80% of brands I study have cultural weakness with at least 1 of 4 audiences
By Mike Black · September 24, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
80% of brands I study have cultural weakness with at least 1 of 4 audiences
1. Gen Z
Both the group at large, as well as #Gen Z parents
2. Hispanic consumers
Specifically #Hispanic consumers who identify as being bicultural across U.S. and Hispanic culture
3. Economically-anxious consumers
This is a psychographic defined way to view consumers with different levels of household spend; very important to track with rising prices, job uncertainty
4. Asian consumers
Even brands that are strong with Hispanic, Black and White consumers tend to be weak with Asian consumers
The point is:
Every brand will have audiences it’s not culturally resonating with and it’s impossible to win with everyone
But that choice should be a deliberate decision, not something that happens by default because you’re unable to measure it in your current #brand health trackers
Why it matters:
Every 1 point of cultural resonance you gain or lose with an audiences equals .79% gains / losses in brand consideration
Cultural resonance is an important leading KPI to be on top of, whether you choose to act on it or not