Buckle up! In a quick recap of the last few weeks, we’re diving into viral campaigns, new trends, algorithm updates and the latest from our creative playground.
Pop Culture & Trends
- Ed Sheeran’s Bangalore Busking Gets Busted
Ed Sheeran went viral when his busking plans on Church Street were interrupted by Bangalore police. The singer memed the moment in a reel recapping his most recent India tour, where he also hung out with Arijit Singh and John Abraham.
- The White Lotus Frenzy Takes Over — Thailand Feels the Rush
Inspired by HBO’s The White Lotus Season 3, a wave of screen-inspired tourism is sweeping Thailand as luxury bookings and searches are surging. The White Lotus redefines luxury by blending opulence with authentic local culture. This isn’t just about travel; it’s a narrative experience that taps into a deeper longing for escape.
- Kendrick Lamar reigns supreme at the Grammys and Super bowl
Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ sweeps both the Grammys and the crowd at the Super Bowl Halftime show. Not only has Lamar’s song (a diss track against Drake) grown into a huge cultural moment garnering 277K UGC and 1.54B engagements in the past 90 days, but also his Super Bowl show was lauded for relevant racial commentary against the backdrop of the recent U.S. elections.
- Mrs. takes on the patriarchy
An adaptation of the Malayali film ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’, ‘Mrs.’ stars Sanya Malhotra and has sparked online debate on the invisible labour and struggles of Indian women in the domestic sphere.
- Gen Z is changing the ways in which it consumes both: drinks & love.
-IRL making a comeback through virtual? From book clubs to singles mixers, IRL meets are making a strong comeback. The underlying current? Young Indians moving away from apps to find love in-person, through subtle online interactions. Platforms like Twitch, Discord, and Strava — once purely interest-based — are now also matchmaking hubs where shared passions spark organic relationships. For a deeper dive, check out our piece “The Swipe Economy is Buckling”.
A worldwide “sober-curious” movement is making its way across India with a surge in brands making alternate products for rising demand of non-alcoholic cocktails and even the entry of new brands like “Sobriety Sips.” We’re also seeing this spilling over into the way gen z experiences its nightlife with a niche of “sober raves” in daylight and in cafés likely to go mainstream. Read our piece “Welcome to The New-Age Sober Rave Era” for more deets.
Brand Campaigns
- Duolingo’s owl mascot died – and came back to life
Duolingo announced that its beloved green owl mascot had died and shocked the internet. Over the years, the owl mascot has earned celebrity status as a meme and its death got responses from other brands like Netflix, Chipotle, XBox, Utz Snacks and even Dua Lipa. In another smart marketing move, Duolingo said that the owl could be resurrected if people did their lessons, showing how brands can build their own lore and tell stories without relying on external cultural moments.
- Nike and Skims join forces
Nike announced NikeSkims, an athleisure sub-brand in collaboration with Kim Kardashian’s Skims – a move that has been in the making for the past two years. While Nike gets to capitalise on Kardashian’s social media cult success, Skims earns legitimacy as a brand by being associated with one of the most iconic sports apparel companies in the world.
- Valentine’s Day had quick commerce brands dialing it up and others trying their best with “gen z speak”
5 star humorously tried to “Destroy Valentines Day” with the uncles as the flagbearers of it, while Crocs took to on situationships with Jackie &Orry, converting this unexpected collision into absolute fan frenzy. Orry also made his way with Tinder to “Axe the Ex” while Allen Solly played on Zeenat Aman’s gen z personality way before gen z existed.
-Last minute gifting and urgent orders, become a vast opportunity space for Quick comm platforms to play on modern dating struggles and gen z lingo: with Blinkit gamifying love, Zepto delivering for all kind of loves in 10 minutes, Bigbasket’s love language game and Swiggy Instamart and its unabashed push notifications.
- Motorola taps Paris Hilton for its latest Y2K-inspired phone
To capitalise on the current Y2K frenzy, Motorola has launched a limited-edition Paris Hilton Razr+ phone that includes an engraved autograph from the heiress with custom ringtones. This is a perfect collaboration for a public figure and electronic gadget that were both emblematic of the 2000s.
- IKEA slides into your DMs
Around Valentine’s Day, IKEA messaged influencers and customers in Canada saying, “u up?” Using a cheeky phrase that signals the possibility of a late-night hook up, IKEA sent a free mattress to those who responded. In a twist to the common free giveaway model, IKEA’s direct messaging campaign was timely, simple and used cultural lingo of today’s day and age without seeming try-hard.
- Chipotle debuts a national TV ad in the metaverse
Chipotle showcased a 60-second ad on its sustainability efforts on Roblox, an online gaming platform. The animated spot debuted in a virtual movie theatre as well as a side quest, and the first 50,000 viewers received a free entrée coupon. Chipotle is now among other brands focusing marketing efforts in the metaverse and especially on gaming platforms.
- Under the shadow of Trump 2.0, Super Bowl ads don’t make much of a splash
During Donald Trump’s first stint as U.S. president, major companies like Airbnb, Smirnoff, 84 Lumber, Kia, and T-Mobile trolled him in ads even at the Super Bowl. However, we’re seeing a shift in the general attitude towards Trump – one reflected in this year’s Super Bowl commercials. From Carl’s Jr. to Ram Trucks, brands lean on the male gaze with a “rightward sheen” at worst and, at best, confused, diluted messaging while they figure out where their audience’s ideologies land in the new political era.
Creative Tech & Platform Updates
- Adam Mosseri breaks down how Instagram’s algorithm treats watch times
Users were concerned that lengthier Instagram videos will be downgraded because they’ll need a longer watch time to reach a percentage threshold to be recommended by the algorithm. However, app head Adam Mosseri explained that the algorithm looks at both elements – percentage of a video watched as well as total watch time. This means a 10s watch time on a 10s video is considered the same as a 10s watch time on a 90s video. While Mosseri has not disclosed the weightage of these elements, it’s clear that the app wants you to continue posting longer videos.
- 88 Games launches animated mythology platformer ‘Kapih’
Bangalore-based developer 88 Games is debuting Kapih, an action platformer rooted in Indian mythology and folklore. Available on PC, PS5, and XBox, the adventure game is set in the Ramayana and features traditional artwork like Madhubani, Thanjavur and Warli.
That’s it.
That’s the drip from Kulfi Collective! Stay tuned for more culture insights, trends and moments next month!
