How Pop Culture Shapes Marketing Trends
- martinagvisionfact
- Sep 20
- 4 min read
Author: Gabriela Kalinová
Introduction
Pop Culture is a collection of trends and practices adopted from popular media such as films, tv shows, music, and social media that influences how we behave in a social environment. Nowadays trends are created mostly through platforms like TikTok or Instagram and anyone can create them. Only thing that you need to have is a good idea and I bit luck that algorithm will make you visible. These trends are either bringing back old songs like Bloody Mary from Lady Gaga, or they are set on something completely new such as almost all Bensen Boone songs or Alex Warren’s. New trend could be anything, it can be a dance to a song, it can be some discussion, prank, collage of movies, some new TikTok filter… Whatever is catchy, and people want to try it themselves will be the trend. Or whatever consumer wants to watch, and some people are willing to do. But of course, everyone wants to be trending and more so companies can gain new followers. So that’s why even companies have their own profiles and do all those trends in the style of their company. Sometimes they even try starting their own trends in a hope people will catch on.
Pop Culture and Marketing: new ecosystems
Before the rise of social media, brands had control over their entire marketing strategy and advertising. They planned months or years in advance, and their campaigns were carefully thought out. One notable example is Super Bowl commercials, which have always been a major target for American brands. Super Bowl commercials reach more than 100 million viewers and are a phenomenon in themselves. Viewers look forward to them because they are supposed to be funny and engaging. Brands that had a TV spot during the Super Bowl set trends and determined what was cool. Today, pop culture has changed that. Brands must be prepared to respond quickly to any new trends and react or publish something within hours or days. Pop culture has changed marketing strategy from detailed and planned to fast-paced. Brands don't set trends but must adapt to them. They no longer say what's cool but must engage in conversation with consumers.
Long term Brands with good pop culture strategies
The influence of pop culture on brands is undeniable. It helps them stay relevant and connect with consumers. It also makes them more attractive, trendy, and youthful. Nike is one of the companies that has successfully navigated pop culture. To maintain its relevance, Nike creates advertisements based on current events and pop culture marketing. It also employs well-known athletes and pop culture celebrities to help spread its message and concept. The company is associated with athletes such as Michael Jordan, Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, and Roger Federer. Nike has built a unique position in the sports world and in pop culture marketing. Nike focuses its brand identity on fitness and a better lifestyle, not just on selling a product. Another good example is McDonald's. It collaborates with some of the world's top pop stars. This allows McDonald's to maintain its relevance and position. It has collaborated with rapper Travis Scott, J Balvin, and K-Pop sensation BTS. Thanks to them, it is in a position to thrive in a society that is moving away from fast food and toward healthy eating. McDonald's also creates new menus or Happy Meal toys for popular TV series or movies. It did this with the new Minecraft movies, creating a Minecraft menu and Minecraft toys. This helps it jump on trends and attract more customers. Another example is Supreme with Kanye West being their fashion icon and Lyft with their collaboration with Disney.
Viral moments and Brand reactions
Chipotle made a video on the theme of "propaganda I won't fall for," in which users reject misleading or manipulative concepts. They claimed that chips can be forks and that there is never enough sour cream. The video has been viewed over 400,000 times. It didn't take much, not even money, but the simple video had quite a decent reach. Scrub Daddy is an example of another viral moment they created on July 4. The word hot dog is always the most searched word during July 4. That's why they took a photo of Scrub Daddy eating a hot dog. It had over 1.2 million views. It gained so much attention because it was funny and relevant. Nike also experienced a viral moment when it joined the ASMR trend. They showed their Forward knit fleece sweater with the voice of a woman whispering. The video had over 56 million views. Duolingo is another example. Their presence on TikTok is undeniable and they always have something funny and memorable to say in the comments. Duolingo created their own trend #mascottok with bringing Duolingo bird to life. Duolingo now has 12 million followers and 77 million likes. It shows how important it is to understand gen z humor. Ryanair is also known for their funny and engaging videos. They are using the platform’s native greenscreen filter on their planes. They successfully adapted popular platforms features and it gained them 9 million likes. Red Bull was always known for their outstanding advertisements. On TikTok they are showing extreme stunts and impressive skills that hook viewers immediately. They also participate in trending hashtags and challenges.
Conclusion
Popular culture has transformed marketing from a slow, controlled process into a fast and interactive exchange with consumers. Instead of waiting a month for commercials or billboard campaigns, brands now have to respond to trends that appear overnight on TikTok or Instagram. Viral moments, memes, and celebrity collaborations give companies new opportunities to stay relevant, but they also require speed and authenticity. The most successful brands, such as Nike, McDonald's, or even smaller players like Scrub Daddy, show that connecting with audiences today means becoming part of the culture itself. Marketing is no longer just about selling a product, but about joining a conversation that people are already interested in.
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