2026 Predictions: Culture and Brand
Trends That Will Drive Conversations in 2026 (Part 2)
Following part one, which explored our health and wellness predictions, part two turns to the culture and sports trends we expect to generate major buzz this year.
GUERRILLA SPORT
With the World Cup just around the corner, we will see brands activate in new ways. Traditionally, only brands with official sponsorships could show up and truly have a presence at major sporting events such as the World Cup or the London Marathon. Last year, we saw the rise of guerrilla activity with Gymshark and Nike popping up at the likes of Hyrox unofficially, under the guise of supporting the athletes, not the games.
We expect to see more of this this summer, brands showing up unexpectedly with fan experience as the top priority, and it is the right move. Move budgets from ‘doing’ to ‘sponsoring’ and create curated moments your community can be part of, not just see on their favourite influencers' grid.
REAL ART
One thing we touched on briefly in our 2025 wrap-up was Burberry handing the keys to its social channels to artists, bringing real, handmade art back into focus. They weren’t the only brand to do this, and the engagement on these posts speaks for itself. From animators to illustrators to stop-motion artists, the luxury brands' feeds were full of them, and their followers couldn’t get enough. What this speaks to is embracing imperfection again. With software like Midjourney rising in popularity, AI art being spotted and called out in major productions such as the BBC’s The Traitors, we are missing the expression of hand-drawn, human art. Yes, it may take longer, yes, it might take up a bigger chunk in the budget, but realism is a commodity going up in stock and artists - from grassroots to major is something we should all be investing in to give our brands that unmistakable, human touch again.
IRL
In-person experiences have been on the rise since the post-COVID period, with brands and people alike keen to get together and mingle once again. So what’s different now? Well, as reports and insights suggest, we have reached ‘the peak of social media’. Fatigue and over consumption is rife, and people are beginning to push back. More than ever, we’re seeing the pendulum swing back to analogue lifestyles, with offline being seen as the pinnacle of exclusivity, coolness and wellness. Brands would do well to embrace this change by investing in third-space activities and communities to encourage the shift. Think a drinks brand sponsoring a local chess club hosted in a pub, a panel talk & lecture held in a jazz bar. Offline lifestyles rooted in IRL connection don’t mean it’s the end; it’s time to meet your audiences where they are and show them you not only understand them but are willing to support them.
EXCLUSIVITY IN SPORT
Once the masses have it, it’s no longer worth having. It’s a phrase that’s been thrown around a lot in 2025, from body types to designer items, and whilst we saw accessible fringe sports such as Chess and Callisthenics have their moment, in 2026, we expect to see this come to a halt. An emerging elitist and exclusive sport will take centre stage, such as skiing, polo, horse riding,g and even sailing. But it’s not really about sport; it’s about gatekeeping and exclusivity and will only be seen in the top celebrities’ Instagram feeds. For those brands that chase authenticity rather than embodying it, this will be a challenge. For those who know who their audience is and are cemented in serving them, they will stay firm, as this too shall pass.
LONGFORM VS SHORTFORM
The short attention span of Gen Z and younger generations was evident in every upfront deck slide from 2020 to 2023. ‘You need to grab their attention in the first 8 seconds!’, ‘You NEED to be on TikTok, content should be snappy and impactful’, ‘Make sure the talent and editing is interesting, or they’ll switch off! However, possibly linked to the switch from a chronically online to an elusively offline lifestyle change, longform is making a comeback. We saw it first with YouTube - the platform seemed to only be kept alive by men with niche interests at meal times, the OG vloggers platforms dwindled, and many assumed it would be a dead platform in a couple of years, but in 2025, they came back swinging.
Now we’re seeing the potential for Reddit to overtake TikTok. From career advice to travel recommendations to deep dives on movies & niche topics, Reddit is now the go-to for many over other social platforms. Maybe it’s AI brain rot forcing people to counteract (watching Gen-Z ‘raw dog boredom’ videos shows this conscious effort in practice), maybe it’s the overconsumption fatigue of ‘short, snappy content’. But what this shows is that real, imperfect stories aren’t dead, and the masses yearn for relatability over aspiration. Brands should embrace a two-way dialogue with their communities and not overlook the opinion leaders and tastemakers their audiences follow, as they might hold the key to unlocking more potential this year.
EMPATHY & CO-CREATION
One of the most notable social impact campaigns we saw in 2025 was ASICS ‘The Undropped Kit’. And we expect to see more of this year. Brands that lead with empathy, uphold two-way dialogue, and put this into practice through co-creation with their communities will thrive. People are done with brands and creators telling them to ‘run, don’t walk’ to buy a product they never really needed. What’s going to stand out are the moments that actually evoke emotion and discourse. Don’t just follow the trends; engage with your audience, find out where they are and what they need, and go do it. That’s how you’ll break the ice in 2026.
2026: The year of keeping it real
Influence will matter less in follower counts and more in credibility and lived experience. Events that cut through will be in-person, creating real moments of connection. And when brands talk to consumers, they’ll need to do so with honesty, relevance and care.
That’s how impact will be built this year - not by shouting louder, but by showing up better.