Modern Marketing Shifts: BRAND UNIVERSE

Let's talk about something we've all been noticing: whether we're scrolling through Instagram or strategizing for a client, marketing is starting to feel a lot less like selling, and a lot more like vibing.

We’re in an era where branding isn’t just visual—it’s emotional, aesthetic, cultural, and honestly, kind of fun. So let’s break it down.

1. Consumers Are Buying Vibes

Let's cut to the chase. People aren't just buying products anymore—they're buying an aesthetic. We look for products that feel like the look, lifestyle, and vibe we’re striving for. That’s why you see folks walking around with bright Stanley cups or matching everything to their iPhone. 

It’s self-expression through products. Design = Identity.  People want to feel cool, cozy, edgy, nostalgic — and brands give them that feeling.

https://chamberlaincoffee.com/

2. Brands Are Responding With Aesthetic Strategy

In response, brands are building a whole vibe system into their design, embracing their entire identity around a mood. Look at Starface—pimple patches that are literal stickers—or Glossier—the soft pink world of effortless beauty.

These aren’t just logos. They’re emotional entry points into a lifestyle. Brands are curating entire vibes we want to step into, starting with the packaging.

• Glossier = minimalist, dewy, millennial-pink lifestyle brand that sells both skincare and a dreamy, Instagrammable identity.
• Chamberlain Coffee = cozy-core, quirky, Gen Z-friendly brand that wraps caffeine in personal storytelling and YouTube-era charm.
• Vacation = vintage aesthetic sunscreen brand

https://starface.world/

3. From Aesthetic Marketing to Entertainment Marketing

Brands however, have leveled up from just selling aesthetics and the mood recently. Today, brands are turning into entertainers. This can be seen with Duolingo’s owl and Liquid Death. Their marketing is focused on providing entertainment to their followers, which creates a huge fanbase.

Duolingo’s owl has a whole fanbase. He’s chaotic, funny, and petty. Liquid Death acts like a heavy metal band—their marketing is loud, shocking, and hilarious.

Entertainment builds connection. It’s no longer about hard selling—it’s storytelling, it’s performance. People follow not because they need the product, but because they enjoy the show.

4. Brand Universe > Brand Guidelines

To create an entertainment based marketing strategy, companies are now looking for agencies that can build a brand universe for their brands. Instead of PDFs full of “logo do’s and don’ts,” brands now need a whole world built around their products/ logos/ and marketing to build a living universe that's flexible, story-rich, and alive.

Duolingo’s owl has beefs, friends, and TikTok arcs. Liquid Death? They’re slaying thirst demons with a rockstar edge.

Duo isn't just a mascot; he has relationships (Dua Lipa) and a fandom (he "died" once). It's not about control. It's about creation—letting the brand breathe and evolve like a real character.

https://www.duolingo.com/

5. How They Do It: Vibe Marketing

Now, your gears may be turning. You may be reflecting on your brand universe. And how do all these brands do this so fast? Enter: Vibe Marketing.

The term was first coined as "vibe coding," which involves trusting the process and iterating quickly with AI. It’s the blend of cultural instinct, quick content production, and a solid aesthetic gut. AI tools help brands move quickly — turning out TikToks, memes, and visuals in hours, not weeks.

But tools alone aren’t enough. It’s about taste and intuition, too.

https://liquiddeath.com/

6. Why It Works: The Data

This isn’t just a trend — it works. Emotionally charged content performs better across the board. People remember it. They share it. They buy into it.

Data shows emotional storytelling builds loyalty and higher customer value. So leaning into vibe marketing is good business.

Ads with emotional content perform 2x better than rational ones (Source: IPA DataBank). Brands that form emotional connections see 3x higher lifetime value (Source: Harvard Business Review). And 70% of emotionally resonant ads are remembered, compared to 30% of purely informational ones.

7. Why This Matters

Why should we care? Because our clients/consumers will.

Whether it’s nonprofits trying to connect with Gen Z or B2B companies humanizing their message—everyone benefits from building emotional, cultural brand identities.

You have an opportunity to lead your organization with both strategy and style. Trends move fast; we need tools and taste.

Tip: Start helping clients define their brand universe, not just their logo. 

Thanks for vibing with us through this blog. Branding doesn’t have to be boring—it can be alive, emotional, and wildly creative. Now go make some magic.