If you have ever wondered what role culture plays in our lives, consider this: in the early 1800s, asylums were filled with people who claimed to be Napoleon, the most influential man alive. Later, in the 1940s, psychotic patients would claim that their brains were being controlled by powerful radio waves, the prevailing technology of the decade. And today delusional patients talk of brain-implanted computer chips, the innovation of the moment. These people have no choice – their brains need to fill in the blanks between what they think is real and what is not. And what fills that space is popular culture.

There is even a new syndrome dubbed the Truman Show Delusion whereby a psychotic patient believes that through the power of modern technology, every moment of their everyday lives is being filmed and viewed by others — just like a reality show or like the feature film The Truman Show. This delusion did not exist 20 years ago because the culture of reality shows did not exist 20 years ago. 

At Peter Mayer, we firmly believe that Culture Matters. Our brand has been shaped by our independent roots and the spirit of our hometown. And our connection to the culture of New Orleans continues to define us, so it is only natural that we see the enormous potential of culture. Culture drives our wants, our desires. Culture is why we don’t always choose the cheapest, most available, or most logical option. Culture is our passion for the authentic. We approach each new assignment looking for that sweet spot at the intersection of brands and cultures. Because we believe that powerful and actionable insights start at the overlap of brand’s cultural relevance and its consumers’ needs.

Even though today’s consumers aren’t psychotics (not all, anyway), they have a real need to make sense of their world. What kind of phone should I buy — the most popular or the highest rated? What kind of car suits my worldview? Am I a coffee person or an energy drink person? All answers that can be informed, shaped –  even determined – by culture.

See, we like to believe that we have rational reasons for all our choices, but we humbly suggest the reasons are as much cultural as they are cerebral. Maybe it’s that these reasons are filtered or shaped by culture – rational thought isn’t our own; it’s subconsciously put through a cultural lens we don’t control. So we modern consumers may not be crazy, but we still need culture to help us choose. To give us context. To make us happy with our choices. To fill in the blanks. And best of all, for us marketers, that’s a pretty big deposit to mine.