The new Space Age
From the launch of SpaceX’s Starlink network to John Lewis’ Christmas ad, we’ve seen how an investment in space sets off a new fascination in culture – as was the case during the first Space Age in the 1960s. With so many Earth-bound challenges to reckon with, giving attention to the ultra-wealthy few who might one day enjoy space could be a cultural disconnect. But the images from the James Webb telescope are different from Bezos’s, Branson’s, and Musk’s intergalactic contests. When people feel stressed about the world, we know they look to the stars. During the pandemic, for example, we saw many men turn to astrology for guidance around uncertainty. And the power of nature has long been extolled for its mental and physical health benefits. In the digital age, people want to escape into the wild. Space is an extension of this. But the James Webb images also take us back to something more concrete – back to the power of science and of human endeavour. After a period of alt faith and following the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, the power of science is being revisited by brands as a means of building trust and to communicate authority and purpose. With 56% of 18- to 35-year-old Germans saying they would prefer to live in the past and 62%of Gen Z globally saying that their future causes them the most anxiety today, scientific discoveries can spark creative imagination around the future and inspire hope for solutions. For brands stuck in a nostalgia rut, harnessing that sense of wonder and the power of progress is something to celebrate.
