In a year marked by global conflict, economic pressure, and mounting social and civic challenges, Zeno leaned into its purpose more than ever before. It served as our north star, shaping how we showed up for one another, for our communities, and for our planet.

Key Takeaways

• Micro-creators are outperforming larger creators in reach efficiency.
• TikTok prioritizes relevance over follower size, while YouTube Shorts leads in retention.
• Brands should build tiered creator ecosystems rather than relying on scale alone.

Creator marketing performance has fundamentally shifted. Our Zeno Digital Experience (ZDX) creator team looked at 2.6K sponsored posts across more than 550 of our 2025 creator partnerships to set new performance benchmarks.

Zeno Group unveiled global research showing the unprecedented influence of communications across business strategy, growth, risk, and workforce decisions. Yet most communications leaders say they are not fully prepared for what the next four years will demand.

Black joy has shaped culture for more than a century. From music and art to language, fashion and digital trends, Black creativity keeps influencing industries, redefining mainstream culture and moving the world forward. During Black History Month, we reflect on 100 years of Black rhythm, entertainment and creative expression and explore how Black joy became one of the most powerful cultural forces in the world.

When I began my internship at Zeno Group’s Chicago office in the summer 2025, I was excited — and intimidated. Butterflies in my stomach fluttered with first-day nerves. Riding up to the 30th floor seemed to take forever. Even logging into my laptop seemed different in an office.

Something feels off as we move through 2026. 

Across culture, work, and technology, contradictions are stacking up. Long-held expectations are collapsing. And people are quietly realizing that the world no longer lines up the way they were told it would. When that happens, they don’t opt out; they adapt. They start trying to create alignment on their own, just to get through the day.