has long played by the book, these sportswomen are rewriting the script. Their hair, their style, their confidence is a moment in itself. If brands can recognize this and cater to them - and many other women out there who feel the same - then the sports world has the potential be transformed by it, one confident, beautiful, and powerful woman at a time.

Here at The Mix, we recently undertook our Curl Communities project, exploring the diverse experiences of women with curly hair.

If you haven’t had the chance to read it (and you should), we used a photo essay as the main output of the research. A photo essay is a form of visual storytelling that develops a narrative across a series of photographs, and for certain pieces of research, it can make a story incredibly more compelling.

We didn’t create this photo essay just because it would lead to a beautiful output that makes an impact - which it did - but also because it makes for a better participant experience, and this is incredibly important when it comes to doing research.

But why?

Centring the Participants in the Research 

The people we speak to should be at the centre of the research, and that’s something researchers can often forget when doing a project. Their lived experiences are at the centre, they start and end the project, and we should never dismiss the fact that they are the experts in themselves. By doing a photo essay, it allows us to express that these are real people with real emotions, not just words or numbers on paper. To understand how curly hair plays a role in identity, we need to go beyond just what these women are saying but understand who they are and how their hair is a part of that. 

Expressing Beyond Words

The photography element of this research plays a crucial role in allowing participants to express themselves beyond words. When we’re asking women to articulate their thoughts and emotions about their curly hair journey, it can be a difficult thing to open up and talk about, especially when you’ve never met the person that’s asking you these deep questions. Images can convey emotions and nuances that words can’t, and we gain so much just from observing participants in this phase. How they feel and interact with the camera says a lot about where they are in their curly hair journey. 

Enhancing Engagement and Tangibility

Through visual storytelling, participants are able to better engage with the research both during and after it’s completed. As established, they start and end the project, so we can’t just forget about them once we’ve got what we need. Taking professional photos meant that we were left with not just beautiful output, but with something personal and tangible we could share with the participants after the project was complete. These photos of them showcasing their natural hair is something they can keep and share, serving as a (hopefully) positive reminder of their experience and input in the research. 

A few weeks ago, I went to a gig. It was great: an evening of chill vibes from The Teskey Brothers.

The most exciting part though, for me, was that as we walked in, I came across ‘my brother from another mother’: Joe Wicks.

Joe is the spitting image of my brother. He could be his body double.

In person, he is lovely, unfailingly polite and down-to-earth. I can only imagine how much of a pain in the ass people pestering you all day long when you are out and about must be, but he doesn’t show it. He’s the consummate professional.

He met my brother, Cameron, at Glastonbury, where my brother was running an area for Oxfam. The two hit it off and I think Joe even asked Cameron to be his lookalike to save him from a bunch of screaming fans.

Luckily, my brother is also one of the nicest people you could meet, a genuinely warm and lovely bloke. I’d argue that if Joe’s fans met Cam, they’d be pretty happy too. He’d be a great dupe.

Fortunately for Joe, dupes are now perfectly acceptable. In days gone by, the idea of a dupe came with an element of shame: you had a “fake”.

You’d put your shit, cheap gin in a fancy decanter, and tell people it was something cool and unique, when in reality it came from Lidl (definitely never done that… sorry guests).

Now though, dupes are cool. There are multiple websites dedicated to them, helping you find a cheaper version of the thing you crave most.

On Dupe.com you type in a URL or a product, then it tries to match it with a furniture dupe.

Dupeshop.com can match you with cosmetics dupes.

On Luxurydupes.co.uk you can find – you’ve guessed it – luxury clothing dupes.

All of this has been amplified and heightened by TikTok, where creators review the dupes and give people confidence that they’re going to be decent.

This is the critical difference in why dupes now work: the confidence that buying a perfume dupe, for example, you won’t end up smelling like day-old roadkill.

Whole brands have been built on the back of their status as a Great Dupe. Take E.l.f: in the US, the company delivered more than $1 billion in sales from March 2023 to March 2024, up 77% over the past fiscal year, according to Fast Company. The brand is well-known for it’s good quality, cheaper versions of more expensive skincare and cosmetics. Offering deals like $6 for a bronzer vs. $42 for the Charlotte Tilbury version.

In the UK, Aldi is well-known for creating sell-out dupes: its Lacura Caviar creams, selling for around $10, are supposedly great dupes for La Prairie’s Skin Caviar Collection, with product prices reaching over $200.

Now, fragrances, once the absolute holy grail of luxury, also face competition from cheaper brands. There is a site in the US called Dossier, which allows you to buy affordable alternatives to some of the world’s most prestigious perfumes.

Most people can’t afford MFK’s Baccarat Rouge 540, which retails for more than $350, but this site offers a version for $49. Dossier was founded in 2018 by Sergio Tache, an investment banker with a background in e-commerce, making perfumes which explicitly mimic big name luxury fragrances such as Le Labo Santal 33, Creed Aventus, and Tom Ford Lost Cherry.

What used to be seen as “trashy” is now seen by some consumers as “savvy”. The upsides of accessing products you want to try, now outweigh the downsides of products potentially lasting for less time or being slightly lower quality.

And, let’s be honest, for most people, if a fragrance lasts a few hours or all day, what’s the difference? And how much more worthwhile is it to spend $200 on a face cream you’ll wash off at the end of the day, compared to $10?

Of course, the argument from those brands creating, producing and marketing the original, more expensive, versions, is that there is a cost associated with dupes. Brands are being ripped off because dupes don’t pay for any of the experience that goes into their product, the craft it takes, or the investment in R&D because they can just nick it from those who do.

The argument is the same in art, music or any other creative endeavour. The artist suffers.

But for consumers, this argument doesn’t really stack up.

Art and marketing are often viewed as entirely separate. Marketing, in particular, is seen as a major profit driver for businesses. These businesses are seen as being closely aligned with global capitalism – “The Man” – than with any kind of artistic expression.

For those living through the cost-of-living crisis and wage stagnation, which has followed closely Covid 19’s disruption of their lives, frankly, finding a way of getting one over on The Man is no bad thing.

We live in an era where luxury isn’t confined to the elite anymore. Brands have stretched their allure into realms previously untouched, tempting the so-called “aspirational consumers”—ordinary people who occasionally dive into the luxe world.

McKinsey's latest report reveals that these aspirational buyers account for a staggering 50% of global luxury sales. They are, simply put, the backbone of the luxury industry’s revenue.

However, despite this significant contribution, the industry remains fixated on catering to its wealthiest clients—the top 2%, those who are already deeply invested in luxury. A recent report from Bain & Company underscores that the global personal luxury goods market reached €362 billion (£304bn) in 2023.

Yet, most of that growth came from aspirational and new affluent consumers: those who are testing the waters of luxury, rather than swimming in it for decades.

Case in point: A friend of mine, thrilled to make her first Gucci purchase, walked into their flagship store in London, only to be snubbed by the staff. Why? Because her purchase wasn’t “important enough.” Another client, let’s call him Alan, described his frustrations with Dior after buying a pair of sunglasses with a manufacturing defect. After exchanging them twice and receiving yet another defective pair, Dior refused to guarantee a perfect one. "It felt like they didn’t care at all – and this is Dior!". Where is the excellence, Dior?

These stories are just the tip of the iceberg. From faulty products to indifferent sales teams, it seems as though luxury brands have forgotten their very essence.

My own experience with Longchamp was no different. A bag, ordered online, arrived not only riddled with defects but also sporting a “Made in China” label. There’s the rub: luxury isn’t just about the product, it’s about the story, the culture, the craftsmanship embedded in its creation. As internationally renowned luxury branding expert Jean-Noël Kapferer aptly said: “When someone buys a luxury item, they are buying a product steeped in a culture or in a country.” That deep-rooted connection to its origins is what gives it value.

So, are we still buying luxury, or are we being sold an empty myth?

Have we crossed into a time where brands now chase production numbers and profits at the expense of authenticity and quality? The growing disdain for entry-level luxury items suggests the answer is yes. According to recent consumer sentiment data from Altagamma, only 44% of luxury consumers are truly satisfied with their overall experience and feel it was above expectations.

Remember what Guillaume de Seynes of Comité Colbert once said: “A luxury good is something that can be repaired.” Not just used, flaunted, and discarded. And Denis Darpy, another luxury expert, added another layer to this understanding—luxury is about experience, exception, excess, and excellence. Let’s break this down.

Experience. The very act of buying a luxury product should feel like a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Exceptional service, human connection, and a memorable experience are non-negotiable. You’re not just purchasing a handbag, a watch, or a fragrance—you’re buying a story, a moment of joy.

When it’s well done, it pays off: take Ruby, when she went to buy a Louis Vuitton wallet, the sales representative’s attentiveness and effort made her feel as if she was making an important investment, saying, "They let me touch everything, answered every question. That’s how it should be." Yet, time and again, consumers walk into stores only to feel judged, ignored, or, worse, rushed through an uninspired transaction.

Exception. True luxury is about standing apart from the crowd, offering something that no one else can. Whether it’s a rare product or a distinctive service, there should be no comparison.

Excess. Surprising the customer, going beyond their expectations: that’s what makes an experience extraordinary. But we’ve all heard horror stories. Take the viral incident where a woman in China, tired of poor service at a Louis Vuitton store, made staff count over 600,000 yuan (around £64,000) in cash, then left without buying anything. Revenge and humiliation from the customers is the opposite of excess, it shows how far below the expectations their experience had gone.

Excellence. At the core of every luxury brand should be an unwavering commitment to quality. When brands cut corners and let faulty products slip through, they betray the trust of their customers. A Birkin bag isn’t just expensive because of the name—it’s because of the meticulous craftsmanship, the heritage. That’s luxury. Has the industry forgotten this? One shopper I spoke to shared his disappointment when purchasing a Balenciaga product: “It was expensive, but the quality wasn’t there. It just didn’t feel right, and I felt cheated.”

Aspiring luxury consumers are savvy. They know when they’re being sold a watered-down version of the real thing. And if brands continue on this path, they risk alienating the very people who will soon be their most loyal—and potentially wealthy—clients.

We’re seeing luxury brands slowly morph into mere factories, churning out low-quality items that bear the logos of once-great names.

The allure of luxury’s democratisation was seductive. But in their rush to open the gates, brands are sacrificing their soul.

Here’s the truth: it doesn’t matter whether you’re buying Dior Haute Couture or a Dior fragrance. You should feel like you’ve entered the same world of luxury. The price tag may change, but the experience and the commitment to quality should never waver. The democratisation of luxury should not mean its dilution.

Luxury’s appeal lies in its promise. Break that promise, and you’ve shattered the very foundation of what keeps customers coming back. We’re at a crossroads, and brands must choose: continue down the path of mediocrity, or rediscover the magic that makes luxury, well, luxurious.

Because in the end, those aspirational customers you’re neglecting today? They’re the same ones who, a few years from now, will either be your biggest advocates—or your harshest critics. And trust me, they’ll remember which brands kept their promise from the very beginning.