CONTACT
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ABOUT

idle gaze is a cultural intelligence & brand strategy studio.

We focus on decoding the deeper undercurrents that shape culture, helping brands to define what they stand for and how to show up meaningfully in the world.

Founded by Alexi Gunner.

CAPABILITIES & SERVICES
TESTIMONIALS

SELECTED CLIENTS
adidas / Nike / On Running / Zalando / Asket / ASOS / GORE-TEX / TikTok / Netflix / HP / Samsung / Miele / Audi / CUPRA / Genesis / MINI / FELLR / Ballantine’s Whisky 

FOLLOW ALEXI
Substack
Instagram

SELECTED WRITING & MEDIA 


Substack
Partying in the age of constant optimisation
Performative audiophilia
In search of ungrammable spaces
In praise of gateopeners
Research as a form of pattern disruption

Other publications
Protein: surveillance chic
Protein: mystery matters
Dirt: selling subversion
Playground: stressful dystopias  & VIP utopias

Press mentions
The Guardian
The Cut
Campaign Germany

Interviews & panels
Alexi Gunner on signals & culture; That Business of Meaning
Decoding culture, trends & the future of brand-building with Alexi Gunner; Playground Magazine
How to avoid over-cooking your social strategy; Salmon Theory roundtable

Additional collaborations
Editorial support; OFF Magazine
Co-author: RADAR ‘A More Playful Future’ & ‘Our Centaur Future’ reports
Expert input: The Resurgence of Text Media; Busy Corner Culture Report
    

SELECTED WORK



Zalando
Berlin, DE
2026



idle gaze partnered with Zalando, Europe’s largest fashion retailer, to lead its cultural research unit. We established new processes and methodologies to optimise the company’s internal trend forecasting initiatives, transforming cultural research into a core resource for inspiration, guidance and confidence across Zalando’s marketing, creative and editorial efforts.

Scope: Trend forecasting, Cultural strategy





FELLR
Sydney, AU
2025 idle gaze worked with FELLR, a leading hard seltzer brand in the Australian market, to develop a new culture-first social media strategy to drive differentiation and engagement in an increasingly competitive category.

We developed a new social value proposition for the brand, in addition to clear principles for cultural participation, positioning FELLR not just as a drinks company, but as an active voice championing the people, places and moments at the heart of authentic Australian life.

Scope: Cultural strategy, Social media strategy





Asket
Stockholm, SE
2024 Asket is premium fashion brand that focuses on simple, high-quality essentials.

Despite exceptional product quality and a genuine commitment to responsible business practices, Asket’s special sauce was getting lost in a crowded category, perceived as yet another minimal Scandinavian fashion brand.

Asket brought in idle gaze to re-position the brand in a way that would effectively communicate its product quality, stand out in the understated fashion category and resonate with customers on an emotional level.

Scope: Consumer research, Brand strategy



Nike
Berlin, DE
2021 How do you make a global sports giant relevant in a city with a unique, local culture? Nike tasked us to help launch their Berlin sub brand. However, in order to engage with young consumers in the capital, we had to help the brand understand the city’s relationship to fitness in order to make their global vision of ‘Making Sport a Daily Habit’ relevant for Berliners.

Scope: Cultural insights, Editorial strategy