While media often spotlights younger generations, this episode of CultureConnect, examines the massive cultural shift happening at the other end of the spectrum. We’ll explore a group many are calling, "Age Disruptors"—a generation of adults 50+ who are defying stereotypes, reclaiming their vitality, and out-earning and out-spending every other demographic.

We’ll hear from a panel of experts discussing why the traditional "path to aging" has been permanently detoured focusing on:

• Economic Power: With 50+ audiences controlling more than half of all consumer spending, we examine the massive economic cost brands pay when they fail to make this demographic feel truly seen.
• The Vitality Revolution: How women 50+ are being reimagined in media, moving from the background to the forefront with energy and agency that defies traditional aging.
• The Hip-Hop Pulse: Hip hop recently turned 50, but it remains a heartbeat of modern culture. We discuss how the genre that defined a generation of visionaries and activists continues to power audiences today.

Tune in as we flip the script on aging and prove that the 50+ frontier is one of the most dynamic spaces for brands and in culture today.

Guests:

• Richard Bell, CEO of Openly Gray
• Cassandra Burton, Senior Research Advisor at AARP
• Mary Kate Callen, Senior Vice President of Global Ad Marketing & Intelligence at Paramount Marketing
• Cara Weiss, Senior Vice President of Research & Analytic at iHeart Media

Host: Janelle James, Co-Chair of the ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council and U.S. Head of Cultural Intelligence at Ipsos

As we kick off 2026, the "New Luxury" landscape is no longer defined by price tags alone, but by cultural fluency, convenience, and authenticity. In this episode of CultureConnect, we dive into why the most resilient luxury brands and destinations are winning by prioritizing Growth Audiences—cross-cultural consumers who are not only the fastest-growing segments in the U.S. (and overrepresented in Gen Z) but also often the primary architects of global trends. We also discuss the importance of expansive audience reach in everything from customer service to product development and the importance of sustainability, given Gen Z’s preference for vintage and values, immersive experiences, and storytelling. This program is hosted by Janelle A. James, who is Co-Chair of the ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council and the US Head of Cultural Intelligence at Ipsos.

Guests:

• Huanne Hugh, Vice President of Luxury Fragrances at L’Oreal
• Cagney Spears, Director, Global Marketing, Purple Label and Kids, Ralph Lauren
• Justin Laborde, Vice President of Thought Leadership at IPSOS

With 2025 coming to a close, the ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council offers a retrospective of some of the past year’s CultureConnect episodes. Our panel shared the guests and themes that stood out to them, as well as the lessons they learned. The program was hosted by Janelle A. James, who is Co-chair of the ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council and U.S. Head of Cultural Intelligence at IPSOS.

Panel:

Nicole Mitchell, Principal on Dynata’s Research Science Team

Augustina Perez Blua, Senior Account Manager at Google

Sarah Fahim, Senior Strategic Researcher at VML