Meta’s 2023 Culture Trends: 3 Things Every Marketer Needs To Know
Meta has released their 2023 Culture Rising Trends Report, and it is FASCINATING. Here’s 3 takeaways that rise to the top:
- Best Friend Brands
- Bring Good Vibes
- Brand Collabs & Co-Creating
Best Friend Brands
When people are shopping, their expectations of brands increasingly resemble those of a best friend.
Developing trust, prioritizing ease and convenience, as well as allyship and value alignment, the world’s most authentic brands lay the groundwork for fanatical loyalty. (Interested in exploring this more? Head to Authenticity 500 Index to see brands that are developing these deeper connections with consumers.)
Moreover, expectations are high: seamless shopping experiences, real time communication and “brands that help them “de-risk” their purchases” through excellent customer service and product pages that are robust with testimonials, reviews and imagery. The mega marketplaces with extensive resources have a true advantage here: they do the heavy lifting for brands to put their best foot forward, although it throttles them from owning a direct relationship with their customers. I’ve caught myself doing it recently: perhaps discovering a product through a social ad or Tiktok video, but ultimately heading to Amazon if I intend to purchase since I trust how easy returns are & value Prime Delivery speeds. Now, I’m not calling Amazon my BFF, but they have earned my trust in a way that Instagram brands haven’t.
Lastly in the “best friend brands” category, without saying web3, the Meta report highlights “early access,” “digital distribution,” “phygital,” and “loyalty marketing” as rising conversation topics — topics that mirror the culture forming in web3 and the metaverse! Innovative brands are cracking the code to providing unprecedented access and rewards to their fans through NFTs and Digital Collectibles. Look at NYX Professional Makeup (GORJS DAO program), Lacoste (UNDW3 program), and (new this week!) GQ Magazine (GQ3 program).
Bring Good Vibes
The world can be scary and divisive, especially for young consumers experiencing their first cycles of economic insecurity and global conflict. Brands that are uplifting, personal and provide positive value to a social media scroller’s life are set up for success.
Going a step further, Meta’s report encourages brands to “evoke main character energy,” a trendy term for taking proactive steps as the protagonist in a story, being bold and demanding attention. If the words confident, optimistic or gracious are not in your brand’s social style guide, it might be time for a tune up.
Brand Collabs & Co-Creating
Cross-pollenating your social following with another brand’s does not dilute value: it multiplies. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a good collab has to be worth at least 100,000 as it conveys aligned values, showcases an understanding of the audience and builds credibility.
My go-to example for product-based brand collabs is always E.L.F. BEAUTY for their drops with Chipotle Mexican Grill and Dunkin’, but that doesn’t mean the partnership door is closed for brands that can’t physically produce an item. Pre-sale access to the next release, a free trial, or an exclusive discount communicates appreciation to a loyal audience.
I often look to credit cards for inspiration here: what benefits do I get as a cardholder? How does that benefit from Chase or American Express make me feel as a loyal customer? Does their partnership with CLEAR (clearme.com) or DoorDash enhance my life? Even if an offer doesn’t interest me, can I see someone similar to me who would appreciate it? Would I feel compelled to share it with a family member who might benefit from it?
There’s still a lot to be explored on the brand collaboration front: two marketers coming to the table with a goal of adding value to their communities can be a wildly valuable thing.
Want to know more about the 59 page Culture Rising report? Check out the full report here. Should I do a future article exploring their metaverse research and insights?
Article by MK Bedosky, cross posted to Gen City Labs on LinkedIn.
About Gen City Labs: We are a team that has built a community creation, engagement, and management platform with a user-engagement data aggregator/analytics backend and a suite of tools designed to energize the relationship between brands and consumers, all powered by Web3.
If you’re interested in engaging your digital community with gamified incentives and loyalty rewards, get in touch at info@gencitylabs.io.
Tags: #meta #facebook #instagram #marketingtrends #culturalmarketing #campaignstrategy #digitalidentity #metaverse #metaversemarketing #experientialmarketing #brandstrategy #b2cmarketing #loyaltymarketing
