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SXSW 2025: Manifesting a better future for all

Rohit Bhargava at 7 Non-Obvious Secrets Of Understanding People To Predict the Future, SXSW 2025. Photography by Renee Dominguez, US

US – SXSW is a festival of future-thinking, but how can we truly anticipate what’s next? In a thought-provoking session, Rohit Bhargava, bestselling author and founder of the Non-Obvious Company, attempted to answer a question he says people often ask him: ‘You're a futurist – are we going to be okay? Are we, as a species, going to be okay?’

Bhargava outlined the major forces fracturing society, from digital addiction to the loneliness epidemic, as well as what he calls algorithmic negativity – a phenomenon highlighted by a Wall Street Journal investigation which revealed that engaging with negative content prompts algorithms to continuously serve even more negativity. Other indicators include rising geopolitical tensions, or what United Nations secretary-general António Guterres once referred to as 'a great fracture', and the growing influence of a broligarchy, where tech billionaires wield significant political power. Added to this is the uncertainty surrounding AI and emerging movements like anti-natalism, which discourages having children as a means of protecting the planet. As a result, Bhargava argues that we now collectively suffer from anticipatory anxiety.

‘When we expect the future to be a disaster, guess what happens? We create that disaster. Because the future we can make is the one that we imagine.’

The author advocates reframing the concept of manifestation to inspire optimism and action. To avoid sleepwalking into dystopian scenarios, he suggests that our priority should be understanding people – what they truly want and need – so we can reshape the future. Hence the title of his session: 7 Non-Obvious Secrets of Understanding People to Predict the Future. His insights ranged from the enduring value of human connection in an AI-driven world to the importance of curiosity, intersectionality and challenging assumptions.

To explore these ideas further, listen to The Future Laboratory’s co-founder Martin Raymond in conversation with Rohit Bhargava and Henry Coutinho Mason on the Back to the F**kture podcast. In this episode, they discuss how today’s innovations shape the future, why understanding the present is key to forecasting and why optimism – rather than dystopia – should be the default mindset.

Strategic opportunity

In lieu of dystopian forecasts, future-facing brands and organisations must actively curate optimism, human connection and curiosity to drive meaningful innovation

Netflix opens new restaurant residency in Las Vegas

Netflix Bites, US

US – Netflix is expanding its entertainment empire into immersive dining with Netflix Bites Vegas, a year-long residency at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The restaurant serves a menu inspired by hit shows such as Bridgerton, Stranger Things and Squid Game, blending food with fandom.

Building on the success of Netflix Bites Los Angeles, which sold out for six weeks in 2023, the Las Vegas iteration offers themed dishes such as The Dessert is Lava, a molten chocolate treat inspired by Floor is Lava, and cocktails including The Mind Flayer, a dark bourbon concoction referencing Stranger Things.

With 7.5m guests engaging in Netflix’s real-world experiences across 100 cities, this latest venture underscores the brand’s ability to translate digital storytelling into physical, fan-driven spaces. Our Streaming’s Next Frontier report delves into why streaming is no longer just about content – it’s about building universes populated by fans and allowing audiences to engage with film and tv beyond the sofa.

Strategic opportunity

Fandom is big business. Restaurants, bars and other hospitality players can attract new audiences by offering immersive, themed experiences or menus that turn passive viewers into active participants in the universe of their favourite series

Stat: Tennis participation surges in the US

Photography by Olerato Motshebe

US – Tennis participation in the US has hit a record high for the fifth consecutive year, with 25.7m individuals picking up a racket in 2024 – an 8% increase from the previous year, according to the United States Tennis Association (USTA). To support this growth, the organisation has announced a £7.7m ($10m, €9.2m) investment in tennis infrastructure.

‘This report confirms what we know at the USTA: tennis popularity continues to grow and is a sport that is increasingly looking more like America than ever before,’ said Lew Sherr, USTA CEO, in a press release. ‘Along with our section partners, our mission is to get more people on the court to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere and we are thrilled to see these numbers validate the work we do.’

Younger players are driving the increase, with nearly two-thirds of new participants under 35. The sport’s appeal is also expanding across demographics, with Black/African American participation rising 26% and Hispanic participation up 15.4%.

The USTA’s additional funding will support court refurbishment and extended facility hours. ‘We will continue to do our part through an ambitious strategy to grow the game to 35m players by 2035, a goal that is both actionable and achievable as we seek to bring the benefits of the world’s healthiest sport to more people across America,’ said Sherr.

For insights about how brands are reacting to this surge of tennis practitioners, head to our Racquet Culture Redefined report.

Strategic opportunity

Given its reputation as the world’s healthiest sport, consider introducing tennis-focused wellness programmes or memberships that combine tennis with holistic fitness – such as recovery therapies, nutrition plans and mental resilience training – at gyms, wellbeing retreats and travel resorts