Social media has been the beating heart of digital marketing for two decades — but is it already past its peak? In this episode of Hard Refresh, host Andrés López-Varela is joined by Eugene Healey (brand strategist, educator, and creator), Meg Coffey (Founder, State of Social), and Steph Edwards (Head of Social Content & Creative, WiredCo) to debate what the next 25 years hold.
From video-first platforms and social commerce to the rise of AI “slop” and the decline of mainstream feeds, the panel explores whether we’re heading toward smaller niche communities, entertainment-driven platforms, or something stranger still.
In this episode:
// Video has become the structural backbone of social
With TikTok and YouTube leading the shift, the panel argues that video isn’t just dominant, it’s now the native language of a generation raised on tablets and live-streaming their lives.
// Social commerce is booming in Asia but lagging elsewhere
The guests unpack why TikTok Shop and Instagram Shopping thrive in some markets but crawl in others, pointing to cultural differences, banking infrastructure, and Australia’s slower adoption curve.
// AI influencers and synthetic content divide opinion
Are they toys, novelties, or the next big channel? While some argue they’ll never replace human connection, others note their potential to function like brands in their own right.
// Mainstream feeds are hollowing out
Facebook and Instagram are increasingly entertainment-first, while smaller platforms like Discord, BlueSky, and Snapchat are quietly becoming the real hubs of social connection.
// AI “slop” and the trust crisis
From cat-mermaid videos to uncanny synthetic babies, the episode tackles the flood of low-grade AI content, asking what level of “fakeness” audiences will tolerate before tuning out altogether.
This episode was recorded on the traditional lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people, live at State of Social ’25.
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