Youth culture is changing faster than ever with new trends, styles, and genres constantly popping up in the mainstream. For brands, it can be hard to keep up with these, with many trying to quickly jump on what's most popular.

What most people miss is that these trends didn’t just pop up overnight. They’ve been brewing for years in subcultures and niche corners of the country. So, if you’re trying to ride the trend wave without really understanding the culture behind it, good luck to you!

A great example of this is Google’s latest campaign featuring Australian pop star, Peach PRC, as she uses Google’s AI assistant to prepare for a Bush Doof, ticking off the festival essentials as she goes. This ad has seemingly popped up non-stop constantly for everyone and has melted into more of an online joke due to the oddity of seeing both a pop star and the world's largest tech brand associated with an extremely underground (and often illegal) dance music-focused event.

What makes Bush Doofs so great is the freedom they bring to step away from technology, laws and stress into a community-driven paradise focused on the shared love for the music. This is likely the reason why there has been such a strong reaction against Google trying to capitalise on this culture, without contributing anything back. 

A slew of TikToks have popped up recently, highlighting the interesting choice of Google’s direction, large media spend and the casting for this campaign, with Peach PRC even commenting on one saying that she ”just gotta eat”.

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The idea behind connecting with dance music, one of Australia’s fastest-growing music genres makes sense, but it seemed to miss the mark with truly understanding the audience associated with the sub-culture.  Young people are quick to notice when brands miss the mark and with the way social media comments are going, they are also very quick to let you know. 

Tapping into these subcultures can seem daunting, but it is a great opportunity to trust and lean on the youth within your teams. They understand the niche intricacies of ‘talking online’ but also experience what it looks like to be a part of these communities, with insights into what makes these cultures so great. There are many great examples out there. 

In the UK, raves thrive on their spontaneity and illusive nature, often popping up in the least conventional locations. Last year. Nike gave control to iconic party throwers Homebass who took to the streets in their van to host a public rave with Nia Archives, one of the most exciting DJ talents globally. Rather than trying to bring the culture to fit their brand, they lent into what makes this community so special and gave back to the wider public with a night for many to remember. 

Locally, we’re seeing brands like Red Bull do the same giving control of their ad-hoc campaigns to local talent like Bodega Collective and HAPPS TV, to authentically show up in Sydney’s Hip-Hop community through parties in parks, beaches and most recently under the Harbour Bridge. These events rely heavily on those in attendance to bring the social campaign to life, getting earned coverage from those who are already integrated into the culture and organically speak to the impacts of brand support.

Young people are open to engaging with brands but want to feel heard and represented when brands talk to them. There’s no simple strategy to win over subcultures but listening and indulging yourself in them will be a great head start. Trends should not be seen as easy wins and instead should be seen as opportunities for long-term partnerships with mutual benefit for both sides of the campaign.