With audience behavior shifting and traditional social channels losing influence, brands are rethinking how they earn attention, build trust, and create cultural relevance. Against this backdrop, Elle Communications has released The Shift: A Report on Modern Communications, a quarterly analysis identifying 10 key trends reshaping earned visibility, creator partnerships, and AI-driven storytelling in 2026. Get a glimpse at the takeaways below, and download the full report here.
Culture Is the New Mass Media
Influence now lives inside fandoms, memes, and shared digital rituals. Whether itʼs Swifties, K-pop stans, or the MrBeast universe, the conversations people care about are happening inside culture—not outside of it. To connect, brands must show up in those spaces consistently, authentically, and as part of the story. Both big-name creators and micro-influencers are central here. Macro voices bring scale, while micro-influencers drive trust and connection through smaller, highly engaged communities. They are the new distribution system for attention, credibility, and content creation.
Human Stories Still Win
Even in an AI-driven world, stories rooted in real human experiences resonate most. People grasp ideas and innovations best when theyʼre brought to life through the individuals they affect. Authentic storytelling means honoring and protecting the people whose stories you tell. When participation feels good for them, the story lands stronger for everyone.
Snackable Stories
Short-form, visual, and shareable formats win. Virality isnʼt a strategy, but “shareabilityˮ is. You want to think about the hooks that make us want to send it to our friends, with messaging that is simple, so it resonates immediately and helps cut through the clutter.
Purpose Made Practical (and Useful)
People care less about broad promises and more about how your impact improves their lives. They want help saving time, creating value, protecting dignity, or adding safety. Translate purpose-driven efforts into real, personal benefits-first opportunities. Only then should you connect back to the bigger “weˮ story. In 2025, e.l.f. Beautyʼs “Give an e.l.f.ˮ campaign turned purpose into participation: consumers chose causes they cared about, received a donation receipt, and redeemed product samples. It was practical, not promotional — and donated over $2.5 million to those causes with real tie-ins to the product and brand.
