In the first issue of MILK I wrote a piece about Making Culture, the idea that brands will become culture factories producing content and ideas to connect consumers around an idea.

Since then I think it’s fair to say that the notion of a brand’s preference and performance being driven by the capital it has in cultural relevance has continued to grow in popularity. Likewise my theories on cultural relevance and the practices a brand should follow have continued to evolve.

Shortly I’ll be publishing a new paper which aims to identify how the long-term cultural paradigm has shifted, how global context and hyper-niche and real time relevance will continue to fragment culture and indeed how lifestyles and changed lifestages have led us from a post industrial, post digital age into a new ‘Cultural Age’.

With this in mind, the success of brands will be less audience centric and more culture centric, bringing about a change in the way we measure brand equity, and anchoring brand relevance against it’s measure in culture.

Marketing in the cultural age demands a change in marketing practices and organizations will work with agencies to follow initiatives which focus more heavily on the cultural equity or ‘Cultural Capital’ of a brand.

Needless to say some brands intuitively perform in this way already. Nike consistently harnesses culture led initiatives like the above ‘Republica Popular do Corinthians’ in Brazil which bring capture the cultural passions of groups of people and bring their brand into centre of focus by providing the inspiration and experience for people to engage with.

Likewise brands I’ve worked with including Red Bull and Pepsi have been successful in leveraging cultural relevance by creating innovative ways to inspire groups with initiatives like Red Bull House of Media and Pepsi Refresh Project.

The key challenge is that while these brands mentioned are used time and time again as case studies of innovators or outliers, most companies are failing to understand how to operationalize their behaviors and change their brand management model.

However, this will change, because for brands to succeed in the Cultural Age it has to!

CM

In keeping with this blog publishing perspectives on culture, to be honest this point of view is more relevant to observations of human nature.

It’s been a weird day. A beautiful start cycling to the office along venice beach boardwalk, past the marina in the sunshine… lovely.

An interesting chat with a smart guy at MTV about branding and collaborative projects and a great brainstorm for a cool pitch, all good so far.

Sadly then the day took a shift downhill! Some less than kind person had stolen my bike (the one in the picture above in fact, nice huh?!).

As with any theft, the interesting associative context is in many ways more telling than the act of removing the possession.

Clearly the ‘perp’ (as they say in cop shows) didn’t care that I was now without transport, but more than this they had altered how I could live my life (my experiences of riding along the marina and beachside) and perhaps most significantly my ability to trust others.

Hold that thought.

So now I had to get to a meeting with a super inspiring blogger you may know NOTCOT (or Jean Aw in person). On route I sent an email out to the agency to warn other bike owners to beware the bike bandits. The response I received to the email was amazing, from simple thanks for the warning, to messages sympathizing and even offers for a ride if I needed to get home – good folks.

After my meeting and feeling a little balanced on the days accounts, I popped into Intelligentsia who serve a mean latte and is another of life’s little experiences to enjoy (along with what cycling used to be). Chatting to the barista I checked I could pay by card (no cash on me as usual). This sparked him to tell me about his favorite sandwich place where they only take cash and when he’d first visited them and not realized this, the sandwich guy had said, no problem take the sandwich and pay me next time. With this he served me my latte, smiled and said don’t worry, next time.

I hope I don’t need to labor the point here, but trust goes a long way. It’s easy to undo, but acts of kindness go a long way to re-instill it.

Applying trust metrics or karma into culture go a long way to enriching our social experiences and the behaviors we subscribe to.

There’s little doubt that mobile innovation will lead growth in the advertising industry, certainly Sir Martin Sorrell thinks so.

Perhaps a more interesting question though is what does mobile innovation mean for a brands role rather than just the ability to have an advertising presence? With over 350,000 apps available through Apple’s iPhone App Store alone, it’s arguable an app is not the answer.

Simply, the governing factors driving mobile innovation hold the answer which can allow brands to play a role if they are willing to step out of the preconceptions of what mobile marketing is.

Innovation on the one hand is being driven through the hardware formats and these hold true to two principles. 1, converge digital services through the device (a phone, email, web, video, camera…). 2, device innovation diverges against consumer usage occasion – The iPod Nano is an iPhone Mini waiting to happen, whilst the iPad2 with Facetime continues to shape the role of iPad as the social technology experience device of choice.

Innovation is also being driven by ‘The Cloud’ for a devices ability to provide connective experience on a near permanently online basis. For this reason connectivity represents a significant sponsorship opportunity for social brands.

Perhaps most critically for brands, there is the role of new content experience. So far this has seen brands integrating content through Apps enbedded within Ads on mobile content, or as Apple call, them iAds.

Beyond this, the content opportunity for brands could really look more like the platform developments we’ve seen in TV.

Branded films, shows and interactive content developed against mobile media channels. The question for progressive brands is how to own the channel rather than become a show, or even worse a feature of the show. Whilst TV networks have been first on the scene here, though it’s more likely it will be the likes of GoogleTV who could lead the category. The opportunity for mass culture brands is significant here if they act now and work with content producers and platform creators to own the space and establish consumer following.

And beyond content, brands may do well to engage in external IP product ventures to provide experiences around their existing brand social consumption occasions. The new Jawbone Jambox is one such device which would have been a perfect branded product opportunity for any brand looking to increase their social role in music experience and social connectivity.

Mobile is without doubt the most exciting and undefined media future and where there is low definition there is high opportunity.

Finally watch this to remember where it all started: First cell phone commercial

It’s been a while.

The empire of MILK moved home last year, from the pulsing heart of London to the shores of the Pacific in LA. Fine times indeed, but changing times and a convenient excuse to mark a break from blogging and publishing about culture and changing worlds, whilst physically changing worlds and considering new boundaries.

And now. A new world gathered and re-focused, opinions are fixed on the sharper orders and how to punch back a message of intent across the jaw of a new opponent.

But first some mentions. A new home. LA is a hard home to find even after your arrival, but it does become you. There are layers beyond the surface to be found, but they don’t seek you out. As a friend said, ‘it is a rubbish place to visit, but a fine place to live’.

I must also mention a kind thank you to Andy who has patience in managing this site. Health has not been kind with him recently and I wish him every well thought to recover to good health and live a great life.

Finally, for now, I prompt a thought… and a promise.

Greetings. When you see a much loved friend or relative how do you meet them? Is it a casual handshake, a nod and smile, air kisses to both cheeks? Or do you hold them close and squeeze? What mutual fondness is secured in that embrace that resurrects every emotional connection of trust and physical language that needs any other expression?

So from MILK a big hug. It’s been a while, there’s much to catch up on.

You should expect the usual provocative thinking, challenging perspectives, opinionated hard lining views from the leading edge of culture.

Be warned, it’s a fond familiar hello, but the gloves are off and culture will be called to reckon.

Enjoy.

It will be really interesting to see how Doritos latest crowd sourcing campaign to create their next ad plays out.

They’ve really gone to town creating a decent digital experience for their King of Ads introduction hosted by T4′s Miquita Oliver no less.

Promising a purse of £200k for the winning ad submission which will be judged by a celeb panel and aired on national telly.

Not only are they pushing the consumer entries, but they’ve also placed a DPS in Campaign Magazine to engage with the pros! Though it has to be said the Campaign ad falls well short of the rest of the campaign.

It is without doubt one of the better constructed crowd sourcing campaigns and provides an interesting question not only as to how effective sourcing your commercials is, but also how effective the engagement process of crowd sourcing can be. Ultimately it begs the question of when is it right to use brand communications spend to engage in this way. Would the money have been better spent with a creative shop in the first place.

Ultimately does asking your consumer to create your ad gain you the respect of your consumers, or look like a cheap stunt with lack of imagination?

I guess, only the end results will answer that one!

The folks at Nike and AKQA have been busy it would seem and just launched this slick new app for smart/ iPhones.

It uses the geo-tagged augmented reality technology mentioned in previous blog posts to create a virtual world accessed through your phone app to provide a Nike guide book to your City.

Expect this initiative to be big and likewise expect many brands to gain confidence from seeing Nike do it and follow suit in 2010!

Much of the work we do at MILK is based on understanding changing culture and trends.

The interesting thing is that generally the preoccupation with trends focuses around: What is the trend and where’s it going? This has been fueled by books like Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point, focusing in on why something small fads become popular trends and others fade away without establishing themselves.

For us, the more interesting point to focus on is: What is the trend derived from and why? What in culture is changing to make something of interest bubble to the surface in general societal attitudes and behaviours?

One indicator we use as a point of reference is shown in the diagram above.

Just about anyone who’s studied or worked in marketing has heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, but surprisingly few have come across Shalom Schwartz.

Schwartz took Maslow’s thinking and pushed it further to determine a map that demonstrates values states, it also proposes that these values sit opposite one another in a wheel like configuration.

Taking this simple reference point and applying it against society you can start to build a real picture of what makes us tick and more importantly why!

Now if you start to measure society’s values (like the smart folks over at Cultural Dynamics do!) then you start to understand the motivations and pressures driving shifts in values.

Understand this and you understand how trends form. Start to project values shifts based on known values movement and you can start to see how and if trends will grow!

For people in the communications industry or government this is like alchemy for ideas, it’s powerful stuff.

Social Influence

Something wild to think about over the weekend…

Look at the Diagram above. In principle it’s nothing new, just a simple graphic representation of how something sits at the core of things and then a variety of inter-relating connections bind, reflect and transmit.

Taking the dark grey subject circle at the core with it’s originator and close supporters, it works for just about anything… the fashion industry, religion, ethical motivations, music… test it.

It really represents things we know on a higher level too, things like how solar systems work and inter-relate, biology, geneology, disease etc. Our lives are really like a million of these diagrams three dimensionally overlapping and contrasting. It also helps to illustrate effects like six degrees of separation and how naturally our lives become interconnected.

So, it’s easy to see how social influences originate and get carried around groups, cultures and societies.

So there’s the method, but what’s the motivation?

Belief. Now there are a few simple steps to understanding belief systems:

1. Ideology – either individual or small group (the seeding bit if you will)

2. Belief – conviction and motivation that the ideology is definitively right

3. Moral rules – basic structure that  defines and represents the belief at a core communicative level

4. Ethical practices – clear and simple motivating behaviours for core believers to follow

5. Organization – more complex infrastucture to help other believers understand and adopt the ethical practices

6. Legislation – fundamental (and often societal) acceptance in the belief’s principles, practices, and organizational behaviours.

Whilst this is a basic perspective, it is the basis for all religious, political, tribal and indeed brand based success.

Now this structure and method is all very well, but it doesn’t really explain why. Why we believe things. Why we want to believe things, why we share beliefs, to the extent that they govern our  unconscious values and motivations.

Most thinking on this subject will say it’s because of the animal that we are (unless you hold a more religious belief). A weird off-shoot ape that has outgrown it’s own evolution. Seems to be the case.

But this thinking rarely goes on to explain why we have a love of dance music?! (There is a point to this)

Many child psychologists, primary school teachers and parents alike will say kids like boundaries. It gives them a sense of security. Also at all ages routine affords comfort, perhaps a sense of equilibrium gained from familiarity and perceived control of external influences.

But why? So what? It is because we are compelled to follow patterns. Both visually, aurally and behaviourally. Rocking ourselves, tapping feet, dancing, wallpaper, tiles, leaves, ripples you name it. From a pure level of infantile comfort through to correlating genetic sequencing.

We are mathematical. Whether you see it as binary or Phi everything is based in coding. We are if you like, programmed to follow patterns, they form our characteristic differences as individuals and allow us to interact as groups.

Now back to dance music. Quoting Hot Chip’s song – Over and Over: “The joy of repetition really is in you”.

With music, dancing and especially seen in things like dance music, our core coding is responding to actions and reactions to the patterns of the sound waves we hear. Patterns which stimulate neurologic impulses, releasing chemicals and flooding our emotions to trigger behavioural movements in sync with the aural patterns. And these individuals actions do not go unnoticed. Observers see and feel the benefit of following these patterns from others emotional stimulation (joy) and they are compelled to join in. Naturally there are barriers to following this compulsion, but these are cultural constraining barriers (human self-consciousness if you will), not our natural instinct.

Now transpose this thinking into belief systems; rules, order, structure, practices… patterns?!

We look for patterns to guide us in everything and are drawn toward them. From those forming ideologies based on assuming connections by cause and effect, to theorizing that there are missing links in a chain that should be filled to make sense. We make our discoveries, realizations and often mistakes by following our compulsion to follow patterns.

So, if you make this acceptance that we are in our very existential essence programmed to interact with and follow patterns, then it is easy to understand why beliefs work so very well for us as a species. Why we follow them, why we are compelled to share and adopt their behaviours and rational values. Why they influence us emotionally and reward our feelings and give us a sense of being. As it is in that sense of ‘being’ that we are human.

Something funny cropped during a recent trip to a record label.

One of smart guys there (and I should probably point out, that everyone we’ve met at this record label seems exceptionally smart) said that music is often the last thing to be considered when the ad agency is producing a new TVC.

Now there are exceptions, when the creative team send a rough cut of the shoot to the label’s Sync team and they suggest tracks to put against the final production, but this is not the norm.

The only conclusion can be because ad agencies don’t think music first. Think about Art Directors are often film makers (visual medium) and copywriters are often screenwriters (words based). So who thinks music first?

The second thing to consider is how frequently a good ad can act to launch, revive or expand a musicians career e.g. Sony/ Jose Gonzalez, Levi’s/ Mr Oizo, Guinness/ Leftfield, Cadbury/ Phil Collins?!!!!

And then there’s the role of the music video or film soundtrack. Music is the thing

to release the emotional potential of a scene, to enhance the drama, or elevate our empathy.

The really interesting thing, is the sheer number of lifestyle brands itching to get into music as a cultural equity, but then ironically not utilizing our emotional connection with the music.

How would the emotional impact of the Bravia Bouncing Balls ad have been compromised if a voice over cut in announcing just how good the clarity of the HD screen  delivers colour like no other. It would have killed it, it’s emotionally implied, so it connects on a deeper level unconsciously and fuses the association between the AV and the producer.

So the message is this…

When you watch MTV you notice there’s a thing in the corner of the screen, it says MTV. And by the power of association (Music’s biggest fan) they are considered credible and cool to represent artistic content.

So as we’ve seen steps by some great brands like Red Bull to set up their own record labels, maybe the next step is to create brand produced music videos for TV instead of ads.

And finally, the interesting thing. Only now are brands catching on to the fact that the tracks they pay to use in their commercial subsequently result in records sales. So in turn the record companies have started opening up models for revenue share schemes. Obvious? Cool! We think so.

Watch this space  - the music comes first.