Pop culture and marketing: the bridge between trends and consumer connection

Pop culture is no longer just music, film, or memes. Today, it’s a marketing engine capable of transforming how brands connect with audiences. Its power lies in gathering shared references—series, characters, songs, visual icons—that spark an immediate sense of identification.
In a market where consumers receive thousands of messages a day, tapping into popular culture has become a key strategy to stand out, connect, and remain part of the digital conversation.

Why does pop culture connect so quickly?

Pop culture resonates because it sparks instant emotions. A viral meme or a scene from a trending series works like a universal language: everyone gets it, everyone talks about it.

According to MarketingDirecto, 71% of Gen Z prefers brands that integrate authentic cultural references. This reflects a paradigm shift: it’s no longer enough to offer a product—it’s about speaking the same language as your audience.

Nostalgia is also a powerful resource. Campaigns that revive elements from the 80s or 90s increase purchase intent by up to 22% and raise engagement between 30% and 40%. Of course, they must feel genuine and aligned with the brand’s identity.

Examples in marketing campaigns

McDonald’s and Travis Scott

The launch of the “Travis Scott Meal” in 2020 was much more than a special menu with a burger, fries, and soda. The campaign caused McDonald’s to sell out products in several U.S. cities due to overwhelming demand, largely driven by the rapper’s fan community.

On social media, millions of users shared videos and photos recreating the order, some even using the phrase “Cactus Jack sent me,” a reference to Scott’s brand. The phenomenon was so huge that packaging began reselling on platforms like eBay, consolidating the campaign as one of McDonald’s most successful in the last decade. Here, pop culture proved its power to turn an everyday product into an aspirational icon.

Reebok and Clueless

In 2021, Reebok celebrated the 25th anniversary of the film Clueless with a capsule collection inspired by Cher and Dionne’s iconic looks. The campaign went beyond reviving a style—it tapped into the nostalgia of those who grew up in the 90s while also appealing to Gen Z, which has embraced retro fashion as a trend. The result was a fresh, relevant proposal that reinforced the brand’s youthful image and positioned it in the cultural conversation without seeming forced.

The campaign featured visual content that stayed true to the movie’s style, including similar settings and bold color combinations. Thanks to this authenticity, Reebok successfully joined the cultural conversation without coming across as opportunistic, reinforcing its youthful and fresh branding.

Netflix and Stranger Things

Each new season of Stranger Things turns into a true cultural event. Beyond the episodes, the series drives a wave of participatory marketing: collaborations with ice cream shops recreating “Scoops Ahoy,” clothing collections, and even special fast-food editions. At the same time, memes, challenges, and social media references keep the conversation alive for months, extending the series’ life beyond the screen.

Brands like Burger King and LEGO have also leveraged this phenomenon, joining the Stranger Things universe with creative proposals that connect with fans and boost their market visibility.

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Pop culture and branding: beyond one-off campaigns

The relationship between pop culture and branding goes beyond launching a viral campaign. It’s about integrating these elements into the brand’s very identity. Visually, this can be expressed through vibrant colors, retro fonts, or graphic styles inspired by comics and video games. Narratively, it means crafting messages that resonate with expressions and codes the audience already uses in daily life.

The result is a fresh, updated identity with greater potential to generate engagement. Brands that understand how popular culture works don’t just react to trends—they anticipate them and become cultural references themselves.

Benefits of integrating pop culture into marketing

Stronger emotional connection

When a brand uses references the audience already relates to, it creates an immediate emotional bond. It’s not the same to talk about a product in abstract terms versus linking it to a song, character, or meme that already sparks emotions. This connection translates into empathy, recall, and, often, greater consumer loyalty.

Organic virality

The main appeal is its spreadability. References that are part of the collective conversation—like a movie scene, viral meme, or TikTok trend—multiply the chances of a campaign being shared spontaneously. This allows brands to reach far larger audiences without relying solely on ad spend.

Constant relevance

Marketing risks becoming repetitive if it doesn’t connect with what’s happening in the world. Incorporating pop culture keeps communication fresh and places the brand at the center of topics that truly matter to audiences. This prevents communication from feeling static and gives it dynamism compared to competitors that don’t evolve.

Intergenerational reach

One of its greatest strengths is the ability to bridge generations. A reference to a 90s series can spark nostalgia in adults while also appealing to younger audiences who consume that aesthetic on social media. This broadens reach and prevents brands from being locked into a single target audience.

Narrative flexibility

Unlike other, more rigid approaches, pop culture lets brands play with different formats: memes, challenges, artist collaborations, fashion capsules, or interactive experiences. This versatility makes it easier to adapt messages across multiple platforms and contexts.

Recommendations for applying it to your strategy

Listen to your audience

The starting point is always understanding what your audience consumes. What series are they discussing online? What songs are in their playlists? What memes circulate in their WhatsApp groups? Monitoring these signals will help you spot opportunities to integrate them into your campaigns without disconnecting from your customers’ cultural reality.

Be authentic

Forced references don’t work. If a brand uses cultural cues unrelated to its identity, the audience immediately perceives it as opportunistic. The key is to choose trends that genuinely fit the brand’s values and personality, maintaining consistency.

Act fast

Cultural trends can have very short lifespans. What generates millions of interactions today might be outdated tomorrow. Agility in decision-making and the ability to launch quick campaigns are essential to capitalize on the moment instead of showing up late.

Integrate visuals and storytelling

Pop culture is lived through both images and words. A visual inspired by comics, video games, or movies can reinforce the message, but it should be paired with storytelling that speaks your audience’s language. This combination amplifies campaign impact and makes it more memorable.

Measure and adjust

Not all cultural trends work the same way for all brands. That’s why it’s crucial to measure performance and adjust strategy to apply lessons learned to future campaigns.

Tuatara – Digital Marketing Agency

At Tuatara, we understand that pop culture is not just entertainment—it’s a shared code that transforms how brands engage with audiences. We design digital strategies that incorporate cultural trends, fresh narratives, and technological tools so your brand doesn’t just stay in the conversation but becomes the main character in it.