In today’s hyper-competitive markets, brands can’t just make good products and expect to succeed. They need another layer of benefits contributing to perceived value: cultural relevance. Having cultural relevance means being connected to what people care about, what they talk about, and what matters in their daily lives.
Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank recently put it perfectly when he said his company is “regaining cultural relevance” as part of turning around the brand’s struggles. His comments highlight a truth that many companies are learning the hard way: without cultural relevance, even great products can get lost in the crowd.
Cultural relevance isn’t about following every trend or being trendy for the sake of it. It’s about understanding your audience so well that your brand becomes part of their identity and lifestyle. When a brand makes this connection, customers don’t just buy products; they become loyal fans who recommend the brand to friends and family.
What Makes a Brand Culturally Relevant
Cultural relevance happens when a brand successfully connects with the values, interests, and conversations that matter most to its target audience. It can be the difference between a brand that people notice and one they ignore.
Four key elements create cultural relevance. First, authentic storytelling matters more than flashy advertising. People can tell when brands are genuine versus when they’re just trying to sell something. Brands that share real stories about their mission, their customers, or their impact tend to build stronger connections. Most brand marketers know this, yet they still struggle to meaningfully connect with audiences through storytelling.
Second, timing is everything. Culturally relevant brands know when to speak up and when to listen. They join important conversations at the right moments and in the right ways. They also know their audience’s interests beyond just their products, whether that’s sports, music, social causes, or lifestyle trends.
Third, community building creates lasting relevance. The best brands don’t just talk to their customers; they help customers connect with each other. This outreach might happen through social media, events, or shared experiences around the brand.
Finally, staying flexible and responsive keeps brands relevant over time. Culture changes quickly, especially with social media speeding everything up. Brands that can adapt their messaging and approach while staying true to their core values tend to maintain their cultural connection longer.
Under Armour’s Path Back to Relevance
Under Armour’s loss of cultural relevance offers lessons for any brand. The company defined its brand positioning by connecting with serious athletes and building a reputation for high-performance gear. However, somewhere along the way, they seemed to lose touch with what made them special to customers. In a recent meeting with financial analysts, Kevin Plank laid out strategic priorities for returning Under Armour to greater cultural relevance.
One major issue was trying to be everything to everyone. Under Armour moved away from its “gym-first approach” and lost focus on its roots in team sports. When brands spread themselves too thin, they often end up meaning less to everyone rather than meaning a lot to their core audience.
Under Armour also relied too heavily on professional athlete partnerships while missing out on connecting with everyday athletes and sports fans. While having famous athletes wear your gear is great for brand visibility, it doesn’t always translate to cultural relevance if regular people can’t see themselves in your brand story.
Now, Plank is outlining a clear path back to relevance. The company is shifting from a “primarily professional athlete-only model to an influencer-led network. The faces associated with Under Armour will include high school and college athletes as well as content creators.
The brand is also focusing on fewer products but making them better and more distinctive. This strategy of doing fewer things better can help rebuild the brand’s identity and give customers clear reasons to choose Under Armour.
Additionally, Under Armour is investing in direct relationships with customers through digital channels and improved storytelling. Building these connections helps brands stay relevant by understanding what their audience really wants and needs. It is an other-focused approach rather than traditional “look at us” brand marketing.
The Cultural Relevance Imperative
Cultural relevance isn’t a nice-to-have for modern brands. It’s essential for survival and growth. In a world where customers have endless choices, the brands that succeed are those that become part of their customers’ lives and identities.
Under Armour’s struggles and turnaround efforts show both how quickly brands can lose relevance and how intentional they must be about regaining it. The key lessons are clear: stay true to your roots, focus on your core audience, build authentic connections, and always keep listening to what your customers really care about.
For any brand looking to build or maintain cultural relevance, the formula isn’t complicated, but it requires commitment. Tell authentic stories, engage with your community meaningfully, stay flexible as culture evolves, and never forget why your customers fell in love with your brand in the first place. Get this right, and you’ll build more than a customer base; you’ll build a community that helps your brand thrive for years to come.