Gen Z is embracing art, cultivating knowledge spaces, co-creating fandoms and reviving analog media as currencies of cultural influence and value in an AI-saturated era. Reflect on this month’s trends spotted by GPJ Strategists Catherine Wallin and Meghan Michalski.
Creativity is the new strategic advantage
Young people turn to art and craft as future-proof skills in an AI-threatened economy.
Historically, economic instability pushed students towards “safe” career paths like law, medicine, or finance–but with AI upending knowledge work, Gen Z is making a surprising pivot towards the arts and craft. With record-high applications to NYC art schools, surging U.S. enrollment in Canadian art institutions, and even tech parents pushing their kids towards creative paths, all signs point to a generation betting that human creativity is harder to automate than spreadsheets or code.
Digital gardening nurtures depth over virality
Audiences are embracing evolving, living knowledge spaces instead of polished, fleeting online posts.
Digital gardening has quietly existed for years, but it is re-gaining traction as a rebellion against stream-driven platforms. Unlike polished posts designed to go viral, digital gardens are living “knowledge gardens” where ideas are planted, revisited, and connected over time. They are messy, iterative, and interconnected–reflecting growth instead of perfection. For audiences burned out by algorithms, this slower, more intentional approach feels refreshing.
Taking fandom off the couch and into phygital spaces
Younger generations redefine participation in fandom–swapping traditional broadcasts for creator-led experiences.
YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket partnership makes a strategic pivot in how broadcast media is consumed–from pairing live content with live creator commentary and fan edits, to merging matchmaking and online gaming with live sports experiences. Watching Monday Night football from the couch no longer guarantees community or cultural cachet. Media is showing a growing preference for participatory spaces where consumers can shape cultural dialogue in real-time.
Analog media fuels unfiltered storytelling
Creators are using zines and analog media to bypass algorithms and reclaim narrative control.
As mainstream social platforms are starting to feel crowded, curated, and constrained, consumers are turning to zines and nontraditional media to create spaces free from algorithmic control. Zines represent more than nostalgia for print—they’re tools for autonomy, creative freedom and deeper connection. Gen Z sees them as a way to own the narrative, control distribution, and build smaller, more intentional communities, without interference from engineered feeds or content moderators.
OUT-THERE EXPERIENCES
People, brands and marketers continue to push the boundaries of physical and digital experiences, with new and creative executions popping up across the globe.
This liquor brand’s four-stage, multisensory tasting journey celebrates the art of dilution, taking attendees inside the bottle (literally and figuratively).
OLIPOP partners with Austin Motel to create neon-lit hotel suites inspired by different flavors of soda and eras of design.
Fans experience the magic of Oz in hypersphere, entering a fully immersive, AI-powered adventure in Vegas.
This streaming service sets its sights on retail, introducing malls that immerse shoppers in fan-favorite shows via merch, eateries and activations.
Catch up on all our previous Experience Intelligence reports. Or schedule a strategy session with us!
