Influence of pop culture on marketing

Pop culture shapes marketing through celebrity endorsements, influencers, memes, and collaborations.

Emergence and Evolution of Pop Culture

Pop culture refers to anything related to trending acts and beliefs in a society. It has always existed and been celebrated by the youth of the society. The elements of pop culture are usually established and endorsed by radio, TV, the internet, and films. The elements always referred to as “ trendy” were influenced by mediums. The intersection of pop culture and marketing is inevitable since Marketing aims to latch onto everything that “trends” to better relate to its consumers.

Marketing and pop culture have evolved a great deal in the last couple of decades. It has been greatly influenced by the widespread use of the internet, the emergence of social media, and the popularity of digital content. Pop culture is now no longer restricted to endorsements by celebs and sportsmen/women. It is a popular opinion that can be formed by absolutely anyone and is supported by employing mediums, usually social media.

Elements of Pop Culture & Marketing

Marketing is still heavily influenced by pop culture especially when talking to Gen Z. 4 Key Elements of Pop Culture that Shape the World of Marketing are:

1. Celebs: Popular figures and celebrity endorsements will always remain the most commonly used form of establishing pop culture. Actors, musicians, and sportswomen/men have always played a pivotal role in shaping popular cultures and forming opinions. Associating with the right celebs has always worked for brands. It's the easiest way to tap into the “fans” and “followers” of the celeb for the brand. Thereby automatically creating that trust and credibility that a brand longs for. The question though remains, whether marketers are putting in enough effort to research and relate to the right celeb whose voice intertwines with their brand’s purpose.

Take for instance Taylor Swift from the west and Diljit Dosanjh from South Asia. Idols who have been around for a while but truly emerged as stars by embracing the new age of the ever-evolving medium, social media. It also truly connected with its audience at a very human level through its hyper-customized concerts. Their popularity is a testament to a boost in the economy in the countries they do their concerts in. Any brand associating itself with them is going to sign up for a huge group of die-hard fans along with a hefty check.

2. Influencers: In today’s rising age of social media, influencers are a significant part of forming opinions in society. Even though their appeal might not be mass, they certainly have a voice and choose to use it in a way that establishes their credibility amongst the cohort who can relate to them. They are the stars of their world hence associating with them means entering their world of influence. Marketers going this route can benefit from the authenticity of the content and in turn, relate the aim for loyalty from its consumers.

Some brands that benefit from these raw forms of celebs are Banana Republic, AirBnB, Lulu Lemon, etc.

3. Memes: This is probably the most recent and the most effective way of displaying complex emotions in a relatable way. Memes came into existence as part of pop culture and they very much remain a very integral part of expressing ourselves authentically. It's interesting how the concept has evolved from being an informal way of expression to more humane and personal. Since it's so informal, it might seem daunting for any brand to step into the “memes” territory to market itself. However, if it does successfully, it does capture the heart of pop culture and its audience.

“Zoom” really exploded with its culture of memes especially during and after the pandemic. It does it so brilliantly that it almost seems like the voice of brands. Some other brands that have gotten onto the bandwagon are Google Maps and Hubspot.

4. Collabs: we are living in the marketing age where the industry boundaries have sort of blurred. It's all about leveraging those complementary brands and creating an unforgettable experience for the consumer. Branded collabs have become more of a thing now since this can enable brands to tap into the audience of multiple brands at the same time which could or could not be linked but it is one of the common areas of interest of its consumers’.

Some of the most bizarre collabs we’ve seen are Nike and Ben & Jerry’s, Fenti Beaty and Heinz Ketchup, and “Fortnite” partnering with Travis Scott for an in-game interactive concert. Make us seem that the possibilities are limitless.

Challenges & Conclusion

Even though associating with pop culture proves to be an impactful way to relate to a brand’s audience, it certainly is not free from risks. Pop culture is an ever-evolving terminology and with the way technology and norms evolve around the world, the definition evolves. For a brand to be truly associated with pop culture, it needs to embrace change and instill its changing philosophy into its purpose. This might not be suitable for all brands since it requires time and resources. Hence, it is a conscious choice to stay relevant in the most dynamic way possible or to stay consistent in a more relatable way.