The Subthread (Page 9)

Forget About Micro‑Aesthetics, Find Macro Truths

We don’t live in one stream anymore – we surf many. Trends come and go, but shared moments and routines are what shapes the culture brands should care about. We just need to slow down to see what really matters.

Culture

Alex Zeevalkink

Nov 26, 2025 — 4 min read

Digital Twin, Human Truth

Marketers are piloting audience digital twins to shortcut slow and siloed research. Anthropologist Adam Bai argues twins built on representative data, validated against humans, can bridge the ‘say vs do gap’ and speed decisions across teams.

Marketing Tech

Hannah Bowler

Nov 25, 2025 — 5 min read

Keeping authenticity when writing with AI (without becoming a slop brand)

AI can accelerate your written work. It can also really flatten your brand. Here’s how to keep your voice – and your audience’s trust – intact.

Marketing

Tom Rivers

Nov 21, 2025 — 2 min read

The Aftermath Economy

In the “aftermath economy,” the real value of entertainment now lives after the broadcast – inside fan-led conversations, theories, and communal reinterpretations that complete the work and drive its cultural power.

Culture Sport

James Kirkham

Nov 20, 2025 — 5 min read

The Creative Stack: Flora

Welcome to The Creative Stack, a new regular spotlight on the creative AI platforms shaping brand work. What do users of these platforms think are their biggest strengths and weaknesses? In this week’s edition, Hannah Bowler talks Flora.

Creativity Tech

Hannah Bowler

Nov 19, 2025 — 6 min read

The Productivity Playbook: Descript

This week we focus on Descript; the all-in-one editing workspace that makes video creation feel easy for small teams.

Productivity Productivity Playbook

Rich Hewes

Nov 18, 2025 — 4 min read

Tyler Berry, creative director and co-founder of YeahNice

The Uncanny Valley of Brand Storytelling

Brands are so excited to show off their forward-thinking use of AI that they're forgetting what makes adverts resonate. Creative director at brand design studio YeahNice, Tyler Berry, talks about human connections and the real creative benefits of AI.

Creativity

Tyler Berry

Nov 17, 2025 — 4 min read

Are We Living in a Creative Nightmare, or a Creative Knightmare?

We’re quick to call it “AI slop”, but the real question isn’t whether brands use AI – it’s who’s holding the story. From the TV show Knightmare to Daisy by O2, this piece looks at how better storytelling can turn AI chaos into work that actually resonates with people.

Creativity Tech

Rich Hewes

Nov 12, 2025 — 6 min read