Marcus Collins

Today, there is no shortage of brands, business owners or storytellers who covet the opportunity to have their ideas trend on Twitter, rack up one million+ views on YouTube, or garner thousands of Facebook likes. But are the metrics of social chatter only a proxy for genuine and long term success? Does “going viral” really lead to reach, or most importantly, drive people to take action?

In this invaluable session, Marcus Collins reframes the benefits of “going viral” and explores how creating Cultural Contagion is a far more powerful way to generate social currency, tell your story, evoke emotion, build trust, activate networks, and to ultimately drive action, connection and commerce. Mixing behavior science and branding, he tells the back stories of brands and analyzes the most culturally contagious phenomena of our time. He also shares the four “Cs” of his “Contagion Cookbook,” the perfect recipes for anyone who wants to go beyond viral and achieve a higher level of connection, engagement and action.

Each and every day, all of us try to influence others— to get them to believe, join, buy, embrace a vision, and most of all, to move and take action. In both our personal and professional lives, no matter what we do, we are all marketers. And all of us can learn from top marketer Dr. Marcus Collins about how culture is the most powerful vehicle for influencing beliefs and behaviors.

In this inspiring talk, Marcus shares stories from his own life and career as a top marketer, from spearheading digital strategy for Beyoncé to the success of Google’s “Real Tone” technology to the launch of the Brooklyn Nets and a successful collaboration between iTunes and Nike. Combining thought-provoking examples drawn from contemporary culture with a deep perspective based on a century’s worth of data, he shares the tools for catalyzing collective change and inspiring action.

Whether you’re a manager trying to motivate a team, a company trying to improve culture, or a sales executive making a pitch, Marcus draws from his much-anticipated new book, For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be (to be released in May, 2023) to challenge old thinking and give you the essential tools to succeed in a hyper-connected, light speed world.

We have more data than ever before, yet we still don’t understand our customers, patients, employees, investors…you name it. The list is infinite and universal with one important conclusion: Data isn’t enough. How can we gain genuine insights and intimacy that allow us to authentically connect with any stakeholder?

In this eye-opening talk, master brand and cultural strategist Marcus Collins draws from field anthropology, ethnography and his decades of research to help marketers understand who their “target” really is. Only by transcending demographics and identifying people according to their belief and values-based “tribes” and “collectives” can we know who they really are. And only by understanding how they translate information through the lens of culture, can we communicate, connect and drive them to action. Sharing case studies and intriguing examples, Marcus shows how adding culture to the equation will give your marketing and communications the competitive edge over data and analytics alone.

Historically, “brand” was a legal mark that said, “this belongs to me.” Over time, it became a trust mark, assuring quality standards. Next, marketers decided that it wasn’t enough for consumers to simply buy their stuff. The era of “brand love” evolved, marked by evocative brand stories that fortified consumer love. Today, the most powerful and forward-thinking marketers focus on culture. Why? Because culture governs how we behave in the world. The strongest brands have become identity marks that align with our beliefs and values. They have become brandmarks for “tribes” of people who share the same cultural identity and mindsets. “My friends use iPhones or Pixels.” “My friends are Democrats or Republicans.” Future brands (starting now) will study and understand the cultural characteristics of certain tribes—their beliefs, artifacts, behavior and language—and weave their brand into the connective tissue of tribal culture. Renowned brand and cultural strategist Marcus Collins examines the most significant shift in marketing over the last 50 years and how a knowledge of tribes and culture will become even more critical to successfully marketing in the Metaverse.