The last 12 months have been pretty tumultuous. While there wasn’t another once in a lifetime pandemic, there were still a number of destabilizing global and local events. On the other side, it was also an exhilarating trip around the sun. From a shift in AI consciousness to Barbie painting the world pink, there were plenty of cultural talking points.

It's all these moments that are the ingredients in our societal and cultural melting pot. As we move into 2024, smart brands will need to continue harnessing culture and adjusting creative and comms accordingly.

At IMA-HOME, the New York office is the cultural heartbeat of our global collective. The team actively taps into energy, insights and ideas that help our clients authentically enter the conversation. Because you need to be immersed in culture in order to influence it.

To achieve this, we tap into three layers of cultural data (not to be confused with similar titles used for influencers)… 

Macro  

On a wider level, it’s critical teams have the time, budget and access to non-brand specific cultural events and content. The link to brand or marketing might appear tenuous, but this activity is in fact critical in moving beyond a set brief and allowing for a circular flow of agency inspiration and creative development.

This ‘culture of curiosity’ is something we’ll be pushing more of in 2024. For example, one recent expedition saw our creative and strategy team attend the Spike Lee Exhibition in Brooklyn. His vision as a filmmaker and his influence on fashion and music provided invaluable fodder towards a broader perspective of these territories.

Similarly, we will be pushing broader social immersion next year, with dedicated resource to listen, record and disseminate social trends, content and the general zeitgeist throughout the organisation. Thus enabling our clients to respond quicker and in a more relevant way. 

Micro  

This data set comes from gaining access to specific individuals and groups that are active beacons within a specific subculture. They might include creators, artists, spaces or event organisations with whom we can learn from and co-create. In the space of basketball culture, this included our involvement with the All Star weekend, a tentpole moment where we helped a client’s brand return to the sport. We worked with Dee Brown to create an underground experience that paid homage to the golden 90’s era. Dee was the one who famously "pumped up" his Reebok Pumps on national TV before his 1991 NBA Slam Dunk Contest win. Personalities like these can bolster a brands’ credibility and authenticity, but two things are critical here…

Firstly, the brand must have relevance to be in this space. Otherwise, they won’t be taken seriously and may even face backlash from the people who DO authentically inhabit the space.

Secondly, is a spirit of co-creation from both the agency and the partner’s perspective. This is needed to balance authenticity and strategic brand impact. 

Nano 

This final sphere of cultural influence comes at a grassroots level. Brands (and the agencies that represent them) need to view this tier through a less self-serving lens and more from the perspective of building relationships, understanding and giving back to tomorrow’s community.

Particularly rewarding for this has been our work in skateboarding for one of our clients. This has included grassroots events across the US, enabling pro skaters and budding amateurs to interact and transfer skills. Off the back of this, we were then able to work with a skate NGO in Cuba, where similar skills transfer and training took place across borders to help grow the sport.

Another example was a recent campaign we ran that developed a platform for the next generation of talent within the spaces of boxing, body art and music. For this, we identified individuals breaking boundaries in their respective areas who all had a common DNA - being inspired by the cities that built their careers (similar to our client’s ethos).

From a content perspective, storytelling takes on a different dynamic here. It’s more focused on long term brand impact and loyalty rather than cultural ‘coolness’. Ability to scale activity at these tiers is key to gain true perspective and influence, versus one off moments that lack sustainability.

As we move into 2024, it’s critical that brands shift out of their ‘cultural cameos’ and become active cultural participants. To help them achieve this, agencies need to play an observational role, partnering and contributing where relevant, to allow for a dynamic flow of data and influence. Expect platforms like TikTok to also play a greater role from a grassroots perspective as brands look to respond quicker in real time with less polished, more gritty and authentic content.

For next year, we also expect more cross geographic fusion of culture as brands look to not only learn and share from other markets but intentionally tap into the magic of global co-creation.