How 1021 Creative keeps up with culture
July 8, 2026
by
Insights from 1021 Creative
Here at 1021 Creative, we pride ourselves on being digital anthropologists who explore online culture.
While we get to find and unpack trends firsthand, we also like to hear from other experts and strategists in the field. Thankfully, there are many creators, podcasts, and newsletters that do a great job of breaking down trends and broader culture.
While we can’t give away all of our secrets, let’s hear from some of our specialists about which trendspotting creators they’re checking out.
Juliane - Content Enrichment Specialist, Germany
“To keep up with YouTube creators and pop culture news, I listen to a lot of podcasts — especially creator-led ones in Germany that discuss what’s happening in the digital and entertainment space.
Some of the main ones I follow are ‘Lästerschwestern’, ‘Nieren & Bubble Tea’, ‘We Listen & We Judge’, ‘Hobbylos’, and ‘House of Houmsi’.
What I find especially interesting is hearing creators discuss industry news from their own perspective. German YouTube culture often approaches trends and online discourse quite critically, and these podcasts continue that conversation in a more detailed and unfiltered way.”
Joy - Content Enrichment Specialist, Indonesia
“I really love this creator called Etymology Nerd; he's so good at breaking down AI memes, brainrot culture, and his Substack articles usually dive deeper into the short-form video topics he’s curated.
I think what's really unique about him is that he speaks from a linguist's perspective, so his videos helped me a lot in gaining insights from internet studies experts. I personally like it when he talks about tung tung tung sahur, one of the most popular characters within the AI-generated world of "Italian brainrot.”
Octavia - Content Enrichment Specialist, US
“I use After School almost daily for internet culture, particularly for understanding younger generations! It's more of a curated newsletter directory, with links to top articles of the day, but there are original articles, as well.
“on his Temu era”
In particular, I think it's one of the best sites at highlighting the differences between Gen Z and Gen Alpha trends, where I think many places can sometimes lump those two generations together.”
Chandler - Senior Culture and Trends Specialist, US
“In my time at 1021 Creative, I’ve found so many incredible and intelligent creatives who do incredible work breaking down trends and examining their larger impact on culture. For the creator economy, I listen to the Creator Upload podcast from Tubefilter, which gives me a better understanding of the large-scale economic happenings in the creator economy. I also listen to ICYMI and Polyester Zine to learn about internet culture, plus I enjoy the conversations.”
Ana - Content Enrichment Specialist, MX
“In Spanish, I like Aleida Argueta. She’s a self-proclaimed ‘intellectual’ (very tongue-in-cheek about it) and uses high literature to unpack trends and pop culture moments. I like that she stays tapped into what Gen Z in Mexico is talking about, while also trying to democratize knowledge by bridging the gap between highbrow and lowbrow culture.
In English, I like Eugene Healey’s content. He’s a brand strategy consultant who makes short videos analyzing cultural moments and shifts in consumer behavior. While his perspective is grounded in how brands navigate the current landscape, I find his analyses insightful because they often reveal broader cultural dynamics and explain why certain trends resonate the way they do.
Both focus on short-form videos, but they’re a great starting point for digging deeper into a topic!"
