The reflections in this article are drawn from the latest episode of The New Mainstream podcast, featuring Michelle O’Grady, Founder and CEO of Team Friday. In the conversation, we explored what the Super Bowl halftime show revealed about culture, risk, and the widening gap between where audiences are and where many brands still feel comfortable operating.

Super Bowl LX was not just a sporting moment. It was a cultural one. While the NFL rolled out multimillion dollar ads and brands leaned into the safety of familiar formulas, the performance that captured global attention was not a 30 second commercial. It was the halftime show headlined by Bad Bunny, a spectacle deeply rooted in identity, community, and Latino culture.

Although the performance was celebrated by millions and watched by more than 128 million viewers, many brands chose to play it safe. Instead of participating in a cultural conversation unfolding in real time, they retreated to traditional creative structures. That choice offers a strategic lesson for marketing, research, and brand leadership teams.

More than entertainment: A visible cultural narrative

Bad Bunny did not approach the halftime show with a neutral set. His performance was filled with cultural symbolism, from scenes reminiscent of Caribbean neighborhoods to the inclusion of figures like Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, along with a “casita” that symbolized home, community, and cultural heritage.

Most notably, the performance was delivered primarily in Spanish, without translation. It reinforced that Latino culture can occupy the center of a stage historically dominated by Anglo narratives.

For millions of Latinos, this was not just a performance. It was an act of historic visibility, both for Puerto Rican culture and for the diverse Latin American identities present across the United States.

Why did so many brands play it safe?

Super Bowl campaigns often follow predictable paths:

• Humor designed to appeal to everyone.
• Nostalgic references without controversy.
• Familiar celebrities detached from cultural context.

This approach aims to minimize risk. But it also limits deep cultural relevance among audiences that no longer consume monolithic messages.

While Bad Bunny embraced his identity, language, symbolism, and roots, many brands stayed within comfortable zones. Not because they did not want to connect, but because they were not accustomed to participating with cultural context, meaning, or authentic narrative.

This is not a critique of specific creative executions. It is a strategic observation.
When the cultural conversation is strong, playing it safe can mean opting out of the very dialogue shaping your category.

Culture is not aesthetic representation. It is context and meaning.

A key theme in the discussion around the halftime show has been the distinction between visibility and cultural fluency.

It is possible to appear diverse on stage without truly speaking from culture. But Bad Bunny did something different. He told a cultural story that was recognizable and meaningful to his community, even when most of the content was in Spanish. That decision disrupted expectations of “neutral entertainment” at a global event.

This depth matters for brands that want to move beyond surface level representation:

• It is not enough to feature diverse faces.
• It is not enough to reference music or visual aesthetics.
• The strategic challenge lies in understanding the deeper meaning behind cultural symbols and articulating them with respect, authenticity, and purpose.

Three strategic lessons for brands and marketing teams

1. Cultural specificity does not dilute reach. It expands it.
   
   Bad Bunny demonstrated that cultural specificity does not limit resonance. His show reached more than 128 million viewers, and his music saw significant streaming increases, including traditional tracks.
   
   The principle is clear. When brands speak from authenticity, the message can travel farther than when it conforms to neutrality.
   
   
2. Avoiding politics does not make a brand neutral. It can make it irrelevant.
   
   Culture and politics, especially around identity, immigration, and representation, are already part of consumers’ lived realities. Ignoring them does not remove them. It simply leaves a vacuum others will fill.
   
   
3. Culture moves faster than many internal organizational structures.
   
   Pop culture and digital communities evolve rapidly. Organizations with rigid processes often struggle to keep pace. The new mainstream is not waiting for brands to decode cultural signals in hindsight.

Some brands chose safety. Others now have the opportunity to demonstrate that they understand more than the surface of culture. They understand its context, its history, and its emotional power.

In the new cultural economy, what moves markets is not only what is seen. It is what is felt, understood, and shared.

Listen to the full episode of The New Mainstream podcast to hear Michelle O’Grady, Founder and CEO of Team Friday, discuss how culture, risk, and strategy shape major brand decisions.

Meet our Guest:


Michelle O’Grady is a communications strategist, media psychologist, and speaker focused on belonging, identity complexity, and organizational transformation. With over 20 years of experience advising foundations, public health leaders, and global brands like Google and AARP,Michelle brings a rare blend of lived experience, research, and real-world strategy to understanding cultural ecosystems and multi-hyphenated people. She is the founder of Team Friday, a creative agency advancing cultural fluency across media, policy, and marketing.

Michelle holds a master’s degree in Media Psychology and is currently pursuing her PhD in Human and Organizational Development.

3 Key Insights from the Study and Why Los Angeles Will Be the Ultimate Growth Lab

The 2026 World Cup in the United States will bring together the most diverse, multicultural, and digitally connected sports audience of the decade. A national quantitative study by ThinkNow identifies three core business levers that will define brand success during the tournament: multicultural excitement, second-screen consumption, and concentrated spending on food, beverages, and merchandise.

Download the full report here.

When activated with a mobile-first strategy, authentic cultural representation, and hyperlocal execution, these levers can drive measurable brand and sales impact. Interest in CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, and UEFA also shows that the World Cup is only the entry point to a much larger opportunity: the continued growth of soccer in the U.S.

When these findings are connected to “The World in One City” framework, which positions Los Angeles as the cultural epicenter from 2026 to 2028, a clear playbook emerges to win the 2026 World Cup and build long-term advantage heading into the 2027 Super Bowl and the 2028 Olympic Games.

Multicultural Excitement Is the Engine of the 2026 World Cup

Nearly 73% of fans in the United States say they are “very” or “extremely” excited about the 2026 World Cup. Excitement is even higher among Hispanics, Asians, Gen Z, and Millennials, who experience the tournament as a global celebration that reinforces identity, pride, and community connection.

For brands, this makes the World Cup a powerful catalyst for social conversation, emotional resonance, and advertising effectiveness, especially when messaging reflects real experiences rooted in family, neighborhood, and cultural heritage.

What brands should activate:

• Storytelling that blends global celebration with personal and community connection
• Multicultural casting and multilingual messaging, distributed across platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and WhatsApp

The Second Screen Is Where Attention Is Won

During the 2026 World Cup, attention will not live on a single screen. 59% of fans plan to use a second screen while watching matches, and that number rises to 78% among Millennials and Gen Z.

Television remains important, but the full World Cup experience plays out across digital platforms, where fans consume highlights, stats, chats, memes, and real-time reactions. Campaign performance will depend on designing mobile-first journeys that activate fans during key match moments.

What brands should activate:

• Real-time offers and activations during matches (minute 30, 45, and 90)
• Vertical highlights, snackable stats, and post-match retargeting using UGC and social commerce

Where the Money Is During the World Cup

Consumer spending during the World Cup is highly concentrated in food, beverages, and merchandise, categories tied directly to watch-party rituals and fandom behavior:

• 67% purchase chips or snacks
• 56% soft drinks
• 53% alcohol
• 39% jerseys, hats, and team gear
• 47% say they enjoy advertising during the tournament, signaling high creative receptivity

The World Cup does not just attract attention. It creates predictable, high-intent purchase moments.

What brands should activate:

• Watch-party bundles with QSRs and retailers, supported by ZIP-code-level offers
• Merchandise drops with soccer aesthetics and collaborations with local creators

Beyond the World Cup: Soccer as a Growing U.S. Market

Fan interest does not end with the final match. The study shows sustained enthusiasm for teams and competitions from CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, and UEFA, extending engagement across international leagues, qualifiers, and regional tournaments.

Business implication:

The World Cup is the entry point. The real value lies in building always-on soccer strategies, supported by editorial and commerce calendars that keep audiences engaged year-round.

Why Los Angeles Is the Right Place to Win (2026–2028)

The ThinkNow L.A. – The World in One City initiative shows that Los Angeles concentrates the forces shaping the future American consumer: multidimensional identity, everyday diversity, and outsized cultural influence.

Only one-third of Angelenos feel advertising represents them accurately, while two-thirds say representation matters in how they evaluate brands. L.A. also leads in entertainment, food, music, fandom, and streetwear, categories that export cultural influence nationwide.

With the 2026 World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, and 2028 Olympic Games, Los Angeles will be the stage where the next era of multicultural marketing is defined.

The 2026 Playbook: From Strategy to Execution

• Design mobile-first fan journeys before, during, and after matches
• Hyperlocal activations tied to neighborhoods, communities, and soccer heritage
• Always-on programming aligned with international tournaments
• Cultural fit measurement connected to brand lift and sales
• Scale learnings from the World Cup into the Super Bowl and Olympic Games

Conclusion

The data is clear: multicultural excitement (73%), second-screen behavior (59% overall, 78% among younger fans), and spending on food, beverages, and merchandise form the core opportunity triangle of the 2026 World Cup. Sustained interest in global leagues confirms soccer’s long-term growth in the U.S.

Brands that activate these levers in Los Angeles, using a 360-degree identity framework and authentic representation, will not only win the 2026 World Cup. They will build competitive advantage for the next three years.

Explore the complete insights, data, and frameworks from and prepare your brand for 2026.

Download the full report here.

Bad Bunny’s selection as the Super Bowl halftime performer raises practical questions for brands. Does his presence drive awareness and help sales? Does featuring an outspoken Latino performer during the nation’s largest sporting event, at a time when Latinos are at the center of immigration raids, inject politics into brand marketing? Can a joyful, dance-driven reggaeton performance help change the narrative and connect with the broader market?

To answer that, ThinkNow conducted a nationally representative survey of 1,500 U.S. adults examining awareness, reaction, cultural meaning, and brand implications surrounding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl appearance.

Download the full report here.

Awareness Is Broad, But Uneven

Awareness of Bad Bunny is solid but not universal. Just over 60% of U.S. adults say they know who he is, with awareness concentrated among Hispanics and Gen Z. Awareness that he is performing at the Super Bowl halftime show is highest among Hispanics, followed by non-Hispanic Whites, with only modest variation by age.

This establishes the baseline reality. Bad Bunny is mainstream, though not evenly so, and his strongest recognition remains rooted in Latino and younger audiences.

Initial reactions to Bad Bunny as the halftime performer are strongly positive among Hispanics and younger generations. Interest in watching the halftime show because of Bad Bunny follows the same pattern.

Culture, Politics, and the Moment We Are In

This Super Bowl lands at a tense cultural moment. Latinos are at the center of the current immigration raids, facing heightened enforcement, fear, and public scrutiny. Visibility has increased at the same time political rhetoric has hardened. Bad Bunny’s reggaeton-forward, dance-focused, joyful energy matters here. While Bad Bunny is skipping the U.S. on his current World Tour schedule because of concerns that ICE would be present outside shows, his music isn’t overtly political. It celebrates Hispanic, specifically Puerto Rican, culture.

The data reflects this reality. Younger audiences and Hispanics overwhelmingly see Bad Bunny’s performance as affirming and forward-looking. Older and non-Hispanic White audiences show more ambivalence. This divide mirrors broader debates about whether multiculturalism continues to expand or whether a narrower vision of American identity reasserts itself.

Cultural Impact Is Widely Recognized

Sixty percent of respondents say Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl is good for Latino cultural representation in mainstream media. Agreement is strongest among Hispanics and younger generations and weaker among older and non-Hispanic White audiences. Nearly two-thirds of respondents agree that his performance reflects the growing influence of Latino culture in the United States.

Brand Impact Is Positive, With Clear Boundaries

Using Bad Bunny in a Super Bowl ad generates positive brand perceptions across most demographic groups. The effect is strongest among Gen Z, Millennials, and Hispanics. Non-Hispanic Whites show a more muted response.

Spanish-language music or reggaeton significantly increases brand recall among Hispanics and younger audiences. Recall gains decline among Gen X and Boomers, reinforcing that cultural specificity drives impact within aligned segments.

Bad Bunny also drives word-of-mouth intent among Hispanics and younger consumers, though overall lift at the total market level is limited.

When asked what values a brand signals by featuring Bad Bunny, respondents most often select youth-oriented, trend-forward, and inclusive. These associations are especially strong among Hispanics, Gen Z, and Millennials.

Language and Creative Choices

In terms of Bad Bunny’s appeal in advertising, English-language ads featuring Bad Bunny are preferred. Hispanics stand out as the only group that shows a stronger preference for Spanish-language or bilingual advertising.

Elements that make Bad Bunny feel most authentic include Latino cultural references, reggaeton or dance-driven music, and Puerto Rican cultural cues. These resonate most strongly with Hispanics, Black audiences, and younger consumers.

A fun, party-focused creative centered on cultural pride emerges as the most appealing ad concept overall. Cross-cultural collaborations resonate more with Black and Asian audiences.

Commercial Risk Is Low

Only about one-third of respondents believe featuring Bad Bunny in Super Bowl advertising carries risk for brands. Concern is highest among non-Hispanic Whites, but remains a minority view even within that group.

Purchase consideration follows familiar lines. About one-third of adults say Bad Bunny in a Super Bowl ad would make them more likely to consider buying from the brand. The lift is significantly stronger among Hispanics, African Americans, Gen Z, and Millennials and much lower among Boomers and non-Hispanic Whites.

Counter-Programming Has Limited Pull

Most respondents were unaware that Turning Point USA plans to run an alternative “All American Halftime Show.” When given the choice, the official halftime show is preferred by a ratio of 5 to 1 by Latinos, 2 to 1 by Asian and African Americans, and by a plurality of non-Hispanic Whites.

What This Means for Brands

Bad Bunny delivers real brand value, though his strongest impact lies with Hispanics and younger consumers, particularly when cultural authenticity is embraced directly.

This moment is a test. It asks whether brands believe cultural progress pauses during periods of backlash or whether it continues through celebration, visibility, and confidence.

The data points to an answer. Latino culture continues to advance. Joy continues to travel. Music continues to move people forward. Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance reflects that reality. Latinos are here to stay. The darkness will pass. Celebration remains.

Download the full report here.

In the latest episode of the ThinkNow podcast, we sat down with Jim Blair, the Assistant Dean Chair of the Faculty and Associate Professor of Marketing at Eastern Kentucky University, to unpack one of the most talked‑about (and often misunderstood) topics in marketing and leadership today: personal branding.

In a world where everyone has a platform, Jim challenges the idea that personal branding is about self‑promotion or perfectly curated personas. Instead, he reframes it as something far more strategic, human, and sustainable, especially for leaders, researchers, and professionals navigating increasingly complex markets.

Below are some of the most compelling themes from the conversation, and why they matter right now.

Personal Branding Is Not a Logo, It’s a Reputation

One of the strongest points Jim makes early in the conversation is that personal branding isn’t about visuals, slogans, or social media aesthetics. It’s about what people consistently experience when they interact with you.

Your personal brand exists whether you actively manage it or not. It’s shaped by how you communicate, how you show up in moments of uncertainty, and how others describe you when you’re not in the room.

For professionals in insights, marketing, and research, this is especially critical. Trust, credibility, and clarity are core currencies and personal branding plays a direct role in all three.

Personal Branding Is Contextual

A key insight from the episode is that personal branding is not one‑size‑fits‑all. How you show up depends on your role, your audience, and the cultural context you’re operating in.

Jim emphasizes that effective personal brands are adaptive, not performative. They evolve as people grow, as industries shift, and as expectations change.

This idea closely mirrors what we see in multicultural research: identity is layered, dynamic, and situational. The same is true for personal brands.

Leadership, Trust, and Long‑Term Impact

Perhaps the most resonant part of the conversation is the link Jim draws between personal branding and leadership.

Strong leaders don’t build brands to be admired; they build brands that:

• Create clarity
• Earn trust
• Invite collaboration

Personal branding, when done right, becomes a leadership tool. It helps teams align, organizations communicate more clearly, and ideas travel further.

Listen to the full podcast episode with Jim Blair, the Assistant Dean Chair of the Faculty and Associate Professor of Marketing at Eastern Kentucky University, to hear real‑world examples, nuanced perspectives, and practical guidance on building a personal brand that actually lasts.

Los Angeles is entering a three-year period unlike anything in marketing history. Between the 2026 World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, and 2028 Olympics, billions in brand investment will flow through a single city. But while the attention and spending will be unprecedented, most marketers are still planning for L.A. using outdated assumptions.

ThinkNow’s new study, The World in One City, challenges those assumptions. The data shows that Los Angeles is not just diverse. It is structurally, culturally, and demographically different from any other U.S. market. And in 2026, brands who fail to recognize these differences will waste significant resources.

Key findings:

• More than half of Angelenos believe their city represents the future of the United States
• Only 37 percent feel accurately represented in advertising
• Nearly 70 percent say everyday diversity defines what L.A. is
• Trendsetting power is strongest in entertainment, food, fashion, music, and fandom
• Civic pride is high, but expectations of authenticity are even higher

If your brand treats L.A. like any other market, you will miss what truly drives cultural relevance and performance here. The city already lives in the demographic future the rest of the country is moving toward.

The complete findings are available in ThinkNow’s new strategic mini-report, including:

• Detailed identity insights
• Representation and authenticity expectations
• Trendsetting categories to prioritize
• Event-year behaviors tied to the World Cup, Super Bowl, and Olympics
• What this means for marketing, media, and creative strategy

Download the report to see the real Los Angeles, and to build campaigns that perform in 2026 and beyond.

For years, multicultural marketing was treated as an add on. Something layered onto a broader strategy. But in a country where diversity is now the engine of growth, that approach is no longer enough.

In this episode of The New Mainstream Podcast, Mario Carrasco speaks with Arnetta Whiteside, SVP, Multicultural Consulting, Publicis Media at Publicis Groupe, about how brands must rethink culture, representation, and who truly holds power in the marketing ecosystem.

The conversation closely aligns with ThinkNow’s 'The World in One City' initiative, which positions Los Angeles as the place where cultural, identity, and consumer behavior shifts appear first, before spreading across the United States.

Representation is not visibility. It is influence.

One of the key takeaways from the episode is the distinction many brands still miss. Representation is not just about who appears in ads. It is about who shapes the insights, who defines strategy, and who makes decisions.

Arnetta emphasizes that when communities are visible but not influential, brands lose credibility. That disconnect leads to weaker engagement and declining trust.

This mirrors what ThinkNow sees in Los Angeles, where only a minority of residents feel brands represent them accurately, despite the city’s outsized cultural influence on the rest of the country.

Culture is not a segment. It is the system.

Another central theme is that culture can no longer be treated as a niche. In markets like Los Angeles, identity is layered, fluid, and contextual. People move between communities, languages, and cultural signals daily.

Brands still relying on rigid demographic frameworks are optimizing for a consumer that no longer exists. Those that treat culture as an operating system, not a campaign, are building lasting relevance.

The cost of misunderstanding the new mainstream

The episode also makes one thing clear. Choosing not to adapt is no longer neutral.

When brands fail to understand the communities driving growth, they lose legitimacy. When lived experience is absent from strategy, attention fades. And when cultural complexity is ignored, competitors move faster.

From conversation to action

The episode closes with a clear message. Inclusion is not just a value. It is a business advantage when backed by structure, data, and informed decision making.

Listen to the full episode of The New Mainstream Podcast with Arnetta Whiteside and explore how culture, power, and representation are reshaping marketing in the United States.

Alcohol consumption in the United States continues to evolve, shaped by health concerns, economic pressure, and changing social norms. ThinkNow’s 2025 Alcohol Consumption Report, based on a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults age 21+, offers a clear picture of how, where, and why people are drinking today—and how those behaviors vary sharply by generation and cultural background.

Download the full report here.

Millennials Remain the Most Engaged Drinkers

Across generations, Millennials stand out as the most active alcohol consumers. They are the most likely to drink weekly or more often and show the highest participation across nearly every beverage category, including beer, wine, cocktails, hard liquor, and hard seltzers. Unlike older cohorts, Millennials’ drinking occasions span both everyday relaxation and special celebrations, reinforcing their role as the industry’s most versatile consumer segment.

Gen X follows closely behind in frequency, while Boomers show steadier, less variable habits. Gen Z, in contrast, is notably less likely to drink frequently and more likely to report cutting back altogether.

Drinking Has Shifted Home

Regardless of age or ethnicity, alcohol consumption is now primarily an at-home activity. Nearly three-quarters of drinkers say they most often consume alcohol at home, far exceeding restaurants, bars, or social gatherings. This shift reflects lasting changes from recent years, including cost control, convenience, and lifestyle reprioritization.

While Millennials remain the most likely to associate drinking with celebrations, Gen Z is the least likely to drink at home, suggesting a looser attachment to alcohol as a routine behavior rather than a default social accompaniment.

More Consumers Are Drinking Less Than More

A critical takeaway from the report is that moderation is rising. More adults report decreasing their alcohol consumption over the past year than increasing it. Health and financial considerations dominate the reasons for cutting back, with improvements in physical health and saving money cited most often.

These motivations vary by age. Younger adults, especially Gen Z, are more likely to consciously reduce consumption, while Boomers largely report no change, indicating that habits stabilize with age.

Among Millennials specifically, avoiding hangovers is a disproportionately strong driver of reduced drinking, highlighting growing awareness of alcohol’s short-term physical costs even among heavy participants.

Stress Still Drives Increases

For those who are drinking more, stress is the dominant factor. Roughly half of adults who increased their alcohol consumption cite stress or anxiety as the primary reason, followed closely by discovering new beverages they enjoy. Socializing more often and having greater disposable income also contributes to a lesser extent.

This contrast, health-driven reduction versus stress-driven increases, underscores the polarized role alcohol continues to play: both a potentially unhealthy choice and a coping mechanism.

Preferences Are Changing, Especially Among Younger Drinkers

About half of alcohol consumers say their preferences have changed in the past year, whether in brands, flavors, or beverage types. These shifts are most pronounced among younger consumers, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, who are far more likely than older adults to experiment.

Two-thirds of drinkers overall say they are open to trying new brands or flavors, but openness declines sharply with age. Boomers overwhelmingly prefer familiar options, while Millennials and Gen X occupy a middle ground between exploration and brand loyalty.

What Drives Purchase Decisions

When buying alcohol, trusted brands and social enjoyment matter most across the board. Affordability, alcohol content, and perceived quality also rank highly. However, Millennials consistently evaluate more factors than any other generation, placing greater emphasis on brand prestige, recommendations, packaging, and trend relevance.

This suggests a more complex decision-making process, where functional attributes and social signaling intersect, especially for younger and mid-aged consumers.

Global Events Matter More Than Expected

Just over one-third of alcohol consumers say global events, including economic shifts or trade changes, have a moderate or significant impact on their access to or preference for imported alcohol. Sensitivity to global influence is highest among Asians, Gen Z, and Millennials, indicating that international supply chains and pricing dynamics increasingly shape consumer choice.

The Bottom Line

Alcohol consumption in 2025 is defined by moderation, experimentation, and context. Consumers are not abandoning alcohol, but they are thinking more carefully about when, why, and what they drink. Health concerns are pushing behavior in one direction, while stress and discovery pull in another. For brands and retailers, understanding generational and cultural nuance is central to staying relevant in a market that is becoming more selective, more intentional, and more fragmented.

Download the full report here.