Welcome to the New Era of Brand Marketing

There’s been a lot of buzz about the return of “brand marketing” lately. But let me be clear. We’re not talking about the same old bag of tricks. It’s not about celebrity endorsements, TV ads, and billboards everywhere.

That outdated approach is about as relevant today as navigating by printing out MapQuest directions (ah, the 2000s nostalgia!). The new brand marketing operating system is a totally different animal.

Think of it like this – modern consumers are bombarded with choices and frankly, a bit jaded. We’re bored with products that are glorified commodities. Brand marketing has a new role. It is to add aspiration and creativity to ordinary objects and experiences.

How? By making them cultural icons infused with symbolic value that people want to be part of. It’s alchemy – turning non-culture into culture.

I can speak from personal experience. I went from having zero interest in high-end athleisure to being fully kitted out in New Balance gear. Their marketing tapped into my streetwear obsession so well.)

The new brand marketing system thrives on creating such hits and moments. They resonate emotionally and spark fandom. Let’s dive into how it all works.

Key Takeaways:

• Brand marketing has shifted from one-off campaigns to an ongoing cultural conversation
• It’s about creating aspirational value through collaborations, storytelling, and experiences
• The goal is building an engaging brand world that people want to be part of
• Success means synchronizing cultural moments across products, content, retail, and more
• It protects pricing power, ensures high margins, and reframes consumer perceptions

Leveraging the Tools of the New Brand Marketing Era

Today, brands have a new toolkit for crafting aspirational value. In the old days, they relied only on glitzy ad campaigns. Some of the key tools include:

Collaborations & Special Editions

• The fastest way to tap into an existing culture – just ask Tiffany, Rimowa, or New Balance
• Creates a halo of exclusivity and elevates a brand into icon status
• Example: The MSCHF x Tiffany $1,000 “Ultimate Participation Trophy” was pure brilliance

Graphic Design & Visual Identity

• Having a distinctive and recognizable visual language is modern-day branding 101
• Instantly communicates a brand’s identity and personality
• Burberry’s revamp and Virgil Abloh’s vision were game-changers

Archival & Vintage Programs

• Gucci was a pioneer here – celebrating heritage builds authenticity
• Allows brands to rebirth iconic designs for a new generation
• The ultimate flex of a brand with true lasting cultural credibility

Immersive Experiences & Hospitality

• From Prada’s chic cafes to LV’s airport vibes and Dior’s coastal retreats
• Gives consumers a taste of the aspirational brand lifestyle
• Smart way to kickstart that emotional brand connection

Unboxing Content & Digital Storytelling

• Create a never-ending stream of shareable branded “TV” content
• Bottega, Loewe, and New Balance are content marketing kings
• Builds communities of active brand evangelists

Visual Iconography & Design Signatures

• Signature motifs, logos, and recognizable product cues create iconic brand codes
• See examples from Casablanca, Louis Vuitton, and Balenciaga
• Helps a brand’s products become instantly culturally graspable

Merch & Brand Extensions

• Brands like Loewe, Nike, and A$AP Rocky’s merch are hot collectibles
• Allows fans to literally buy into the brand’s world and identity
• Smart way to create affordable entry price points for new audiences

The key is to combine and sync multiple tools. This sparks cultural conversations and cements a brand’s iconic status from all sides. But it’s an ongoing process, not just a one-off splashy campaign.

To show this holistic brand marketing, let’s look at how New Balance nailed it in the past few years:

New Balance’s Mastery of the New Brand Marketing Operating System

A few years ago, New Balance was a beloved classic sneaker brand…and that’s about it. Not exactly a cultural phenomenon. But they wanted to shift consumer perceptions, especially with younger audiences.

So they initiated a multi-pronged brand marketing blitz:

💥 Collaborations & Special Editions

• Teamed up with cultural insiders like Stray Rats, Bodega, and Teddy Santis of Aimé Leon Dore
• Released limited-edition collabs that became instant sell-out hits

📽 Content Marketing Storytelling

• Produced cinematic videos giving glimpses into their history and design process
• Built narrative worlds and characters that resonated emotionally

👟 Product Innovations & Design Signatures

• Retooled classic models with modern twists and distinctive design cues
• Signature details like chunky soles gave their shoes an unmistakable look

🏢 Immersive Retail Concepts

• Launched experiential retail shops like the “The Pavilion” showcasing the brand ethos
• Created temporary spaces to serve as cultural hubs and hangouts

🔄 Consistent Story Cadence

• Dripfed a constant supply of newness through new releases and collections
• Kept the brand’s cultural conversation going at a sustainable pace

🤝 Industry Insider Partnerships

• Aligned with stylists, creatives, and influencers to amplify their presence
• Built validation and credibility through key cultural gatekeepers

By hitting all these notes over many seasons, New Balance rebooted their image well. They became a culturally-relevant lifestyle brand. Their spot at #2 on Hypebeast’s coveted brand ranking says it all.

Does this mean the century-old company is now a full-blown hype beast brand? Not at all – that’s the genius of this approach. They tapped into cultural conversations. They created an aspirational brand world. This expanded their appeal. And it did not alienate their existing customers.

The new brand marketing system lets you have your cake and eat it too. It protects your core and lets you venture into new cultural territories. It’s a great strategy for any brand. It will help them stay relevant and profitable for the long haul.

Tips for Implementing the New Brand Marketing Operating System

Feeling inspired to uplevel your own brand marketing game? Keep these tips in mind:

✅ Think holistically about cultural relevance beyond just your products – how can you immerse people into your brand’s full lifestyle?

✅ Leverage the new tools like collaborations, experiential retail, digital content, and more to spark cultural conversations.

✅ Find your brand’s unique visual language and design codes to build strong iconic recognition.

✅ Be consistent – cultural clout is built through an ongoing cadence, not just one-off splashes.

✅ Partner with credible cultural insiders and creators to help spread your narrative authentically.

✅ Learn from brands like New Balance that have cracked the new system’s code successfully.

✅ Have patience – it takes time to reposition a brand’s cultural perception through this strategy.

Ready to turn your brand into an icon? The new operating system awaits! Just don’t expect it to be easy – this elevated approach takes serious commitment. But get it right, and you’ll be able to transcend your product into a cultural phenomenon.

FAQs on the New Brand Marketing Operating System

What’s the difference between traditional and new brand marketing?

Traditional brand marketing was about broadcasting one-way brand messaging. It went outward through ads, celebrity endorsements, and big-budget campaigns. The new approach is about sparking a conversation. You do this by immersing your brand into different spheres of influence.

Why is brand marketing shifting in this direction?

A few key reasons. First, consumers are tired of traditional ads. They want more real brand experiences. 2) Products are increasingly commoditized, so brands need to create aspirational differentiation. 3) Cultural influences and zeitgeist spread faster than ever through digital channels.

How does this new system increase profitability for brands?

By transforming products into highly desirable cultural objects infused with symbolic meaning. This protects pricing power and high margins. It also attracts new customers and builds long-term brand equity. They are not seen as disposable commodities.

What are some examples of brands getting this right?

Great examples are New Balance, Gucci, Jacquemus, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Casablanca, and Balenciaga. They use creative collabroations and storytelling. They also work on archival projects. They do immersive experiences and visual identities, and other cultural elements.

What’s the biggest key to success with this strategy?

Consistency and committing to it as an ongoing process, not just a one-off campaign. Cultural relevance comes from a steady flow of engaging moments and talks. They keep your brand top-of-mind and aspirational.

Final Thoughts

There you have it. A full look at the bold new era of brand marketing. It’s focused on sparking cultural conversations. It fuels aspiration and makes products into highly desirable cultural objects.

Brands that embrace this system’s creative approach can gain a lot. They get big profits. They have strong pricing power, and big brand value. They have emotional connections with customers and iconic status.

It’s brand marketing for the modern age – tag me on the ‘gram when your brand joins the movement! Just don’t hit me up for those MapQuest printouts…that’s so 2000s.