Brands: It's time to stop following the cultural calendar and start defining it |
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Defining Cultural Relevance for Brands in 2025
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There’s no denying the power of aligning brand campaigns with cultural moments. Done right, they drive engagement, recognition, and sales. But when audiences have seen their 500th rainbow flag logo, they’re no longer applauding but instead questioning authenticity and integrity. In this week’s Echo Chamber, we map out five strategies for brands to secure (and maintain) cultural relevance, all based on insights from our community, and five case studies from brands who we think are getting it right.
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STRATEGY 01
FORGET ALIGNING TO EXISTING MOMENTS IN THE CALENDAR, CREATE YOUR OWN MOMENTS.
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"I think all this stuff is so cynical and lazy. Brands can't think of their own good marketing ideas so just build them around an existing moment to flog us shit."
— Ted Stansfield, Editorial Director, Dazed Digital
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Image courtesy of Spotify |
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CASE STUDY 01: SPOTIFY WRAPPED DAY
Spotify Wrapped Day, annually in early December. Back in 2016, Spotify created Wrapped, an end-of-year user data event where listeners get personalised recaps of their year in music. In the years since launch, it’s become a highly anticipated annual event. It’s simple but shareable, personalised, and turns users into brand ambassadors via social reshares.
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STRATEGY 02
THINK LONG-TERM & COLLABORATE BY GIVING CREATIVE FREEDOM.
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“What makes a brand most influential is being above short-term trends.”
— Dazed audience respondent, CTRL_SHIFT Report, Dazed Studio
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CASE STUDY 02: AESOP QUEER LIBRARY
Aesop’s Queer Library is a pop-up literary event (launched 2021) that takes place every year during Pride month across cities across the UK, US and Canada. For the duration of the month, Aesop removes its products from selected stores, replacing it with a curated selection of queer literature which is available and free for visitors. The shops play host to panel talks and conversations curated by and centred on the queer community in each city. |
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“It felt like they support the curators and let them get on with it quite a bit.”
— Eddie Langham, Internal Culture Manager, Dazed Media. |
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STRATEGY 03
ONLY ALIGN TO THE CULTURAL CALENDAR WHEN IT CONNECTS WITH YOUR PURPOSE AS A BRAND.
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“What would make me stop buying from a brand is losing what makes the brand special (often trying to reach a wider target, or sacrificing their values for fame or benefits).”
— Dazed Audience Respondent
CASE STUDY 03: LOEWE X LUCA GUADAGNIMO
The Spring release of Luca Guadagnino’s romance-fuelled sporting drama “Challengers” neatly laddered up to both the tennis season (French Open and Wimbledon) and the 2024 Olympics. Costumed by Loewe’s then-creative director J.W. Anderson, the film featured looks from the designer's Uniqlo collaboration, multiple LOEWE looks (including branded "I TOLD YA" merch), and boasted the appeal of LOEWE X On capsule collections.
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Image Courtesy of MGM, Still from Challengers (2024) |
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STRATEGY 04
CREATE MEANINGFUL MOMENTS THAT DELIVER VALUE TO REAL PEOPLE.
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“Calendar moments have been corporatised to the equivalent of Valentine's day. Brands now NEED to be a part of these global calendar moments however, the cultural significance has become superficial and degraded. The question is now how do you make a
meaningful contribution to these as a brand?"
— Jack Self, Strategist, Architect and Founder of Real Review
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CASE STUDY 04: NIKE 'ON AIR' COMPETITION
Alongside this Nike's Air Max Day was a great idea at the time. This yearly celebration of one of Nike’s most important silhouettes of all time on March 26th, first started back when the first shoe was released in 1987. The day is usually marked by exclusive new releases and a focus on amplifying the voices of brand fans the world, asking them to showcase their favorite Air Maxes and tell the stories behind them.
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STRATEGY 05
START WITH THE RESEARCH, STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
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By keeping your ear to the ground at all times. Approach and open two-way dialogues with figures big and small inside cultural movements, hosting open forums to discuss their scenes and feelings on cultural movements. Work slowly with these figures to build trust as advisors on the ground around the world, through closed Whatsapp focus groups, cultural and creative councils, and bespoke research projects.
CASE STUDY 05: SPACE10 (RIP, WE LOVE YOU)
SPACE10 was an independent design and research lab supported by IKEA, dedicated to driving innovation. Over its 10-year run, the lab explored ideas around the future of homes and cities. Notable projects included Tomorrow’s Meatball, which reimagined the future of food and sustainable farming; Urban Village, a concept for new models of home ownership and community living; and Couch in an Envelope, which examined how AI could transform product design.
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NOW: DAZED CLUB
Dazed Club is our membership programme for the Dazed Community of super fans. Through the Dazed Club app, we build a growing community of next-generation creatives around the world.
Dazed Club is all about bringing our audience in on a deeper level—creating a space for genuine two-way dialogue and meaningful value exchange. It’s not just about speaking to the next generation, but learning from them, collaborating with them, and building a community that educates, inspires, and empowers. Through Dazed Club—and our dedicated app—we’re opening up new opportunities to connect, create, and shape the future together. Every month, we invite Dazed Club Members to send their submissions in via an open call, for a chance to be featured on Dazed Digital.
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Before marketing around an existing cultural moment, remember to ask:
> What is your reason for engaging in this moment? What is your end goal? What do you want to learn or change? How are you looking to collaborate?
> What is the relationship between your brand and this moment? Is there a natural fit? Are there underlying shared behaviours or values?
> Are you ready to engage meaningfully with this moment? What is your long-term vision? Does your brand have the resources to sustain an ongoing relationship?
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AN EASY WIN FOR BRANDS…
AND AN OBVIOUS PLUG (SORRY!)
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THE DAZED ICR
(INSTITUTE FOR CULTURAL RESEARCH)
Data Meets Intuition. Foresight Meets the Real World.
Everyone’s got data but Dazed has intuition, foresight, and a direct line to cultural relevance.
THE DAZED ICR blends robust data with cultural intuition to help brands navigate complexity, identify what’s next, and act with clarity and confidence.
HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP:
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ICR: The Dazed Insider Council
An exclusive council of cultural leaders and tastemakers driving what’s next. Real-time access. Unfiltered insights. Real-time reports. Enter the group chat.
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ICR: Foresight & Strategy Labs
Strategic workshops delivering actionable cultural foresight and clarity for brands navigating the future.
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*OUR METHODOLOGY
Dazed’s ICR (Institute For Cultural Research) is a next-gen insight engine blending quantitative data, qualitative depth, and intuitive foresight. We combine large-scale surveys with human-led interviews and intuitive methodologies—working with artists, futurists, and cultural seers to sense what’s coming before it hits the mainstream. Dazed Media’s global network now reaches 68 million monthly users, anchored by a community of leading tastemakers and cultural pioneers across the creative industries—built and nurtured over the past 30 years.
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