How can big brands move at the speed of culture, and should they even try?

Rachel Darivoff, strategy director at Design Bridge and Partners, chats about the pitfalls of brands that position themselves around cultural fads, and gives examples of strong brands that resist the trend.

Driven by the frenzy of the internet, the speed of culture today is built on microtrends. We had a hot girl summer. Now brat summer. And who knows what next summer will bring?

It is imperative that brands be built in relation to culture to be relevant and resonant. But when brands move at the speed of culture, they risk becoming as fleeting as the trends themselves – or worse, looking desperate for attention. This approach doesn’t make brands contemporary, just temporary.

Unlike the opportunistic trend-chasing we often see, brands that truly move people don’t move at the speed of culture; they move at their own pace – guided by what they stand for (their why) and the audience they want to connect with. 

When they have these foundational pillars in place, brands can quickly find their place in the cultural conversation so they can play to win, not just participate. We believe that by knowing what they stand for, brands can truly stand out in the right way.

Take Dove. Standing for Real Beauty. Because of their strong sense of self, Dove continually meets the moment in ways that reinforce what their brand stands for in the minds of consumers. When everyone else is trying to figure out “How can we use AI?”, Dove says, here’s how NOT to use it. With a commitment to never use AI to create or distort women’s images.

Or take Red Bull. Tying product to purpose, the brand gives wings to people and ideas. For the total eclipse, many brands tried to participate with flavour mashups or eclipse shaped foods. More noise. But, Red Bull, true to itself, chose a different, daring path. Two aerobatic pilots worked with a team of photographers to create a series of once in a lifetime photographs using the eclipse, including one that recreates the Red Bull logo.

Best in class brands are able to take a step back and see the forest for the trees. We pride ourselves on building intentional brands with strong foundations, because single-minded foundations are what give brands agility. They can be responsive to culture rather than reactive – capitalising on culture as a tool for brand building. Staying true to what they stand for to ensure their relevance is lasting – no matter how fast the speed of culture might be.