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PETA reframes plant-based eating through masculinity

Sharpen your sword, go vegan by PETA, Global

Global – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is using humour and masculinity to promote plant-based eating in a new campaign created with creative agency Samy.

The series of short films highlights research linking vegan diets to improved erectile health, stamina and fertility, reframing plant-based consumption through performance and masculinity. Across three tongue-in-cheek films featuring exaggerated displays of masculinity such as duelling, karate and swordfighting, the campaign taps into the Unhinged Humour Opportunity to engage new audiences.

Masculinity has become a big cultural point of contention in recent times, with a notable gap in the market for brands that can offer positive models of masculinity, as unpacked in our Decoding Masculinity report. At the same time, PETA is tapping into changing attitudes to male fertility, as new products and cultural narratives prompt men to engage earlier and more actively.

Strategic opportunity

Make conversations around masculinity feel more accessible by using humour, sport, entertainment and culturally familiar narratives to engage men in topics such as preventative health, nutrition, fertility and emotional wellbeing

Forte launches invitation-only app for trading luxury supercars

US – Luxury automotive platform Forte has launched an invitation-only app designed to streamline how ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) collectors manage, value and trade rare vehicles.

Founded by two former executives from Beverly Hills dealership O’Gara Coach, the platform positions luxury cars as an asset class comparable to fine art or real estate. Forte replaces traditional dealership and broker networks with a digital interface intended to bring greater liquidity and transparency to the prestige automotive market.

The app functions as an ‘AI digital garage’, allowing users to manage collections through a single platform while accessing portfolio-tracking, market intelligence and a curated aggregator of listings, auctions and events. Forte claims the platform draws from about 10bn listings globally.

To maintain exclusivity and trust, transactions are supported by a concierge team that manages sourcing and pre-qualifies negotiations between buyers and sellers.

Forte is initially focused on Miami and Los Angeles, with plans to expand into additional US and European markets as it looks to establish itself as infrastructure for the future ownership and exchange of luxury performance cars.

Forte, US

This aligns with our Identity Investors report. Consumer purchasing and investing is increasingly linking capital with identity, values and culture, turning portfolios into extensions of personal ideologies.

Strategic opportunity

Create ecosystems in which customers can connect around shared beliefs, interests or missions. Brands with strong communities will encourage higher loyalty, advocacy and lifetime value

Stat: Gen Alpha are already shaping the future of work and spending

Photography by Cottonbro Studio, Global

US – A new generation of financially motivated consumers are already influencing household spending, brand discovery and future workplace culture. According to new research from PR and marketing firm DKC, 95% of Gen Alpha children aged 8–15 in the US are already earning money through allowances, chores, babysitting, lawn care and online resale activity.

The US survey of 1,000 parents found that Gen Alpha children now have an average weekly income of £39 ($52, €45), up from £34 ($45, €39) in 2024, equating to £2,020 ($2,704, €2,333) annually.

Raised in an always-online economy shaped by influencers, creator culture and entrepreneurial content, Gen Alpha are developing commercial instincts earlier than previous generations. Parents reported that their children influence about half of household spending decisions, while 69% said they discover brands through their children and 71% have changed purchasing behaviour based on their recommendations.

The research also suggests Gen Alpha’s consumer awareness extends beyond products. Previous DKC findings showed that 69% care about brand values, reflecting a generation growing up with unprecedented visibility into how companies operate, communicate and behave online.

As identified in our Gen Alphas Now and Next: From the Sandbox to Roblox report, this is a highly financially literate generation, shaped in part by Millennial parents who have prioritised early financial education. As a result, Gen Alpha will increasingly influence household spending decisions and are expected to emerge as a notably entrepreneurial generation.

Strategic opportunity

Build dual-audience branding that balances parental trust (safety, value, ethics) with child appeal (fun, status, digital relevance), alongside early-life loyalty pipelines that help young customers grow into adulthood