…and what does it mean to move and shape culture? Hear from a professor, an anthropologist, a semiotician, a brand expert and a cultural strategist on what culture IS, HOW to navigate it, WHY it matters and WHAT good cultural insight and initiatives look like and HOW to lead, (not borrow or exploit) culture.

• What’s the difference between activating in and creating culture?
• Why do the WHY questions need to be asked?
• What are we getting wrong, as marketers?
• Why are we so obsessed with “youth” and “pop” culture?
• What is a brand’s role in culture? How can brands legitimately play a role in culture?
• What’s the difference between advertising and culture-led work?

A quick-fire, high-energy panel conversation with some of the most interesting and credible brand marketers in this space. Making the business case, influencing internal stakeholders and demonstrating the benefits of long-term cultural influence. How have they achieved extraordinary things year after year in an era of depleting budgets and a heavy focus on performance-led marketing?

There’s a big difference between leaning into culture and leaning into culture correctly. And often, it depends on whether an organisation has the right competencies and capabilities, a high level of psychological trust and a commitment to cultural-led marketing.

• Is it possible to cultivate a culture of curiosity?
• How can you move from producing average to truly transformative culturally-led work?
• And how can you sustain momentum, investment and commitment to cultural-led approaches?
• In this session, you’ll hear from a brand leader who has created a marketing function which not only embraces but leads culture.

WARC’s Future of Strategy 2023 survey found understanding emerging cultural and behaviour trends is the most important skill for strategists. In a fragmented world made up of complex and niche communities, a sea of influencers and post-Covid mindsets (whatever that means) what’s the secret to unlocking powerful consumer insights at scale?

The brands that do it best are the brands that play a loooong game. Memes undeniably work in the moment – they can fuel short-term awareness, relevance and sales, but what does a cultural long-game look like? One expert will reflect on the duality of short-term, “transactional” cultural hijacking v. long-term brand transformation.

Cultural relevance is the Holy Grail. So many brands have achieved it in the short-term and some have played the long game – with extraordinary impact – in culture and society at large.

What brand takes the cultural crown? Four pitches. You all get to vote.

Cultural mishaps are inevitable. With so much at stake, it takes one tweet, one campaign, one error of judgement to destabilise a brand in the minds of consumers. Hear a five-step checklist from a brave brand who has got it wrong, on how to get it right.

CHOOSE YOUR SESSION (pick two out of three)

These case study sessions will delve into the nitty gritty of how a cultural campaign came into existence from beginning to end in.

1. Gaming / Sports
2. Impact & Society – Carbon Skidmarks – Channel4
3. An Entertainment / Music initiative

Speakers to share:

• How the potential opportunity was identified
• How it disrupted a dominant ideology by tapping into a nascent subculture
• TOV & the power of comedy to land purpose comedically
• What unexpected crises hit & how they were solved
• How the impact was measured &
• Finally, how the initiative paid-back to the community in which it served

We’ll hear from those at the forefront of popular culture. What are their predictions on the brands, people, ideas, identities and themes that will bubble up in the near future?

The long-term payoff and value (for consumers, society and the brand) can be significant. In this session, we’ll hear how.

Come for the topics, stay for the takeaways. Your five-step guide and checklist to getting this right.