Relevant cultural touchpoints for January 2010.

1. Why does this work?!

2. Or this?!

3. Uncertainty!
Proving some security in
an insecure world. !

4. Isolation!
The trappings of
the modern world.!

5. What are some hot
topics in culture?!

6. Over Accessibility!
Our mobile phones, computers, and technology have made us too
connected, too available and too exposed. We’re not exactly sure how
to deal with this. Do you answer your ringing phone at dinner? Do you
Tweet about Avatar during Avatar? Should you post that picture of
you and your friends at the 8th Grade dance of Facebook? Can that
email wait until you stop driving? For a lot of people anything is
appropriate. For others, none of this is appropriate.!

9. Even the Prez!

10. Downsized Desire!
Where once the sky was the limit, there’s now a major downsizing of
consumption. And as consumption gets downsized, so do our desires
and egos. $200 jeans and $20K home renovations don’t seem terribly
desirable these days, not only because of their cost, but because of
what they imply: an assumption of security or a pretense. Instead,
people are saying “If I get smart about local consumer protection
laws, I might be able to stave off foreclosure. If I take a pay cut, I
can keep my health benefits. If I lower my expectations, I might just
be able to meet them. If I save a little, I can be prepared for a
worst-case scenario.” !

13. Super Bowl 2009 spot !

14. Backlash!
Bad economic times and uncertainty has taken its toll. Too many jobs,
homes, dreams and lives have been lost. People are taking back control
by asserting themselves and (sometimes) lashing out. It’s not just
about anger, but rather disillusionment with America, with authority
and companies they see as responsible. !

17. Au Naturale!
The belief that nature knows best. That modern technology has
somehow missed the point, causing pollution, global warming, poor
health, obesity and weakness. People are truly retrenching to the
practices of primitives, growing their own foods, organic fibers and
diets. Foe some this started as thrift. But now it has developed to a
value system or natural is better.!