Global socially-led creative agency, We Are Social, has launched its annual 'Think Forward 2025: The Liveable Web' report. The report, based on a global survey of 500 marketing decision-makers, explores key cultural and behavioural shifts that are shaping social media and digital engagement.

The report identifies a backlash against the relentless pace of online life and how audiences are rediscovering joy through intentional, meaningful interactions. Marketers are encouraged to embrace this shift by taking bold creative risks, fostering intimacy, and prioritising sustainability.

Five key trends are highlighted in the report: Primal Renaissance, Low-stakes social, Intentional consumerism, Modern mythmaking, and New intimacies. These trends reflect a shift in online behaviour, with audiences pushing back against the prevailing culture of 'more' – more content, faster trend cycles, ever higher, more unattainable goals – to find new modes of joy online.

The report also identifies a learning gap for marketers when it comes to understanding internet culture. Despite the increasing prominence of sh*tposting, sludge and slop content online in 2024, the majority of those questioned – 83% for sludge and slop and 67% for sh*tposting – have no idea what the terms mean.

"We know that a lot of people feel overwhelmed by their online experiences today; even spending time on social can be exhausting at times. That’s why it’s been so encouraging to see the emergence of ‘The Liveable Web’ as a theme this year - separating joy from progress and prioritising slower consumption. We also see more audiences actively seeking out more raw emotion and less sanitisation; this in itself is a creative gift to marketers everywhere - particularly those willing to take a few risks," said We Are Social’s global chief strategy officer, Mobbie Nazir.

"The social media landscape is at a pivotal moment, where people are increasingly seeking authenticity, levity, and genuine connection amid rising concerns about its impact. Our Think Forward 2025 report delves into these cultural shifts, from the raw energy of the Primal Renaissance to the emergence of low-stakes social spaces that embrace kindness and creativity. These trends reveal not just the challenges but the profound opportunities for brands to step up. By championing intentional consumerism, fostering meaningful communities, and embracing cultural nuances, brands can be part of creating a healthier, more human digital world—something Australians are clearly craving," said CEO of We Are Social Australia, Suzie Shaw.