The new rules of cultural relevance with Gen Z: A Word on the Curb breakfast · Advertising Week New York

​The new rules of cultural relevance with Gen Z
The Relevance Room — a Word on the Curb breakfast · Advertising Week New York

​Over breakfast in Manhattan, we're bringing together a small group of senior brand and agency leaders to talk about something the industry still gets wrong more often than it admits: what actually makes a brand matter to young people.

​We spoke to over 1,000 16-29 year olds and produced our 2026 Brands Cultural Relevance Report, which we'll be sharing to faciliate a sharper, slower conversation with the people responsible for understanding culture, building brands and engaging the next generation of consumers, before the noise of Advertising Week kicks off for the day.

​🍳 The Breakfast
A proper sit-down, great coffee, and a calm start to the day away from the chaos of the week.

​🗣️ The Room
A carefully curated group of senior brand and agency leaders swapping honest perspectives on youth, culture, creativity and relevance — without the performative panel energy.

​🃏 The Report, in your hands
Guests will leave with a physical card set from our 2026 Brands Cultural Relevance Report — designed to turn the thinking into practical prompts, provocations and actions you can take straight back into the business.

​No pitch, no panels that just agree with each other, no badge-scanning. Just a genuinely good conversation with people worth meeting.

​Hosted by Co-Founders | Hayel Wartemberg & Ndubuisi Uchea, Word on the Curb.