Culture is a business imperative
There’s a growing recognition that culture isn’t just context for marketing, it’s a growth engine. Kantar’s data shows that brands considered “culturally vibrant” (i.e. deeply and authentically embedded in culture) vastly outpace others in brand growth. Engaging with culture is therefore a commercial imperative for brands. Social platforms and the creators who thrive on them have become integral parts of culture and one of the best opportunities for brands to be part of the conversation.
Joining the conversation
Yet, stepping into cultural conversations is tricky. How do you join in without appearing to be inauthentic or tone-deaf? It’s a fine line: stand on the sidelines and you risk irrelevance, but dive in clumsily and you risk backlash or cringe-inducing content. Brands need to engage with culture alongside consumers, rather than remain spectators.Marketers also face a practical challenge: culture today is incredibly fragmented and fast-moving. From viral TikTok challenges to niche meme communities, there’s a vast ocean of cultural possibility and the sheer breadth of it can feel paralysing. Unlike the days when a few TV channels defined pop culture, now there are countless micro-cultures and trends. It’s impossible (and unwise) to try to ride every wave. The key is choosing the right waves for your brand and riding them well.
Tips for riding your cultural wave to success
Not every trend or cultural moment will be right for your brand and that’s okay
Rather than chasing every flashy meme, smart marketers start with their brand’s core identity and values. Which cultural conversations naturally align with your brand’s purpose or target audience’s passions? These are the “waves” you want to catch. When you focus on cultural themes that make sense for your brand, your involvement will feel more organic and less forced.
Authenticity is paramount.
Consumers can tell when a brand is just co-opting a trend, versus genuinely contributing. Make sure the cultural angle you embrace resonates with your brand’s voice and your audience’s interests. This alignment ensures your brand is integrated into the content in a way that makes sense to the audience.
Let your mutual passion shine
Your creator content needs to reflect real cultural moments and genuine passion, not just a generic endorsement pasted onto a trend. The more it feels like a genuine contribution to the culture and to the creator’s own style, the more impact it will have.
Speak the language of each platform
Getting culture right also means recognising that culture isn’t monolithic. Each platform and community has its own norms and expectations. Audiences don’t consume content the same way everywhere. A joke that becomes viral on TikTok might flop on Instagram; a polished Instagram visual could seem too slick on Reddit. To truly resonate, marketers must match the culture of the platform where the content appears. Think of it like adapting your style to different social settings: you’d probably dress and talk differently at a music festival than at a business conference, without changing who you are. Similarly, your core brand message can stay consistent, but the execution should fit the platform’s native style.
Culture isn’t a trend it’s the terrain
Using these principles, brands can avoid the trap of simply reposting the same ad everywhere. Instead, you co-create content with your influencers that belongs on each platform. This platform-native approach dramatically improves effectiveness. One concern we often hear from our clients is: “How do we stay on-brand while letting creators do their thing?” Striking that balance is indeed one of the art forms of modern marketing. But it’s entirely possible with the right approach. The most critical thing is to maintain a learning mindset. Not every experiment with creator content will be perfect and that’s fine. Treat each creator collaboration as a chance to learn what resonates. Each campaign can inform the next, so you continuously sharpen your approach to culture.
We spoke to Rachel Lowenstein, who is a leading voice in creator effectiveness and a renowned cultural decoder to many of the world’s biggest brands, about how to crack culture with creator content.
Watch the interview and find out more here
