The new identity economy and what it means for media

Identity has been hugely influenced by the emergence of online spaces and niche communities with global scale.

Where once we identified ourselves within a local context, there is now the opportunity to meet huge groups of people from across the planet with the same interests. For brands and media practitioners, this has enormous consequences. 

At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, EssenceMediacom brought together three experts to discuss how forward-thinking brands can tap into this emergent space. Jean-Paul Jansen, CMO for Mars Pet Nutrition, and Rob Gaige, Global Head of Insights and Cultural Intelligence at Reddit, joined EssenceMediacom’s Global Head of Creative Transformation and Creative Futures, Nick Palmer, to discuss how online cultures and identities shape connection. 

Congregation around what we love

Nick highlighted a critical evolution in social media, which began as a way to enhance our time with real friends, but it has morphed into something far more complex. Niche topics such as football tactics, gaming NPCs and menswear now attract massive, vibrant communities. People aren't just discussing and creating content—they're congregating around their passions with partial to total anonymity. This anonymity empowers individuals to experiment with their identities and present different personas. As Nick pointed out, the version of him you see on X might be entirely different from the one on Instagram. This fluidity is the new norm in our digital age.

The home of community marketing

Reddit in particular can foster these spaces – one example might be the ‘menswear guy’ who honed his talents on Reddit and then exploded into mainstream popularity on X via some devastating critiques of the suits of public figures. However, Rob emphasised that while topics rise and fall on most social media platforms in terms of popularity, they are consistent on Reddit. The ‘jade roller’ is as a key example here of a trend that fluctuates on other social platforms but remains a consistent discussion on Reddit. He argued that this unique quality makes Reddit the home of community marketing. 

Connect with the right communities

Mars Pet Nutrition has capitalised on these emerging trends to connect with previously elusive audiences at scale, according to Jean-Paul. Audience insights identified two distinct groups – gamers and true crime fans – who are more likely to be cat owners. Leveraging these insights, Mars Petcare developed tailored marketing strategies for the TEMPTATIONS Cat Food brand, including a 'Catch a Cat burglar' campaign for true crime fans, and bespoke activations for the gaming community. Jean-Paul argued the key is to add value to these communities, rather than merely extract it, if you want to build momentum and true connections within those groups.

Changing media planning

Nick concluded with a prediction for innovation: the shift from planning by local markets to planning by communities – an approach led by interest rather than geography. It’s essential to understand and integrate with these diverse communities, offering added value by participating in the world of the community. Brands that understand and tap into new identities will be able to forge real, lasting relationships that impact the bottom line. A community focus could transform media planning as we know it.