Beyond the hype: how should brands navigate the cultural zeitgeist?

In an era where brands feel pressure to stay relevant on top of the fast cycle of social trends, many have injected themselves into cultural conversations. 

From fast-food chains tweeting about trending topics to toilet paper brands creating viral moments, companies across every consumer category are seemingly racing to leverage cultural currency. 

 The emphasis on virality and short-term visibility is a double-edged sword, potentially leading to fragmentation or dilution of the brand's identity.

Yet, research signals pop-culture marketing is not working for everyone, with 66% of consumers sharing that brands try too hard. ‘Even if a brand successfully jumps on a trend, its mere participation undermines the outcome.’ 

The separation of social media into countless micro-communities is making it harder for brands to achieve universal recognition. 

The splintering of culture

Thanks the fragmentation of social media into countless micro-communities, what’s “famous” to me, may be entirely unknown to you. This hasn't just made it harder for brands to achieve universal recognition - it's changing how marketers approach brand engagement. Not to mention, the pace of culture is accelerating. 

In response, marketers are now tasked with reflecting and engaging with pop culture across various social touch points. ‘Tapping into culture' has become the go-to directive in creative briefs, as if culture were something you could simply plug into. Cue, ‘moving at the speed of culture’ language.

True cultural engagement is about creating authentic ways to participate in or shape conversations that align with a brand’s identity, values, and product.

The participation play

When we think about brands engaging with culture, two distinct approaches emerge, each with its own implications for brand building.

First, there's cultural participation - think Ryanair's viral tweet about Molly Mae's breakup or Jacquemus' collaboration with Bus Auntite, or IKEA’s recent campaign leaning into the Severance aesthetic. These moments connect brands to the zeitgeist, but they rarely achieve the cultural permanence of a campaign like Just Do It. Such brands are not trying to shape culture, but to participate to stay top of minds and screens. 

This approach isn't necessarily tied to a brand's core traits or values and often doesn't contribute to long-term brand equity. Brands here can take a trial-and-error approach, participating holistically in culture rather than being category-specific. However, the emphasis on virality and short-term visibility is a double-edged sword, potentially leading to a dilution of the brand's identity.

IKEA’s recent campaign leaning into TV show Severance's aesthetic is a great example of a brand participating in current culture.

The culture shapers

Then, there are brands that undeniably shape culture. Coca-Cola helped define Santa Claus' modern image, Absolut created artistry from their bottles, Apple set user-friendly trends in tech, and Nike transformed sneakers into symbols of self-expression. Today and in the past, brands such as Heinz and Absolut have created artefacts of their products. These examples highlight how a brand can create culture around their product, forming an immersive brand world. A world that connects the digital to the physical, with products and stories that resonate.

Such brands build relationships with consumers over time, contributing to long-term brand equity. They position their product as cultural institutions within their category. While this approach demands patience and a long-term vision, it can establish the brand as a cultural cornerstone. However, there's a risk of irrelevance if the brand is too slow or selective in responding to cultural moments.

Choose moments that authentically align with your brand and product. Consider cultural calendars, consumer needs, and tensions that matter to your audience.

Brands such as Absolut have turned their products into artworks and cultural artefacts. 

The cultural balance

Trying to be everything to everyone feels reductive and increasingly irrelevant. Consider last August when retailers used 'very demure' as newsletter subject lines, over-relying on trending content rather than original thinking.

Without a central theme, brands risk telling a disconnected collection of stories that fail to resonate on a deeper level.

Instead, true cultural engagement is about creating authentic ways to participate in or shape conversations that align with a brand’s identity, values, and product. Simply put, it’s about understanding the connection between your brand promise and consumer tension to define the role your product plays in culture.

Without a central theme, brands risk telling a disconnected collection of stories that fail to resonate on a deeper level.

This campaign from Heinz highlights how a brand can create culture around their product, forming an immersive brand world.

How this shows up in practice;

Understanding your brand’s cultural role. Align your brand promise, positioning, and values with the cultural moments you engage in.

Identifying relevant cultural conversations. Choose moments that authentically align with your brand and product. Consider cultural calendars, consumer needs, and tensions that matter to your audience.

The future belongs to brands that can navigate this complex cultural landscape with purpose and authenticity. 

Establishing clear parameters. Define how your brand’s purpose and values inform the cultural moments you participate in.

Empowering teams with tools and guardrails. Ensure internal teams have the guidance to respond to cultural moments in a way that’s relevant to the brand.

Maintaining a consistent brand vision. Prioritise coherence over quick-turn trends.