The "Rise of Influencer Marketing" (Episode: "The Burns Cage", 2016)

The Simpsons has earned quite the reputation for seemingly predicting the future. It’s actually a bit of a meme at this point, with fans pointing out how many things in the real world appear to have been "predicted" by the show, sometimes years in advance. While some of these predictions are purely coincidental or the result of broad satire, others do seem oddly prescient.

The "Rise of Influencer Marketing" (Episode: "The Burns Cage", 2016)

• What happened: The episode shows a satirical take on how advertising and celebrity culture would evolve, particularly around people with massive social media followings.
• Reality: By the 2010s, influencer marketing exploded as a key component of modern advertising. Celebrities, social media influencers, and internet personalities now hold sway over millions of followers, with brands leveraging their reach to sell everything from beauty products to fashion.