Social media has the ability to send its users into a spiral of self-pity one day and transform their lives through the power of community the next. Canvas8 spoke to Sarah Raphael, co-author of Mixed Feelings, about our love-hate relationship with social media and what this means for brands.

Cultural memory is getting shorter, with mass digitisation causing people to seek solace in the recent past. But it’s not solely about innocence – ‘nowstalgia’ is fuelled by a desire to reimagine and right perceived wrongs. So, how is a meme mindset impacting Gen Z’s media consumption and style?

On its 20th anniversary, iPod is making an unexpected comeback as a collectible item for Gen Zers seeking to turn an old-school gadget into a niche status symbol. Taping successfully into Gen Zers subcultures is a challenge, but it may be a way to re-energise brands and products.

Cryptidcore is an internet esthetic that’s captured a Gen Z desire of unearthing mythical creatures and 80s mystery cases. More young Americans are pining for fantasy in their lives, and they’re satisfying this appetite by meshing elements of rewilding and nostalgia in pop culture.