This post was created in partnership with Dentsu
A marketer’s playbook has many strategies for reaching an audience, but as consumers spend more time online—and with agentic platforms—live events and cultural moments should be a higher priority than ever before.
Dentsu, which released its third Consumer Vision report titled “Mothers of Reinvention,” defines these moments of human collectivity as “cultural time zones.”
During a Marketing Vanguard Summit session co-hosted by Dentsu, Beth Ann Kaminkow, CEO of Americas and chief global client officer at Dentsu, sat down with Maggie Schmerin, chief advertising officer at United Airlines, to discuss the importance of “cultural time zones” and how brands can capitalize on these moments.
The power of an immediate community
Kaminkow kicked off the breakfast session by using the recent Met Gala as an example of a “cultural time zone.” Fans were able to engage live with others and stream the event, becoming part of the moment in real time. Kaminkow also referenced Substacks that linked to clothes and styles worn by the guests.
This immediacy pulls people into a like-minded community, giving brands an opportunity for authentic reach.
“Everything gets amplified in a way that is not distracting, that does not feel like it’s pulling you out of the moment, but pulling you deeper into the moment,” Kaminkow said. “That whole experience gets amplified by the community that you are now a part of around you.”
While marketers have been doing this for years with events like the Super Bowl, finding new opportunities in our “algorithmic era” is the key to brand survival.
“We have to look for these counter moments where we do what is right for our brands, in a way that’s going to break through and stand out,” Kaminkow said.
Hollywood hits as a ‘cultural time zone’
For Schmerin and United, one of these “cultural time zone” moments was the airline’s inclusion in the recent Hollywood hit The Devil Wears Prada 2. In the movie, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) has to take a flight—but ends up flying commercial. For this powerful editor-in-chief, it’s quite a step down from first class.
The scene is less than a minute long, but when it’s on, the United logo is on all of the seatback TVs.
Schmerin said that it wouldn’t be the most flattering look for an airline to make a joke about its coach class, but United saw an opportunity.
“We have research that shows [The Devil Wears Prada] is one of our top five most rewatched movies that people watch on board. And so the second one will, of course, be around for decades to come,” Schmerin said. “I want to insert the brand in the culture. I want to insert us in places where people can’t tune out the advertising.”
