cult following

YouTube has dropped its latest Culture & Trends report and what can I say? They’re spitting pure facts. As online communities are growing, fans are not just consuming content but actively shaping it - creating, discussing and expanding on the things they love.

Back in its prime, McDonald’s used to provide a world-building eating experience that catered to a child’s imagination. Nowadays, it’s nothing but overpriced, overrated and filled with overhead lighting. No marketing effort can fix a franchise that’s as welcoming as a hospital.

Oh, the quirks of marketing! One day a dolphin video goes viral and next thing you know, marketing managers are having to convince a room full of executives double their age on why jumping on this trend will increase engagement.

Whilst likes and comments have dominated metrics on platforms like Instagram, it’s great to see the dynamic shift towards the “send” metric. Why? Because amidst a plethora of active users that post, like and comment, lies an even greater pool of “invisible” users who frequent the platform but might only share content via DM.

For a platform that has left quite some friction for many creators, X’s new major change to the user experience has dug itself another hole by eradicating a cult favorite discovery feature.