Selling to a ‘Dysoptimistic’ Generation: VML’s The Future 100: 2026 Lays Out a New Brief for Brands

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In the midst of economic upheaval, polarising politics and environmental setbacks, the global Zeitgeist is embracing a mood South Africans know well: resilience.

South Africans have long been recognised for resilience. Now, it appears the world is catching up. As 2026 unfolds amid global challenges, VML’s 12th annual Future 100 report introduces an emerging cultural ethos: dystoptimism. The concept captures a collective mood that acknowledges darkness without surrendering to it and is finding possibility in renewal.

The Future 100: 2026 report is based on a global survey across 16 markets and identifies 100 trends shaping global business and culture in the year ahead. It reveals that people are not merely coping with disruption, they are embracing it as a catalyst for fundamental changes in how they live, spend and connect.

“Dystoptimism highlights that as old systems crumble, individuals, communities, and innovators are building new, human-centered solutions. It’s about designing for a better future, not just wishing for the past,” says Emma Chiu and Marie Stafford, Global Directors, VML Intelligence and co-authors of The Future 100: 2026.

KEY THEMES FROM THE FUTURE 100: 2026

1. Looking for enlightenment and joy in adversity

Exhausted by cycles of negativity, people are seeking experiences that elevate their spirits, enlighten, and shift perspectives. Eighty-six percent of respondents are drawn to encounters that inspire awe or a renewed worldview, and are seeking travel, wellness, culture and retail experiences as catalysts for personal growth:

Transformative experiences and Immersive wellness reflect the rise of retreats and environments built for deep personal journeys.
Resilience wellness reframes resilience as a learnable practice, blending emotional, physical and spiritual tools to help people adapt to turbulent times.
Nano trips illustrate how short and high-impact getaways are being used to find perspective or try on new identities.
Treatonomics highlight the rise in small indulgences, where regular pleasures become a survival strategy even as people cut back elsewhere.
2. AI’s growth from tool to collaborator

AI is a major force, both disruptive and enabling. Growing comfort with AI is reshaping how people are using it to reshape their realities while fiercely protecting what makes us human:
Generative realities and AI storyworlds trends show how AI enables the generation of adaptive worlds in real time, pointing to a future where entertainment, commerce and customer experiences are co-created with algorithms.
Synthetic generation and RelAItionships evolved explore AI’s increasingly intimate role in people’s lives. From emotional companions to automated “employees”, we’re negotiating what it means to live and work alongside non-human counterparts. Almost half (49%) of gen Z say they have already formed a meaningful relationship with AI.
Trends such as Truth literacy, Omnisurveillance, Digital intent and Coded empathy show how governments, platforms, designers and brands are being pushed to rebuild trust and make AI more transparent and accountable, even as it’s embraced as a creative and practical ally.

3. Human connection reigns supreme

Even as digital and physical realities blend, the report finds that true human connection remains vital:
In Hyperreality, online and offline culture fully intertwine – memes become physical products, digital language becomes everyday speech, and luxury brands turn viral jokes into real-world objects. Yet across the report, people say they still prefer human contact when they’re making decisions that matter.
Trends such as Social health and New rave scene highlight a surge in community driven spaces – from social wellness clubs and sober raves to neighbourhood “third places” that prioritise belonging over transactions.

“The brands poised for leadership in 2026 are those that can operate confidently in blended realities and navigate these myriad shifts in consumer behaviour,” says Naomi Troni, Global Chief Marketing Officer at VML. “We must design for both the ambitious and anxious sides of consumers.”

Across its 100 trends, The Future 100: 2026 offers marketers, innovators and leaders a clear brief for the year ahead. For more insight on what this means for brands and marketers, read the full report.

The full report – including all 100 trends – is available for download here.

About Post Author

KWANELE NGOBESE

I am a media and communications professional with a focus on public relations and digital content. At After 12 Communications, I manage social media platforms and publish articles that inform, engage, and elevate the brand’s voice. Passionate about storytelling and digital engagement, I bring creativity, consistency, and strategy to every project I work on. Follow me on Twitter: @Kwanele_Coms

http://www.onlinemag.co.za