Welcome: A Letter From The Editor
“Too many strategists present surface perspectives to the point of pride, while simultaneously ignoring what’s really going on. ZINE is the antithesis of this truth. Matt Klein’s investigations get at deeper, unspoken territories to illuminate revolutionary change in ourselves and those that surround us.”
— Chris Perry
Chairman, Weber Shandwick
Q: ZINE?
A: ZINE is a personal 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.
Prior analyses explored:
Over the last three years, ZINE’s evolved from pieces to projects:
🔮 The META Trend Report is an annual synthesis of 50+ industry forecasts, coming to life as workshops and presentations
💭 Audience Capture is a printed zine exploring the dangerous dynamics of audiences, metrics and algorithms on creators
🏆 The Tiny Awards celebrates projects embodying a cozy web
🎒 “Understanding Media” is 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, Adweek and The Atlantic.
“Matt is original, clever, amazingly honest, and unfiltered.”
- Faith Popcorn
Futurist & Author
Q: Why Subscribe?
A: ZINE is a cutting, award-winning publication 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.