More Speed. Less Patience.

And better results too? Naturally.

Nothing gets slower.
And the expectation is still ‘better results.’

In marketing, the default reaction is almost always: MORE. More emails. More posts. More touchpoints. More noise.

What does that do to trust?
What does it do for originality?

We’re always testing those bounds. We’re hired to bring working solutions or strong theories from past learnings, and at this pace, when everything is bleeding edge, expectations are higher than ever.

Patience is dwindling. So let’s emphasize it. When the world is moving at 25,000 mph, we’re out here testing Restraint. How patience can move marketing.

Tim’s been taking notes on this tension as it shows up in real work with our team. This is one of those notes: Adding Restraint To The Endless Pace of Change → 

FROM THE FIELD

Did KitKat really lose 400,000 candy bars?!

Is this not an April Fools Joke?
As far as we know, it’s real. But the skepticism remains HIGH.

We’re not out here trying to give Big Sugar any additional press, but when a company with this much money gets some goods stolen, it’s nice to see it turn into a marketing opportunity.

Forbes: How KitKat Is Turning Its Problems Into Buzz →

YOUR TAKEAWAY

Patience? Mister Miyagi was right.

SERIOUS
QUESTIONS

YOU SAID IT

How do you handle the pace of change?

SOMETHING RECURSIVE

And May the Humans Be Ever in Our Favor.

Here We Go Again

The Future Is Looking…

Each year, Culture Pilot assembles a short Trends Forecast to study our potential future. Some say we're clairvoyant. Have a look back at editions for: What we got wrong (so far), 2025, 2024, 2023, and 2022.

Last year, we asked whether constants could change. Twelve months later, we’ve seen new constants forming in business, technology, and culture. But with the pace of change, has anything had time to mature?

We may not all agree on how fast things will change or who it will benefit first, but we had one prominent alignment this year, consistent for everyone on the team: 

Direction matters more than speed. 

Team Signals At A Glance

• Geoff: The K-shaped economy is getting sharper, and “AI vs non-AI” is becoming a real dividing line. Plus, money for content creators may consolidate quickly as attention fragments and monetization gets harder.

• Erma: Adaptability is the win. The toolsets are changing nonstop, and early resistance serves no purpose when there’s a clear advantage in learning the tools and making them part of everyday infrastructure.

• Susan: Execution systems matter. Workflow and structure continue to be foundational to multi-project production work. And we may start to see corners of the internet that are “AI-banned” where human content is both highly desirable and exclusive.

• Theresa: AI accelerates capability, but also accelerates inequality if incentives remain the same. Job displacement is real, and the “AI employee” pitch is not subtle. Both companies and employees need to change, or removing humans from the loop may create more loss than we realize.

• Kara: When craft, strategy, and timing align, magic happens. Achieving “lightning in a bottle” success stories is harder without creative humans. And general resilience will continue to be expected as a professional trait that may not be required, but will be highly recognized.

• Tim: Building trust is harder than ever, as society questions AI's integrity. AI commerce is moving from concept to infrastructure, creating new benefits and drawbacks for businesses and consumers. Tech acceleration is still shrinking timelines while raising expectations at an exaggerated rate, causing new mental stresses that few are accustomed to or ready for.

For a glance back at 2025 and More Details On What The Future Holds:  Open The Full Report » 

And with that, it’s time for another trip around the sun.

From everyone at Culture Pilot, we’re wishing you and yours nothing but happiness and positivity in the new year ahead.

Stay in tune and stay in touch.

We Get Things Wrong Sometimes

Let’s Inspect The Damage

THE WRONG HOLIDAY WISHLIST

​​Before diving head first into everything we got wrong, it appears we also missed the mark on this year’s holiday wishlist. We’ll let you guess which team members each of these belong to.

All Culture Pilot Wants for the Holidays This Year (wrong answers only) is… To fill the house with more stuff, because the more clutter, the better.

While we’re ignoring Marie Kondo, we’d love more ways to access entertainment. Ideally with more subscriptions and more ads. We could also use a new media format. We’ve got records, cassettes, CDs, MP3s, VHS, DVD, Blueray and streaming services. Can we add another duplicate format to collect? Ideally paired with a brand-new, really, really expensive device that only plays that format.

For when the internet is out, a Guy Fieri cookbook. And some Garth Brooks tickets to get out of the house. Staying awake for a full week without sleep is high on the list. And since we’re awake, more Google, Alexa, and Siri to talk to. Just more talking devices everywhere we breathe. Bonus points if we can bundle all that with cramps, disappointment, a little more debt, and some fresh inflation.

Because we want less of things too. Less flexibility. Less money. Far less certainty. Less fresh air. Less time to relax. Less vacation. Oh, but a stronger urge to fake our own deaths and move to Paraguay.

And if all goes well, our biggest wish of all: That somebody… anybody… will please pay attention to artificial intelligence. It has real promise. It could be the next Second Life or MySpace if researchers, investors, corporations, and entrepreneurs would quit running back to Excel and Google. All we’re saying is: Give AI a chance.

Now back to what’s really real…

WHAT WE GOT WRONG

Each year, Culture Pilot assembles a short Trends Forecast to study our potential future. Have a look back at the last few editions from the end of 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021.

Forecasts are only useful if they’re revisited so let’s get to it. Because even the times when we’re directionally right, the details may not always land. Some of our predictions held. Some didn’t. The misses are instructive for what comes next. 

Here is the reality that came to be…

AI Literacy Is Lagging Behind Adoption

At the end of 2022 and 2023, we predicted that widespread access to AI tools would be followed closely by widespread understanding. In reality, there was faster adoption than expected, but slower literacy than hoped. By mid-2024, more than half of U.S. adults reported using generative AI tools in some capacity. But organizations struggled to define best practices, schools debated bans versus integration, and many companies quietly acknowledged that usage had outpaced comprehension and SOPs.

The gap between using AI and thinking critically with it became one of this year’s defining tensions.

Remote Work Didn’t Settle

At the end of 2021, we predicted remote and hybrid work would continue to normalize into a cleaner equilibrium.

In reality, broad acceptance continues to face trust issues. We’ve come to expect more flexibility, but policies vary widely. Many companies recommitted to hybrid models, others quietly reversed course, and many stalled in between, citing concerns over productivity, culture, and of course... control. But public sentiment appears not to be changing.

This debate continues to splinter while Culture Pilot looks over our shoulders at the past 11 years in the cloud.

Consumer Trust Didn’t Rebound the Way We Expected

At the end of 2023, we predicted that growing awareness of fake reviews, automated content, and degraded customer service would force a meaningful course correction. More transparency. Clearer signals. Better guardrails.

In reality, we tolerated but didn’t necessarily reform. Consumers became more skeptical, rightly so. Fake reviews persisted. Automated customer service expanded, some of which improved. And while platforms acknowledged the problem publicly, and the FTC issued a policy preventing companies from paying for reviews or generating fake testimonials, the experience of figuring out what or who to trust increasingly fell to users themselves.

As of 2025, society is still grasping at what to do while regulations continue to fall short.

Fatigue Changed Sentiment But Did Less To Behavior

At the end of 2023, we touched on subscription fatigue, algorithm fatigue, choice fatigue, questionable news fatigue… and we expected more decisive shifts in behavior.

Instead, fatigue became ambient. People felt overwhelmed, but adapted. They complained, canceled subscriptions, or migrated subscriptions between networks. And we all grew more cynical while trying to make the best of the same systems. Convenience is still winning, even as confidence may have declined.

Fatigue does not appear to be slowing down after all. It’s becoming a part of the cultural zeitgeist. If one behaviour signal has changed, it’s that people of all ages are moving away from obtaining news from online sources, and others from anywhere at all.

Common Threads

Looking back, when we zoom out on all of this, the pace and unevenness of human response is harder to predict than the technology itself. 

Technology may have headed in the direction we thought. People on the other hand… we are so unpredictable. Even when things feel ready “on paper” and ready to roll out for testing, new tools and tech will always arrive before the new norms they create. 

And that’s where we try our damndest to pay attention.

Stay tuned for the next forecast, coming soon.

SERIOUS
QUESTIONS

YOU SAID IT

What Are Robots For?

SOMETHING TERMINATOR

If a robot uses Comic Sans, that’s when we pull the plug.

CARBS ARE CULTURE

And we’re craving potatoes.

BRAND SIGNAL

What’s the deal with Thanksgiving Turkey? Somehow it became the mascot of America’s most carb-forward holiday.

Turkey is fine. It’s a comforting anchor. But we’re all here for the sides.

The sides are the differentiators. They’re more exciting and, arguably more delicious. People notice the sides. We talk about the sides. We crave the sides. We compare them from house to house.

The sides don’t take as long to cook, and they’re usually less costly too. But they add the finesse to an otherwise basic meal.

That’s the accessory market in a nutshell.

Humans love accessories. We love the little things that make the big thing feel personal. It’s not uncommon for accessories to become as big and creative, if not more than, the thing itself.

Crocs are naked without charms these days.

Stanley cups have straw toppers, similar charms to crocs, cross-body straps, and tons of color-matching accessories.

Smartphones have cases, headphones, MagSafe wallets, mounts, ring lights, cables, tripods, and more. (Worldwide, the mobile accessory market is approaching $90B, with a third of that in the US alone)

Cars are no different. The JEEP brand following is built on accessories and customizing each vehicle to be a unique reflection of its drivers.

Even a new home is just another model without personalized furnishings and decor.

Materialistic? Maybe. But accessories make things ours.

We have a strange fascination with all the little things that make the big things feel personal. They add identity. They add story. They just make life more interesting and all our own.

The sides are the culture.

So even if we all show up for the main, it’s the side dishes, the accessories, the add-ons… they’re the reason we stick around and keep coming back for seconds.

This holiday season, watch what ends up on your family’s wish list. Chances are, it won’t be the turkey.

Until then, pass the tamale stuffing.

GO TIME

Thanksgiving small talk. For people with awkward families. Or anyone who hates trying to think of something interesting to say because the silence is D E A F E N I N G !

Ever get nervous or anxious when you’re on the way to a big friend or family gathering? It’s a hugely relatable feeling.

But don’t fret. We’re here to help those nerves be calm as a tryptophan hangover because the easiest way to engage with little effort is to treat your family like a focus group.

Sounds so loving, doesn’t it?

But it is. All you have to do is ask a good question that anyone in the room would be happy to answer. And then encourage it.

That means less talking for you, and as a bonus, it means you care enough to listen to interesting stories and opinions.

Those who listen are well-liked for good reason.

So go ahead, ask people about their travels, or their favorite new restaurant, or what new music they’re listening to, or what they think about anything other than inflation. Whatever it is you care about, get the room talking.

We’re all in this whole holiday thing together. The least we can do is keep it interesting and maybe even learn a few things in the process.

The silence can always wait.

Happy Thanksgiving from our families to yours. Now go get those carbs.

YOUR TAKEAWAY

Eat sides. Accessorize.
And don’t be shy.
You ol’ Turkey.

SERIOUS
QUESTIONS

YOU SAID IT

Desperate Rebrands

SOMETHING NON-AI

If brand judgment were a sport, we’d have all the sponsorship deals by now.

HUMANS ARE STILL OUT THERE.

Whew!

BRAND SIGNAL

AI is generating content faster than we can scroll, but the best stuff we’re seeing online right now comes from real people who still make things purely out of interest and fun.

Case in point: This 30-second broadcast TV spot for the Kashi trading platform was made almost entirely with AI (and approved by Disney to run during the NBA finals).

Dreamed up by creator, P.J. Accetturo, founder of Genre.ai, and real human (gasp!), it’s no surprise it went viral.

We love the absurdity of it all. The results don’t have to be perfect; it’s just weird, a bit nostalgic, and still relatably human.

The internet’s currently going through a shift. To summarize one of the many points made in a recent Substack entry by The Social Juice (lengthy, but well worth the read for any marketers): The web and social media as we know it is dying, and quite possibly on the verge of rewilding.

In other words, we’re moving away from hyper-optimized feeds with algorithms now focused on advertising, to spaces that feel more intimate and personal. Sometimes even quiet.

Now What?

For brands and people like us who are helping create them, we need to curate more depth. The reason the comedy skits above work is that the writing came first, and it came from a real mind. Human intellect shaped the tone, timing, and chaos before any AI model touched it.

So when social media is slowly collapsing under the weight of its own algorithms, it’s no surprise that people are drifting away from the feeds that should be catering to their specific interests with higher-quality content. Once again, instead of targeted ads.

At Culture Pilot, we’ll be studying the alternatives. Smaller spaces, stranger spaces, and maybe even slower spaces, if patience ever makes its return to humanity. Just don’t lose sight of your newsletters and the more intimate communities that work for you.

And that goes for both online and offline spaces, because in-person events and third-places are still as real as ever.

At the end of the day, creativity is still an obvious differentiator in ALL marketing. 

Because regardless of the historical data, if you don’t think your content is creative, or interesting, or entertaining, or share-worthy… chances are pretty damn good that everyone else feels just the same.

GO TIME

Experiment With Small

Pick one channel or touchpoint and make it feel smaller.

• A personal note instead of a campaign.

• A founder note instead of a press release.

• A behind-the-scenes post instead of a polished spot.

• A thought shared because it mattered instead of what was expected.

Authenticity may be an overused term but inviting people in to see something real is what human connection is all about.

YOUR TAKEAWAY

Build the things that people want to return to.

SERIOUS
QUESTIONS

YOU SAID IT

WE’VE HAD WORSE MOMENTS

SOMETHING HALLOWEEN

This Halloween, may your insights be more on display than your insides.

CHA-
CHING
GPT

Let’s go shopping.

BRAND SIGNAL

FROM THE FIELD

This past month, we launched the long-awaited SweetAndSourCandy.com website alongside our wildly talented partners at CMA Design, who led the branding and packaging design.

As the original producer of sour belt candy, the Sweet & Sour Candy brand is already in over 3000 stores nationwide, and they’re also responsible for the B2B2C production of other major sour belt candy brands through their white label program.

Another well-deserved shout-out to Bear Hands Media for their film production work and lifestyle shots that made the whole thing pop.

That’s one more collaboration for 2025, helping Texas-born products reach more customers, on shelves and online.

GO TIME

First Nudge

If a problem or an idea crosses your mind twice, act on it once.

Then keep the cycle going.

YOUR TAKEAWAY

Awareness + Reflection = Mindful. And the #1 thing people most often forget is the Reflection.

SERIOUS
QUESTIONS

YOU SAID IT

A NEW LIGHT

SOMETHING COLORFUL

Walk a mile in other people’s shoes, but never their socks.

Is that an Ad on your Fridge?

We see you Samsung.

BRAND SIGNAL

FROM THE FIELD

This month, we helped launch the splash page for Olia, whose Wefunder campaign is now live. It’s a big milestone for this San Antonio–based CPG company with ambitious growth plans.

In collaboration with founder and chef Chris Cook, longtime CPG exec and COO Mark Bair, and our phenomenally talented friends at CMA and Genius Dreams, Olia is opening the door for community support to fuel its next chapter.

When their raise hits its mark, Olia will be set to accelerate expansion and awareness, delivering their first four flavors to a much wider audience.

Visit the WeFunder and invest in something tasty AND healthy »

GO TIME

The Taste Test

If you pour a glass of orange juice and get an ad with it, the whole thing feels off. Or some might say… Sour.

It’s the same with work. When a task feels more like marketing than meaning, or if it feels like you’re just aiming to please, it’s worth asking:

And maybe more importantly:

YOUR TAKEAWAY

Progressing is not always pleasing.

SERIOUS
QUESTIONS

YOU SAID IT

FUTURE YOU HACKS

SOMETHING CRAFTY

All hail future you.

Humanoids for Sale

No Sci-Fi.

BRAND SIGNAL

FROM THE FIELD

Graphic design is in the middle of its own reset, and Adobe’s stock price is taking note.

Last week, Google released its Gemini 2.5 Flash Image generation model (code-named "nano-banana"). With Google, among many others, baking generative tools directly into its ecosystem, Adobe’s grip on an industry like ours continues to slip.

Free Gemini users get ~100 images a day for $20/month. Plus extra features rivaling ChatGPT. Adobe Photoshop costs $23/month, requires training to use well, and offers far fewer AI tools.

That’s a tough bargain, Adobe.

The week that Google ate Adobe (Business Insider) »

GO TIME

Try the “One Step Rule” to Initiate Progress.

“We should start a podcast with some fun and interesting guests. And film it in VR. And syndicate the clips on TikTok. And cut a highlight reel for Cannes Lions.”

Yes we should.

Step 1: Write a short outline of ideas for a pilot episode. Or plug in a microphone and hit record. Or buy the necessary equipment. Or schedule an appointment with a professional podcast creator.

Whatever it is, make one step toward progress and don’t let good ideas fall by the “we should” wayside.

Then keep the momentum going.

YOUR TAKEAWAY

Good ideas collapse without small beginnings.

SERIOUS
QUESTIONS

YOU SAID IT

STARTING or FINISHING

SOMETHING MENTAL

Our money is on Brain Firewalls.

Let’s Get Together
And Feel.

Alright.

BRAND SIGNAL

FROM THE FIELD

We’re halfway through Q3. Some of the professionals and randomly curious brands we’ve consulted in August include:

• Personal brand glamping (who knew)

• SaaS that actually pays musicians (who wants to invest?)

• Biotech on retail shelves (everyone wants this one thing in their home)

• Biotech in agriculture (we all need this for the food supply chain)

• A master fragrance composer (can we coin that?)

• Hotel and multi-family real estate (the market is marketing)

• An international college of cooking connoisseurs (toques make tall chefs even taller)

Who’s got next?

GO TIME

How to Say Thank You Like a Human?

Whether in-person or online, a real thank you makes someone feel seen and appreciated. That’s a distinction for anyone, from entry-level to executive suite.

How do we sharpen our appreciation?

Be specific.

Make gratitude meaningful.

And generally, just try not to be an asshole. It’s not that hard.

YOUR TAKEAWAY

Being present
makes communication
matter more.

SERIOUS
QUESTIONS

YOU SAID IT:

The SECOND Best Time To START

SOMETHING HUNGRY:

Fuel Your Loop.

AI Is Eating The Internet.

And it never has too many open tabs.

BRAND SIGNAL

FROM THE FIELD

We had a packed house at the CPG Houston Happy Hour this past month with our first spotlight guest, Lisa Pounds, CEO of Sunrise Organics & Naturals.

She touched on her journey from leading and existing startups to years of consulting and how it’s impacted her current role.

A big thank you to Lisa for sharing candid lessons from the Health & Wellness CPG world and helping us walk away with insights, laughs, and more ideas.

What’s next? 
Sign up and join us in August.

GO TIME

Check Your Unique Curiosity Hooks.

Pick one important page from your website and ask:

Now more than ever, we need to answer YES to BOTH.

The goal is to recognize what people care about and why our answer matters.

YOUR TAKEAWAY

Curiosity builds trust faster than confidence.

SERIOUS
QUESTIONS

YOU SAID IT:

How Do You Break Ice?

SOMETHING BLUNTLY EMOTIONAL:

If only CTRL-Z worked on Trust

Everybody Wants To Rule The World.

We’re just trying to keep up.

BRAND SIGNAL

FROM THE FIELD

One of the newest members of the Culture Pilot cohort? A luxury fragrance brand rooted in Houston. Retail. Scent. Identity. We’re going to market from the ground up, and we can’t wait to share what’s coming in the months ahead.

And while new brands are still heating up, so is the talent pool as unemployment rates continue to teeter. If you know anyone #opentowork, please send deets so we can continue to expand the circles and do our best to connect some much-needed dots.

As always, if you know someone looking for growth strategy with built-in brand and marketing execution, please consider making an introduction. The best conversations often start through people who know what we’re about.

You just might be the dot connector that helps someone get started, go to market, and reach well beyond.

GO TIME

Run this with your team:

You don’t need to fix every assumption.

The goal is to recognize which ones are helping and which ones are quietly costing you trust, attention, or opportunity.

YOUR TAKEAWAY

Poor leadership buries great thinking.