Your July briefing: what June told us about the next 90 days
From AI-planned travel to a LinkedIn creator boom, here’s your cheat sheet for what brands need to know now. Premium members get the full breakdown, including 6 deeper trends to watch.
In this Wednesday’s email we’ve curated:
2 emergent trends that gained traction in June
In the full edition, available for paying members, check out:
2 more emergent trends + 6 deeper dive trends from last month to shape your summer strategy— including LinkedIn’s creator renaissance, the rise of AI-powered travel, and the new rules of luxury marketing
Recent publications: How to monetize and and grow your brand—straight from a UTA Expert!, Why the internet latches on to seasonal themes [and how you can own this summer], MTD Strategy Guide: Fandom & Community
It’s the first week of July, which means it’s time to round up the biggest signals we tracked in June — and the themes shaping Q3. Pinterest is having a major resurgence, fueled by the return of moodboards and Gen Z’s shopping power. Storytelling is driving more impact than polish. And across platforms, consumers are leaning into content that feels heartfelt, handmade, and human.
Now, let’s dive in….
📌 The summer moodboard Renaissance
2025 might be the year we finally retire the phrase “manifest it”… but moodboards? They’re not going anywhere.
Pinterest is popping off [again] with Gen Z and Gen Alpha using it to design their lives, outfits, and to curate their dreamy vibes. From Euro summer packing lists to niche-core weddings to “clean girl who just got dumped and moved to Lisbon” energy, the visual curation is purposeful. It’s storytelling meets planning meets digital diary.
Moodboards aren’t just thriving on Pinterest, they’re spilling into platforms we usually associate with strategy decks and newsletters. Canva is getting a major glow-up as more creators use it to craft vibe-forward, branded board content [it’s giving “Pinterest, but make it work”]. And on Substack, writers are attaching aesthetic boards to lifestyle pieces, style dispatches, and even product roundups to help anchor their POV in something visual.
read the OG breakdown on the rise of moodboards here
🛍 Pinterest: the underrated Gen Z shopping engine
Speaking of moodboard renaissance, now we’re talking about monetizing those moods.
With 42% of Pinterest’s audience now Gen Z and 85% of weekly users buying something from a Pin, Pinterest is no longer [just] a manifestation station. The platform has now become a conversion funnel with a pastel-colored UX. Pinterest CEO Bill Ready shares that the online site is becoming "the place where Gen Z goes to shop."
And here’s the twist: beauty and home decor are no longer running the show and dominating the feed. Financial literacy and money aesthetic content is quietly thriving. Think: side hustle infographics, money-saving templates, and even “vision board budgeting” as a content format.
we break down why this matters for brands and marketers here
Upgrade to a premium subscription to access an additional 2 emergent trends and 6 deep dives we covered this month ⬇️
Here’s what you can expect…
2 additional emergent trends:
Drinks are getting more lofi [consumers are dialing back on intricate craft cocktails and fancy microbrews in favor of old-school beer brands]
Why you need to read the terms & conditions [you might want to delete CapCut from your phone… like now]
6 larger trend deep dives:
Is LinkedIn the new creator hotspot? [the creators who are currently seizing the moment and 4 ways for brands to lean in]
Summer travel gets an AI upgrade [a look at Expedia’s Reels to Reality tool, Canva’s Magic Write tool, And Layla.ai, a startup using AI to plan custom trips in seconds]
What to watch coming out of Cannes Lions 2025 [the scoop on immersive brand experiences and creator moments]
Artisan is the new aspirational [the vibe shift redefining what it means to be aspirational and how brands and marketers can tap in]
The rise of heartfelt content [a masterclass in brand voice from the Tiny Chef]
‘How to work with me’ guides [influencers are releasing how-to guides for interested brands looking to work with them]