Cultural Shifts 2025+

Social behaviour changes can first be detected in culture. To stay relevant brands, companies and organisations must understand the cultural context to make their communications resonate with audiences. Therefore, the most effective communication always reflects cultural shifts. What are some of the key shifts emerging for 2025?

From Trends to Cultural Change

To understand how culture and social behaviours are evolving, we can start by identifying trends and drivers. In my previous post, I highlighted More-than-human as a main theme for 2025+. Now, let’s explore how this theme influences culture and society.

Defining Intelligence

More-than-human challenges the human-centric view of intelligence, expanding it to include nonhuman and multispecies forms. In the broadest sense of defining intelligence, we can recognise elements common to all life.

NEW BEHAVIOURS & BELIEFS

For this discussion, I have categorised More-than-human Intelligence into four types: BIOLOGICAL, COLLECTIVE, EMOTIONAL and ARTIFICIAL Intelligence.

1. Biological Intelligence explores nature’s adaptive capabilities.
   • Since Darwin’s time, it has been known that plants can sense their environment. Today, research suggests fungi may even recognise shapes.
2. Collective Intelligence refers to the combined knowledge and problem-solving abilities of groups.
   • Nature demonstrates that species are smarter when they collaborate. For example, local data mapping initiatives use community-level intelligence to foster care and cohesion across multispecies networks.
3. Emotional Intelligence involves managing personal emotions and understanding those of others.
   • Emotional Intelligence apps and wearables now help users monitor and enhance their emotional states, improving mood regulation and overall well-being.
4. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning is at the moment the hottest topic.
   • With robots increasingly automating tasks, one of the greatest challenges is maintaining human agency and resisting the colonising influence of big tech.

VALUE SHIFTS

Cultural change is driven by evolving values. Embedding cultural context reveals how underlying values are shifting across each category. The image below is a short summary of the value changes.

BIOLOGICAL Intelligence learns from the wisdom of nature

COLLECTIVE Intelligence improves the community for all

EMOTIONAL Intelligence uses emotions as a tool for self-optimisation

ARTIFICIAL Intelligence complements human capabilities

STORYTELLING

To engage people in envisioning the future, narrative design offers a compelling starting point. I’ve identified new narratives for each intelligence category, which can inspire brands and organisations to explore More-than-human futures.

BIOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE Narrative

What is natural? As biotech solutions outperform synthetics, they are increasingly viewed as sustainable alternatives. This shift is reshaping industries such as packaging, beauty, and food. For example, green chemistry offers viable replacements for petrochemicals.

COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE Narrative

Not always buying new is a status symbol. Second-hand markets are becoming part of community care and local resilience. Collective intelligence also drives new models in retail, health care, and preventative guidance by harnessing the wisdom of crowds.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE Narrative

Emotions as data. Individuals use AI to enhance mood and productivity. Improved emotional awareness enables better stress management, trauma recovery, and avoidance of harmful behaviours.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Narrative

AI as a companion. With growing identity and agency, AI is evolving from a tool into a co-creator and memory extension. AI companions can enhance human intelligence, acting as second brains for knowledge retention and creative collaboration.

The Role of Brands and Organisations

Expanding nature as a stakeholder should be on the agenda for all. Co-evolution with nature and correcting historical wrongs are aims that can be written into corporate responsibility policies.

To drive the More-than-human agenda, brands can adopt new roles and expand their responsibilities:

Alchemist, Moderator, Coach and Innovator.

• What new narratives are emerging from these cultural shifts?
• Who owns the agenda shaping our future?
• How do we account for intangible dimensions such as wellbeing, justice, and environmental health?

REFLECTIONS Where next?

How can storytelling and participatory design on multi-species care and equity reshape brand impact?

By recognising the intelligence beyond our own, we can build futures that reflect a deeper connection with the world around us.