The past decade has seen political polarisation – accelerated by social media’s filter bubbles and echo chambers – deepen and mutate. An ominous era of a polycrisis has shattered any remaining societal consensus. Meanwhile, powerful anti-establishment voices have stepped into the void.

Today, audiences are shaping the cultural agenda. Empowered to speak up for the causes they believe in, people are actively calling out brands they see as inauthentic. What are the main drivers of this behavioural shift? And how can brands win the trust of these outspoken advocates?

As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

The Malaysian chapter of the BDS movement saw its brand sentiments fall drastically after McDonald’s Malaysia sued the group for inciting a boycott. The dispute highlights the tensions among people’s attitudes towards social justice causes and what they expect from brands when it comes to advocacy.

People are increasingly accused of staying in their political echo chambers online and IRL. Bubbel Chat is trying to shift this narrative by providing an online space where Dutch people can talk across cultural divides and foster conversations that lead to greater empathy.

Are we experiencing extremist backlash following substantial social progress? Will election season jeopardise international collaboration? What role do brands have to play in fostering dialogue? In this part of the 2024 Expert Outlook, we speak to Thomas Geven about next year’s political landscape.

Will right-wing populism be replaced by degrowth environmentalism? Why are LGBTQ+ communities embracing queer joy? And what is the future of sustainable development? In this part of the 2024 Expert Outlook, we speak to three experts about how crises and communities are shaping citizenship.