Seeing this sticker on a bombed-out Rover gave me pause to think just how brands can be used to come to the defence of an endangered tribe. Working class Britons everywhere are seeing their natural habitats eroded by the mounting tsunami of gastropubs, wine bars and estate agents crowding out the high street.

Adrian Maddox chronicles their steady demise in one of my favourite coffee table books called Classic Cafes (ironically out of print), but I only really appreciated this book and its featured cafes for their highly evocative aesthetic.

Going beyong product attributes is an effective but somewhat rare occurance for FMCG brands like Heinz/HP. While many brands reference music tribes like punk, rock and grunge, precious few move onto promoting the cultures asscoiated at their core. Considering the environment that the products are used in and then trying to help promote the sub-cultures that sustain them is new realm that can reap tremendous goodwill. But there are a few things to consider before leaping in:

1. Familiar. While only one group of people may consider themselves British cafe culture diehards, the association with British cafes drums up feeling of comfort and familiarity in nearly all Brits.
2. Specific. While the punk movement has inspired multiple generations in design and communications, punk rockers themselves are less easy to endorse given their extreme counter-culture views. Most people and most brands find this degree of rebellion too anti-social (see previous post on Harley Davidson for the exception to the rule).
3. Endearing. While Morris dancing may be the most ridiculed past time in Great Britain, enough people harbour a warm feelings toward it to make it an ideal target for endorsement for the right brand.

Of course, the more  idiosyncratic the sub culture, the more we need to carefully consider the support and the means to reach them. Adopting a tongue-and-cheek tone with the communication always helps diminish risk. Little gems like this bumper sticker might be a great, fun way to promote a sub-culture and deepen the meaning with your brand.

Related posts on targeting nationalism:

+ Levis, Americana and nationalism
+ The British national identity and the Hovis loaf