If you thought Part 1 of the Constellations Live session had your marketing brain buzzing…Part 2 is here to turn the volume up. 🔥
In Part 2: Legendary Locals, The Elder Edge, and New Collar live session, our favorite chronically online dynamic duo Hayley Grant (Lead Strategist, Vayner Consulting) and Jaimee Estreller (VP, Platforms & Culture) returned to unpack even more cultural constellations…a.k.a the macro trend shifts shaping how people think, buy, and belong right now.
You can catch the full replay on VaynerMedia’s LinkedIn or YouTube, or keep scrolling for the written takeaways.
This is your guide to three emerging cultural shifts every marketer should be paying attention to heading into 2026.
The Rebrand of Work
The new wave of cultural cachet is found in calloused hands, not corner offices.
In response to AI anxiety and corporate fatigue, Gen Z and younger millennials are proudly turning toward AI-proof careers and manual trades. This leads us to a new kind of flex happening on TikTok: rough hands > soft hands 👋
For marketers, think of this as the rare aesthetic of workwear not just as fashion, but as an identity. This is a massive opportunity to celebrate craftsmanship, community, and tangible skill across many industries.
Age Is the New Flex
The younger generations are turning their gaze upward and realizing that wisdom is the real influence.
The Elder Edge celebrates age not as decline, but as credibility. Ever scrolled and seen “granfluencers” breaking stigmas around menopause? Aging is being freshly reclaimed as aspirational, grounded, and incredibly chic.
In your 2026 brand campaigns, perhaps ditch the obsession with “forever 21,” and build campaigns that honor longevity, mentorship, and shared lived experience.
Where Hometown Pride Meets Pop Culture
‘Local’ is having it’s legendary moment with creators and brands reclaiming place-based storytelling. Small towns, regional aesthetics, and state fair energy (yes, that’s a real thing…1B+ TikTok mentions and counting) are redefining cool.
Don’t think of this as ‘nostalgia’…that’s an evergreen trend. This is more about a reconnection to authenticity. The local corner store, the family-owned laundromat, the community fair…they all hold cultural capital again.
In Q4, find the local flavor in your audience’s world. Celebrate the pride & rituals that make a place legendary, not generic.
TL;DR: Real > Filtered
From AI-proof jobs to ageless icons to hyperlocal pride, the MAJOR key takeaway is…people are fully rejecting the artificial and sprinting toward the real.
The brands that listen, localize, and lead with respect for real culture will be the ones that earn true attention from your audience on social media next year.
Watch the full replay on YouTube below or download the full report to dive a little deeper into every trend (and a few we didn’t cover here 👀).