2025 calls for rhythm. While everyone loves the virality of a trend, brands have struggled to create consistent trend-led experiences in 2024. Why? Partly because micro-trend cycles have become even shorter and niche trends have emerged at lightning speed, leaving little room for forward planning.

As brands scrambled to keep up with the rapid pace of these trends, the focus often shifted to reaction time, sometimes at the expense of the authentic and human connection piece of live experience. This reaffirms that culture should shape brands, not the other way around. 

Navigating this relationship is akin to the game of Double Dutch; it’s crucial to understand that it’s the real subset of people in niches who hold the ropes and set the rhythm, not brands. The brands and agencies that will thrive are those that know how and when to dance their dance and when to let those ropes skip on by. 

So, what does this mean for live experiences trends in 2025?

Truth one: leveraging cultural capital Trend inflation is real, and it’s all a result of brands getting into debt, hastily going all in on the wrong trend. Successful brands will astutely assess the table and play their hands wisely in 2025. 

Truth two: subcultures are evolving People are transiently shifting from a life dedicated to a subculture to living life in eras. They step in, they step out, they move on. With this in mind, we hope to see brands in 2025 seeking to understand subcultures holistically to create experiences that truly resonate.

Truth three: authentic narratives Brands will need to shift their focus from quick reaction times to genuinely understanding the niche cultures before they jump in. Using our Double Dutch metaphor, it means that the people holding the ropes will change at any given moment, and potentially the rhythm of the ropes, too. Clearly, jumping in faster isn’t a good strategy. Watch the hands to understand the rhythm. 

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