Pixelz Newsletter

The Great 2026 Vibe Check

I’ve been writing this newsletter for just over a year now, and while trying to be brilliant every month is…well, let’s call it “ambitious,” the real perk has been all the time I get to spend reading, reflecting, and digging up hidden gems online.

And here’s the kicker: all that digging? It officially qualifies me—yes, me—to hand down my verdict on what’s in and out for 2026. Think of it as a mix of research, intuition, and a dash of cheeky opinion.

So, without further ado…let’s dive into the picks.

INS for 2026

🧠 Education (but make it cute)

It’s time to set the record straight on how content is actually made before TikTok “experts” do it for us.

🎬 BTS (the content, not the idols)

More “made by humans” moments as part of campaigns — and also “made with humans, even when it’s AI.” Show the moodboards, the test shots, and the entire team behind a shoot. Also, while we’re at it - bring back the blooper reel.

🚫 Breaking the Rules (tastefully)

Here’s to blurring those PDP lines a little. A touch more personality, some unexpected crops, a sprinkle of editorial energy. We're coloring outside the lines, but we’re doing it on purpose.

🌱 Low-Stakes Whimsy

Not everything needs to be optimized, tracked, or turned into a KPI. In 2026, we’re embracing tiny joys, short walks between meetings, or overusing the ✨ emoji. Pick one you love.

OUTS for 2026

🔥 Rage Bait Content

If your social strategy relies on making people mad… please log off. We’re done.

🤖 Calling Everything ‘AI Slop’

We get it. But not everything is a dystopian soup of pixels. Nuance is back, baby.

📉 ‘Do More With Less’ Culture

Retiring hustle austerity. 2026 is the year of “do better with what you have” and “please give your creative team a nap.”

Now, excuse me while I log off and touch grass (as the kids say). I hope wherever you’re reading this, you’re about to do the same.

From all of us at Pixelz — but mostly me :) — have yourself a very happy and restful holiday season.

I’ll see you on the other side.

Pixelz Pulse

Here’s what’s been going on at Pixelz…

  • While this newsletter is full of my hot takes, read our more nuanced and researched take on the visual trends for e-commerce in our annual report.
  • Last week, we hosted our first Virtual Event. It was great to ‘see’ so many of you in the chat! If you missed it or want to revisit each session, watch all the recordings here.
  • And last month, we were in London for FLOW: Europe. It was an exceptional 2 days of workshops and keynotes, read some of the highlights in our full recap.

Hot Links

What’s caught our attention over the last month on the internet…

  • Perhaps missing from our INs list, product photography that doesn’t feel like product photography. This piece from Matteo Azzolini on his substack, Why You Should Care?, looks at 3 trends in product photography and why they work.
  • Black Friday has long come and gone, and the data is in. Most notable is the uptick in AI-driven traffic. Read more about all the Black Friday data here.
  • It feels like we only just started talking about shopping in ChatGPT and it’s already taken off. Target has launched an app within ChatGPT. Have you used it? And which brand or retailer will be next?