The State Of Play

Culture & Code

Demi Moore has a house for her doll collection. David Beckham relaxes by assembling Lego kits. Board games are the preferred Saturday night pastime. Selling toys to adults is a big business, and in this episode, Rei and Ana unpack the reasons behind bag charms, AFOLs (Adult Fans of Lego) and popularity of brand mascots. Rather than seeing these trends as mere nostalgia, we suggest that consumers are increasingly comfortable with the blurred lines between reality and imagination, spurred by AI.

• Watch us on YouTube

Follow Ana here:

• Newsletter "The Sociology of Business"
• New book "Hitmakers: How Brands Influence Culture"

Follow Rei here:

• Rei's LinkedIn
• Newsletter "The Intersection"
• Rei's global innovation firm I&CO