Now that the year is taking shape, there’s an opportunity to consider the movements that defined the last one, while keeping an eye on the ideas set to influence what comes next.
As part of our annual Three Trends series, we asked industry leaders to share their key takeaways.
Next, we speak to Demas Kevin, Head of Digital at LUP Jakarta.
Demas touches on the rise of micro-storytelling, why attention now matters more than audience size, and the growing challenges facing influencer marketing.
Looking Ahead:
What are three trends to look for in the coming year?
1. The Era of Micro-Storytelling
Audiences are getting tired of overly polished and big-budget campaigns that feel distant or too “perfect”. What is working better now is hyper-relatable micro-storytelling content that feels personal, honest, and native to the platform.
On platforms like TikTok, Reels, and YouTube, content that feels conversational and human consistently outperforms traditional brand messaging. For marketers, this means shifting from grand storytelling to authentic micro-moments that build trust through relevance and emotional connection.
2. Attention over Audience Size
In today’s digital landscape, KPIs should no longer focus solely on follower growth but rather prioritize depth of engagement, such as average watch time, completion rate, saves, and shares.
The biggest misconception about celebrity influencers today is that massive reach still equals massive impact.
Because on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, content performance is driven more by meaningful attention and retention than by audience size alone.
3. The Celebrity Influencer is Not Working Anymore
The biggest misconception about celebrity influencers today is that massive reach still equals massive impact. On platforms like Instagram and TikTok, distribution is algorithm-driven, not follower-driven, meaning a celebrity with 10 million followers may only reach a small fraction of them organically.
More importantly, attention has become selective: people follow celebrities for entertainment, not for purchase guidance. When a sponsored post appears, the behavioral shift is immediate (scroll, skip, and disengage).
Looking Back:
Your favorite trend of 2025:
One trend I genuinely loved in 2025 is the rise of chaotic AI characters from Indonesia, which is the whole “brainrot” universe.
Characters like TungTung Sahur, Skibidi Toilet, GigaChad, or Ohio Final Boss; prove that the internet doesn’t just consume content anymore, it co-creates culture in real time.
If you could sum up 2025 in one emoji:
🤘
One of your favorite campaigns of 2025:
In my opinion, this campaign was so influential because it did not just ride on Bunny’s fame but turned cultural obsession into participatory behavior.
Instead of a passive endorsement, the campaign tapped into fan curiosity, digital stalking culture, and real-time engagement mechanics by making audiences feel like they were part of a live movement rather than watching an ad.
What was your 2025 New Year’s Resolution, and did you keep it?
I want to create ideas that people actually stay for, not scroll past, because attention is expensive, and shallow attention is worthless.
If people don’t stay, they don’t remember. If they don’t remember, they don’t choose.
