The culture question: Should brands chase trends or choose moments that matter?

Culture moves faster than ever - and businesses are trying to keep up.

Every day, a new TV show dominates timelines, a celebrity moment sparks debate, or a viral sound reshapes how people talk online. For many brands, the temptation is to jump in quickly - post, react, attach, stay visible.

But here’s the problem: not every moment belongs to you.

The difference between brands that feel relevant and those that feel forced is knowing which cultural moments to engage with - and why.

It’s not about chasing every hashtag or mimicking whatever’s trending. It’s about creating the space to listen, notice what’s resonating with your audience and decide whether it genuinely connects with your brand’s values and story.

When culture is used thoughtfully, it doesn’t just make you visible - it keeps you in tune. Because culture isn’t the opposite of strategy. Done right, it is strategy.

Why cultural moments matter for your business

Culture isn’t a side note to strategy - it’s the context your business lives in every day. What people watch, wear, share and care about shapes how they see the world - and how they decide where to spend, what to trust and who feels relevant.

Think about how TV, art, music, and social conversation ripple through the way we live and buy:

• When The Bear made professional kitchens and chef culture cool again, we saw a wave of minimalist restaurant design, earthy brand palettes, and even fragrance campaigns borrowing its raw authenticity.

• Barbie wasn’t just a film - it shifted the summer’s entire colour story, influencing everything from product packaging to political think pieces about gender and nostalgia.

• In fashion, Succession quietly transformed how luxury is marketed. Its “quiet wealth” aesthetic sent sales of neutral tailoring and understated branding soaring.

• Even news and economics move the needle - when cost-of-living headlines dominate, we see growth in value-led messaging, sustainable reuse and community-driven storytelling.

Culture creates cues. It tells us what people are craving: simplicity, nostalgia, transparency, joy, escapism - whatever’s in the air. When businesses pay attention, they can respond in ways that feel naturally aligned with their customers’ world, not opportunistic or out of touch.

Some brands do this brilliantly:

• Aldi’s social media team has become a masterclass in cultural commentary - from witty responses to competitor campaigns to quick-fire memes that turn supermarket moments into viral gold. Their voice is playful but always on-brand.

• Specsavers’ reactive marketing has become legendary. Their posts often tap into major cultural events - from sporting blunders to political mix-ups - but the humour always ladders back to their core brand truth: seeing things clearly.

• Ryanair uses self-aware, reactive humour on social media - joining cultural conversations with wit that perfectly matches its no-frills, unapologetic tone.

• Gucci leans into cultural fluidity, collaborating with musicians, artists, and unexpected creators to stay part of the cultural dialogue, not just fashion.

• Tesco’s Ramadan billboard campaign - where food ads only lit up after sunset - connected meaningfully with a community moment without shouting about diversity.

• Duolingo’s TikTok presence is built entirely around playful cultural reactivity. But it works because it never breaks character - the brand’s tone is consistent, no matter what the trend.

Culture tells you where attention already is - but your job as a brand is to decide whether you belong in that space.

In one campaign, Specsavers responded to a moment involving Gary Barlow and his broken glasses. The campaign wasn’t heavily pre-planned - it leveraged a pop culture moment and plugged into the brand’s expertise in vision.

Source: Tangerine Comms

How to participate in culture without losing who you are

There’s a difference between being reactive and being ready. The first is impulsive. The second is intentional.

Jumping into every trending moment might make your brand look active - but not necessarily relevant. The brands that do it well know exactly who they are, what they stand for, and how to read the room before they speak.

Here’s how to use culture without losing your voice:

1. Listen before you leap. Cultural awareness starts with observation. What’s everyone talking about - and why? What emotion or value is sitting underneath the noise? When The Traitors dominated social media, the conversation wasn’t just about TV - it was about trust, leadership, and strategy. The best insights come when you look beneath the surface.

2. Ask if it aligns. Every cultural moment carries its own tone. Some are light-hearted; others touch on deeper social issues. Before you respond, ask: does this fit our brand’s values, purpose and audience? If the answer is “not quite,” it’s probably not your moment.

3. React fast - but not rushed. Relevance often relies on timing, but speed shouldn’t replace substance. Specsavers and Aldi are great examples of brands that move quickly, but never carelessly. Their posts might feel spontaneous, but they’re backed by a strong understanding of tone, audience and timing.

4. Add something, don’t just echo. The cultural conversation doesn’t need another copy of what’s already being said. Bring perspective, humour, empathy, or useful insight - something that makes people pause. The goal isn’t to be loud; it’s to be heard.

5. Stay recognisably you. Whether you’re playful, polished, or purpose-led, consistency is key. The moment your tone or style feels “off,” audiences notice. Cultural participation should feel like a natural extension of your brand personality, not a costume you put on for engagement.

Handled well, cultural engagement can make your brand feel alive - part of the moment, but never lost in it. It’s not about hijacking conversations; it’s about showing you understand the world your audience lives in.

Culture isn’t a strategy you bolt on when something goes viral. It’s part of the landscape your business already operates in - shaping how people feel, what they expect, and where their attention goes.

The most relevant brands aren’t the loudest or the quickest. They’re the ones who listen, choose carefully, and show up with meaning. They don’t chase culture - they connect with it.

When you make space to observe what’s happening around you, you start to see patterns: the tone people respond to, the emotions that resonate, the themes that keep resurfacing. That awareness becomes an advantage - it helps you decide when to join the conversation and when to lead your own.

At She Consults, we help businesses build that kind of intentional responsiveness - the ability to react with purpose, not panic. Through our Impact Hour sessions, we work alongside you to clarify your direction, sharpen your voice and shape strategy that leaves room for cultural awareness without losing focus.

Because when you understand the moment - and stay grounded in who you are - relevance stops being a race. It becomes part of how you lead.