NOVEMBER 2023
Culture is key to impactful campaigns and we’re bringing you a whole new series from some of our most dynamic Mashers who know a thing or two about cultural effectiveness. We ask them to curate 5 culture questions and dig into the insights they think you need to hear. Creative gold below.
Kristy, AU
Social Media Strategist
Kristy is a seasoned social media strategist with over 8 years of experience in marketing and design. Her expertise lies in crafting innovative and strategic approaches to elevate businesses’ social media presence effectively and positively.
How do you define the role of culture in shaping a brand’s identity?
I see cultural relevance as an opportunity for brand storytelling. The narratives a brand creates and shares are shaped by cultural stories. This then allows for impactful visual identity and design and an evolved messaging and communication style. Culture significantly impacts a brand’s identity by guiding its values, storytelling, visual and communication style. The challenge? Skilfully and effectively integrating cultural elements into the brand’s identity. When executed well, the brand is unstoppable.
What methods or tools do you use to identify emerging cultural trends that could impact branding strategies?
Being in the social media space for around 8 years has led to having an in-built desire to keep an eye on influencers, celebrities, and thought leaders across various platforms! They help me identify emerging trends and can provide insights into what’s forecasted. An extension of this is doing regular deep dives into online forums and community platforms (Reddit, or niche social platforms) as they can offer unfiltered insights into what topics and trends are resonating with people.
Of course, I subscribe to publications and insight emails, but I‘ve always found going straight to the community provides the most accurate information.
How do you measure the success of a campaign or creative project in terms of its cultural impact?
Shareability and virality! The extent a campaign is shared across social media platforms is my primary indicator of its cultural resonance. High shareability of a campaign shows its ability to tap into current cultural trends, emotions, or values that resonate with the intended audience.
Things to look out for are increased User-Generated Content (UGC), engagement with trending sounds or challenges on platforms, longevity and memetic potential of the same or similar content, cross platform influence and audience sentiment.
Tana, TH
Comedian, Graphic Designer, Writer
Tana ran from their hometown of Chaiyaphum to Bangkok to immerse in Queer culture and study Digital Arts. Whilst there they fell in love with Photography, Culture, History, and Fashion. An established comedian, beneath the façade of black nail polish and combat boots Tana blends art to heart to humour, and always brings new perspectives to the stage and page.
What advice would you give to brands looking to become more culturally relevant in their marketing efforts?
Most of the time knowing the market is good, but respecting the market is much better. Don’t look down upon them like a fish you want to net. Engage with them like a friend you can ask advice from, authentically and in a respectful way.
If your creative process had a soundtrack, what three songs would be on it, and why?
I value context so instead of a song, I’ll put the whole album!
1. kimi no na wa – RADWIMPS
2. Liza with a Z – Liza Minali
3. Volcano – Jungle
What methods or tools do you use to identify emerging cultural trends that could impact branding strategies?
First, submerge yourself in the culture you are looking to understand. Try to get as close to their point of view as possible. Only then can you start building and asking questions.
Teresa, GER/TH
Photographer and Graphic Designer.
Teresa is a multi-disciplinary creative focused on graphic design and photography with over two decades of experience. She builds bold brands and creates fresh visual content through thoughtful design.
How do you foresee the evolution of cultural relevance in branding and creative work in the next decade?
What stands out to me is an increased awareness of diversity and sustainability. Authenticity matters; I think brands will be held much more accountable than in the past, and need to increase transparency and develop better communication about processes, like supply chains.
How do you define the role of culture in shaping a brand’s identity?
A successful brand identity has to be relatable and authentic. To be that, a brand has to align with the culture of its audience in visuals (colours & symbols) and the message it sends (language & tone).
What methods or tools do you use to identify emerging cultural trends that could impact branding strategies?
I spend a significant amount of time deeply immersing myself into the sub-culture that I have been hired to speak to. This isn’t just desktop research, but being in places where they hang out, reading and viewing content they read and view; having conversations with the very people I need to communicate with visually.
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