In today’s attention economy, brands are in a relentless series of daily sprints to post “culturally relevant” content. The result is a landscape littered with discarded viral moments, shallow micro-trends, and hollow distractions—a phenomenon TBWA’s recent Backs\ash trend report calls Culture Rot.
While chasing trends might earn temporary attention, it rarely leaves a lasting impression. At TMA, our aim is to create something more enduring: Cultural Resonance. This isn’t about extracting value from your audience—it’s about forming meaningful bonds, fostering genuine relationships, and becoming an integral part of their culture. In a world overwhelmed by culture rotting dreck, Cultural Resonance sets brands apart by building deeper, more meaningful engagement.
So how can brands move beyond Culture Rot and cultivate Cultural Resonance? Let’s explore why it matters and how to achieve it.
WHY CULTURAL RESONANCE MATTERS
The power of Cultural Resonance is undeniable. Resonance establishes emotional ties that inspire positive responses and nurture a sense of belonging. Unlike fleeting moments of virality, Cultural Resonance fuels both sustained growth and durability for brands—making it an invaluable strategy for long-term business success.
RESONANCE DRIVES GROWTH
Data from over 4,000 brands analyzed by TMA underscore the link between Cultural Resonance and business performance. Brands in the top 25% of the TMA Cultural Resonance Score™ consistently achieve significantly larger customer shares than their competitors. Even more compelling, incremental improvements in this score directly correlate with proportional increases in customer share, showing how resonance is a key driver of growth.
RESONANCE BUILDS RESILIENCE
Beyond growth, Cultural Resonance acts as a buffer in times of crisis. Consider the California wildfires, which placed immense pressure on the insurance industry. Among the brands evaluated, the one with a Cultural Resonance Score™ in the top 25% maintained steady resonance despite public criticism. In contrast, other brands in the category experienced an average 15% decline, with one brand dropping a staggering 33%.
This durability stems from authentic relationships built over time – providing brands with the cultural capital needed to weather even the harshest challenges.
THE FOUR PILLARS OF CULTURAL RESONANCE
TMA’s Cultural Resonance Score™ not only measures a brand’s presence in culture but also provides a roadmap for strengthening bonds with audiences. At its foundation are four key pillars:
Recognition
Recognition is more than mere awareness. It ensures that your audience understands your brand’s values, beliefs, and point of view in the world. This requires clarity and consistency in every action and communication. A strong Recognition score isn’t built on flashy campaigns alone; it’s reinforced by a disciplined commitment to your brand’s identity at every touchpoint.
Alliance
Alliance reflects the alignment between your brand’s worldview and the beliefs and priorities of your audience. It captures how well your brand resonates emotionally and personally with consumers. To achieve this, brands must deeply understand not only what matters to their audience, but also when and where it matters most.
Engagement
Engagement is the foundation of relationships focusing on meaningful interactions that bring your brand and audience closer together. In today’s digital world, opportunities for interaction are abundant, but true engagement goes beyond likes and follows. Whether through in-person events or digital experiences, brands must create moments that leave a lasting impression.
Advocacy
Advocacy is the ultimate measure of Cultural Resonance. It reflects how motivated consumers are to share your brand’s purpose and rally others around it. Brands with high Advocacy scores inspire deep loyalty, often becoming symbols of community and identity for their fans.
Together, these four pillars provide a framework for brands to move from fleeting cultural moments to lasting resonance.
WHY ENGAGEMENT IS THE UNIVERSAL CHALLENGE
While all four pillars are vital, Engagement is where many brands fall short. TBWA notes that consumers are “growing increasingly tired of the copy-and-paste, the digital pacifiers, the hollow distractions.” This fatigue is evident in the wide-spread weakness of Engagement scores across brands.
In fact, only six brands have achieved Engagement Scores above 90 (out of a possible 100.)
Crayola – 95
Lego – 94
Amazon – 93
Google – 91
National Geographic – 91
Fisher-Price – 91
At first glance, it might seem that these brands excel because their products lend themselves to hands-on interaction. Crayola and Lego, for instance, encourage creativity though physical play, and Amazon’s Prime Day generates excitement around shopping. But if product features alone explained their success, brands like Apple, whose devices are used constantly, would also be at the top.
What sets these brands apart is their ability to add value to their audience’s lives in meaningful ways. Amazon’s Prime Day goes beyond discounts, creating exclusive experiences that build anticipation and excitement. Lego’s Architectural series sparks creativity and intellectual curiosity, offering adults a more sophisticated building experience that aligns with their evolving passions. Fisher-Price’s “Shop by milestones” provides parents with tailored solutions, simplifying their lives and making each stage of parenting more meaningful. These brands don’t just sell products – they enrich their audience’s cultures, creating lasting emotional impact.
ENGAGEMENT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
The need for meaningful engagement has never been greater. Research from Foresight Factory reveals that many consumers still feel lonely, even years after the pandemic. They’re actively seeking ways to connect with others, but they’re often frustrated by their options. Nearly 60% of consumers express interest in attending brand experiences to find community.
Brands have a unique opportunity to meet this need. By designing engaging, carefully curated experiences—whether in-person, digital, or hybrid—they can provide spaces where people feel safe and valued. These interactions not only foster a sense of belonging but also strengthen the audience’s relationship with the brand.
For example, Wendy’s recent Krabby Patty experience allowed fans of a beloved cartoon to come together, celebrate, and enjoy the brand’s famous food. By creating a shared moment of joy, Wendy’s reinforced its relationship with its audience and added to their culture.
FROM CULTURE ROT TO RESONANCE: THE PATH FORWARD
In a world oversaturated with content and distractions, Cultural Resonance offers a way for brands to rise above the noise. By focusing on Recognition, Alliance, Engagement, and Advocacy, brands can foster relationships that drive growth, build loyalty, and create lasting value.
Cultural Resonance isn’t just a marketing strategy—it’s a new way of thinking. It’s about seeing your audience not as consumers, but as communities to support and empower. By enriching their culture, you can ensure your brand that not only thrives today but endures for generations to come.
The real question is: What is your brand doing to achieve Cultural Resonance?
Kathleen Colditz is SVP of Strategy and a key architect of TMA’s Cultural Resonance Score™
