Is 2026 the new 2016? Can sincerity make a come back? And what this means for cult brands.
Sat Jan 17 2026
Everyone keeps saying "2026 is the new 2016" like it's just another aesthetic cycle. Hand-drawn typography, messy collages, analog hobbies making a comeback. But this isn't nostalgia for nostalgia's sake.
In this solo episode, Andi unpacks why the return to analog is really about resistance—to AI sameness, algorithmic exhaustion, and a culture that's been stuck in constant performance mode.
2016 was the last moment before being "tapped in" became mandatory. Before every brand had to have a stance. Before sincerity started feeling risky. What we're seeing now isn't a desire to go backward—it's a search for something real again.
This episode explores what that shift means for cult brands in 2026, including:
Why imperfect, hand-crafted aesthetics are becoming proof of humanity
The rise of analog behaviors as a response to digital fatigue
How cringe culture and constant optimization have exhausted audiences
Why "real" is now the scarcest resource in branding
What cult brands must build beyond the feed in a post-social era
This is the conversation cult brands need to be having—not about trends, but about how to build meaning in an increasingly artificial world.
🔗 Links & Mentions Free Workshop → Cult Brand Blueprint
Join the Accelerator → Cult Brand Blueprint Accelerator Cohort
Community → Out of Office Club
Newsletter → The Unschool News
More
Everyone keeps saying "2026 is the new 2016" like it's just another aesthetic cycle. Hand-drawn typography, messy collages, analog hobbies making a comeback. But this isn't nostalgia for nostalgia's sake. In this solo episode, Andi unpacks why the return to analog is really about resistance—to AI sameness, algorithmic exhaustion, and a culture that's been stuck in constant performance mode. 2016 was the last moment before being "tapped in" became mandatory. Before every brand had to have a stance. Before sincerity started feeling risky. What we're seeing now isn't a desire to go backward—it's a search for something real again. This episode explores what that shift means for cult brands in 2026, including: Why imperfect, hand-crafted aesthetics are becoming proof of humanity The rise of analog behaviors as a response to digital fatigue How cringe culture and constant optimization have exhausted audiences Why "real" is now the scarcest resource in branding What cult brands must build beyond the feed in a post-social era This is the conversation cult brands need to be having—not about trends, but about how to build meaning in an increasingly artificial world. 🔗 Links & Mentions Free Workshop → Cult Brand Blueprint Join the Accelerator → Cult Brand Blueprint Accelerator Cohort Community → Out of Office Club Newsletter → The Unschool News