Culture Vulture : Beauty Final
CULTURE VULTURE : Beauty Final
introduction
The real definition of beauty has always been up for debate.
But no matter whether perceptions about it are focused on aesthetics or characteristics, the concept of beauty provides a perceptual experience of pleasure that everyone aspires to revel in. In branding, beauty attracts consumer interest and attention, which are important to the customer journey and sought after in brand communication. In a world of fragmented media and content overload, it is the things of beauty that stand out, becoming ‘social currency’ that people want to associate with and pass along through word-of-mouth. 'Beauty' is the second edition of Culture Vulture that seeks to explore how today’s societies look at, appreciate, define and experience beauty in its various forms – delving beyond the realm of physical aesthetics into all the aspects of culture ranging from architecture to technology to food. Our study has identified 15 ‘cultural dynamics’ – patterns in social behaviors and attitudes that capture the prevailing spirit of the times – that are related to how beauty is perceived by youth around the world. From these cultural dynamics, five umbrella themes have emerged that may be applied to inspire brand communications: Skin Deep, Anarchy & Rebellion, Depth & Substance, Rebirth, and Experiential. Adapted to fit a brand’s unique essence, these trends can help springboard communication ideas to deliver a brand experience that delights, awes, and captivates consumers at all points of the customer journey.
page—3
CULTURE VULTURE
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CULTURE VULTURE
CONTENTS
Skin Deep
Geek Chic Beauty Quotient Love at First Sight
8
12 16 20
Anarchy & Rebellion
Against the Flow My Life My Style The Beauty of B-Sides
26
30 34 38
Rebirth
Just Press Rewind Old-School is the New Space Home Grown
44
48 52 56
Depth & Substance
More Than Meets the Eye Stars with Substance
62
66 70
Experiential
The Human
introduction
The real definition of beauty has always been up for debate.
But no matter whether perceptions about it are focused on aesthetics or characteristics, the concept of beauty provides a perceptual experience of pleasure that everyone aspires to revel in. In branding, beauty attracts consumer interest and attention, which are important to the customer journey and sought after in brand communication. In a world of fragmented media and content overload, it is the things of beauty that stand out, becoming ‘social currency’ that people want to associate with and pass along through word-of-mouth. 'Beauty' is the second edition of Culture Vulture that seeks to explore how today’s societies look at, appreciate, define and experience beauty in its various forms – delving beyond the realm of physical aesthetics into all the aspects of culture ranging from architecture to technology to food. Our study has identified 15 ‘cultural dynamics’ – patterns in social behaviors and attitudes that capture the prevailing spirit of the times – that are related to how beauty is perceived by youth around the world. From these cultural dynamics, five umbrella themes have emerged that may be applied to inspire brand communications: Skin Deep, Anarchy & Rebellion, Depth & Substance, Rebirth, and Experiential. Adapted to fit a brand’s unique essence, these trends can help springboard communication ideas to deliver a brand experience that delights, awes, and captivates consumers at all points of the customer journey.
page—3
CULTURE VULTURE
page—4
CULTURE VULTURE
CONTENTS
Skin Deep
Geek Chic Beauty Quotient Love at First Sight
8
12 16 20
Anarchy & Rebellion
Against the Flow My Life My Style The Beauty of B-Sides
26
30 34 38
Rebirth
Just Press Rewind Old-School is the New Space Home Grown
44
48 52 56
Depth & Substance
More Than Meets the Eye Stars with Substance
62
66 70
Experiential
The Human