The #9th edition of the Influencer Chronicles is here, and let’s just say February didn’t come to play. While last month was about the “death” of the luxury trip, this month we’re witnessing the birth of the “Originator.” Consider this your front-row seat to the culture shifts that defined the shortest (but loudest) month of 2026.
The lineup is giving pure range: we’ve got the Olympic “Ice Cheating” scandal, where a bronze medalist used his live interview to drop a tearful love confession/apology, and Punch the baby monkey breaking the internet with his IKEA security blanket. Plus, we’re breaking down why Olivia Dean is the perfect new face for Cartier and how the TikTok Discover List is proving that “niche” is officially the new “global.”
The perfect mid-day scroll starts right here. Enjoy
On the radar
FROM FAST FASHION TO HALFTIME: BENITO x ZARA
We had to start this edition with the man of the hour: Bad Bunny. While his Super Bowl performance was legendary, the real industry shocker was that Zara outfitted the star, his dancers, and the entire orchestra. The brand strategically aligned with Benito’s message that “the only thing more powerful than hate is love.” It’s a calculated pivot to distance Zara from “fast fashion” stigmas and lean into a more luxury, inclusive sentiment. Independent of your opinion on the conglomerate’s labor controversies, this was a massive win for them: they didn’t just buy an ad but successfully captured the world’s most authentic energy.
THE TIMELESS GRIP OF LEVI’S
While other brands’ Super Bowl ads were two-minutes full of fluff, Levi’s delivered a 45-second masterclass. Their “Backstory” clip perfectly combined nostalgia and the now, highlighting Levi’s place in the American psyche through a cheeky “booty” view of every icon. Seamless transitions from Woody in Toy Story, Bruce Springsteen’s Born In The U.S.A. to other moment, with a closing shot of Doelchii performing on stage with an infectious, authentic smile. It was fast, modern, and high-energy, proving that you only need a few seconds to show the audience that through every era, it has always been Levi’s.
MUSE OF SOUL MEETS LEGACY
After seven years of writing her own “love letters” to the world, the 2026 Best New Artist Grammy winner Olivia Dean has officially been named the “young muse of soul” and the newest face of Cartier. It’s a partnership that actually makes sense: her soft, heartfelt music and modern romanticism find a perfect mirror in the Maison’s legacy of elegance. By aligning with a brand built on permanence, Olivia proves that authenticity is the ultimate luxury. Cartier didn’t just sign a singer; they found a seamless counterpart for a new era of artistry. Safe to say, we’re all obsessed with seeing what Olivia’s next move is
Topics of the month
TIKTOK AND THE RISE OF THE ORIGINATOR
The “Mega-Star” era might be officially taking a backseat. This year’s TikTok Discover List just dropped and it confirms a major vibe shift: the industry is moving away from massive follower counts and toward the “originators.” We’re seeing a pivot to niche, community-driven creators who actually start the trends, sounds, and dances we all love rather than just the celebrities who replicate them. Especially on TikTok as creators are their “heart and soul.” For brands, it’s no longer about who is the most famous, but who is the most authentic.
Platforms once built for sharing your life with friends and family have shifted; today the majority of content isn’t personal but just “content”. Users are noticing, with Reddit threads comparing apps to “interactive TV shopping channels.” In a previous edition, we discussed the shift toward a “less polished” aesthetic, but even that is being commodified. For influencers, this means the “social” part of their job is evolving into pure entertainment and sales. As platforms prioritize the algorithm over the individual, we have to ask: where do we go from here?
The Milano-Cortina 2026 Games have proven one thing: if you aren’t social listening, you aren’t winning. From ski tier cakes to the obsession over team jackets, the Games are no longer just about the podium – they’re about the “follow culture.” Brands that are winning insert themselves into the drama in real-time this including the official Olympics page posting the viral cake video. The successful players are those jumping on unscripted moments while the rest of the world is still checking the scoreboard. In 2026, you don’t just watch the Olympics; you participate in the meme.
Alexia is a filmmaker on a mission to capture the human “spark,” but she’s become the main attraction by trading her hiking boots for bare feet. She practices quadrobics and the results are as captivating as they are unconventional.
By turning this niche practice into a viral movement, Alexia is redefining how we interact with the world. Beyond her own stunts, she documents off-grid communities to highlight the natural medicines and ancient traditions that modern society often overlooks. It’s a form of storytelling that allows Alexia to represent her values by giving a voice to those living in total harmony with nature.
Why should you follow her? Alexia is a jolt of pure, unrefined adrenaline. You follow her to see what the body can do when it ignores the rules and finds its own barefoot rhythm.
Brooklyn Beckham just turned a quiet unfollow into a full-blown family headline that’s lead to thousands of memes. After fans noticed he’d removed his famous parents from Instagram, Brooklyn addressed the tension and the internet is split: some see a son setting boundaries, others see a messy overshare from someone born into extreme privilege. Either way, it’s a reminder that even the most polished families can crack behind the scenes.
3. Internet’s heart-melter
Punch the baby macaque is officially the internet’s newest obsession. After being rejected by his mother, he went viral for the most heart-melting reason: he’s found a permanent “security blanket” in a stuffed IKEA orangutan. Images of Punch clinging tightly to his plushie have taken over social media, prompting even IKEA USA to weigh in on the viral sensation. They captured the mood perfectly with: “Family is who we find along the way.”
What have we learned?
SOCIAL RESONANCE
In 2026, resonating with culture is the ultimate shortcut to capping attention. IKEA USA proved this by transforming the viral Punch story into a value-driven narrative. Even Cartier is playing the game by identifying Olivia Dean as a seamless partner whose popularity and elegance mirror their own legacy. Together, these brands prove that winning isn’t just about a polished ad – it’s about being responsive to culture and participating in the moment.
VALUES ARE THE NEW VIBE CHECK
For fans, business decisions are driven by moral alignment rather than the bottom line. Chappell Roan set the standard by cutting ties with her agency over its CEO’s controversial links, proving that true influence requires the guts to demand better of your partners. Norwegian biathlete traded a career milestone for a PR disaster, proving that when personal values fail, the audience quickly follows.
UNFILTERED AND UNBOTHERED
In a world of overproduced GRWMs, nonchalance is the ultimate digital palate cleanser. Diya has mastered this, capturing millions through an unbothered energy that makes traditional feeds feel try-hard. This magnetic authenticity is echoed by Alexia Kraft, who by walking on all fours proves that the most captivating way to win an audience isn’t through a script, but by being unapologetically unique.
