The Speed of Culture Podcast

Episode: Hype Check: How Complex Stays Youth-First and Culturally Relevant

Hosts: Matt Britton (Founder & CEO, Suzy)
Guest: Moksha Fitzgibbons (President, Complex)
Date: October 7, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Matt Britton sits down with Moksha Fitzgibbons, President of Complex, to discuss how Complex has maintained its position as a cornerstone of youth culture for over two decades. The conversation dives deep into the foundations of the brand, its ability to adapt to shifting trends, the rise of creator-driven media, leveraging events like ComplexCon, partnerships with brands, the impact of technology and AI, and how to future-proof a media business by staying relentlessly youth- and technology-focused.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Origins & Evolution of Complex

[03:10 – 07:48]

• Initial Vision: Complex launched in 2002, aiming to be the first digital magazine—originally distributed via Sony minidiscs—later pivoting to print.

  “We launched in 2002…originally going to be the first ever digital magazine…We launched originally on a Sony mini disc platform…that didn’t work.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [03:10]

• Millennial Predecessor: The brand targeted consumers interested in diverse subcultures (traditional sports, skate/BMX, streetwear, punk, hip-hop):

  “…bringing all those sensibilities together in one convergence culture making media product…what became Millennials before Millennials.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [03:32]

• Transition to Digital: Early digital experimentation saved Complex during 2008’s financial downturn:

  “…2008, 2009 financial crisis…halved our print revenue. If it had not been for that leaning into digital…grew even during that crazy year, grew 600%. It really saved us.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [06:10]

2. Curation & Connection with Youth Culture

[07:48 – 11:14]

• Deep vs. Broad Content:

  “What media brands do is they want as much audience as possible…mile wide and an inch deep. We are all about depth of connection.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [07:57]

• Staying Niche but Scaling: Early niche subjects (streetwear, hip-hop, skate) are now mainstream; engagement remains high:

  “We’re reaching over 80 million consumers a month…that tone and that style has really worked well for us and not deviating from it.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [08:33]

• Role of Curation:

  “It’s 100% about curation. Within that, it’s really: what is the point of view of Complex?” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [09:29]

• Obsession with Discovery:

  “All [the bullpen of content creators] do all day is they look for what’s next or they look for what’s happening that they can then contextualize.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [10:45]

3. Navigating the Creator Economy

[11:14 – 13:28]

• Youth & Technology as Constants:

  “What you can do is, is fully lean into youth and fully lean into technology…better chances than not you will not get outmoded.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [11:33 & 02:01]

• Partnership, Not Competition, with Creators:

  “…It’s actually a great opportunity to partner with those creators…We’re trying to be in business with the creator community versus…creating a hedge of protection from them.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [12:35]

• Cross-Platform Agility: Will follow youth wherever they go—TikTok, Twitch, etc.

4. The Power and Purpose of ComplexCon

[13:28 – 17:29]

• Physical Experiences as Consumer Reward:

  “To me it’s all about consumer reward. It’s taking the URL to the IRL…particularly the younger cohort, they want to see the brand show up in person.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [14:05]

• Operational Challenge & Ambition:

  “It really takes like pretty much every single person in the company to pull it off. But it’s our biggest sort of single in real life consumer moment.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [15:56]

• Expansion: 10th anniversary, now in Vegas, Hong Kong, and moving into Abu Dhabi (and soon, Europe).

  “We really believe that ComplexCon can be this global multi market experience.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [16:53]

5. Brand Partnerships: Custom Content, Commerce, Experiences

[17:29 – 23:16]

• Approach: Custom video programming, e-commerce collaborations, physical event partnerships.
• Notable Collaboration:

  “A really great example is…an exhibition game in Tokyo…We had [artist] Takashi Murakami create a whole capsule…It sold multi tens of millions of dollars worth of product.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [18:32]

• Experiential Activation: DoorDash partnership at Complex's food festival provided value for both consumers and B2B objectives.
• Helping Brands Become Social-First:

  “These legacy brands…need to transition from being essentially linear based brands or TV based brands to social first brands.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [21:29]

6. AI: Threat or Opportunity in Publishing?

[25:24 – 33:13]

• AI’s Dual Nature:

  “It is both an enormous opportunity and an enormous threat to traditional publishers.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [25:40]

• AI Content Experiments:

  “We have a series…where we sit down with a celebrity, AI makes all the experiences they’re articulating…We’re using AI to create the whole story.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [26:23]

• Operational Efficiency: AI is used for design, document review, code, and internal processes.
• New SEO Terrain:

  “Now…the big buzz term is around driving SEO within ChatGPT…We call it GEO.” — Matt Britton [28:40]

• The Relentless Pace of Change:

  “…You can’t go against youth and you can’t go against technology…Lean into the technology.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [26:07]

7. Entrepreneurial Culture, Change, and Leadership

[33:13 – 36:49]

• Entrepreneurial Mindset:

  “It feels like a startup every day…complex never got so massively successful financially…we were always forced to change and figure out what was next.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [33:38]

• Contrast with Corporate Conservatism:

  “When you have the management class running businesses, they’re very conservative and for good reason…But the people that come from entrepreneurial backgrounds…are so comfortable with risk.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [34:37]

8. The Future of Media & Staying Relevant

[36:49 – 40:58]

• Continuous Evolution:

  “You have to be obsessed with the audience…obsessed with the youth…comfortable with the points of distribution changing.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [37:12]

• Live & AI as Next Frontiers:

  “If you’re not pivoting into live and experimenting, you’re going to get caught flat footed. And…it’s the same for AI.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [37:48]

• Attention Is Scarce:

  “…There’s just a tremendous amount of attention competition. So it’s super important that brands lean into all of these emergent areas, even if they don’t work out.” — Moksha Fitzgibbons [40:41]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “What you can do is fully lean into youth and fully lean into technology. Those are two constants…you will not get outmoded.”
  — Moksha Fitzgibbons [02:01 & 11:33]
• “We’re reaching over 80 million consumers a month…It’s like a third of the total US Internet population.”
  — Moksha Fitzgibbons [08:33]
• “It’s all about depth of connection with consumers...it’s the antithesis of mile-wide, inch-deep.”
  — Moksha Fitzgibbons [08:18]
• “We’re trying to be in business with the creator community versus…creating a hedge of protection from them.”
  — Moksha Fitzgibbons [12:35]
• “It really takes pretty much every single person in the company to pull [ComplexCon] off. But it’s our biggest single in-real-life consumer moment.”
  — Moksha Fitzgibbons [15:56]
• “It is both an enormous opportunity and an enormous threat to traditional publishers…You can’t go against youth and you can’t go against technology.”
  — Moksha Fitzgibbons [25:40, 26:07]
• “If you lose connectivity, it’s so hard to win it back.”
  — Moksha Fitzgibbons [40:23]
• “Every day, every meeting, like it’s your last. You have to come in with the highest sense of urgency.”
  — Moksha Fitzgibbons [41:09]

Segment Timestamps

• [03:10] – The founding and pivot of Complex
• [07:48] – Audience relationship: depth over breadth
• [09:29] – The curation process and discovery obsession
• [11:33] – Leaning into youth & technology; creator partnerships
• [13:28] – Inside ComplexCon: intention, execution, and expansion
• [17:58] – Brand partnership models, commerce, and event activations
• [25:40] – AI in publishing: risks, experiments, and operational uses
• [33:13] – Entrepreneurial spirit vs. corporate risk aversion
• [37:12] – How to future-proof media: experiment and stay nimble
• [41:09] – Moksha’s mantra: preparation, urgency, and lifelong learning

Takeaways for Media, Marketing, and Brand Leaders

• Depth and Authenticity Win: Focusing on meaningful, engaged connections with niche audiences yields more lasting brand relevance than broad, shallow outreach.
• Youth and Technology Are Compass Points: If you want longevity in media, obsession with youth culture and rapid adoption of evolving technology are non-negotiable.
• Experiential Extensions Are Key: Moving from digital to physical (URL to IRL) deepens relationships and builds powerful loyalty moments.
• Embrace & Integrate New Tech: AI should be viewed as an accelerator—not just a threat. Using it for new content formats and workflow boosts can keep legacy brands from stagnation.
• Stay Entrepreneurial: Building an internal culture willing to experiment and pivot quickly is crucial—“death by a thousand cuts” awaits otherwise.
• Prepare Relentlessly & Be Informed: Moksha’s personal mantra highlights the value of urgency and continuous learning—habits that drive lasting impact.

This episode is a playbook for any brand or media leader looking to keep pace—if not set the pace—with cultural and technological shifts. Moksha Fitzgibbons’ honest, energetic approach exemplifies why Complex remains a trusted curator and champion of youth-driven culture.