Research in progress

Topics

Changes worth following. Evidence, interpretation and the questions that remain open.

Translated from Brandstar’s research notes. Source snapshot: 18 July 2026.

The rise of atomic content ↗

The useful unit of brand content is becoming smaller: a line, a detail, a complete point of view.

Brands seek a lasting place in people’s lives, rather than treating every encounter as another opportunity to expand.

Alongside conquest and performance, outdoor brands are making room for everyday enjoyment.

How brands translate Chinese and wider East Asian cultural references into contemporary life, beyond borrowed symbols.

For brands reaching seven, ten or eleven years, an anniversary can be an operating question rather than only a celebration.

Stores, pop-ups and exhibitions become places where a brand’s story can be encountered, as well as places to buy.