Q: ZINE?
A: ZINE is a publication analyzing overlooked cultural trends, making sense of our now, next and future. Research-backed, skeptical, philosophical and rooted in the social sciences.
In 2023, ZINE was awarded the coveted People’s Voice Webby Award for “Best Independent Publication” on the internet.
‘ZINE’ embodies the DIY spirit of early fanzines (fan magazines), small-circulation, self-published passion projects revolving around particular cultural phenomena. Prioritizing knowledge sharing, zines shaped the zeitgeist as much as they commented on them, ultimately providing community and understanding for the niche.
Prior analyses explored:
Over the last three years, ZINE’s evolved from pieces to projects:
🔮 The META Trend Report: an annual synthesis of 50+ industry forecasts, coming to life as workshops and presentations
💭 Audience Capture: a printed zine exploring the dangerous dynamics of audiences, metrics and algorithms on creators (coming as a talk to SXSW ‘24, see you there?)
🏆 The Tiny Awards: honors for projects embodying a cozy web
🎒 Understanding Media: a seminar series in partnership with The McLuhan Institute, workshopping Marshall’s seminal text
Q: Klein?
A: Hey, I’m Matt Klein, a cultural theorist and strategist.
I study social shifts for the United Nations and Fortune 100 business, to investors and TV producers — and advise on strategy. Outside of ZINE, I’m the Head of Global Foresight at Reddit.
As a trusted source in explaining the emerging, my insights can be found in The NYT, WSJ, Forbes, VICE, DAZED and D2.
Q: Why Subscribe?
A: ZINE is cutting cultural intel relied upon by academics, government officials, founders, and execs at some the most culturally-resonant brands around the world.
Like them, you’ll dig ZINE if you’re curious about our future and want to understand hidden forces driving human behavior at scale.
ZINE will equip you with a unique POV of culture, and help you create more strategic brands, campaigns, products, and businesses... or simply, to just understand our zeitgeist.
