Today’s Etcetera Highlights

• PULSE: How storytelling and culture are driving the new era of luxury

• HAPPENING: Everything from why brands must back local culture to redefining sports bars with inclusivity

• BY EXAMPLE: Spring has officially sprung, take a look at what we’ve been up to

• CULTURE DIET: Our very own Head of Strategy lets us in on what’s caught his eye lately

Luxury in Culture: Driving Connection and Relevance

Luxury is evolving faster than ever, shifting from being a symbol of status to becoming a driver of culture. Take the automotive sector, for instance. Once positioned purely as manufacturers of engineering excellence, brands like Porsche and BMW have moved into the cultural spotlight. Initiatives like BMW’s Art Car series or Porsche’s immersive creative platform in Marseille showcase how cars have become canvases for human expression. These collaborations aren’t just about branding—they’re about creating conversation, inviting the audience into the story.

Formula 1 is another striking example. It has transformed from a motorsport into a global cultural phenomenon, with races like the Las Vegas Grand Prix blurring the lines between sport, fashion, and entertainment. The partnerships F1 has attracted—from Charlotte Tilbury’s beauty sponsorship to Aston Martin’s luxury watch collaborations—highlight how luxury brands can amplify relevance by connecting to lifestyle and cultural moments.

The key takeaway? Luxury brands that win today don’t just sell products; they create cultural resonance. They harness collaborations, innovate across categories, and craft moments that don’t just meet audiences where they are but elevate them into something greater.

For more, download Jing Daily’s Autos, F1 outpace cultural competitors report here

In our last newsletter, we asked how you felt about physical catalogues making a return. An overwhelming 90% of readers loved the return of physical catalogues, calling it “a refreshing break from screens.” .

→ What else we've been consuming

• Australia’s Hottest Club Is… Yo-Chi?

• A spider stole Dunkin’s Instagram account

• The slow, steady, frustrating, relentless, remarkable rise of Reddit

• These are the top apps Gen Z downloaded this year

• Why everyone you know is running a marathon

→ Quick hits of insight

• Wicked opens in cinemas across the country today, while 326,000 Australians flooded cinemas last weekend to help Gladiator II take $7.6 million at the box office. These may seem unrelated – but the cinema industry is hoping this blockbuster duo will repeat the success of last year’s unlikely double act, Barbie and Oppenheimer.

• Aboriginal tourism is on the rise, with a 15.4% increase in domestic overnight visitors participating in Aboriginal cultural experiences in NSW. This underscores the growing interest in authentic cultural experiences.

• Only 87% of Gen Z adults value honesty compared to 97% of Baby Boomers, reflecting a shift toward valuing social status and trend-chasing over authenticity—brands must adapt by balancing engaging, entertainment content with trust-building strategies to resonate with this generation.

• Expedia released their third quarter results, lifting full-year guidance and talking to an acceleration in bookings of +7% with room night growth up 9%.

The ARIAs and Fashion Week: Why Brands Must Back Local Culture

This week’s ARIA Awards and the fight to save Australian Fashion Week highlight the creative forces shaping Australia’s identity—but without support, these platforms risk fading. The ARIAs showed music’s power to unite, while Fashion Week remains a global stage for homegrown talent. For brands, the opportunity is clear: support local talent to create cultural moments that resonate deeply. Backing music and fashion isn’t charity—it’s smart business. It’s about showing up where culture happens and building connections that last.

Her Sport, Her Bar: Redefining the Sports Bar for All

Sports bars, once the last bastion of hyper-masculinity, are transforming into spaces that embrace inclusivity. Sonnel Hospitality’s Her Sport, Her Bar initiative takes this shift further, creating venues that highlight women’s sports while fostering a welcoming environment for female fans. This isn’t just about screen time—it’s about reshaping the experience. Inspired by broader trends, like the redesign of Taffy’s at The Winston, these efforts recognise that women are not only sports fans but often the decision-makers for social outings. By championing female athletes and offering thoughtfully designed spaces, Sonnel is redefining what a sports bar can be.

→ And Etcetera…

• This Samsonite Suitcase Fell 130,000 Feet From Space With Zero Damage — and We Have Footage to Prove It

• Viral Reddit post inspires Reese’s new Deconstructed Peanut Butter Cup Kit

• Sabrina Carpenter Stirs Up Holiday Spirit With Official Espresso Martini Kit

• McDonald’s launches Bestie Bundle meal with limited-edition friendship bracelets

• Airbnb Is Giving 32 People the Chance to Visit the Colosseum After Hours to Watch a Gladiator Fight

Spring has officially sprung, and the Example team has been busy.

Here are some of the fun things we’ve been getting up to:

1. Challenged Aussies to ‘beersit’ for 48 hours in celebration of Beerfarm’s East Coast debut

2. Partied alongside US megastar Travis Scott and Don Julio

3. Embraced the colour and magic of Dia de Muertos at Melbourne hotspot Beverly

4. Got cosy at Hotel Morris

5. Unveiled a hidden rooftop oasis at The StandardX

6. Experienced the magic of Japan at Prefecture 48, a six-venue, three-level precinct we developed the concept for.

7. Marked FELLR DRINKS fourth anniversary and celebrated its impressive 40% growth with Will Morgan & Andy Skora

8. Learnt the art of buying art from Rainbow Studio's Jade Gillett

9. Toasted Australia’s bartenders with Moutai China, China’s most iconic spirit and the world’s top-selling

10. Enjoyed a martini with the King at InterContinental Sydney's Aster

11. Celebrated Merewether Beach Hotel’s wins as Best Regional Pub and Best Regional Redevelopment—a restoration project we proudly spearheaded with Epochal Hotels

12. Sipped Whispering Angel at The Boathouse Group's ‘Rosé Bay’

Spotlight: Chris Loukakis

Head of Strategy at Example

I’m Chris, Head of Strategy at Example and head of lawn mowing and bad jokes to two girls (8 and 1). My partner Hannah and I have set up shop for our family in Sydney’s Inner West where I was born and raised. I’ve been lucky enough to have had a diverse work life and have spent the majority of my career working in a mix of advertising, branding, digital and culture agencies.

At the moment I’m fixated by what exactly ‘culture’ is, why most discussions of it tend to centre around celebrity (read: wealth) and tend to ignore the true roots of cultural movements which are often working class people, and the melding of nationalities/backgrounds.

→ Undiscovered Gems

Outside Magazine: For headlines like “Is It Bad That My Boyfriend’s ATV Gives Me The Ick?” and “Love and Madness in the Jungle”. NYT Games App: I am addicted to The Mini, Connections and Strands - great brain breaks! Tooth & Claw podcast: A podcast about “Human and animal conflicts” which is at the same time informative, hilarious, heartwarming and incredibly easy listening.

→ Culture That Moves You

I’ve had a realisation that finding time to read long epic books is a little out of range for me while my children are little. The recent revelation is that short stories (the properly short ones) are the perfect mode for a parent with young kids. At the moment I’m reading Paul Theroux’s ‘World’s End’ - a collection of short stories that fits perfectly into the 15 minute reading window as part of my eldest daughter's bedtime ritual.

→ A Cultural Experience

I always make a habit of seeking out the ‘ordinary’ lunch spots near work or home. Modern life, with the never-ending quest to be relevant, means that we tend to choose where we eat and spend time based on the lists put forward by lifestyle publications. And while this is a great strategy for your next date or birthday celebration, it's not a winning approach when trying to find a cheap sandwich in your immediate area!

So, for your next lunch just go walking until you find a ‘takeaway’ in all its nondescript glory. Order the chicken salad sandwich, extra alfalfa sprouts. Look at the walls, read the posters advertising the hit Greek sensation playing in your local Cypriot club, or the epic Chinese stage show celebrating a time before communism.

Watch the old man make your sandwich - one of the thousands he’s made this year. He’s supporting his children and helping put his grandkids through private school with those sandwiches.

There’s more culture here than just about everywhere else. And it comes with a side of wonderwhite. What’s not to love?

Check out Chris on LinkedIn here.

When you’re ready, we’re here to help!

At Example, we provide strategy, creative, PR, and content services for Australia’s top destinations, brands and experiences that shape culture.