“Culture is what makes people stop, think, and feel.”
By Nico Sarti
What’s the most valuable thing a brand can capture today? Spoiler alert: it’s not your money or even your loyalty—it’s your attention. But here’s the kicker: attention is as rare as a full set of matching Tupperware lids in an era drowning in content. This scarcity isn’t just inconvenient; it’s the epic plot twist brands are grappling with daily.
Herbert A. Simon, an economist and cognitive psychologist, put it best when he said, “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” The more information we’re bombarded with, the harder it becomes to focus on any one thing. And that’s where most brands get it wrong—they believe more content is the answer when, in reality, more content just creates more clutter.
So, what’s the solution? It’s not about pumping out more ads or chasing every new digital trend. It’s about tapping into something deeper—culture. Culture is what makes people stop, think, and feel. It’s what connects us on a level that algorithms can’t touch. And when it comes to culture, Condé Nast has always been ahead of the curve.
At Condé Nast, we don’t just create content; we create cultural moments. We understand that in a world overwhelmed with information, the stories that resonate with people’s lives and identities truly capture attention. From the Met Gala’s fashion extravaganza to the cinematic allure of Cannes, we’re not just participants in culture—we’re shapers of it.
Here is a showcase of this year’s ‘biggest fashion night out’.
As recent research points out, quality authentic content is now the key differentiator, as audiences increasingly trust brand-driven content more than traditional media. “Engaging and interesting content” builds trust, with 71% of consumers saying it positively influences their perception of a brand, while poor-quality content damages credibility. This aligns perfectly with Condé Nast’s approach: it’s not about flooding the market with content but creating culturally resonant, high-quality stories that foster trust and engagement, building lasting brand relationships.
What makes Condé Nast exceptional is our ability to place our brands at the heart of these cultural experiences. In a digital age where most marketing is designed to be4 scrolled past and forgotten, we focus on crafting moments that linger in people’s minds and become part of their personal and collective narratives. It’s not just about selling a product; it’s about embedding our brands in the stories people care about.
“My advice to brands? Invest in understanding your audience as deeply as you do your product. Then build creative strategies that connect with their reality—not just your KPI sheet. Relevance is more important than ever and I am looking forward to explore what the sector has to offer as a judge this year.”
Awards and events like The Lovies, or The Webbys bring together the industry’s sharpest minds and aren’t just celebratory—they’re essential sector touchpoints. They enable senior specialists not only to evaluate excellence but also to listen, discover, and be challenged by new voices and digital ideas that push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Cultural events are our gateway to building these lasting connections. They allow us to engage with our audience in ways that feel authentic and meaningful, not intrusive. When someone dives into Vogue’s feature on a designer’s latest collection, they’re not just flipping through pages but entering a world of creativity and aspiration. When Vanity Fair unpacks the drama of the Oscars, it’s not just another awards show—it’s a cultural touchstone that invites readers to be part of the Hollywood story.
But we don’t stop at the big, glamorous events. We also dive deep into niche, intimate experiences that resonate personally. Through strategic partnerships with other brands, creators, and platforms, we ensure that Condé Nast remains at the forefront of cultural relevance. These collaborations aren’t just about co-branding but co-creating experiences that matter to our readers too.
I see Condé Nast as a media powerhouse and a cultural architect, shaping and guiding the conversations that define trends and tastes. Our approach to creativity goes beyond just producing new content; it’s about strategically crafting narratives that resonate deeply and drive engagement. In an era saturated with information (and soon-to-be GenAI-produced content), stories that resonate with human experiences have the lasting impact brands need to connect and truly thrive.
Consider the recent W Hotels x PhotoVogue campaign: a striking example of what occurs when storytelling, culture, and curation converge. This was not merely a hotel campaign—it served as a platform for emerging global photographers to capture the essence of travel through personal identity and emotion, rather than relying on clichés. It united new artistic voices with a heritage brand under a shared cultural lens, steered by PhotoVogue’s editorial rigor and W’s ethos of boundary-pushing design. The final result was a campaign that did not simply promote luxury travel—it invited audiences to experience it, igniting genuine engagement across digital and experiential touchpoints.
Or our work for eBay, connected to the Vogue tentpoles (Met Gala and Vogue World) a multi-year strategic collaboration that redefined the perception of pre-loved fashion. By tapping into Vogue’s cultural capital and the Met Gala’s global spotlight, eBay shifted the narrative from second-hand to first choice, turning circular fashion into a red-carpet-worthy conversation. It wasn’t just sponsorship—it was strategic storytelling at the intersection of commerce, culture, and credibility. That’s the kind of alchemy brands need today: not more content, but more meaning.
So, as I think about our work and the broader industry, the message is clear: if we want to thrive in the attention economy, we need to move beyond just grabbing attention and focus on earning it, nurturing it, and turning it into something lasting.
In a world overwhelmed by content, the challenge isn’t to be seen more—it’s to be worth seeing. And that, my friends, is how quality wins.
Creating Culture? 8 Aug. is Your Last Chance to Honour it at The Lovie Awards
We are the only truly pan-European award for digital excellence. Participating is your chance to join the continent’s biggest community of creative and industry-leading companies. Find your category and enter before the Extended Entry Deadline on Friday, 8th August at entries.lovieawards.com!