• Safwan AMM
• 15 November, 2025

Why Culture-First Marketing Wins in the Algorithm Era

In today’s world, marketing is no longer about shouting your brand message to everyone. The game has changed. Algorithms now decide what people see — from YouTube to Instagram to TikTok. Because of that, businesses must shift from brand-first marketing to culture-first marketing.

This shift is especially important for Sri Lankan brands, small businesses, and startups.

From One Message to Millions of Messages

In the old days, mass media like TV, newspapers and radio delivered one message to millions of people. Families watched the same teledrama. Friends talked about the same newspaper headline. Everyone shared one big “media culture.”

But today, technology has changed everything.

Each person gets a different world through algorithms.

• One youth sees anime videos.
• Another sees fitness influencers.
• Another sees cooking content.
• Another sees Tamil drama clips.

People are no longer grouped only by age, gender, or location. They are grouped by interests, mindsets, and subcultures.

This is why traditional segments like “Ladies 25–40” simply don’t work anymore.

People Are Multi-Dimensional Now

Young people don’t stick to one identity. A single person can be:

• a K-pop fan
• a cricket lover
• a gamer
• a vegetarian food explorer
• a small business entrepreneur

All at the same time.

So, if your brand targets them using a simple demographic like “youth aged 18–30,” you will miss the real heartbeat of the culture.

Culture-First Marketing: The Smarter Approach

Culture-first marketing is about finding the territories people care about — and then joining those spaces with authenticity.

It means shifting from:

❌ “How can customers think about our brand?”
to
✔️ “How can our brand enter the conversations and cultures customers already love?”

You don’t chase people. You join their world.

Sri Lankan Real-Life Mini Case Studies

1. A Local Shoe Brand and the K-pop Wave

A small Colombo shoe brand noticed that local teenagers are heavily into K-pop fashion.
Instead of promoting “high quality shoes,” they launched a new collection inspired by Korean street style.

They collaborated with local dance crews on TikTok.
Result?
Their sales increased dramatically — not because of the brand name, but because they tapped into a culture young people already loved.

2. A Spice Company and the Food-Review Trend

A spice brand in Kandy partnered with rising food reviewers on TikTok.
Instead of focusing on “product features,” they created short recipe challenges, snack hacks, and village cooking reels.

They didn’t push the brand aggressively — they entered the food creator culture.
Customers connected with the vibe, not the ad.

3. A Restaurant Chain Entering the Meme Culture

A Colombo fast-food spot created meme-style menu boards for Instagram.
One meme went viral.
Thousands shared it.
Customers felt the brand “gets us.”

This is culture-first thinking.

Why it Works

• Algorithms reward relevance
  If people engage, the platform spreads your content.
• Attention spans are only 2–3 seconds
  Culture-first content wins those seconds.
• People trust communities, not ads
  Subcultures like gamers, readers, fitness fans, bikers and dancers spread your message organically.
• Brand loyalty grows naturally
  When a brand becomes part of someone’s interests, it stops feeling like marketing.

How to Apply Culture-First Marketing in Your Business

1. Identify cultural territories

Ask yourself:

• What communities are emerging?
• What local subcultures are rising?
• Which interests match your brand personality?

2. Collaborate with creators, not celebrities

Micro-influencers can bring huge cultural value.

3. Create content that reflects the community’s language

Speak like them.
Dress like them.
Create for them.

4. Enter the culture, don’t force your brand into it

Be a participant, not a lecturer.

5. Match your brand with a passion point

The intersection of:

• what people love
  and
• what your brand can authentically contribute
  is where the magic happens.

This is the new value proposition your lecturer meant — a promise that connects your brand with real cultural meaning.

The Future Belongs to Culture-Fit Brands

Whether you’re a startup in Batticaloa, a salon in Gampaha, a clothing shop in Kandy, or a tech company in Colombo — winning today requires more than ads.

You must understand the tribes, cultures, and passions that shape modern consumers.

Culture-first marketing is not a trend.
It’s the new foundation of long-term brand growth.

As entrepreneurs, we must remember:
People don’t think about brands all day — but they think about the things they love.
So if your brand can live inside those passions, your success becomes limitless.