Three-Minute Trend: Brands Get Weird

Due to lockdown, people are logging in more than ever – US web use is up 35% (CenturyLink, 2020). We're all becoming Very Online, fully immersed in the fast-moving cultural conversation – a conversation which is ironic, satirical, and often downright bizarre.

Savvy brands are responding to this by embracing weirdness. Creative work that taps into this culture of memes, trolling, and crazy visual juxtapositions is resonating with consumers struggling to come to terms with a transformed world.

In this video, Christian Ward, head of Brand Engagement & Multimedia Strategy, takes a look at the drivers behind this rise in digital weirdness, and showcases brands who are successfully engaging audiences via meme mechanics and visual mash-ups.

For more on the commercial implications of the Very Online generation, take a look at our Pop Culture & Media Mid-Year Review report.