The world of brand, marketing, and PR never sits still. What worked yesterday feels stale tomorrow, and the smartest brands are already looking for ways to stay ahead. Here are five key trends shaping the landscape right now along with real-world examples and questions to help you decide if they fit your strategy.

Social platforms have become the new entertainment studios – places where audiences binge, discover, and emotionally invest in stories. The twist? Brands aren’t just buying airtime anymore. They’re creating the shows.

The real differentiator isn’t how many people see you—it’s how many feel like they belong with you. That’s the shift: from audience to community.

In a world where everything feels like it lives on a screen—our schedules, our reminders, even our shopping lists—there’s something refreshing about a physical object that earns its place in your daily life.

At Merrick Creative, we believe the most powerful brands don’t just speak—they spark conversations that shape culture. This week, we’re proud to announce the launch of Merrick Studios, a new podcast network we’ve built in partnership with Grammy-nominated rapper and entrepreneur Bun B and music industry veteran Jeffrey Sledge.

Podcasting has grown up. It’s no longer two people yelling into a USB mic in their kitchen (though, to be fair, some of those shows are still great). Now we’ve got networks — real, curated ecosystems of shows — connecting brands with hyper-engaged audiences in ways banner ads can only dream about.

For most consumers, it’s not enough for products to just taste and look good: they need to do good too. 

What does it really mean to “go viral” on Instagram in 2025? And more importantly—how do you replicate it? We recently took a deep dive into a real-world case study that breaks the mold: the Instagram account @rhymecology.