2026: STOP PLAYING IT SAFE

I like David Lynch, but I’m no superfan. I’ve only seen a handful of his movies and hadn’t really thought about him since his strangely fascinating “It’s a Friday Once Again” LA weather reports back during COVID.

But his passing in 2025 surprisingly left me feeling empty. And sad.

I’ve since realized this was tied directly towards my nostalgia for the sense of discovery and excitement Lynch created with the TV series Twin Peaks.

I can barely remember the winding, bizarre plots. It wouldn’t even make my Top Ten list of favourite shows of all time.

But Twin Peaks was the first time I encountered storytelling that was unapologetically original. It was surreal without explanation, complex, and literally unlike anything else on TV. It was a masterclass in world-building with strange characters and otherworldly plots that could be difficult to process, quirky, charming, terrifying, brooding and funny… but rarely boring.

It didn’t dumb down the message or play it safe. It leaned into oddities, produced more mysteries than answers, and created its own distinctive vibe starting with the haunting chords during the opening titles and lasting until the end credits.

STANDING OUT

As we head into 2026, the temptation for brands, marketers and content creators to “play it safe” is at an all-time high. The tools are there to make it easy to create content for algorithms – but the risk comes at being indistinguishable (ie, forgettable).

Do you want to stand out? Be original. Create the “vibe” that drives engagement and algorithms later try to chase. David Lynch proved that when you lean into distinctive, elevated storytelling, you don’t just attract audiences; you’re better positioned to create a lasting mark on the culture.

RESOLUTIONS

In a year poised to continue an avalanche of content across every platform and device, I’m stopping the “safe and obvious.” I want to build the kind of storytelling that creates inspiration and engages audiences rather than “beige” content that is indistinguishable from everyone else in the space.

One new opportunity I’m exploring is Data Storytelling – using visualizations to share interesting insights on consumer behaviors and trends. I think many brands have avoided this type of content because, let’s face it, on the surface it sounds about as interesting as filling out a tax return. But it doesn’t have to be! I find this space ripe for the opportunity to surprise and engage audiences with distinctive content and storytelling (maybe even a flair of mystery or unexpected twists), while also using data to establish yourself as a trusted authority or expert on a topic.

Spotify is a great example. They are the de-facto music experts, and over 10 years their year-end Wrapped summary has evolved to solidify their brand authority. What started as a simple playlist of your year’s top songs has grown into an interactive, personalised music profile report built for sharing and full of wonky proprietary data only Spotify can provide, like your favorite genres, hours listened, or your custom listening age.  (Speaking of twists – I still haven’t figured out how my kids blew up my algorithm, but my listening age was 82 with all my top songs belonging to Ariana Grande.) 

Working in the travel space, I have other content areas I’m developing too this year like expanding interactive planning tools, video series, and several creative opportunities with branded partnerships. But developing a more regular cadence of data storytelling formats is what I’ve had my sights on for a while now and plan to tackle first. 

An example I’m obsessed with is _sportsball, who use public data and original illustrations to break down sports statistics or business dealings with a unique and easy to understand approach. I also love the work from Information is Beautiful and The Pudding to inform and entertain with interesting, high-quality data visualizations across almost any topic imaginable.

I know it’s not high art, surreal or necessarily groundbreaking. But it’s also not playing it safe. Which might be the most honest tribute to Lynch: conviction and instinct to take a chance at something different over comfort and letting the work speak for itself.