💎Marketers are embracing AI, book clubs are cool, and luxury is playing ball
+ the two trends you need for this week
💎cultural gems💎
The moments and media catching our eye…
📚 New York’s hottest club is… the book club? Gen Zs and Millennials are looking for off-line connections via book clubs.
🚀An all-female crew—including Lauren Sánchez, Katy Perry, and Gayle King—launched into space this morning with Blue Origin, marking the first mission of its kind since 1963.
🎫 Weekend 1 of Coachella 2025 is officially in the books! In case you haven’t had time to catch up on everything that happened yet, Vulture breaks it down almost hour-by-hour.
🚫 Remember the TikToker who called out NYC influencers for being “boring?” Her comments ended up costing her her job.
📱 Netflix’s latest docuseries Bad Influence is highlighting the dark side of kidfluencers. We wrote all about the dangers of “sharenting” and how parents can responsibly post online here.
📧 Will the future of social media look more like email? Internet culture reporter, Kyle Chayka, argues that the age of mega platforms is over.
🧍♀️ ICYMI, LinkedIn originated it’s first cross-platform trend last week with AI generated figurines. We broke down what this means for the changing tides on AI below the paywall.
🎙 Are you on the MD Foodie Boyztok? They’re the internet’s favorite 14-year-old podcast hosts.
Ones to watch
Each week we share creators who cut through the noise with fresh formats and something real to say. This week's spotlight you may have already heard of, but haven’t yet subscribed to:
⭐ Coco Mocoe your favorite pop culture oracle, cultural critic, and host of the "Ahead of the Curve" podcast.
TLDR: You’ve probably seen Coco on TikTok, breaking down trends and decoding the internet in real time. But her Substack is where the real magic happens.
📓What makes this Substack special, unique, and different?
Coco's built a massive following through hot takes and spot-on cultural commentary [seriously, her predictions are scary-good—does she know something we don't?🔮].
Her podcast Ahead of the Curve isn't just part of her brand, it's the core [think of it as your weekly pop-culture download, without any boring filler episodes].
She's not just blowing up on Substack; her insights have caught attention from major industry players like ADWEEK. ⬇️
In her latest newsletter, "Mike White’s Masterplan for The White Lotus [A Theory]," Coco dissects the satire, society critiques, and layers [so many layers, it’s basically a pop-culture onion] to unpack the show's thematic roadmap.
Digital Strategy Content Pillars:
Pop culture predictions
TV and film deep dives
Industry hot takes
Trend forecasting [with a side of sass]
🎯 Who’s the target audience?
Coco’s insights resonate way beyond just pop-culture junkies. Her audience is broad, encompassing marketers who need to stay culturally relevant, creators tracking emerging trends, brand strategists looking for fresh ideas, entertainment insiders curious about industry shifts, and anyone craving smarter conversations about the digital zeitgeist [so basically everyone who wants to know what’s next].
💭 Why subscribe?
If pop culture is your second language [or first, we don’t judge], Coco Mocoe’s newsletter and podcast are must-haves. From dissecting why Mike White might be using the seven deadly sins as a hidden framework in The White Lotus, to unpacking complex themes like privilege, spirituality, and societal hypocrisy with unmatched insight, Coco consistently serves up analysis you won't find anywhere else. Her ability to weave pop-culture analysis with deeper societal critiques means every issue is both a cultural masterclass and a strategy session wrapped into one [and by reading you’ll sound smarter at brunch🥂].
🧾 Where else can you connect?
Follow Coco Mocoe on Instagram, TikTok, and tune into the Ahead of the Curve podcast [go ahead, add it to your weekly rotation now].
Know a standout creator? We're not looking at follower counts, we're looking for original voices, powerful ideas, and creators making real community happen. DM us or email hello@mtdecoagency.com to nominate someone for a future Creators to Watch feature.
If you’re looking to keep your finger on the pulse [without the endless scrolling], we've got you covered.
This week for premium subscribers, we’re unpacking two major trends that are taking over our social feeds:
1. The Barbie AI Box [Why marketers are finally all-in on AI creativity, and how you can jump in]
2. Luxury Brands + Sports [The smartest partnerships of 2025 and why bougie-meets-sporty is a marketing slam dunk]
BTW, remember our Coachella branding predictions from last week? This Wednesday, we're following up with exclusive insights straight from our Coachella Correspondent who hit the ground [and the VIP lounges] at Weekend 1. Stay tuned.
Want in? Upgrade now to stay ahead of the curve ⬇️