Meet the Cultural Insiders: Our community on the pulse of culture 

From memes to fandoms and social movements, culture today means business. Getting cultural relevance right fuels growth – getting it wrong carries reputational risk. To uncover the signals that matter most, we turn to our own community.

 

Culture moves fast and slow. Micro trends capture the current cultural temperature – niche, fast-moving, highly shareable, often aesthetic or meme-led. While the surface layer of pop culture can feel like noise, it often signals deeper shifts in identity, attitudes and behaviors. For brands, understanding the difference is key – where to play for quick relevance and where to invest for lasting impact.

 

Take the recent takeover of orange in culture. Orchestrated by Taylor Swift’s new era, the Life of a Showgirl painted the internet orange overnight. Brands scrambled to level with audiences’ excitement. But the staying power of orange speaks to more than Taylor’s latest chapter – it’s a magnetic, uplifting color that satiates culture’s appetite for optimism. The last time orange dominated was in 2012, echoing the shifting energy that came with economic recovery. And that’s the rhythm of culture – a constant push and pull, reflecting the mood of the moment.

 

But with so many trends, narratives and generational interpretations – how do you identify the right cultural entry point for your brand?

 

Meet the Cultural Insiders: Weber Shandwick’s global community of trend spotters who live and breathe culture – from fringe to front page. Their insight comes from immersion: countless hours invested in a community, decoding nuance, inside jokes and lore that data alone can’t capture. They surface the tensions that give creative work an edge.

 

Whether you’re looking for Gen Z TikTokers, basketball fans or women’s health enthusiasts, our Insiders can provide cultural perspectives to match your brand’s needs.

 

Adding value through cultural expertise

 

The Insiders share insights by:

 

• Translating cultural specialisms into creative counsel. Our Insiders help direct research efforts, gut-check strategy, brainstorm ideas and advise on partners in support of the integrated team.
• Shaping agency thought leadership. They feed ongoing cultural content, including our annual CultureTap trend report and the Cannes Report.

 

Our Cultural Insiders help our teams stay culturally savvy, creating work that is authentic and impactful. In turn, we get to contribute to the spaces we’re passionate about – a true win-win.