Tom Ewing

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A Market Research Project by BrainJuicer®

Culture, Content, ControversyCustomers Exposed

October 2014

Tom Ewing, BrainJuicer

Culture In A Post-Facebook World

Friendship Networks And Interest Networks

Friendship: offline networks, “real names”, centred on lives and experiences

Interest: online networks, fluid identities, centred on interests and obsessions

“People you went to school with… versus people you wish you went to school with” (Mimi Ito, Anthopologist)

Post-Facebook Innovation

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Semi-public

Friendships and interests

Public

Interest networks

Private

Friendship networks

Facebook-ization Of Culture

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Culture Below The Line

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Culture

MemesParodies

Comments

Thinkpieces

Fanfic

Interactivity

FanvidsUnboxing

CosplayReblogs

Discussion ThreadsRemixes

User Reviews

Three Pony Mixer

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The BBC Gets In On The Act

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Culture As Badge, Culture As Battlefield

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Subculture as a

badge of identity

in opposition to a

mainstream

Mainstream

culture as a zone

of public debate

and conversation

Blurred Lines

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Culture As Battlefield

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Brands As Catalysts

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Dove Ad 2013:

“Real Beauty

Sketches”

Always Ad 2014:

“#LikeAGirl”

So What Other Conversations Are Happening?

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Social Media Is Individualised Media

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Diversity And Representation

Social media relies on individual presentation

Exploring and asserting identity is critical.

So issues around identity become important

Representation

Stereotyping

Appropriation

Privilege

Respect

Protection

Intersectionality

These questions become particularly sharp in relation to mass media.

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Who Reads Comics?

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Nielsen survey:

93% male

Interests analysis:

53% male

Introducing Ms.Marvel

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“The book faces a tough climb” – Comic Book Resources

Launch issue outsold Thor, Captain America and Wolverine

Has gone through 7 printings in a year.

50% extra sales through digital (industry average is c.10%)

Brands And Diversity

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Cheerios Super Bowl

Ad 2014: “Gracie”

Coca-Cola Super Bowl

Ad 2014: “America The

Beautiful”

The Backlash

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Gamergate: Organised Diversity Backlash

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Targeted prominent female game

developers and journalists, plus

feminist critics of the medium.

Stated aim: expose corruption in

gaming journalism

Actual results: death threats, rape

threats, at least 3 women driven

from their homes

Brands In Confusion

Pulled advertising after Gamergateemail campaign

Issued apology on website next day.

Pulled advertising after Gamergateemail campaign

Reinstated several hours later.

Withdrew partner status after Gamergate email campaign

Issued vague clarifications about “mistaken identity”. 21

Brands In An Always-On Culture

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Does the emphasis on “real time” leave brands vulnerable to overload?

In the long run…

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Summary: What’s Happening

1. The most interesting pop cultural stuff is happening in smaller social “interest networks” – from Tumblr to Reddit.

2. Most culture now happens below the line as cultural objects circulate in these networks.

3. This means a shift in pop culture – from a self-defining badge to a more public and open battleground where wider conversations can happen.

4. The emphasis on the individual in social media means that the most passionate battles are around identity – especially diversity and representation.

5. But there’s a backlash to this from those already well-served by pop culture, who feel their identities are threatened.

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Summary: What Brands Are Doing About It

1. Review and understand the separate audiences and cultures of different interest networks.

2. Make sure your content encourages below-the-line activity – make it something people can play with.

3. Don’t be afraid to create content that starts big conversations.

4. Embrace diversity – in the long run, it wins, because more people find things they want and feel happy.

5. Move beyond real-time – employ people to keep an eye on culture and trends who can put any backlash in context.

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And finally… enjoy yourself!

26Ms Marvel art by Jamal

Igle. © Marvel Comics

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Tom EwingDigital Culture Officer, BrainJuicer Labs

[email protected]