Increasingly to gain recognition, stay relevant and create effective campaigns brands are looking to make an impact within culture. Yet, understanding culture is more difficult than it seems in an era where social media, the proliferation of technology platforms and the cost of living crisis have driven  an emergence of subcultures and niche communities. For brands, keeping up to date and knowing how to engage audiences is harder than ever. 

To help brands better make sense of the increasingly complex cultural landscape, Vice has released its Vice Guide to Culture. The research unearths some of the cultural codes and trends guiding 2023.

Vice is a brand well-placed to deliver cultural research due to its editorial output that connects with millions of young people every day. The report, therefore, is not just based on data but is rooted in countless conversations with Vice’s network of journalists, creators, taskmasters, its readers and cultural pioneers. It also includes learnings from a year’s worth of insight reports on topics like the metaverse, youth culture, thrifty travelling and trust.

The guide examines recent trends, cultural movements and consumer data in order to help readers understand the young people of today and what drives them. By understanding how younger generations think, feel and act, brands will be able to make more informed decisions and create campaigns that connect with the current zeitgeist.

Ten culture codes guiding 2023

The report is broken down into ten different cultural codes that are predicted to guide 2023. Themes include stopping to pause, the rise of the anti-hero and Gen Z’s reclaimed heritage. Each topic is accompanied by a description as well as data and examples of how the trend might manifest in reality.

For example, ‘reclaimed heritage’  is all about how young people are engaging with diversity. According to the guide, these consumers now  demand not only that brands and organisations show diversity, but that they recognise, celebrate, and retell narratives of heritage from the voices and perspectives of those who lived them. 

This shift can be seen in the ways young people are bringing their own heritages to light and exploring forms of cultural storytelling like folklore and mythology.  

The trend is backed up by research which found 65% of young people say “exploring and learning about all the different places around the world is important to me” (vs. 58% 2018). Which shows that audiences are highly engaged with content, products and brands that can enter this discussion authentically. With 1 in 3 young people saying they use beauty and grooming products to celebrate their cultural heritage, brands are able to see how the cultural guides can be used in marketing and wider product strategy. 

Another trend explored in the report is ‘INsourcing’, which Vice describes as Gen Z consumers becoming more self-sufficient and taking control of all aspects of their lives. This control stretches across areas including education, finances, the planet and people.

Vice research shows that 9 in 10 young people trust themselves and 1 in 5 have already started their own business. A shift which shows that increasingly young audiences are looking inward rather than toward brands or ‘authority’ figures. Therefore the INsourcing trend has grown as a direct result of the turbulent social, political and economic environment Gen Z audiences have grown up in. For brands, it may seem like a difficult code to engage with but the findings show that brands must regain trust by supporting and uplifting audiences. Putting the customer and their needs front and centre and allowing audiences to help shape the direction of a brand can be ways to capitalise on this.

Brands driving culture

Through exploring different cultural codes, brands can plan marketing strategies and push forward cultural conversations authentically with the right audiences and in strategically thought-out ways.

Culture is prescient in all parts of society through art, music, politics and relationships. It is impossible for brands to operate successfully outside of it. While culture is pushed forward and shaped by audiences, smart brands have an opportunity to enter the conversation authentically. By understanding what matters to young people, listening to their audiences, being conscious of current events and understanding the impact they have on the lives of their consumers, brands can also be pioneers of culture.