New Cultural Codes

Crafting a bold new Brand OS built for a multifaceted, metamorphic, multiplayer world.

Last year, I embarked on a journey to rewrite a brand operating system (OS) capable of walking the walk, not just talking the talk. This OS was designed to create the conditions and controls for all the concepts I've been advocating for: fandoms, communities, sub-cultures, cultural adjacencies, niche markets, tastemakers, spread betting the zeitgeist, and more.

I needed to prove to myself that this direction was not only right but also feasible. We often hear about innovation and change, but actual implementation is rare.

Because I’ve never been a fan of those who are ‘all talk and no trousers’, I immersed myself in exploring the 'how.'

How do we determine where our brand should engage in culture?

How do we maintain relevance and resonance amid rapid cultural shifts?

How do we break down the speed of culture to find our right pace?

How do we know when to lean in versus step away?

How do we build and nurture relationships with tastemakers, cultural leaders, and connected communities?

And much more...

It took a long time, and it was challenging. Implementing my ideas in a comprehensive, useful, and future-oriented way was hard. I had to remix, invent, and mash up various ideas, methods, and processes until I found the best combination.

Finally, I broke it down into three interconnected models:

Cultural Spheres - Where can we play?

Cultural Frequencies - What pace can we set?

Cultural Conduits - How do we tap into the tastemakers?

I then ran workshops to test these models with various brands, from L’Oreal to LEGO. And, shocker, they worked, which was both gratifying and a relief.

The feedback from these sessions highlighted the challenge of rewiring our thinking away from traditional models to this new, layered, long-form approach. However, once we adapted, it provided clarity and direction that previous models lacked, proving that the reductive practices of traditional brand strategy and planning are no longer practical.

As the need for cultural fluency and fluidity grows, and as more brands embrace being multifaceted, metamorphic, and multiplayer, (Kudos to Grace Gordon and Ana Andjelic for their great recent pieces on this topic, which are well worth diving into for more context), I felt it was the right time to share my findings.

Sadly, I have to keep some IP confidential, so parts of this deck are locked/redacted. However, I've opened up one of the models to give you a glimpse of both its complexity and its potential.

I hope you find it useful.