7: Cultural Constructs Are The Real Brand Opportunity

Unseen Unknown

Brands like Ring and Billie leverage the uncertainty of our changing value systems to create new interest in old paradigms. In other words, they play with cultural constructs: arbitrary systems determined by our culture or our community, rather than a truth that stems from an immovable aspect of human nature. They prove that when constructs start to change, real brand opportunities start to emerge.

In this house episode, Jasmine and Jean-Louis talk about some of the biggest constructs defining our lives right now, from the nuclear family and privacy to gender and personal hygiene. These are constructs in limbo, creating a new brand whitespace for smart companies to play in.

They are also constructs that affect our everyday decisions. Some may seem inconsequential, others may seem like they are fading, but don't be fooled. Many of our archaic constructs are alive and well, dictating how we move within our lives.

Links to interesting things mentioned in this episode:

• The Nuclear Family Was A Mistake (The Atlantic)
• How Ring Transmits Fear To American Suburbs (Vice/ Motherboard)
• Resonate (Nancy Duarte)
• Metaphors We Live By (George Lakoff and Mark Johnson)

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