Exploring the Trends In Think Forward 2025: The Liveable Web

Paul Greenwood, global head of research and insight leads as the global head of research & insight at We Are Social, spearheading the Insights and Effectiveness teams. He plays a pivotal role in driving the agency's cultural insights offering, empowering brands to cultivate a nuanced understanding of digital (sub-)cultures, and actively contributes to the agency's global thought leadership initiatives, positioning We Are Social as a trusted authority in the industry. He’s also responsible for the development of robust measurement standards, proving the value of social content and campaigns for clients. With a keen focus on fostering consistency in reporting and insight generation across diverse markets, Paul oversees the agency's global measurement frameworks, effectively disseminating knowledge, sharing best practices, and tracking the performance of social strategies against pre-established benchmarks.

One in four users are feeling overwhelmed online. But, a new movement is pushing back, aiming to make the web fun again. We Are Social’s report, Think Forward 2025: The Liveable Web explores this shift and the five key social media trends set to shape social over the next year.

We Are Social is diving deeper into these trends with two webinars, one on 5th December at 9 am GMT with global chief strategy officer, Mobbie Nazir and global head of research and insight, Paul Greenwood and one on 9th December at 5 pm GMT with global head of research and insight, Paul Greenwood and group director of research and insight, Devon Vipond.  

Ahead of the webinars, here is an exclusive breakdown of the first two trends.

Primal Renaissance 

Gen Z is the “puriteen” generation having less sex, shunning alcohol, and taking fewer drugs – or so brands thought. After an online era defined by abstention and self-censorship, the past twelve months have seen an uptick in unruliness as young social users connect through chaos, finding relatability in mess.

In June, Brat Summer exploded into lime green-coloured life following the release of Charli XCX’s sixth studio album, becoming a lightning rod for social media users who craved realness instead of the “clean girl” aesthetic popularised on TikTok in years prior. 

Its highly memeable celebration of a different type of femininity – seeking out hedonism and centering pleasure; to hell with anyone who judges – chimed for the same reason that tennis drama Challengers did. That film’s domination of the online discourse was powered by the way that, in the tennis drama, base desires weren’t just permitted – they were held up as a vital, relatable part of being alive in 2024.

We are seeing brands respond to this, with Calvin Klein updating the classic "sex sells" ethos through a modern, female-gaze twist and H&M teaming up with Charli XCX, the queen of the primal renaissance.

Low Stakes Social 

2024 has been a chaotic year – environmentally, financially, and geopolitically. As global crises have intensified, the more our devices have held a black mirror up to those worsening situations. But recently, the internet has shifted, reclaiming itself as a space for escape and joy. A new, more relaxed internet is emerging, drawing on the levity of the early 2000s, with memes like the symphony dolphin marking this low-stakes, wholesome frontier.

Over the past year, icons like Ayo Edebiri have resonated with Gen Z, while stress-free platforms like Pinterest have surged. And some of today’s most viral creators are producers of content that – defiantly, purposefully – just isn’t that deep. Movements like #littletreat celebrate small luxuries that brighten cost-of-living crisis days, while #Hopecore content is en vogue. Gen Z audiences are obsessing over wholesome arts-and-craft hobbies, leading to communities like #potterygirl. 

It’s helping Gen Z beat their brain rot – and brands are along for the ride. For example, LG’s ‘Optimism Your Feed’ campaign focuses on creating a more positive social experience, Marc Jacobs embraces a less-is-more approach on TikTok, and Nutter Butter leans into strategic silliness."

To learn more about the other three trends in Think Forward 2025, read the full report here and join We Are Social’s webinars on 5th December at 9am GMT here and 9th December at 5pm GMT here.