The Fame Game: From transaction to interaction

Brands don’t have a reach problem. They have a relevance problem. 

We’re drowning in impressions and using metrics that don’t demonstrate the true value of platforms — metrics that prove something was delivered, but not necessarily that it landed. 

These numbers can justify spend, but they don’t tell the full story when it comes to brand building. 

Being seen is easy. Being remembered is what counts. 

Today, brands need more than visibility. They need to make enough of the right kind of noise to spark emotion, inspire action and drive fame — not the fleeting kind, but the kind that builds mental availability and long-term value. 

Fame is what separates the forgettable from the unmissable. It’s also the single biggest driver of brand growth and profitability*, which means it needs to be embedded in media strategies from the start. 

But fame isn’t something you buy; it’s something you earn. And the way you earn it today is by showing up in culture with creativity and consistency. 

Culture drives connection with consumers.

Short-term tactics won’t build long-term brands. That’s why culture matters. It creates meaningful connections that drive both brand impact and commercial outcomes. 

Culture brings people together through shared values, experiences or interests. For brands, there are two powerful ways in: connection and purpose. That means showing up in the spaces people choose — film, sport, music, gaming — and showing up with values people share. 

These are the emotional and interest-based access points that help brands earn their place in moments, movements and mindsets. 

And it works. Brands that invest in culture grow six times more than those with low cultural relevance**. But doing it well requires more than intent. It requires discipline.

Here are three rules to follow: 

Rule 1: Permission to play 

Not every brand belongs in every moment. Just because you can jump on a trend doesn’t mean you should. Fame starts with self-awareness — understanding your brand’s role, relevance, and resonance. 

It starts by asking: Do we have a right to be here? Are we offering real value, like social currency, entertainment, emotional support, or belonging? Does this feel genuinely authentic to us?  

Fame is earned when brands meet the moment with meaning. That starts by getting clear on what they stand for, who they stand with, and what emotional territory they own. 

Rule 2: Follow the tentacles 

Culture isn’t linear, and neither is media. It doesn’t live on one screen, one channel, or one campaign. 

Fame comes from surrounding the moment, using the full media ecosystem to amplify, extend, and engage. Take Macca’s and The Minecraft Movie for example: high-impact out-of-home activations, media firsts, street murals and a roadblock in cinema. It was a cultural takeover.  

The goal isn’t just presence, it’s presence with purpose, across touchpoints that make the moment bigger and the memory stronger. 

Rule 3: Plan for ‘what if’ 

Some cultural moments can be planned for. Others take you by surprise, often sparked by serendipity.  

Take Barbenheimer as an example. It wasn’t born in a boardroom. It was sparked by fans, fuelled by culture, and turned into a moment that no brand could have predicted. Total juxtaposition of movies releasing at the right time created a perfect storm.  

The brands that could capitalise were the ones set up to move fast, legally, creatively and financially.   

To play in culture, brands need to be operating from a place of agility. That means cross-functional buy-in across all stakeholders from the very beginning, empowered teams, and the freedom and trust to pivot.  

Fame rewards the brands that are prepared not just to execute a plan, but to respond to possibility. 

Play the fame game.  

In the end, fame isn’t a fluke, it’s the result of showing up with purpose, not just presence.  

The brands that break through are the ones that understand their role in culture, show up consistently, and move quickly when it matters. 

It’s not about chasing every moment. It’s about earning your place in the ones that count. 

*Les Binet and Peter Field, The Long and the Short of it, IPA, Figure 60.

**Kantar BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands: 74 common brands valued in both 2006 and 2016. 

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Since 1894, Val Morgan has stood the test of time, providing advertisers with a unique opportunity to reach audiences at scale in a trusted environment and on the biggest, brightest and most memorable screen format available – the ultimate place to build your brand.

topics Brand culture culture Fame Guy Burbidge Laura Nice Mumbrella360 OMD OMD Australia The Fame Game Val Morgan Val Morgan Cinema

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