In South Africa , running used to be just that, running. Look at what’s happening with it now, it’s run clubs, fashion, coffee, community, wellness, music, identity, an entire lifestyle forming around the act of running.
And smart brands aren’t just advertising to it. They’re becoming part of it, next time you are at the next run event, spot the brands that have presence.
Some real life examples
Old School didn’t build a following by targeting “sports fans.” It tapped into something deeper: South African sporting heritage, nostalgia, belonging and pride and turned that culture into a brand.
Reebok understood this decades ago with the aerobics boom. It didn’t just sell shoes for aerobics.
It sold a lifestyle around aerobics. The lesson hasn’t changed.
Culture demolishes demographics. People may differ by age, income, location or background.
But give them something they believe in, participate in and identify with and suddenly the demographic lines disappear.
The question for brands isn’t: “Who are we targeting?”
It’s: “What culture do we want to belong to?”
That’s where relevance begins.
If you’re a brand ready to move beyond demographics and start building real cultural relevance, we’d love to help.
Reach out to us at info@dreamscene.co.za and let’s start the conversation.