• by Jim Misener , Op-Ed Contributor, February 7, 2025

Chappell Roan is so popular she’s a cultural phenomenon. “Hot to Go” has become more than a popular song. It’s a cultural anthem. 

Brands can be culturally relevant, too. Nike’s Let’s Do It ethos became deeply connected with culture by transcending its original purpose as a campaign slogan and has evolved to become  a universal creed and a call to action. Roblox is a cultural hub for self-expression and user-generated worlds. Target influences behavior by becoming the new shopping mall for teens to hang out and bond. 

Chappell Roan, Nike, and Roblox are all connecting with people through behaviors, beliefs, and values, which are foundational elements of cultural relevance. 

Cultural relevance can be a valuable way for brands aiming to build loyalty. By connecting with people’s values, beliefs, and behaviors, culturally relevant brands build deep emotional ties with their audiences. In some cases, brands even influence cultural norms. Amazon and the NFL partnership are achieving cultural relevance through the NFL Black Friday game by turning the tradition of watching football on TV into an online shopping experience. 

But there’s a fine line between resonance and rejection—especially when brands appear inauthentic or overly eager to be trendy or trendsetting. And cultural relevance is not necessarily the same as brand activism, either. In fact, attempts at brand activism can backfire if a brand’s actions are out of sync with its own values and beliefs and those of its audience. 

There is no sure-fire formula for achieving cultural relevance; sometimes, as with the unexpected 2023 McDonald’s Grimace Shake viral trend on TikTok, a brand is better off letting a product become embedded into culture organically and staying out of the conversation. But brands that achieve cultural relevance typically succeed in a few important ways. 

Know Your Values and Your Audience 

Netflix is one of the most culturally relevant brands in the world today. Whether tapping into 1980s nostalgia with the wildly popular “Stranger Things” or capitalizing on the convergence of sports and entertainment through the novelty Jake Paul/Mike Tyson boxing match in 2024, the company has an uncanny knack for sensing and responding to popular culture. And arguably, Netflix influences culture: “Stranger Things” has shaped 1980s nostalgia, as witnessed by Kate Bush’s 1985 song “Running up That Hill (Make a Deal with God)” becoming a hit in 2022 after being used on “Stranger Things” episode. And when Netflix aired “Tidying up with Marie Kondo,” a series about de-cluttering, thrift stores experienced a spike in donations from people who decided to shed their unwanted belongings.  

Netflix designs its own culture to constantly take creative risks. As Netflix stated in its 2024 culture memo, one of the company’s core principles is to be “Uncomfortably Exciting: Netflix works best if you thrive on change because success in entertainment requires us to think differently, experiment and adapt (often quickly).” 

The company succeeds by constantly tinkering with content and pivoting when needed. Netflix didn’t embrace live sports until recently, and today they’re a category leader. 

Netflix also understands its audience. The company applies AI to analyze audience trends and tastes in order to develop content. But AI does not dictate decision making. Human decision makers call the shots by balancing AI-driven insights with experimentation. 

Knowing your values and those of your audience helps brands avoid appearing inauthentic and trendy, too. Patagonia’s environmental activism feels authentic because it is deeply embedded in its DNA, which makes its activism align with action. The company’s Worn Wear program encourages repairing and reusing outdoor gear instead of buying new. Action Works connects individuals with grassroots organizations working on climate change solutions. 

As a result, Patagonia achieves cultural authenticity and aligns its brand with the values of like-minded consumers. 

Adapt to Audience Segments 

Global brands achieve cultural relevance by adapting to the interests of different audience segments. Coca-Cola’s 2025 Lunar New Year campaign in Vietnam emphasizes the theme of togetherness and cultural connection. Special Tet packaging features motifs like “An” (Peace), “Tai” (Wealth), and “Loc” (Prosperity), aligned with traditional Vietnamese values.

Coca-Cola also finds ways to connect with different demographics.

The company’s Sprite and Takis campaign targets Gen Z consumers who favor spicy snacks paired with refreshing beverages. Research indicated that Sprite’s refreshing qualities complement spicy flavors, leading to an unexpected food-and-beverage bundle.

Achieving this kind of cultural relevance requires strong research and localization capabilities to be authentic and to avoid missteps. With AI, brands can achieve cultural relevance more nimbly, too.

What’s Next

The next wave of culturally relevant brands will move faster, adapt smarter, and connect more authentically than ever before. AI and advanced analytics are giving companies an edge, not only in tracking trends but also in anticipating them to help brands decode shifting consumer values and react in real-time. But cultural relevance isn’t about perfect timing or algorithmic precision; it’s about resonance.

The most successful brands will strike a balance between data-driven agility and human instinct. They will know when to lean into the unexpected, when to let their audiences take the lead, and when to take a stand that feels true to their identity. The future of cultural relevance will be about shaping moments that matter, in the moment.