You can’t build a real brand that moves at the speed of culture
Danish Chan, co-founder and strategy director at Untangld, discusses how brands can, and in some cases can’t engage in culture.
You can’t build a real brand that moves at the speed of culture.
In 2016, Fast Company declared that moving at the speed of culture was the new brand imperative – and it was a brilliant insight for the time.
The article emphasised that brands need to understand culture to connect with audiences, highlighting authenticity and strong cultural narratives over product features. This remains true and is still the holy grail, as brands like Liquid Death, Skims, BrewDog, and Supreme have shown.
For years, brands have leveraged this thinking to fight for attention. Unable to buy their way into consumers’ hearts amid media fragmentation, they’ve sought to create brands that thrive on earned media. But here’s the kicker: the fight for cultural attention isn’t getting harder because our attention spans are getting worse.
A 2022 UK survey revealed that about half of adults believe their attention spans are shrinking, often blaming technology. There’s even the urban myth that our attention spans are now shorter than a goldfish’s, but that’s a load of BS. Evidence shows our attention spans haven’t actually decreased significantly over the decades.
So, why are brands struggling to grab attention? It’s all about context. While attention spans remain steady, culture is moving faster, in more niche ways.
Culture was a cheat code
A decade ago, brands and ad people (including myself) made an ambitious promise: build brands that live in culture. This ‘culture promise’ was seen as a cheat code for brands and marketers that didn’t have the budget to ‘pay and spray’ ads in the hope of becoming famous.
The thinking was simple: don’t buy ad space in a world where people pay to block ads. Instead, create something people genuinely want to spend time with, and you’ll build a brand that lives in culture.
This logic worked then. Social media was a digital town square – a place where we shared posts with friends, family, and often the world. It was bound by community and shared culture. But the landscape has transformed, replacing town squares with cosy, private ‘living rooms’ and algorithm-fuelled rabbit holes like TikTok.
Today, people connect in smaller, intimate spaces, away from public view or with semi-professional content creators. The result? Culture now flows in fast, fragmented, unpredictable bursts, weaving through closed circles rather than one big public forum.
Don’t believe me? Ask yourself: what’s ‘brat’?
SNL’s Bowen Yang rates current events on the “Brat or Nat” scale
The dynamics of culture have changed
Today, the dream of creating a culture-shaping brand is often a mirage. Sure, a few brands manage short bursts of cultural relevance – Skims, for example, is flipping the script on body image. It’s not just about clothing; it’s a movement toward self-acceptance, redefining beauty standards with bold marketing and celebrity collaborations (not new ideas, but thanks to Kim Kardashian, very attention-grabbing).
But can you achieve this without celebrity influence and deep pockets? The answer is no. Culture is too fragmented, too fast, and too fickle for most brands to embed themselves sustainably.
So what now?
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Tackle culture with a small ‘c’. This doesn’t mean think small or don’t be ambitious. It means double down.
Start by identifying a resilient subculture that resonates with your most passionate customers. Then move faster than your category. Carve out a distinct, unwavering point of view amid the chaos and double down. Put simply: go deep, and move fast.
Look at the UFC, for instance. It’s not just a sport – it’s a thriving subculture. While it continues to grow through casual fan engagement, it’s the die-hard loyalists who fuel its power, making it a force in entertainment. They’ve mastered the tricky balance of going deep and moving fast, building a distinct cultural footprint.
Or consider Red Bull. It’s not just an energy drink; it’s an action brand that connects deeply with thrill-seekers, keeping it at the forefront of youth culture. They have a clear, unwavering agenda of pushing humans to their limits. It’s not for everyone, and it’s not always trendy. But it’s undeniably Red Bull.
But if you’re still tempted to chase big ‘C’ culture because it’s addictive and sexy, the only path forward is to be relentless and prolific.
Think of your brand like a late-night talk show or content creator. Channel your inner Jimmy Fallon, Mr Beast or Ryan Reynolds – come up with 20 ideas a night. They won’t all be perfect, but they need to be on brand, fast, and willing to embrace a bit of risk.
Adopt that old Facebook motto: move fast and break things.
But if you ask me, to survive in today’s cultural whirlwind, find your lane, go deep, act fast, and be relentless in making it your own.
Danish Chan is co-founder & strategy director at Untangld
I have no idea what you’re saying – I think its move at the speed of culture, but know what slice of culture you’re going to play in?
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