At Wonderworks, we believe creativity grows when we look beyond the drinks industry. By exploring wider cultural shifts, we keep our finger on the pulse and deliver ideas that connect with consumers in more meaningful ways.

Last week, we attended Paradigms 2025, a conference bringing together some of the sharpest minds in branding, marketing, and creativity. Over two packed days, we came away with fresh perspectives, powerful frameworks, and a few “Scooby Doo moments” that will stick with us long after the event.

Here are our seven biggest takeaways for brands and marketers in 2025:

1. Culture is the New Core of Branding

Brands are no longer just commenting on culture - they are culture. But there’s a catch: consumers can sniff out inauthenticity instantly. Two-thirds of people say brands feel like “try-hards” when they overdo cultural relevance.

What this means for marketers:
• Have a clear point of view that connects authentically with your audience.
• Don’t jump on every fleeting trend; instead, align with cultural moments that reinforce your values.
• Think about how your brand adds meaning, not just noise.

2. Fresh Perspectives: The Power of “Vuja De”

We’ve all heard of Déjà Vu. Now meet Vuja De: seeing the familiar with fresh eyes. The best ideas resonate because they feel connected to people’s lives while offering a surprising twist.

What this means for marketers:
• Create campaigns that thrive “in the jungle, not the zoo”- ideas that are adaptable, organic, and don’t need endless budget to survive.
• Focus on insight-driven creativity that still feels raw, fresh, and relevant.

3. The Meme-ification of Marketing

With TikTok, Instagram Reels, and creator-led content dominating consumer attention, traditional polished advertising doesn’t always land. What works? Dark humour, radical honesty, DIY production, and niche cultural references.

Take Nutter Butter’s TikTok revival - from classic cookie brand to chaotic internet favourite with 2.5M followers. It’s weird, it’s playful, and it works.

What this means for marketers:
• Experiment with meme culture - but do it authentically.
• Embrace unpolished, platform-native content rather than forcing TV-ad slickness onto TikTok.
• Meet your audience where they are, in the tone they want.

4. Designing for Consistency at Scale

Design Bridge and HSBC shared a powerful rebrand case study: consolidating from a fragmented “House of Brands” into one globally unified identity. Their iconic red hexagon now works consistently across markets, motion, and media.

What this means for marketers:
• Rebrands must balance simplicity (for scalability) with flexibility (to stay relevant across cultures).
• Audit what’s working globally and locally before you unify.

5. Product ≠ Brand

Specs and features don’t make a brand. Audience understanding, differentiation, and cultural resonance do. Today, attention precedes legitimacy: you must grab attention first, then back it up with product credibility.

What this means for marketers:
• Lead with storytelling, optimism, and distinctiveness.
• Think “Tell, tell… then sell.”

6. AI, Systems & Creativity

AI came up again and again - but the message was clear: it’s a tool, not the idea itself. Systems can speed up creative processes, but over-reliance risks sameness.

What this means for marketers:
• Use AI to support - not replace - insight-led creativity.
• Balance structure with surprise; let technology amplify your ideas, not flatten them.

7. The Scooby Doo Moment

Speaker Nu Goteh introduced a phrase we love: “The Scooby Doo Moment.” It’s that reveal when you uncover the real problem, not just the client’s stated one.

What this means for marketers:
• Always play detective with your clients.
• Solve for the real issue early to save time, budget, and energy.
• Remember: the problem behind the problem is usually where the magic lies.

Final Thoughts

If Paradigms 2025 taught us anything, it’s this: branding today is about authentic cultural connection, fresh perspectives, and designing for adaptability. Whether it’s through memes, AI, or Scooby Doo-style problem solving, the brands that win in 2025 will be those that stay human, curious, and relevant.

For drinks brands looking to stay ahead and resonate more meaningfully with consumers, we’d love to help bring fresh ideas to the table.