, it’s easier and more tempting than ever to chill at home – 

 say they prefer staying in at weekends over partying. And while they kick back, they’re looking for media that is easy to watch. Research shows that 

 say their favourite guilty pleasure is watching daytime or reality TV. It's why Adam Sandler's comedies The Do-Over and The Ridiculous 6, which have been trashed by critics, are some of the 

Escapism is a major pull for trashy media. But it’s not just telly that does the job. “When you're feeling out of control in the real world, you can step into a game where you've got much more control,” 

. Nearly 19 million people now play video games in the UK, but for those who aren’t hardcore gamers, the likes of Candy Crush, Angry Birds and 

 Hollywood offer that sought-after mindlessness. The latter got more than a million downloads in the first two weeks of its release.

 reporting increasing levels of stress and anxiety in their daily lives, the lure of vegging out is undeniable. Research conducted at the Yale Center for Customer Insights confirmed the theory that the presence of guilt increases sentiments of pleasure. And because people have become 

, there’s a chance for brands to capitalise by playing up feelings of guilt.

From playlists we hope no-one ever finds to the foods we only eat alone, everyone has at least one guilty pleasure. But does keeping quiet about one’s secret loves heighten the feel-good factor, or simply contribute to cultural snobbery? And how might brands rethink the use of guilt as an emotion?

What makes guilty pleasures so appealing?

Spotify boasts over 100 million users, who generate masses of data each day. For the ‘It’s Been Weird’ campaign, the streaming service has used this information to weave narratives around people’s listening habits, exposing their guilty pleasures and secret, themed playlists on billboards.

Spotify – It's Been Weird: celebrating guilty pleasures

Raye made history at the 2024 BRIT Awards by winning the most awards by any artist in a single year. Her old-school sound and authentic approach to artistry have captured the attention of fans and the music industry, catapulting her to star status in an overcrowded music landscape.

How Raye captures the attention of Gen Z music lovers

GagaOOLala, Asia’s pioneering LGBTQ+ streaming service, aims to spotlight queer stories in mainstream media. The platform mirrors a surge in demand for queer content and the progress of the community’s rights in Asia, catering to a group that had little to no media attention up until recently.

Why GagaOOLala uncensors the stories of queer Asians

With their formative years hindered by pandemic lockdowns, it’s no wonder why Gen Alphas found comfort in online communities. On the gaming platform Roblox, Southeast Asian Gen Alphas advocate for their beliefs – from politics to religion – in a way no other generation has before.

Why Roblox became Southeast Asian Gen Alphas’ social podium

As TikTok's fate in the US hangs in the balance, India's 2020 ban could be a cautionary tale. India's bold move disrupted its thriving creator scene, forcing a migration to new platforms. Now, the US weighs its options, urging a rethink of digital landscapes amid global tensions.

India banned TikTok. Can US TikTokers use this as a blueprint?

Responding to long-running fan demand, ABC firefighter drama 9-1-1 has introduced a bisexual storyline. Once hidden away in corners of the internet,  brands are increasingly inspired by the creativity of fan fiction to create bold, nuanced, and unapologetically queer narratives.

9-1-1 queer romance spotlights engaged fandom

Content creator Nara Smith has garnered a colossal TikTok following by posting romanticized from-scratch cooking videos. Her popularity stems from a desire for slow content, a need for relief from burnout, and aspirations for traditional lifestyles as viewed through the lens of social media.

How Nara Smith captured Gen Z’s homemaking aspirations

Boys’ Love media usually features fresh-faced male characters encountering slightly varied struggles. Heaven Official’s Blessing smartly subverts these tropes, placing a queer couple in a distinctly traditional Chinese context and putting their character development at the centre of the story.

Why Heaven Official’s Blessing rewrites Asian boys' romance

Political parties leveraged digital technology, social media influencers, and artificial intelligence (AI) to attract hundreds of millions of Indian voters in the 2024 general election like never before, raising concerns about the misuse of AI and exposure to misinformation and one-sided opinions.

How AI and deepfakes are changing how Indians vote

Social media can be a powerful tool for social change, but it's also a repository for many harmful ideas about what masculinity should look like. Danny Dyer’s How to Be a Man hosts conversations about changing notions of masculinity that social media has struggled to make space for.

Danny Dyer uses TV to advocate for modern masculinity

GameScent is introducing smell to the gaming world, aiming to offer gamers a truly immersive experience. With gaming continuing to be a core route to escapism through immersive play, AI-enabled activations can support immersive and realistic experiences that deepen world-building for players. 

GameScent uses smell to enhance gamer immersion

Generative AI (GenAI) has swept across all industries, including the Indian film world. However, GenAI usage must pass the test of transparency, ethics, and privacy. As people in India share that they trust all that comes with AI, the burden of authenticity lies heavy on the shoulders of creators.

How AI is rewriting Indian cinema

Maataso stands out from her fellow J-beauty influencers by downplaying her looks with refreshing hilarity, maintaining relatability even after undergoing trendy plastic surgery. Her fans' positive response says a lot about Japanese beauty ideals and her talents as an entertaining Mom YouTuber.

Why Maataso glamourises the ‘ugly’ parts of J-beauty

TikTok is launching a new photo-sharing app, TikTok Notes, to rival Instagram, reflecting the growing trend of personalized online experiences and the decentralization of information. However, TikTok's algorithm-driven approach has already received some pushback from users.



TikTok challenges Instagram with new 'Notes' photo app

Xydrobe has announced Harrods as the first retail partner for its multi-sensory VR cinema, providing a diverse program of tactile, immersive experiences. With audience expectations around experiential shopping increasing, digital integrations can enhance storytelling and community engagement.

Harrods to offer multisensory VR experience for shoppers

Billboard is launching an interactive mobile game that lets fans 'predict the hits' and be rewarded for their accuracy. Music is rapidly becoming a participatory and interactive experience, with brands offering new ways for fans to engage with and enjoy their favorite artists and songs.

Billboard Hot 100 game encourages fan participation

Billie Eilish has gained nearly seven million Instagram followers in two days after adding all followers to her Close Friends stories. Social media has evolved to become more exclusionary, and communications are shifting to favor more closed-door communities to create a sense of connection.

Billie Eilish Instagram stunt adds millions of followers

Brands are using paparazzi shots as marketing tools, blurring the line between authentic endorsement and calculated promo. This trend taps into our fascination with celeb culture and fits into a wider blurring of reality, from AI shaking up truth to curated 'authenticity' on social media.

Paparazzi shots as marketing blur reality and fiction

Funding, opportunities, and employment in arts and culture have long been concentrated in London. However, with government support and local initiatives, the country’s Northern cities are reshaping the cultural landscape, encouraging participation and fostering diverse pools of creative talent.

How Northern cities are reshaping UK culture

The ‘Patron Saint of Situationships’ returns! Following the success of her single, ‘B.A.D,’ Filipina R&B artist Denise Julia has released ‘Sugar n Spice,’ a feel-good track embracing same-gender attraction, which resonates deeply with listeners seeking representation and authenticity.

How Denise Julia revives Filipino R&B for global listeners

Acting as a home away from home, equipped with gaming consoles, board games, vinyl players, and film screens, a new breed of socialising spaces is encouraging visitors to connect and engage in person. These venues foster community and belonging in an increasingly isolated digital landscape.

Why Southeast Asian hobbyists are flocking to co-playing spaces

Naver, South Korea’s biggest search engine, has created interactive shopping experiences and a thriving online community. Through its combination of group-buying, live e-commerce, and AI-generated ads, it continues to make exciting improvements that keep it at the top of the game in South Korea.

How Naver decodes Korean shoppers’ online lifestyles

Come for explicit photos of celebrity crushes, stay for the community. From an Instagram page to organising physical exhibits, Y2K Kabaklaan’s intentions are simple – to usher in a safe space for pent-up gay desires and to document an unforgettable epoch in Filipino pop culture.

Why Y2K Kabaklaan archives Filipino queer desires

Music festivals in Australia are collapsing due to environmental stressors, post-pandemic fallout, and young consumers seemingly becoming less keen to sign up for multi-day fetes. What direction will the future of live music take, and how will it adapt to the new generation’s evolving preferences?

Is Australia over music festivals?

According to a new poll, Gen Zers and Yers believe that they’re spending too much money on streaming subscriptions. Mobile content is proliferating while young people are looking to cut costs, leading many to change their streaming behaviors and look for more affordable solutions.

Gen Zers look to cut back on streaming subscriptions

Praised as an edgy blend of Jack Ryan and Girls, spy dramedy Mr. and Mrs. Smith reinvents the aughts-era Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt film by highlighting Gen Y relationship anxieties. Its success speaks to younger generations' hunger for bold and subversive storytelling.




Mr. and Mrs. Smith spotlights Gen Y malaise

Music is becoming increasingly globalised as listeners seek artists and genres across languages and cultures, resulting in more diverse line-ups at festivals and other live music events. How is the rise of globalised music changing mainstream festival culture and appealing to younger audiences?

How ‘borderless’ music is shaping festival culture

A 2024 study has shown that a majority of Americans believe the government is concealing information about UFOs. As distrust in American institutions grows, people are increasingly interested in conspiracy theories and other alternative explanations to make sense of the world.

Americans believe the government is hiding UFOs

Ayo Edebiri has become a cultural icon, resonating deeply with Gen Z thanks to her authenticity and humor. From comedy hustle to prominent roles in shows like The Bear and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she’s highlighting people’s demand for more authentic voices and figures in culture.

Why Ayo Edebiri appeals to the Gen Z girlies

TikTok has launched a revised rewards programme for creators who drive higher audience engagement. As people increasingly rely on online creators for recommendations, how can brands ensure that people receive tailor-made content that feels authentic and driven by values?

TikTok updates its reward offerings for creators

Several approaches have been developed to teach young Southeast Asians money management. However, economic issues and hustle culture make lessons hard to remember. That’s why The Simple Sum keeps financial literacy simple through bite-sized comic strips about real-life budget experiences.

Why The Simple Sum strips money talk down to comic truths

The US Major League Baseball (MLB) is looking to achieve success beyond its home field. MLB’s decision to venture into South Korea is a strategic decision to engage the nation’s notable talents and its world-renowned fandom culture, which catapulted homegrown entertainment to the world stage.

How MLB scores global popularity from Korean sports fans

Prime Video has cut staff and stopped funding original content in Africa, highlighting the difficulty of expanding into new markets with Western-centric products. Meanwhile, ShowMax has emerged as the preferred choice among viewers due to its rich local content and market knowledge.

Prime Video cuts African content as Showmax wins viewers

A report released by streaming platform Tubi shows that 74% of Gen Z and millennials prefer original content – reflecting a broader demand for fresh, diverse storytelling over remakes. This signals a shift towards authentic, innovative experiences over nostalgia when consuming media.

Gen Z is tired of movie remakes

As trust in celebrities declines, a crop of young popular figures is emerging and tapping into authenticity to capture young audiences. What’s behind this new era of approachable celebs and how can brands hone in on fans’ desires to witness their favorite stars in relatable scenarios?

What’s behind the new era of relatable celebrities?

South African sensation Tyla made history by winning the inaugural Best African Music Performance award at the Grammys. Her rapid ascent to global fame, rooted in her genuine authenticity, ushers more spaces for global music in the mainstream, led by the likes of Afrobeats and Amapiano DJ remixes.

How Tyla bolstered the global appeal of African music

The French star has become the subject of a vitriolic, racism-fuelled backlash sparked by her rumoured performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. As populations become increasingly polarised, brands have the opportunity to remain vocal and ensure that all identities are represented.

Aya Nakamura faces backlash over French heritage 

Climate change is a leading issue and the UK government has committed to a net zero emissions pledge by 2050. To reach it, voters must also take action and need political parties to support them. But in economically unstable times, how can political parties mobilise Gen Z voters?

How do UK voters feel about climate policy?

Skibidi Toilet disregards conventional storytelling. The eccentric animated cartoon about toilet wars has taken off on YouTube and is dominating Gen Alpha’s digital realities through fun, short-form content, blending nostalgia with innovation to capture audiences’ attention.

How Skibidi Toilet leverages nostalgia for Gen Alpha

Restless Dance Theatre is a contemporary dance troupe that works with artists of diverse abilities. Their inclusive approach to the performing arts has garnered acclaim, expanding the definition of creativity in a society working hard to provide more welcoming spaces to people with disabilities.

How Restless’ dancers with disabilities take centre stage

A survey has found that Americans want authentic depictions of work and family in TV shows and movies. Amid the rising inflation and cost of living, people are connecting with honest on-screen portrayals, creating an opportunity for brands to provide positive representations in mainstream media.

US adults want work-life balance depicted on screen

According to a new poll, Americans prefer to stream movies rather than watching them in theaters, despite recent box office successes pointing to a desire for spectacle and communal experience. Post-pandemic, Americans’ desire for communal experience and convenience appear to be at odds.

Americans prefer streaming movies over going to theaters

As the first generation of true digital natives, it’s no surprise that Gen Alphas are already engaged in the news. Australian youth stay in the loop through video explainers and short-form updates – but these kids are still in need of more robust digital literacy skills and forums for discussion.

How are Australian Gen Alphas getting their news?

In a global campaign, Eastpak shines the spotlight on the creativity and resilience of live action role-play (LARP) communities. No longer viewed as a siloed form of entertainment, there's an opportunity for brands to tap into the power of niche subcultures and garner authenticity.

Eastpak campaign taps into creativity of LARP culture

With two studio albums and a social media following of over seven million, Gen Z jazz star Laufey has taken the music world by storm. Leveraging TikTok and Instagram, the artist has weaved her nostalgic sound with modern-day sentiments to create a captivating world known as ‘Laufey Land’.

How Laufey is bewitching Gen Z jazz lovers

Juergen Teller’s unapologetically DIY photography continues to spark controversy, with detractors dismissing his work as lazy or disrespectful. But with AI-generated imagery spreading overprocessed allure, Teller's raw and unvarnished photographs emerge as a potent antidote to the digital zeitgeist.

How Juergen Teller captures unvarnished authenticity

The Taiwanese series Let’s Talk About CHU was a regional hit in and outside Taiwan thanks to its buzzy sex scenes and universal themes. Its success proves that cultural interchange, Asian language content, and Southeast Asian creativity are lucrative forces in streaming.

How Let’s Talk About CHU universalises the Asian tongue

As beacons of queer excellence, Drag Race spin-offs in Asia have brought a wave of inclusivity to screens and stages. The series bites into the appetites of millions of underrepresented members of the LGBTQ+ community and more as it just keeps getting bigger, more popular, and better.

Why Drag Race sashayed into Asia with queer excellence

Regional music styles have evolved in Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, the popularity of ‘budots’ (‘slacker’ in the Visayan language) from a grassroots scene to a mainstream genre shows that it could redefine Filipino dance music, which in the past has been heavily inspired by the West.

How Filipino EDM genre budots took street music worldwide

More and more Gen Alpha gamers in Southeast Asia are finding support and community via online games, creating multiple opportunities for brands looking to join the fun. Savvy marketers have begun partnering with popular Twitcher streamers and YouTubers, tapping into the gaming community's idols.

Why games are the new social media for Southeast Asian Gen Alpha

A report has revealed that almost half of adults using TikTok have never posted a video. Combined with its increasing use as a news source, the use of the social media platform solely for consumption increases the challenge for brands to ensure the information they share is verified.

Report reveals that TikTok has more lurkers than posters

Drag Den features the Philippine drag scene by being a drag reality show for Filipinos by Filipinos, demystifying the country’s queer culture and its roots. Promising authentic queer content made accessible to the mainstream, it treads both TikTok virality and global streaming.

How Drag Den models the unfiltered joy of Filipino queer politics

Gen Zers are leading a charge back to the tangible, heralding a renaissance of cassette tapes and analog culture and reshaping how young adults interact with music, media, and each other. How can brands leverage this shift to forge deeper connections with this demographic?

What’s driving the cassette comeback?

Disney has unveiled its first animated series with the release of the miniseries Iwájú on Disney+. Set in the Black Panther universe and telling the story of a young girl in Nigeria, the show leans into desires for greater representation and a shift towards short-form, immersive content.

Disney releases first ever animated series, Iwájú

Tyler Perry is warning of the potential impacts of OpenAI's Sora AI video tool on jobs in the film industry. Recognising both its creative potential and the damage it could cause to many people's careers, Perry's approach symbolises a broader polarisation of views on the technology.

Tyler Perry warns of AI's impact on the film industry

Lapse enables people to capture ‘analogue’ photos with their smartphones.  Users need to wait while their snaps are 'developed’, with no option for editing or retaking. Combining the practicality of smartphones with the charm of analogue photography, Lapse aims to help Gen Zers be more present.

Lapse taps into Gen Zers’ nostalgia for analogue life

Spotify has launched an in-house music consultancy called AUX that will guide brands on how to use music in advertising and pair them with musicians. As the UMG x TikTok clamp down puts music discovery in flux for emerging artists, Spotify aims to connect brands with their community of creators.

Spotify consultancy connects brands with emerging talent

McDonald's has introduced a four-episode campaign to pay tribute to the chain’s omnipresence in anime and manga, reacting to the art form's growing popularity among young people worldwide. Even heritage brands like McDonald's are getting in on the act, demonstrating the rising power of fandom.

McDonalds taps anime fandom with limited series

Ticketless Swifties in Australia attended the Melbourne Cricket Ground to get as close to the Eras tour as possible – without actually getting into the show. As the power of fandom continues to grow, there is an opportunity to consider how all fans can be engaged, even those 'outside' of an event.

Swifties attend Eras tour without tickets to Taylor-gate

An Apple TV+ special gives a background to Franklin Armstrong, the first Black character in the long-running cartoon strip Peanuts. The show demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity and representation by addressing its history while continuing to evolve alongside important conversations. 

Peanuts special champions diverse narratives

A 50-part video series posted by TikTok user Reesa Teesa detailing her ex-husband’s pathological lying has gone viral on the platform. Exemplifying social media as reality entertainment, the phenomenon also reveals people’s paradoxical attitudes toward long-form storytelling.

‘Who TF Did I Marry’ storytime takes TikTok by storm

CunBA, a form of ‘grassroots basketball,’ has taken over Chinese social media with its widescale livestreaming of games featuring smaller towns, eliciting competitive hype around the sport. It brings China’s disparate minorities closer while raising a new, promising crop of homegrown ball players.

How CunBA carries grassroots sports to online virality

AI is set to transform the world of arts and culture but in line with its cataclysmic impact, a counteracting movement is forming, fighting against the proliferation of automation in the creative industry. How is this rebel faction protecting the human premium and intellectual property of artists?

The modern Luddites' fight for the human premium in AI

Joe Biden’s presidential campaign has officially launched on TikTok. However, with neither government officials nor social media being trusted sources of information, people still need reassurance that measures have been taken to protect online vehicles for civic engagement.

Biden team brings presidential campaign to TikTok

A mass exodus is underway in Nigeria as young people and those within the tech and creative fields attempt to escape an array of political, security, and economic problems at home. What exactly is driving the ‘japa’ phenomenon, and can anything be done to address the motivations of these emigrants?

How the Japa phenomenon hurt Nigeria’s creative capital

On Kuaishou, you’re likely to find slices of life in the countryside on videos or live broadcasts. The app has enabled countryfolk to break into the digital landscape, leading to the rise of rural content creation and e-commerce that empowers market growth in the middle of village life.

Why Kuaishou grows the influence of rural living in China

Media and Entertainment

People are taking pleasure in vegging out

Watching the latest Ezra Edelman documentary or Charlie Kaufman film can give you bragging rights – but for many people, the shows and movies they want to binge on aren’t so high-brow. After a long day at work, many would rather settle down in front of easy-to-consume media that lets them switch off. Think bingeing on Gossip Girl over O.J.: Made in America.