Why Algorithms Demand Culture-First, Not Brand-First Marketing

Subcultures and fandoms.

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The transition from broadcast media, intended to reach the masses, to algorithmic media, designed for the individual, is transforming modern culture and how brands communicate. For the first time, traditional broadcast television now accounts for less than 20% of total TV viewership in the U.S. The most popular media platforms among Gen-Z today are YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. There is a fundamental difference between the two media systems. Mass media, such as TV, radio and newspapers, are designed to reach millions of people simultaneously. The content creates a shared experience, language and cultural references. Algorithmic media caters to our individual needs and interests via a personalized feed. Fragmenting collective memories into countless subcultures and niche fandoms. How can brands reach and connect with people in the era of algorithms?

In traditional media planning, demographic cohorts like “Adults 18-49” or “Women 25-49 with children” were used to understand and select the most effective channels to reach intended audiences. In 2018, I wrote about the shift from demographics to tribes. “We live in a post-demographic world, where patterns of behavior can no longer be predicted by age alone. Therefore, brands need to move away from traditional demographic segments towards tribes: gathered around a shared mindset.” The statement is equally valid today. However, the biggest difference for brands is that identifying and connecting with tribes at scale is challenging in the era of algorithms. What’s more, Gen-Z are more culturally diverse and fluid than previous generations. Any attempt to create generic, static, two-dimensional segments or personas is a recipe for cultural irrelevance.

Before the internet, identity and interests were more closely aligned with demographic attributes, such as age, gender, income and location. And subcultures were visually distinct and culturally antithetical. Think about Mods and Rockers, Hippies and Punks, Goths and Hip-Hop. Today, young people’s interests and identity are more fluid and less static. The emphasis is more on remixing different interests and identities, mediated by the algorithms. If we examine music, platforms like Spotify promote gender-fluid listening experiences through algorithmic curation and discovery. When it comes to fashion, 58% of Gen-Z have purchased clothes outside of their assigned gender. Young people are also driving demand for foreign movies outside their native language. The key lesson for brands is that humans are multidimensional and more than one thing. Two anime fans in New Delhi and São Paolo might have more in common with each other than their next-door neighbors.

There is another way to identify and engage with subcultures that doesn’t begin with constructing imaginary segments. More crucially, it doesn’t center the brand in the middle of people’s universe. Most consumer segments are brand-centric, they are centered around the role the said brand plays in the individual’s or group’s life. But this is not a reflection of the real world. In truth, most people aren’t thinking about brands, advertising or marketing. Brands take up negligible headspace in people’s busy lives. A more effective approach would be to adopt an outside-in perspective by mapping out cultural territories, subcultures and fandoms. Unlike traditional segmentation, cultural territories reflect Gen-Z’s fluid identity and interest-based consumption patterns shaped by algorithmic media. Taking an outside-in marketing approach begins with identifying cultural territories that your audience cares about and your brand has a right to play.

Recent examples of this approach include dating app Hinge tapping into Substack—a culturally influential but underutilized platform for brands—to feature real-life love stories by notable authors. To further amplify the campaign, Hinge distributed printed versions through book clubs in London and New York. A move that wasn’t about reach but cultural resonance. Crocs is perhaps one of the best examples of a brand tapping into subcultures. Beginning with the Post-Malone collaboration in 2018 and spanning everything from Naruto to Hello Kitty. Unlocking a new subculture through each partnership. And McDonald’s Famous Order campaign, which taps into different celebrity and creator fandoms. The BTS meal caused sales of McNuggets to jump by 250% in South Korea. Proof that cultural fandoms can translate into commercial impact.

Tapping into cultural territories requires a mindset shift from brand-centric marketing to culture-first marketing. No wonder 85% of ads fail to meet the critical 2.5-second attention threshold needed for long-term brand impact. The problem starts with how we see people—not as multifaceted humans but as fictitious segments defined by how they interact with our brand or category. A culture-first approach works the other way; it begins with tracking emerging signals and subcultures, before identifying the intersection between people’s passions and a brand’s right to play. That is where relevance is built, attention is earned and long-term growth is unlocked.

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