The “polished UGC” era isn’t evolving. It’s dying.
Audiences aren’t fooled by fake authenticity anymore. We can smell the brief, notice the lighting, and we swipe past.
So what replaces it? World building.
Own a recurring format. Give it characters. Build story arcs people want to return to because they know what lands next week.
Most brands aren’t there yet. The ones who start in 2026 will own the scroll as polished UGC fades.