🌊 So… What Is the Next Big Trend?
People ask this a lot lately.
What’s next?
What should we be watching?
What’s about to change?
And the truth is - there probably isn’t going to be just one big trend anymore.
We’re moving into a time where lots of things are growing together. Technology. Community. Local business. Real connection. Real stories. Real people.
And if I’m honest… some of the things people thought were “old fashioned” are quietly becoming powerful again.
Things like print.
Like community events.
Like local storytelling.
Like actually knowing the person behind the business you support.
Funny how things come full circle, isn’t it?
💛 The Biggest Shift I’m Seeing: People Want To Feel Human Again
After years of fast scrolling, bad news cycles, automation and “everything online”, people are craving something different.
They want:
Real faces
Real voices
Real places
Real conversations
Real community
Not perfect.
Not filtered.
Not staged.
Just real.
People aren’t just asking “What is this?” anymore.
They’re asking “How does this make me feel?”
And more and more, they’re choosing connection over convenience.
đź”® The Trends That Are Already Happening (Whether We Notice Or Not)
🤝 Supporting Local Isn’t Just Nice - It’s Becoming Normal
People want to support businesses they see in their community.
They want to know the owner’s story.
They want to feel like their money stays in the area.
Local isn’t a fallback option anymore.
For many people, it’s the first choice.
🧠Technology Isn’t Replacing People - It’s Helping Good People Do More
Yes, technology is growing fast.
But the future isn’t machines replacing humans.
The future is good people using tools to work smarter - while keeping personality, humour, honesty and trust front and centre.
People still buy from people.
That hasn’t changed.
đź“Ł Smaller, Trusted Voices Are Becoming More Powerful
Huge audiences don’t automatically mean impact anymore.
Smaller, loyal, local audiences often have more trust, more engagement and more real-world influence.
Community media.
Local newsletters.
Local storytelling.
These spaces are becoming incredibly valuable - because people trust them.
🎉 Experiences Are Becoming More Important Than “Stuff”
People want to belong to something.
They want:
Events
Gatherings
Behind-the-scenes moments
Community celebrations
Shared experiences
Memories are becoming more valuable than products.
📦 The Future Isn’t Print OR Digital - It’s Both, Working Together
The strongest brands are showing up in multiple ways:
In your hand
On your screen
In your community
When people see you in more than one place, trust grows faster.
🌞 People Are Actively Choosing Good News Again
After years of heavy news cycles, people are tired.
They’re not ignoring problems - but they are choosing balance.
They want:
Local wins
Community heroes
Kindness stories
Solutions, not just problems
Content that makes them feel hopeful
And honestly… that feels like a really healthy shift.
đź‘€ The Quiet Trend I Think Will Grow The Most
Not subscriptions.
Membership.
People don’t just want to read something.
They want to belong to something.
They want to feel part of a community.
Recognised. Included. Connected.
And people are increasingly willing to support spaces that give them that feeling.
🌏 What This All Means (If You Strip It Back)
The future isn’t just more digital.
It’s more:
Human
Local
Trusted
Community-driven
Experience-based
Technology will keep growing - but trust, connection and authenticity will be what really matters.
đź’ The Big Takeaway
Maybe the “next big trend” isn’t something brand new.
Maybe it’s actually a return to what people have always needed:
Connection.
Belonging.
Trust.
Real stories.
The difference now is - we have better tools to share those stories and connect people faster.
And honestly, I think that’s something worth feeling pretty good about.
- Lisa Nichols - Publisher, Founder and Editor - Woopi News (February 2026)
The Analog Renaissance
Rediscovering Print in a Digital Overload World
In an era where our thumbs scroll endlessly through feeds and notifications ping like digital confetti, a quiet revolution is brewing. It's 2026, and the "analog resurgence" isn't just a nostalgic whim - it's a cultural pivot toward the tangible, the intentional, and the offline. From vinyl records outselling streams in niche markets to Gen Z reviving zine culture as an antidote to algorithmic echo chambers, people are craving substance over screens. This shift, often dubbed "offline as luxury," signals a broader fatigue with digital saturation: the constant connectivity that's left us craving the rustle of paper pages, the heft of a well-bound book, and the undivided attention of an in-person conversation. For publishers like us at Woopi News, who commit to ink on paper every month, this resurgence feels like vindication. But it's more than that - it's a golden opportunity for advertisers to reconnect with audiences who are tuning out the noise and tuning in to what lasts.
The Allure of the Analog - Escaping the Digital Grind
Picture this: A world where calendars aren't buried in apps but scribbled on crisp, tearable sheets that invite doodles and real reflection. Or where film photography surges not as retro chic, but as a deliberate slowdown -forcing us to compose shots mindfully, develop them patiently, and cherish the imperfections that algorithms can't replicate. This is the essence of the analog revival, a trend forecasted by creative powerhouses like Dentsu to dominate 2026 under the banner of "analogue attraction." It's escapism at its finest: run clubs over fitness trackers, hand-drawn illustrations over AI-generated gloss, and print zines that foster community without likes or shares.
Why now? Digital fatigue is the culprit. Studies show that constant exposure to screens erodes focus, spikes anxiety, and dilutes trust - leaving consumers yearning for experiences that engage the senses and demand presence. Enter print: the medium that doesn't demand a charge, doesn't track your every glance, and lingers on coffee tables long after the read. In graphic design circles, this translates to a boom in tactile trends - think embossed covers, matte finishes, and layouts that mimic the organic flow of a conversation rather than a swipe. Physical media isn't dying; it's thriving, with projections for steady growth in print distribution markets signaling a market ripe for brands that value depth over dopamine hits.
Print's Premium Edge: Why Advertisers Can't Ignore It
For advertisers eyeing ROI in this analog wave, print isn't just viable - it's superior in ways digital struggles to match. Consider trust: A staggering 79% of consumers report higher confidence in print ads over their digital counterparts, viewing them as more credible and less manipulative. This isn't fluff; it's backed by data showing print generates higher average order values (AOV) and total revenue, even if digital edges out on raw return on ad spend (ROAS). Why? Print commands attention without competition from pop-ups or infinite scrolls. Readers engage deeply - lingering over a full-page spread in a monthly magazine like ours, where the context feels curated and premium.
Moreover, print excels at building loyalty. In an age of ad blockers and fleeting impressions, tangible ads in trusted publications convert intent-driven leads at rates that digital envy. Pair it with digital, and the synergy skyrockets: Campaigns blending the two are 400% more effective, with print anchoring brand recall while digital drives quick conversions. For local and lifestyle brands - think artisanal goods or experiential services - print's local reach and sensory appeal foster emotional connections that algorithms can't touch. As one industry report notes, print's "sustained advertiser confidence" stems from this unhurried engagement, turning passive flips into active considerations.
At Woopi News we've seen this firsthand. Our monthly issues aren't disposable; they're keepsakes that advertisers leverage for storytelling that resonates offline and on. In a year where physical media is projected to capture more cultural cachet, betting on print means betting on relevance.
The Digital Counterpoint: Not All Pixels Are the Enemy
To be fair, digital isn't without its merits - and dismissing it outright would ignore the hybrid reality many savvy brands embrace. Digital's superpowers lie in scale and speed: Hyper-targeted ads reach millions instantly, with analytics that dissect every click. It's ideal for e-commerce flash sales, real-time personalisation, and broad awareness campaigns where virality trumps depth. In 2026, as AI refines these tools further, digital will remain the go-to for acquisition and measurement.
Yet, here's the rub: That very precision often breeds skepticism. With trust scores for digital ads hovering below 50%, consumers are savvier about sponsored content disguised as feeds. Digital fatigue amplifies this, pushing audiences toward offline havens where ads feel like valued recommendations, not interruptions.
Bridging Worlds: The Smart Path Forward for Brands
The future isn't analog versus digital - it's analog with digital, but with print as the premium anchor. Top-performing brands in 2026 are those that integrate: Use digital for discovery, then guide users to print for persuasion. For advertisers in our pages, this means campaigns that start with a tactile ad in Woopi News - evoking trust and desire - then flow seamlessly to QR codes for digital follow-through.
This resurgence isn't a fad; it's a recalibration toward what fulfills. As we log off to live more, print stands ready to host those stories worth savoring. Advertisers, join us in the ink. Your message deserves the page that turns heads - and hearts - long after the screen dims.
- Lisa Nichols - Publisher, Founder and Editor - Woopi News (February 2026)
The Power of Print Media
🖨️ Why I Still Believe in Print
People often ask me if print is “dying”.
And every time, I smile - because if print is dying, someone forgot to tell the thousands of people who still pick up Woopi News each month, take it home, leave it on the kitchen bench, flick through it with their morning coffee, and pass it on to a friend.
Print hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s just slowed down.
I think my love of print has always been there. I still remember telling my primary school teacher that one day I wanted to own my own magazine. I didn’t know how or when - I just knew I loved the idea of stories living on paper.
That love carried me into a career in print media, where I’ve spent most of my working life telling stories, laying out pages, meeting deadlines, and watching words come to life in ink. There’s something special about holding a finished publication in your hands - something real, tangible, and shared.
And while print has been my first love, I’ve also lived through - and genuinely enjoyed - the digital change of the world. Social media, online platforms and instant communication have opened up incredible opportunities for connection, creativity and reach. Digital has its place, and it does it well.
But print does something different.
In a world that scrolls endlessly, print invites you to stop. To actually read something. To sit with a story. To recognise a face you know, or a business you’ve walked past a hundred times.
Social media is loud.
Print is calm.
A post is here one second and gone the next. A magazine sticks around. It gets dog-eared, highlighted, folded back to a page someone wants to come back to. It lives in real spaces - cafés, waiting rooms, businesses, lunch tables and loungerooms.
And because print slows us down, it also sticks with us.
People don’t just see print - they remember it. A story read on paper is absorbed differently. It settles in. The words linger. The business name stays familiar. The message lands and stays put, rather than being lost to the next swipe.
That matters - especially for local stories and local businesses.
Print is trusted. When something appears in print, people know it’s been chosen on purpose. It hasn’t been pushed by an algorithm or squeezed between ads for things you never meant to search for in the first place.
And for small towns like ours, print is personal.
It’s faces you recognise. Events you went to. Kids you watched grow up. Businesses run by people you bump into at the shops or the beach. It’s community, captured on paper.
I’m not anti-social media - far from it. Digital helps us share stories quickly and widely. But print builds familiarity. It builds trust. And it builds memory.
You can scroll past a post without even realising it.
You can’t scroll past a magazine on a café table.
A post is here one second and gone the next. A magazine sticks around. It gets dog-eared, highlighted, folded back to a page someone wants to come back to. It lives in real spaces - cafés, waiting rooms, business, lunch tables and loungerooms.
And because print slows us down, it also sticks with us.
People don’t just see print - they remember it. A story read on paper is absorbed differently. It settles in. The words linger. The business name stays familiar. The message lands and stays put, rather than being lost to the next swipe.
That matters - especially for local stories and local businesses.
Print is trusted. When something appears in print, people know it’s been chosen on purpose. It hasn’t been pushed by an algorithm or squeezed between ads for things you never meant to search for in the first place.
That’s why I still believe in print.
That’s why Woopi News will always be proudly printed.
Because community isn’t something you swipe past.
It’s something you remember.
And it’s something you hold onto.
~ Lisa đź’›
