What does cultural marketing look like in practice?
A recent moment involving Vaseline offers a simple example.
Korean creator Min Day Lee pronounced the brand as “Baseline.” And there was actually a cultural reason for it: the Korean writing system doesn’t have a direct “V” sound, so “Vaseline” can naturally be rendered closer to “Baseline.”
Instead of correcting her, Vaseline embraced the moment; temporarily changing its social identity to “Baseline” and jokingly appointing Lee as the “CEO of Baseline.”
It wasn’t a rebrand. It was cultural marketing in action.
What makes the moment interesting isn’t the pronunciation itself, but how the brand recognised the cultural context behind it and responded.
Listen before you create
The conversation already existed. Vaseline didn’t manufacture it; it recognised an organic moment and entered at the right time.
That’s an important distinction.
Cultural marketing isn’t always about creating something people will talk about. Sometimes, it’s about paying enough attention to recognise a conversation that is already relevant to your brand.
Brand equity gives you room to be playful
For a legacy brand like Vaseline, being playful on social media doesn’t undermine decades of brand building.
It can make the brand feel more human, current and culturally aware.
Consistency doesn’t always mean sounding the same everywhere. It can also mean knowing when the culture calls for a different tone.
Let people become part of the brand
Perhaps the most interesting part was making the creator part of the story.
Today’s audiences don’t just consume brand communication. They can shape it, influence it and sometimes even become part of the brand narrative.
That’s where cultural marketing becomes interesting.
The goal isn’t to jump on every trend.
It’s to understand which cultural moments are naturally yours to participate in, and have the confidence to act when they appear.
At Garage366, we understand the UAE beyond the demographics. We understand its people, nuances, conversations and cultural codes.
So if you’re looking to enter the UAE market, don’t just enter the market. Enter the culture. Let’s make your brand belong here.