In an increasingly polarized environment, brands are facing growing pressure to define what they stand for culturally and how they position themselves on social, political, and environmental issues. At the same time, consumer behavior has changed significantly, along with expectations toward the brands people support.
This was the central topic of a recent episode of The New Mainstream Podcast, hosted by Mario Carrasco, featuring Neil Callanan, founder of LooseGrip, an agency focused on purpose driven brands, advocacy, and cultural transformation.
According to Neil, the issue is not that brands participate in cultural or social conversations. The problem arises when they do so without a genuine connection to their corporate identity.
Today, many companies publish messages about diversity, inclusion, sustainability, or representation during moments such as Pride Month, Black History Month, or corporate responsibility campaigns. However, when these messages are not backed by real actions, consumers often perceive them as opportunistic branding efforts.
If a company claims to support a specific community or cause, it must be able to clearly explain how it does so, what resources it invests, what policies it implements, and what measurable impact those actions create.
Brands that build a strong identity around clear values often develop deeper relationships with consumers. This translates into stronger loyalty, differentiation, and emotional connection, all of which are especially valuable in highly saturated industries.
Examples discussed during the episode include Patagonia, Ben & Jerry's, and Lush, companies that have integrated social and environmental causes into the core structure of their brand identity rather than treating them as temporary campaigns.
In these cases, purpose is not simply a communication tactic. It is reflected in organizational culture, product development, talent acquisition, customer experience, and long term business decisions.
Even when a values-based campaign does not generate an immediate sale, it can still create measurable indirect benefits for a brand, including:
In other words, purpose strengthens brand equity. In a market where products and services are becoming increasingly interchangeable, cultural relevance and identity have become powerful strategic assets.
The conversation also explores a less discussed aspect of purpose driven marketing: its impact on attracting and retaining talent.
According to Neil, companies with clearly defined values tend to attract more engaged and motivated employees. This can directly influence factors such as:
In highly competitive industries, purpose has also become an important employer branding tool.
Technology can optimize processes and reduce barriers to entry, but a brand’s cultural identity remains far more difficult to replicate. Elements such as trust, community, authenticity, and emotional connection continue to be deeply human competitive advantages.
Public agencies and nonprofit organizations are being asked to reach increasingly fragmented audiences while maintaining trust and participation across very different communities. ThinkNow’s latest voter insights report highlights several patterns that organizations should pay close attention to as they plan outreach and communication efforts.
Download the full report here.
One of the clearest trends in our report is the difference between consuming information and actively engaging with it. Nationally, 35% of voters reported watching political videos online, but only 24% participate in online discussions. Among independents, participation drops to just 16%, despite 29% reporting regular content consumption. We also found a noticeable participation gap among Latino voters. While 54% reported consuming political content online, only 34% reported actively engaging with that content. Overall, our report shows that communities may be seeing information without interacting with it, sharing it, or taking action afterward. Outreach strategies that rely heavily on passive digital exposure may therefore be overestimating actual engagement levels.
Our report also shows major differences in where people get information depending on age, language preference, and community background. In Georgia, 73% of younger voters reported relying primarily on social media for political information. At the same time, 54% of Black voters reported depending on local television. In Los Angeles County, Spanish-dominant Latino respondents reported especially high social media use at 70%, while local television remained influential among Latino audiences overall at 51%. Our findings show that communication preferences rmain highly segmented, particularly in multilingual communities and among audiences with different levels of political participation. These distinctions matter because many outreach campaigns still assume broad channel consistency across populations.
While media habits and participation levels varied widely across groups, economic concerns remain strikingly consistent. In Wisconsin, is the top major concern by 89% of Democrats, 83% of Republicans, and 77% of independents. Housing affordability also ranked among the top concerns across multiple demographic groups and regions.
Organizations working in public outreach, education, health, transportation, or community services should prioritize programs tied to affordability, economic stability, and practical day-to-day concerns.
Our report reinforces several challenges that government agencies and nonprofit organizations are already confronting: declining participation, fragmented media behavior, and growing difficulty measuring meaningful engagement. At the same time, the findings point to opportunities for more targeted communication strategies grounded in how communities consume information and what issues they prioritize most consistently.
Political campaigns and marketing teams often assume that reach equals impact. But new data from ThinkNow’s National & State Voter Report shows that voter behavior is far more complex. With over 8,000 respondents across key states, the findings reveal gaps between consumption and participation, highlight segmentation differences by audience, and uncover economic concerns that unite voters across party lines.
Download the full report here.
One of the most striking insights: 35% of voters watch political videos, but only 24% engage in online discussions. Among independents, the gap is even wider = 29% consume vs. 16% participate. Latino voters show high consumption (54%) but lower engagement (34%). For campaigns, this means impressions do not guarantee interaction. Strategies must account for passive audiences who consume content without taking action.
The reports show that different voter groups rely on different media channels:
Despite differences in media and engagement, one theme cuts across all demographics: inflation. In Wisconsin, concern is nearly universal = Democrats 89%, Republicans 83%, Independents 77%. Housing affordability also emerges as a shared priority. These issues provide rare opportunities for unifying messages that resonate across partisan divides.
The ThinkNow Voter Insights 2026 report is more than data — it is a roadmap. It shows where campaigns are overestimating engagement, where segmentation is essential, and which issues can unify diverse audiences. For marketing teams, these insights are the difference between wasted impressions and meaningful voter impact.
Download the full ThinkNow Voter Insights 2026 Report to access detailed state-by-state breakdowns, audience segmentation, and actionable recommendations for your campaign strategy.
In the latest episode of The New Mainstream, Mario Xavier Carrasco sits down with Ingrid Otero, President and CEO of Casanova McCann, to discuss how multicultural marketing is evolving and what is shaping brand decision making today.
The conversation offers a grounded perspective on the forces influencing the industry.
In recent months, several brands have reduced the visibility of their multicultural initiatives. This shift reflects budget scrutiny, internal alignment, and the need to justify investment across organizations.
At the same time, research focused on multicultural audiences continues. Insights, strategy, and data teams remain actively engaged in understanding behaviors, motivations, and growth opportunities within these segments.
The episode highlights the role of Latino consumers within the U.S. market. Their influence is reflected in consistent consumption patterns, strong community ties, and a meaningful role in shaping cultural trends.
For brands, this calls for sustained engagement and strategies grounded in this reality.
A central theme of the conversation is how authenticity is built.
Effective decisions are rooted in a deep understanding of the consumer, their context, and their cultural identity. Relevance comes from messaging that reflects lived experiences and real connections.
Drawing from her experience leading Casanova McCann, Otero shares how she has navigated key decisions during periods of uncertainty.
During the pandemic, she led a transformation of the agency’s model, focusing on flexibility and independence. This involved operational shifts and a reassessment of priorities.
The current environment requires clarity in how brands engage with multicultural audiences.
Strategies benefit from consistency, deep consumer understanding, and alignment across insights, creative, and execution.
Listen to the full episode of The New Mainstream and hear the complete conversation with Ingrid Otero.
International soccer tournaments often appear as global spectacles on television. In reality, the fan experience is much more local, social, and layered with digital touchpoints. A new study conducted by ThinkNow among soccer fans in Los Angeles shows that anticipation is already high and that the event will unfold across multiple screens, platforms, and social spaces.
Download the full report.
Excitement for the upcoming international tournament is already widespread among soccer fans in Los Angeles.
82% say they are very or extremely excited about the competition, describing it both as a celebration of the global game and an opportunity to watch the world’s best players compete.
The anticipation also extends to how fans expect their communities to appear in coverage of the event. 77% say their community is well represented in U.S. media coverage of major sporting events.
In multicultural markets such as Los Angeles, representation is part of the viewing experience. Fans often see international soccer not only as sport, but also as a reflection of identity, heritage, and national pride.
Despite the growth of digital platforms, traditional television remains the primary way fans plan to watch matches. At the same time, the broader experience of following the tournament extends far beyond the main broadcast.
Fans expect to follow news, reactions, and highlights through a mix of sports news websites and social media platforms. 65% plan to use sports news sites and 61% expect to rely on social media for updates and reactions.
Within social media, YouTube and Instagram emerge as leading destinations for highlights and commentary.
This pattern reflects how modern sports audiences move fluidly between broadcast media and digital platforms. The live match may happen on television, while the surrounding conversation unfolds online.
Watching a match is rarely a single-screen experience.
Our study shows that three out of five soccer fans expect to use a second screen while watching matches.
Fans primarily plan to use their phones or tablets to:
• Check statistics
• Watch highlights or replays
• Follow live reactions and commentary
This behavior creates a layered viewing environment where the broadcast, social media conversation, and real-time data exist simultaneously.
Beyond media consumption, the study highlights the social nature of the tournament. Fans often describe their match day traditions as watching games with family and friends while wearing team jerseys or other fan gear.
Spending patterns reflect this dynamic. Among fans in Los Angeles, food and beverages lead both planned purchases and additional spending during the tournament, well ahead of other categories such as merchandise or travel.
For companies looking to engage soccer audiences, the findings highlight several important dynamics.
Fans move across multiple platforms throughout the viewing experience. Television, social media, sports news websites, and second-screen activity all play a role
At the same time, emotional storytelling continues to capture attention. Advertising that features players or evokes the spirit of the game is more likely to stand out during the tournament.
The opportunity extends beyond visibility. 67% of fans say their opinion of a company improves when it is associated with the tournament, and nearly eight out of ten say they are open to trying products promoted during the event.
Los Angeles often serves as an early indicator of cultural shifts that later expand across the country. Its diversity and deep connections to global soccer cultures create a fan base that reflects multiple traditions, identities, and styles of fandom.
The research suggests that international soccer in the United States will continue to be shaped by three forces:
• Multicultural fan communities
• Digital media ecosystems
• Shared social viewing experiences
Discover how fans in the Los Angeles market are preparing to experience global soccer in 2026.
Download the L.A. DMA Residents Perspective Report to explore the complete data and insights.
Over the last year, I’ve noticed something interesting.
Several brands have publicly scaled back, rebranded, or quietly dismantled their multicultural marketing efforts. Some announced it. Others simply removed the language from their websites, shifted titles internally, or reallocated visible budgets.
And yet.
Behind closed doors, those same brands are still investing in multicultural research.
How do I know? The demand for multicultural consumer survey respondents hasn’t slowed. And colleagues across the industry have shared projects they’re working on confidentially. The research budgets are still there. The segmentation work is still happening. The Hispanic studies are still fielding. The consumer modeling is still running.
So, what does that tell us?
It tells us this was never about the data.
It was about fear.
The demographic shift in the United States has not slowed down. Latino purchasing power continues to grow. Multicultural consumers are driving population growth, cultural influence, and economic expansion. Brands know this. Their finance teams know this. Their insights teams know this.
And the data makes it impossible to ignore.
In our LA Identity Report, we found that Angelenos increasingly define themselves through layered, multicultural identities rather than single labels. This is not a niche audience. It is the future of the total market. Los Angeles is simply showing us first what the rest of the country will look like next.
Similarly, in our Hispanic Gen Z Authenticity study conducted with LatiNation, 87 percent of respondents said they can immediately detect inauthentic advertising. Even more telling, 59 percent said they reward brands that acknowledge their heritage, and 42 percent reported making a purchase after engaging with culturally authentic content.
The findings are clear, cultural authenticity influences purchasing behavior. So, what changed?
The political climate.
Instead of doubling down publicly, some companies recalibrated visibly while continuing to invest quietly. They are still trying to win the consumer. They just do not want to be seen doing it.
This places risk management above growth strategy.
And consumers are not inspired by risk management.
Multicultural audiences know who celebrates them loudly and who studies them silently. They know who shows up in moments of pride and who disappears when it becomes inconvenient. They can feel the difference between conviction and calculation.
You cannot build long term brand affinity in the shadows.
Costco recently made headlines for standing firmly behind its diversity commitments despite external pressure. Whether you agree with every tactic or not, the signal was clear. Consistency builds trust. Silence builds skepticism.
The brands that have retreated publicly but continued investing privately reveal something important. They understand the economic inevitability of demographic change. They are not prepared to absorb short-term friction.
But here is the reality. The friction is temporary. The demographic shift is permanent.
Research conducted quietly behind the scenes does not compensate for the absence of visible commitment. If anything, it creates a credibility gap. Consumers today reward brands that align behavior with values. They penalize inconsistency. And in the age of social media, inconsistency travels fast.
If you believe multicultural consumers are central to your growth, then your public posture and your investment strategy should match. Otherwise, you are signaling hesitation. And hesitation erodes brand equity.
The irony is that the companies pulling back publicly are still paying to understand these consumers. That tells me they know where growth is coming from. They are just not prepared to say it aloud.
The next decade will not belong to brands that studied multicultural America quietly. It will belong to brands that embraced it openly.
You cannot whisper your way into cultural leadership.
This blog post was originally published on LinkedIn.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, the conversation is shifting from what AI can generate to what it can do.
In the latest episode of The New Mainstream Podcast, Michael Nevski joins Mario Carrasco to explore the next phase of AI: agentic systems and their implications for consumer behavior, payments, and trust.
Michael Nevski, Director of Global Insights at Visa, brings a unique perspective at the intersection of data, economics, and real-world consumer decision-making. Recognized as one of the most influential professionals in the insights industry, he shares how emerging technologies are reshaping how we understand and interact with consumers.
While generative AI has transformed content creation and automation, agentic AI introduces a new paradigm. These systems don’t just assist, they act.
From making purchases to managing financial decisions, AI agents have the potential to operate on behalf of consumers. This shift raises important questions:
In industries like finance and payments, the implications are even more significant.
As AI begins to participate in transactions, trust becomes a central pillar. Consumers are not just evaluating brands anymore; they are evaluating systems.
This evolution challenges companies to rethink:
For brands, this is not just a technological shift. It’s a behavioral shift.
Understanding how consumers feel about AI acting on their behalf will be critical for future growth.
As Michael highlights, the opportunity lies in translating complex data into actionable insights that help organizations navigate uncertainty, anticipate behavior, and build trust in an AI-driven economy.
The brands that succeed will be those that understand not only the technology, but the human response to it.
Listen to the full episode of The New Mainstream Podcast and explore how agentic AI is shaping the future of consumer behavior.