Culture, capital C
I always get an icky feeling in my throat if I go to use the word ‘culture’.
Something stops it from emerging and I switch at the last second to ‘context’.
There’s nothing wrong with the word. ‘Culture’ is a pretty loose concept embracing beliefs, institutions, manners, dress, language, religion, rituals and, of course, art.
But whenever it comes up in marketing, it always seems to demand its very own capital C.
Like in Marcus Collins’ 2023 book, ‘For the Culture’.
It’s been on my bedside table for a while, so I decided to get it read on holiday.
As if proving his point, three pieces of context continually resurface in the book.
Firstly, Marcus is a black American from Detroit and he has deep insight into that experience. He really knows his hip-hop.
Secondly, he’s a churchgoer. The book is run through with references to congregations, preachers and gospels, as well as passive-aggressive calls from his mother if he ever misses church on a Sunday.
And thirdly he’s an ad man. As well as an author, speaker and marketing professor, he used to be Chief Strategy Officer at Wieden+Kennedy, who have been Nike’s agency since 1982.
It was Dan Wieden who revealed that ‘Just do it’ was inspired by the final words of Gary Gilmore facing execution, when he said; “You know, let’s do it.”
So there’s an impressive collection of superstar ad case histories.
Budweiser’s ‘Wassup’. Patagonia’s ‘Don’t buy this jacket’. Apple’s ‘Think different’. Nike’s ‘Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything’.
As well as guest appearances from Steve Jobs, Simon Sinek, Daniel Kahneman and Dan Ariely.
Interestingly, Bill Bernbach gets one brief mention and his name is spelt wrong. And unsurprisingly, there’s no word of Byron Sharp.
By comparison, Kevin Roberts’ “Lovemarks” gets the best part of a page. Marcus is keen on the idea of tribal markings. In fact, tribes are at the heart of his thinking.
Anyway, the book’s a good read. I finished it as the plane landed at Gatwick.
But like most books on marketing, there’s one central point. It’s even spelt out on the inside cover. Marcus Collins believes cultural engagement is the most powerful vehicle for influencing behaviour.
So when it comes to brand choice, appeal to your target’s shared values and contribute to their shared culture. One need for all briefs, Affiliation.
It reminded me of Seth Godin’s book, ‘This is Marketing’. His argument was that it’s the Status dynamic that’s always at work and there are two ways of “measuring” it, Dominance versus Affiliation.
Which just leaves me wondering. Is this where USA marketing is at?
Mark Ritson has been disparaging recently about American marketers and how they are disengaged from current theory, especially around effectiveness?
Do they not see that a culture-driven approach is only ever going to work for a small group of big brands in certain categories with certain audiences?
Or does it all, ironically, come down to the American culture? Is this part of why they are so divided? They really do think all that matters is “I’m the same as you” versus “I’m better than you”.
Yes, but they aren’t the only ones. What’s our excuse here in the UK? I mean, far-right riots during the Olympics?
All I’d say is every category has its own Need Map.
And every Need Map has two axes, the social and personality dynamics.
Not one. That’s the road to ruin.
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