Miniculture Over Monoculture: Screw the Masses, Find Your People
In a world crammed with AI-generated noise and viral churn, the power lies in building for the few who truly get it.
At a recent wedding, I was floored by the father-of-the-bride’s speech—not for the usual heartfelt anecdotes—but by what came next: he revealed a custom Disney-style Broadway tune, crafted by AI with lyrics tailored to the bride and performed by a bot with more vocal and emotional range than most humans I know. He then very casually mentioned that if the bride and groom ever got sick of this version, there were alternative ones—a country, rock, and even an Arnold Schwarzenegger rendition waiting in the wings. Because, why not?
It’s 2024. Technology can whip up polished content in seconds. For anyone in the creative game, this is both exhilarating and unnerving. If AI can crank out masterpieces at the click of a button, what actually stands out? When everything is possible, what makes something good? Well, marketing.
I used to think of marketing as the enemy of art—necessary but soul-sucking. That mindset feels naive now. The lines between art and marketing haven’t just blurred; they’ve fused. Art is the product, and how it reaches people is as critical as the creation itself.
Right now, nobody embodies this fusion better than Charli xcx. Yes, I know I’m treading dangerously close to turning this into a Charli xcx fan page, but hear me out: her rollout of brat is a blueprint for how to connect meaningfully with an audience. She shows that it’s not about reaching everyone; it’s about reaching the right people.
Whether or not you’re into punky electropop, Charli xcx’s latest album Brat (and its remix follow-up) was undeniably a hit. But what’s more interesting than its chart performance is the way it continues to linger. Charli didn’t just drop an album, she built an entire world that fans could step into, interact with, and make their own—and they did. Since its release, brat has evolved so much that Charli’s creative director, Imogene Strauss, admitted that they “couldn’t control it anymore. We lost our baby, in a weird way” (Vulture).
Beyond its success, the craziest part about the brat phenomenon is that it was meticulously pre-planned. In her Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe, Charli explained how she laid out a manifesto to her label outlining not only her artistic vision but her strategy for how it would connect with people. That level of planning and conceptual depth is what sets her apart. She’s not just focused on creating art; she’s thinking about how it’s experienced. She even admitted that the campaign rollouts for her albums sometimes excite her more than the music itself. At first glance, this might seem like something a sell-out would say, but in today’s landscape, it’s the reality. It isn’t just about making something great anymore; it’s about how that “something” finds its audience. Why should they care? How do you get them to feel something in a sea of content?
This shift in thinking reveals the essence of modern marketing: it’s not about throwing something out there and hoping it sticks, nor is it about following the rules from previous success stories—it’s about listening, inviting people in, and engaging them in the process.
Take Charli’s track “Apple” from Brat. Charli almost scrapped it because it didn’t fit the album’s sonic vibe. But after its release, fans latched onto it—partly because the lyrics are so relatable, but mostly thanks to Kelley Heyer’s viral “Apple” dance on TikTok. The dance turned what could’ve been a discarded track into a standout moment. Charli didn’t just sit back and watch either; she embraced it, sharing fan videos, performing the dance herself, and even making space for concertgoers to dance along during Sweat tour. The artist creates, the fans amplify, and the artist adapts.
But here’s the kicker: all that engagement only works IF the content resonates AND has substance. A viral moment might grab attention, but without a conceptual anchor to hold things down, it fades as quickly as it arrives. The real question becomes: after the hype dies down, are people staying for you, or were they just here for the trend?
What’s clear is that today’s audiences want more than bite-sized entertainment; they want connection. This is where the real magic happens—not in chasing mass appeal, but in focusing on a core audience. Charli spent years trying to break into the mainstream, and ironically, she found success by rejecting that path and leaning into the fanbase she already had. In her words: “Out of this time where the niche is so rewarded…after serving the niche, a kind of monoculture moment happened.” By embracing her core fans, she created something so authentic that it pulled in a broader audience naturally. She didn’t create her “monoculture moment” by trying to please everyone—she did it by making something deeply personal for her existing fans.
As brands, we can look to emulate her formula. No, we likely won’t reach her level of global fame…however, we can cultivate a version of it by building our own devoted “miniculture.” Once that space is fully defined, it can then tap into larger cultural conversations. Miniculture and monoculture are often symbiotic: each gaining strength from the other’s presence. A small brand who made their own brat meme, for example, will benefit from participating in the monoculture because more eyeballs will fall on their post. But there’s a benefit to Charli too—by acknowledging the many different applications of brat, she’s able to further define and grow the brat concept. Miniculture feeds the monoculture, and vice versa.
We saw this symbiotic dynamic in action when the “Kamala IS brat” tweet blew up and launched both Charli and Kamala into the stratosphere. Other smaller and equally brilliant spinoffs followed:
One of my favorites was from Daryl Lindsey/Yard Farmer, a sustainable landscape designer, who nailed the brat ethos with “killing your lawn is brat.” There’s nothing more brat than unapologetically destroying water-hogging turf.
In Philly, cultural institutions followed suit. The Philadelphia Museum of Art connected their Mary Cassatt exhibit with brat energy, spotlighting her intimate portrayals of women’s lives as forever brat (so true).
The Philadelphia Film Society layered cult-classic party scenes with bratty phrases.
And one more: Bok Bar, already the brattiest rooftop in Philly, leaned into their summer-only identity, slapping “bok summer” on a classic rooftop scene—because who needs to be open year-round when you dominate the hottest season?
These posts weren’t just copying brat vibes for clout (though that’s part of it). They’re using the brat language to assert their own miniculture identities, aligning themselves with larger movements. For the audience, it’s affirming when a brand not only knows what you’re into but actively speaks your language. It’s more than marketing; it’s a way of inviting people into a conversation. It makes the brand feel relevant and alive.
Ultimately, this deeper engagement is what gives marketing staying power. It’s not about being loudest in the room—it’s about building a community that feels invested, seen, and part of something bigger.
So, as a brand, who are you, who are you talking to, and why should they pay attention? In a world flooded with masterpiece-level content, the brands and creators who thrive are those who shift their focus from product to people. Because the real work begins as soon as your fans arrive. You've got to crank up the music and dance with them.
about aml
Hi, I’m Anne Marie (she/her), a designer and diy-er based in Philadelphia, PA. I work with businesses of all sizes to navigate the complexities of building a brand with limited resources. Find me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and reach me directly at annemarie@amlindemann.com.