Lessons from Formula 1’s Off-Track Expansion

In the ever-evolving landscape of brand marketing, cultural relevance is the north star. While traditional metrics like sales and market share remain essential, the brands that truly thrive are those that embed themselves into the cultural zeitgeist. Formula 1’s recent off-track expansion is a textbook example of how to master cultural relevance by extending brand influence far beyond the core product.

From Racetrack to Runway: The Expansion of F1’s Influence

Under Liberty Media’s stewardship, F1 has shed its image as a niche motorsport for die-hard fans and embraced its identity as a global entertainment juggernaut. The shift from a purely competitive spectacle to a multimedia entertainment property has unlocked vast new revenue streams. From star-studded events like the F1 75 launch at London’s O2 Arena to immersive experiences like the F1 Exhibition and F1 Arcade, the brand now offers multiple entry points for fans — both avid and casual.

What makes this strategy so effective is its alignment with cultural moments. Take the Netflix phenomenon Drive to Survive, which humanised drivers, crafted compelling storylines, and created a binge-worthy narrative for audiences beyond motorsport enthusiasts. Similarly, partnerships with Lego and Mattel transformed the F1 experience into tangible, playful moments for all age groups, generating billions of views through engaging activations like the Lego F1 cars racing around the Las Vegas Sphere.

Creating Cultural Capital: More Than Just Merchandise

F1’s partnerships are not merely transactional — they build cultural capital. Aligning with the right collaborators amplifies relevance. From nostalgic licensing deals with Snoopy and Lego to tapping into Hollywood with Brad Pitt’s upcoming F1 movie, the sport has intentionally extended its universe. It’s no longer just about who wins the Grand Prix; it’s about how fans experience F1 through stories, products, and social moments.

This multi-channel approach mirrors the Disneyfication model — offering diverse brand touchpoints that cater to different life stages. The brand experience evolves from toy cars in childhood to immersive gaming bars in adulthood, demonstrating longevity and sustained relevance.

Lessons for Brands: Crafting Cultural Relevance

For brands seeking to replicate F1’s success, here are three key takeaways:

1. Narrative First, Product Second: Build stories that resonate emotionally. Audiences want to engage with brands that offer cultural storytelling, not just transactions. F1’s storytelling — from on-track rivalries to driver personalities — has become a key draw.

2. Expand Your Universe: Collaborate with culturally relevant partners to create unexpected experiences. Partnerships that align with fan passions — music, film, gaming — offer authentic extensions of the brand.

3. Engage the Senses: F1’s CCO Emily Prazer noted the importance of enabling fans to “smell it, touch it and sell it to understand it.” Brands that prioritise immersive, experiential moments — whether physical or digital — deepen emotional connections.

The Future of Cultural Relevance

The brands winning in today’s culture-led economy are those that embrace entertainment, storytelling, and experience. As the traditional lines between sport, music, film, and lifestyle blur, brands that integrate themselves into these narratives will stand out.

F1’s journey serves as a powerful reminder: cultural relevance is not a byproduct of success — it is the driving force. For marketers, the challenge is clear: campaigns are essential, but thinking beyond them to create lasting cultural moments is what truly sets brands apart. The brands that do will find themselves not just participating in the conversation, but leading it.

Tariff Threats, Cultural Fallout: How Trump's Trade War Shapes Brand Influence in Sports, Music, Entertainment, Alcohol, Beauty, Tech, Gaming, and Luxury Fashion

As Donald Trump escalates his rhetoric around tariffs and trade wars, brands across sports, music, entertainment, alcohol, beauty, tech, gaming, and luxury fashion face a new wave of uncertainty. While tariffs are traditionally discussed in economic terms, their ripple effects extend far beyond pricing and supply chains—impacting cultural relevance, brand positioning, and consumer sentiment in profound ways.

The Fragility of Cultural Capital

For brands, cultural relevance isn’t just about selling products—it’s about shaping conversations, driving engagement, and building communities. Tariffs disrupt this equilibrium by forcing brands to rethink their partnerships, pricing, and global market strategies. In industries reliant on cultural cachet—where perception is everything—this unpredictability is a dangerous game.

Music, Entertainment & Sports: A Collateral Cultural War

The music and entertainment industries are deeply intertwined with global trade. Merchandising, touring, streaming, and even the availability of musical instruments and production equipment are all vulnerable to tariff hikes. If Trump's policies trigger retaliatory measures from key markets like Europe or China, artists and entertainment brands could face rising costs, regulatory hurdles, and strained international relationships.

Canada has already warned of the impact of tariffs on the live music industry, with the Canadian Live Music Association’s president and CEO, Erin Benjamin, highlighting the uncertainty caused by these threats. While acknowledging the risks, she also pointed to opportunities for the domestic music scene, reinforcing the importance of supporting local talent. Similarly, Spencer Shewen, artistic director of the Mariposa Folk Festival, noted that Canadian talent is becoming even more dominant in response to these trade disruptions. (rootsmusic.ca)

Sports brands, which thrive on cross-border sponsorships and global fan engagement, also risk disruption. If tariffs hit apparel and footwear—industries already navigating economic headwinds—companies like Nike, adidas, and Puma may pass costs onto consumers, affecting accessibility and eroding brand loyalty. Meanwhile, American sports leagues with international ambitions (such as the NBA and MLS) may face backlash if geopolitical tensions sour overseas market expansion.

Alcohol & Beauty: Luxury, Exclusivity, and Market Volatility

The alcohol and beauty industries thrive on perception. Luxury spirits and premium beauty brands are global status symbols, carefully curated to resonate across cultures. But tariffs on European imports—think Scotch whisky, Champagne, and premium fragrance houses—create pricing volatility that alters the aspirational appeal of these products. Trump’s recent threat of a 200% tariff on European wines, Champagnes, and spirits has raised alarms among U.S. importers and retailers, with industry leaders warning of drastic reductions in demand. 

This isn’t just an economic issue; it’s a cultural one. If once-affordable luxury becomes unattainable, brand desirability could shift, opening the door for regional competitors to fill the void.

Luxury Fashion: The Price of Prestige

Luxury fashion is particularly vulnerable to tariffs, as it relies heavily on European craftsmanship and heritage. Iconic brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, and Prada may face higher import duties on leather goods, handbags, and apparel. This could force them to either absorb the cost, reduce margins, or increase prices—potentially alienating aspirational consumers and affecting desirability.

A significant part of luxury fashion’s cultural relevance stems from its accessibility at various levels, whether through entry-level products like perfumes and accessories or high-end ready-to-wear collections. If tariffs disrupt this balance, the exclusivity that defines luxury could shift—creating an opportunity for emerging designers or locally produced alternatives to capture market share.

Additionally, the resale market—driven by platforms like The RealReal and StockX—could also be affected, as pricing adjustments ripple through the industry. This would impact not only luxury houses but also the broader ecosystem of influencers, stylists, and cultural tastemakers who contribute to brand storytelling and desirability.

Tech & Gaming: The Cost of Innovation

Tech and gaming are arguably the most exposed industries in this scenario. Manufacturing dependencies in China, Taiwan, and South Korea make hardware companies and gaming brands vulnerable to cost spikes. PlayStation, Xbox, and PC gaming brands may be forced to adjust pricing or delay product launches. Meanwhile, content creators—whose cultural influence extends beyond gaming into music, fashion, and film—may find sponsorship deals and brand collaborations disrupted as companies cut budgets in response to rising costs.

Analysis suggest that these tariff measures could lead to a 0.3% decrease in the U.S. GDP and a 0.2% reduction in the capital stock, reflecting potential declines in investment and economic growth. 

The Brand Strategy Imperative

For brands navigating this turbulent landscape, staying culturally relevant requires more than just financial agility. The brands that will emerge strongest are those that:

1. Double Down on Localised Storytelling: Brands should pivot their marketing strategies to lean into regional narratives, ensuring resonance even if global trade frictions impact accessibility.

2. Strengthen Authentic Collaborations: Strategic partnerships with artists, athletes, and cultural icons can help maintain brand desirability despite economic uncertainty.

3. Emphasise Sustainability & Ethical Sourcing: In a world increasingly driven by conscious consumerism, brands that champion domestic production, sustainability, and ethical sourcing can turn trade challenges into opportunities.

4. Adapt Pricing & Accessibility Strategies: Flexible pricing models, exclusive drops, and creative bundling can help maintain consumer interest despite tariff-induced cost fluctuations.

Final Thought: Tariffs as a Cultural Test

Trump’s tariff threats aren’t just about economics; they’re a litmus test for brand resilience in an era of geopolitical and cultural flux. The most successful brands won’t just react to economic policy—they’ll shape their own narratives, ensuring they remain relevant, desirable, and culturally indispensable in a world that’s constantly shifting beneath their feet.

The question is: will your brand weather the storm, or will it become another casualty of cultural irrelevance?

The Future of Gaming in 2025: AI, Live Service Fatigue & Industry Shifts

Key Takeouts

• AI in game development is a double-edged sword, offering efficiency but risking a loss of creative integrity.

• Live service models are losing favour, with audiences seeking more meaningful, contained experiences.

• The console wars are fading, as access and cross-platform experiences become more important than hardware.

• Funding challenges threaten innovation, with financial pressures limiting the scope for experimental game development.

• GTA 6 will be a defining moment, setting the tone for the future of AAA gaming and open-world experiences.

The global games industry in 2025 finds itself in an era of transformation, teetering between innovation and instability. What was once a space of boundless expansion has hit an inflection point, where technological disruption, economic pressures, and shifting player expectations are forcing the industry to redefine itself. The question now is not simply what games will look like in the coming years, but whether the structures that have sustained the industry for decades can continue to hold.

One of the most contentious developments is the increasing presence of AI in game development. On the surface, AI-powered tools promise efficiency—faster asset creation, streamlined animation, even AI-driven narrative design. But beneath the surface lies a deeper, more uncomfortable debate. What happens when automation starts to displace human creativity? The industry has always thrived on artistic expression, on the distinct fingerprints of developers crafting something singular. If studios prioritise AI-generated content to cut costs, will we see a decline in the uniqueness that makes games a cultural force? The push-and-pull between technological progress and creative integrity is set to define this decade.

Beyond the question of AI, the business of gaming itself is under scrutiny. Live service models, which once seemed like the holy grail of engagement and revenue, are now facing significant fatigue. While some franchises continue to dominate, the market is oversaturated, and audiences are growing weary of time-consuming, microtransaction-heavy experiences that demand continuous investment. Players are signalling a desire for more contained, meaningful narratives rather than endless content cycles, yet publishers are still gambling on the next big live service hit. The industry stands at a crossroads—will it double down on a model that is proving increasingly unsustainable, or will it recalibrate to meet the changing desires of its audience?

At the same time, the hardware landscape is undergoing a shift that few could have predicted a decade ago. The traditional battle between gaming consoles is becoming increasingly irrelevant as cross-platform play, cloud gaming, and subscription services break down the old silos. The latest console iterations have struggled to justify their existence in a market that is no longer defined by hardware exclusivity. For the new generation of players, access and experience outweigh brand loyalty, and the companies that embrace this reality will shape the future of the industry.

But for all the conversations around technology and business models, one of the most urgent challenges facing game development today is funding. Even as gaming continues to expand its cultural footprint, financial pressures are mounting. Major studios are downsizing, independent developers are struggling to secure investment, and the market is flooded with an overwhelming volume of new releases competing for limited attention. Where does the money come from for the next wave of truly groundbreaking games? If the financial structures underpinning the industry continue to shrink, we risk a landscape dominated only by the safest, most commercially viable projects, leaving little room for bold, experimental work.

Perhaps the clearest indicator of where the industry is heading lies in the anticipation surrounding GTA 6. Few games carry the weight of expectation quite like this one. Beyond being a guaranteed commercial juggernaut, it will set a precedent for the future of open-world gaming, player-driven content, and the broader blockbuster gaming experience. Will its approach reaffirm the industry's reliance on vast, expansive worlds, or will it point toward a new direction where more curated, concentrated experiences take centre stage? More than just a release, its impact will be a statement on where gaming is headed.

As 2025 unfolds, it is evident that gaming is in a moment of cultural and structural transition. The industry must decide what kind of future it wants to create—not just in terms of technological advancement, but in how it values creativity, sustainability, and the communities that sustain it. Whether this moment leads to reinvention or stagnation will depend on the choices made now, but one thing is certain: the future of gaming is being written in real time.

The Evolution of Podcasts: Navigating a Shifting Cultural Landscape

Not long ago, defining a podcast was simple. It was an audio show, distributed via RSS feeds to various platforms, consumed primarily through listening. But today, the lines are blurred. YouTube is now a leading podcast platform, Spotify has embraced video, and monetisation has expanded beyond ad sales into live tours, merch, newsletters, and social media activations. The very notion of what a podcast is—and where it belongs—has become increasingly fluid.

This shift is not just about semantics; it has profound implications for creators, audiences, and the business of content distribution. The once-clear boundaries between podcasts, traditional broadcasting, and influencer-driven media have dissolved. Today’s biggest podcast names are just as likely to be digital-first content creators who bypassed traditional audio production as they are veterans from public radio. The industry is being reshaped by new audience behaviours, platform priorities, and the rising power of personal brands.

The Fragmentation of Audio and Video

For years, podcasting was an audio-first medium, a space where storytelling, conversation, and journalism thrived through the power of the human voice. But as visual platforms like YouTube and TikTok push further into spoken content, podcasts are becoming a hybrid of audio and video experiences. Does this mean a podcast is now simply content that can be understood whether heard or watched? Some argue that the term no longer serves a clear purpose at all.

A similar shift occurred in television and film. Streaming services disrupted traditional formats, blurring distinctions between cinema and episodic content. Now, podcasting is experiencing its own disruption. “Simulcast,” “new broadcast,” and other attempts to redefine the space hint at a broader transformation. The medium is no longer constrained by its original technical definition; it is evolving into an adaptable, multi-platform experience.

The Business of Podcasting: Where Do Creators Fit?

As the industry expands, so do the economic stakes. Who owns the rights to monetise a podcast when it exists as a YouTube series, a live tour, and a merch-driven brand? Should podcasters be classified as influencers, tapping into the multi-billion-dollar creator economy, or should they remain within the podcast advertising ecosystem? These questions are no longer theoretical—they are shaping the financial models that sustain creators and networks alike.

Podcast networks and platforms must now structure deals that account for the fluidity of content distribution. The power dynamics between creators, distributors, and advertisers are shifting. The challenge is not just about defining what a podcast is, but also about ensuring sustainable revenue streams for those who create them.

The Future of Podcasting: A Cultural Reframing

At its core, podcasting has always been about storytelling and community. Whether through an intimate conversation, investigative reporting, or deep-dive analysis, the format thrives on engagement. Perhaps the most enduring definition of a podcast is not a technical one, but a cultural one: a platform for voices, narratives, and ideas to resonate in an increasingly fragmented digital landscape.

If podcasts are to remain relevant, they must continue to evolve alongside audience habits and technological shifts. The question is not just “What is a podcast?” but “How do we continue to build meaningful experiences in a world where content exists everywhere?” The answer will shape the future of storytelling itself.

Kendrick Lamar Just Proved: The Revolution Will Be Televised

9th February 2025

Cultural relevance isn’t just about showing up—it’s about shaping the moment. And last night at Super Bowl halftime, Kendrick Lamar did exactly that on one of the biggest stages in the world.

From Samuel L. Jackson playing a modern-day Uncle Sam—mocking Kendrick and telling him to “play the game”—to Lamar standing in front of an American flag formed entirely by Black dancers, every frame of his Super Bowl LIX halftime show was designed to challenge, provoke, and solidify hip-hop’s place at the centre of culture. As he stood before the flag performing HUMBLE., the message was clear—sit down, be humble wasn’t just a lyric, it was a challenge to the system itself. Gil Scott-Heron’s words echoed louder than ever—this time, the revolution was televised.

Dressed in Deion Sanders’ classic Nike sneakers and flared Hedi Slimane Celine jeans, Kendrick blended high fashion with hip-hop’s DNA, while his pgLang ‘GLORIA’ jacket and ‘a minor’ chain teased the Converse collab drop that went live right after the show. Cultural storytelling at its finest.

But beyond the style, the gaming references ran deep—because Kendrick isn’t just tapping into the culture; he’s part of it. A well-known gamer, he’s spoken about his love for video games, and last night, that influence was undeniable. The set itself was a giant controller, symbolising the struggle for power, agency, and who really gets to “play the game.” From the 8-bit “Game Over” text flashing on-screen to the dancers wielding controllers, Kendrick turned the performance into a statement about control, rebellion, and breaking free from the system. The Squid Game influence was unmistakable—just like in the series, the rules are rigged, but Kendrick made it clear: he’s playing his own game.

And in a political climate where Trump is calling for the “termination” of DEI programs, Kendrick’s performance felt like direct resistance. A reminder that hip-hop is built on defiance, on truth-telling, on pushing back against a system designed to exclude. As some politicians try to erase diversity initiatives and roll back progress, Kendrick stood centre stage proving why representation isn’t a “trend”—it’s the culture.

Then there was Serena Williams, mid-performance, Crip Walking in A Ma Maniére x Converse Chuck 70s—a full-circle moment from the move she was once criticised for at Wimbledon, now immortalised on the biggest entertainment stage in the world. And the fact that Serena—Drake’s ex—was dancing just as Not Like Us shook the stadium? A subtle but undeniable moment in Kendrick and Drake’s ongoing beef.

And when Not Like Us hit? That wasn’t just a song—it was a power move. Hip-hop doesn’t just belong on this stage. It owns it.

A halftime show that won’t just be remembered. It’ll be studied.