Hello Pleasurists,

You’ve probably noticed it, too—something’s shifting. The way we drink, the way we shop, the way we define pleasure… it’s all getting more intentional, more immersive, more curated for the mood we’re in.

This week, we’re exploring the future of curated indulgence, from vibe-based drinking rituals to AI-powered fashion dreams, pleasure-soaked soundtracks, and even a prayer app with celebrity hype.

Let’s dive in….

Hot Links

• The Cata-lyst

• Culture Signal: Aprils Fool's Day Round Up

• Wait What?! The latest sci-fi tech hitting the real world

• 5 Notable Marketing Moves

• Culture Watch: The Church of Subscription?

• TL;DR

Drinking Culture: Prescribe the Vibe

What do shots of wine, non-alcoholic aperitifs, late-night lounges fuelled by caffeine, THC spritzers, and bartenders who ask how you feel have in common?

They’re all signs of the same cultural shift: we’re not drinking by category anymore. We’re drinking by intention.

The old rules are dissolving faster than a CBD sugar cube in your spritz. The new ethos? Drink smarter. Not harder.

Whether it’s microdosing at a warehouse rave or ordering a $20 cocktail crafted with monk fruit and moon juice, one thing is clear: indulgence is being redefined.

Today’s drinking rituals are about:

• Control: How do you want to feel? Buzzed? Balanced? Blissed out?

• Context: From sober bars in Boston to euphoric sake lounges in Tokyo, the venue is part of the alchemy.

• Curation: Drinks are no longer just social lubricant, they’re full-on sensory experiences, functional tools, even fashion statements.

Because in this new era of intentional indulgence, it’s not about what we’re sipping, it’s about why. So forget what’s on the menu for a moment. It all starts with mood.

• Caffeine is the New Cocktail – Late-night coffeehouses are taking over bar culture, serving up social buzz without the booze—from Yemeni and Turkish brews to DJ-driven espresso-fuelled nights.

• St. Paddy’s Goes Sober – Bars like The Burren, in Boston are embracing the zero-proof movement, proving that the craic is alive and well. No buzz required.

• Citrus-obsessed and California-born – No and low alcohol has come full circle. California brand Mommenpop just dropped a low-ABV spritz, completing the conscious cocktail set with sun-soaked flavour and zero compromise.

• Edible Arrangements by Edibles.com just dropped THC seltzers and chews, proving even fruit basket brands know the future of indulgence is functional.

• Sake’s Comeback Play – As whisky steals the spotlight, Japanese brewers are redefining tradition with 'craft' sake, UNESCO recognition bids, and a fresh take on an ancient pour.

• When Moderation’s Off the Menu – Denver’s Yacht Club just snagged Best Bar in America at The Spill Awards. Why? Because every pour is a vibe. With mood-led service and all-in energy, this isn’t just a bar. It’s a full-sensory flex.

• Mixed Emotions – From cocktails that feel like a hug (Fernetea) or love at first sight to Allegory’s Banned in DC menu that made Forbes cry we’re seeing mixed emotions everywhere.

The takeaway: Drinking culture isn't disappearing, it's diversifying. The next era isn't about anti-drinking; it’s all about drinking differently.

Whether it's non-alcoholic options, psychedelic alternatives, or premium experiences, the future of nightlife is about intentional indulgence.​

We track these signals and more on FuturePossible®. You can schedule a call with us anytime to pick our brains on what we’re seeing around the next corner.

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The Cata-lyst

5 mind-expanding finds we're tuning into right now:

1. Constance Grady shares a candid exploration of the journey to define personal style amidst fast fashion and fleeting trends. This piece examines the challenges of self-expression in a world dominated by TikTok influences and the quest for individuality.

2. The Business of Erewhon This isn’t just a grocery store—it’s the command centre of the wellness-industrial complex. Erewhon doesn’t follow trends, it sets them. Celebrity brands pay to play, often taking a loss, just to get featured in the latest $22 smoothie collab. From adaptogens to sea moss, if Erewhon stocks it, it sells out everywhere else. This isn’t retail—it’s market making.

3. Sunset on the lunar surface As Blue Ghost Mission 1 wrapped, NASA dropped one last gem: a video of the Moon’s horizon glowing at sunset. No CGI, no sci-fi—just raw, alien beauty filmed 238,000 miles from Earth. Earth sunsets are cute. This? Cosmic.

4. Nike’s new AirImagination platform hands the creative reins to you, using AI to turn your dreams, moods, or mind-wanderings into fully imagined sneakers, proving that the future of design is co-created, personalised, and wildly expressive.

5. London Soundtrack Festival is turning the volume up on emotion, celebrating the power of film scores and sonic storytelling with live performances, deep dives, and goosebump-inducing orchestral moments that prove pleasure isn’t just seen, it’s heard.

Culture Signal: April Fool’s Day Round Up

This year’s April Fool’s wasn’t all LOLs and fake collabs. It was more like truth in disguise than trolling. Here are 5 brand moves that reveal where we’re at right now:

Wallets > Whimsy:
Dunkin’ ditched the prank and gave away a million coffees with the code #ThisIsNotAJoke.
Takeaway: Consumers are cautious. Real value > fake laughs.

Protest > Performance:
Blackweek went Blankweek—calling out DEI rollbacks with a silent, powerful protest. Hats off to Walter T Geer III, Andre Gray & Cydney Lee.
Takeaway: Taking a stand speaks volumes. Silence does, too.

Nature Is Calling:
Yahoo’s gag? A grass-covered keyboard. A literal push to “touch grass.”
Takeaway: Offline is the new luxury. People are craving real-world relief.

Weird Is the New Fluent:
Razer’s Skibidi headset was chaos incarnate, perfectly tuned to Gen Z meme culture.
Takeaway: Specificity is the new scale. Speak with the niche, not at it.

Post-Peak Wellness:
Subway launched “Subwhey,” a fake meatball protein shake.
Takeaway: We’ve memed the macro trend. Time for actual innovation.

Wait What?!

The latest sci-fi tech hitting the real world:

• The Museum That Curates Itself – Wander through a dreamscape of AI-generated rooms in The Museum of All Things, a lo-fi digital museum built to confuse and delight. No logic, no limits. Just infinite artefacts of weirdness. It’s art, it’s code, it’s a mind trip.

• Samsung’s foldable console is gaming origami which folds out into a full-blown gaming screen, then snaps shut like a wallet. It’s sleek, oddly satisfying, and could kill Switch addictions on sight. Portable play just levelled up.

• Arcade lets you text-prompt your way to custom jewellery and handwoven rugs. It’s DALL·E meets design—AI does the concept, humans craft the goods. Wear your algorithm.

• Linq: The Anti-Revenge Porn App – Sharing nudes just got a security upgrade. Linq is a new app that prevents screenshots and blurs images if the front-facing camera detects someone other than the intended recipient looking at them.

• Lightsail Technology – Just brought interstellar travel one step closer. Proof that even the wildest futures can start with a shimmer-thin sheet of possibility.

5 Notable Marketing Moves

Bold, bizarre, and built for virality. These ads don’t just grab attention, they indulge our craving to be part of the moment.

• Frida has launched a breast milk–flavoured ice cream, designed to mimic the flavour of real breast milk playing on the trend of mothers harnessing the health benefits.

• Twix’s new campaign doubles down on playful absurdity, turning its left-vs-right rivalry into a hilariously over-the-top showdown of pure fun.

• Goff Law Group is turning Connecticut highways into pop culture billboards, featuring celebrities like Flavor Flav and Mike Tyson to blend legal services with bold, community-rooted storytelling.

• Marks & Spencer's latest campaign bursts into spring with a vibrant, dance-fuelled fashion spot, celebrating self-expression and everyday joy through bold style and upbeat energy.

• Dreamies’ latest campaign unleashes giant 3D cats scaling buildings to chase billboard treats, bringing playful chaos and pure joy to city streets.

Culture Watch: The Church of Subscription?

Mark Wahlberg and Gwen Stefani are promoting Hallow, a Catholic prayer app turning spirituality into a subscription service. Daily devotionals, 40-day Lent challenges, and a whole lot of side-eye from critics wondering if prayer should come with a paywall. Amen or exploitative? You decide.

As you can see, it’s been a week—big swings, bold moves, and plenty to process.

If your brain needs a quick reset, grab a rollerball of citrus or peppermint. One swipe, one inhale, and you’re back. No ceremony, just science. Because sometimes, joy really is just one breath away.

Got questions, ideas, or a spark you want to explore? Hit reply—we read and respond to every message.

Can’t wait to hear from you!

Until next week,
CWill
Pleasure-Focused Futurist | Future Possible®

P.S. Whether you’re sipping sake or just vibing with your oat cortado
—cheers to celebrating pleasure in your own ways.

TL;DR

• Drinking’s gone intentional. Mix control, context, and curation for the perfect cocktail of intentions.

• April Fool’s got real.

• Tech is getting sensory, surreal, and supercharged.

• Emotion is the secret sauce in great brand moves.