How subcultures are becoming mainstream news
They used to be hidden away in corners of Britain, but now niches can become whole new cultures in a matter of seconds thanks to social.

At Grayling we love getting to grips with what certain audiences love, and hate… what makes them tick and what gives them the ick.

Subcultures are living and breathing across the UK right now and it’s never been cooler to be different, to zig where others zag and to go against the herd. We love the weird and wonderful and believe there’s a massive chance for brands to hero their real audience, not just the generic one that Google spits out…

Here’s some subcultures and trends that have caught our eye in the last few months…

Punk Grannies
Let’s say no to stereotypes. In Leicester, a group of older women are embracing the world of Punk by channeling their anger into music. Being in a certain age group should not restrict your interests – this is a perfect example of that. Not all baby boomers love bingo and not every Gen Z has TikTok.

York Long Boi
From what started out as University students spotting a surprisingly tall duck to making headlines in America. ‘Long Boi’ became an icon that students, lecturers and families from York loved, recognised and are proud to know. This was a community that sprung out of nowhere, that came together to celebrate all there is to celebrate about a duck and we are here for it!

Blokecore
Adidas Sambas, footy tops and old denim is back. A fashion craze that focuses on British football culture has now become fashionable and ‘cool’ in the US. When some US Twitchers caught onto UK gamers using the word ‘bloke’ they wanted to uncover everything about bloke culture and put it in the mainstream…

Marge the Hun
Stereotypically, AI is used to help with new and exciting tech developments, however, in this case ‘Marge The Hun’ was created to be light-hearted, funny and relatable. Tapping into iconic British Humour and becoming a #BritishBabe really resonated with large group of huns, dominating social.

University Junglers
An incorrect answer on University Challenge inspired an entire music community. Amol Rajan said ‘I can’t accept Drum & Bass. We need jungle’ and it went viral – showcasing the power of a small audience who watches University Challenge AND listens to Drum and Bass. He even received invitations to perform live.

Riverside Pint
Who doesn’t fancy a pint in a flood? A great piece of reactive marketing from the owner of the Rose & Crown pub in Worcestershire turned sadness into humour. The story made news headlines and went viral on socials… galvanising a hyperlocal pub community and sending the pub itself into the heart of British culture. We know where we are heading for a pint next time we’re in Severn Stoke.

At Grayling, we understand audiences, what makes them tick and what they actually care about then we jump on that insight to build work that creates advantage for our clients. Want to know more? Get in touch info@grayling.com.