{"id":6925,"date":"2024-06-20T01:13:42","date_gmt":"2024-06-20T05:13:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advertisingweek.com\/aw360\/2024\/06\/20\/what-beyonce-cowboy-core-and-tiktok-can-teach-marketers-pr-professionals-in-2024\/"},"modified":"2024-06-17T13:17:35","modified_gmt":"2024-06-17T17:17:35","slug":"what-beyonce-cowboy-core-and-tiktok-can-teach-marketers-pr-professionals-in-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advertisingweek.com\/aw360\/news\/what-beyonce-cowboy-core-and-tiktok-can-teach-marketers-pr-professionals-in-2024\/6925\/","title":{"rendered":"What Beyonce, Cowboy Core, and TikTok Can Teach Marketers & PR Professionals in 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Jenna Guarneri, Founder of <\/em>JMG Public Relations and author of \u2018You Need PR\u2019<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

If you feel like everywhere you go, people are repping the aesthetic of an old Western, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Cowboy culture has inundated pop culture, appearing at the top of music streaming charts, gracing high-fashion runways, and dominating the silver screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

On social media, especially Instagram and TikTok, people promote \u201cCowboy Core,\u201d a resurgence of Western-inspired fashion elements in contemporary culture, blending traditional cowboy aesthetics with a modern touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Posts featuring the \u201cAustin\u201d line dance trend<\/a> are soaring. Influencers, brands, and users continue to share photos, videos, and styling tips related to \u201cCowboy Core,\u201d contributing to its visibility and influence. Meanwhile, hashtags such as #CowboyCore #Country and #WesternFashion have gained traction on social media, propelling a surge in real-world activities, including horseback riding, ranch vacations, and outdoor adventure sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The trend was supercharged when Beyonce\u2019s latest album, \u201cCowboy Carter,\u201d introduced her expansive fanbase and mainstream audiences to country music and cowboy culture. The album incorporated visuals featuring cowboy aesthetics, including cowboy hats, double denim, boots, and Western-inspired attire. Other artists, including Post Malone\u2019s album \u201cAustin,\u201d invoked similar aesthetics, and Lana Del Rey announced at the Grammy\u2019s<\/a> that her next album would be a country album.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

As often happens, sales follow closely behind cultural trends, and the impact on many brands was immediate and profound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The \u201cCoastal Cowgirl\u201d aesthetic has increased<\/a> Western-related fashion, propelling a 119 percent jump in denim shorts, a 64 percent rise in prairie skirts, and a 17 percent surge in Western-style belts. Searches for \u201cwomen\u2019s Levi\u2019s jeans\u201d have increased by 263 percent<\/a> since the album was announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

However, this isn\u2019t just a specific sales story. It\u2019s a reminder that <\/em><\/strong>public relations (PR) and marketing professionals must remain closely connected to culture<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, understanding that subtle shifts can significantly influence consumer behavior. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Put differently, cultural shifts and how consumers adapt them, infusing them into their lives, passions, and purchases, create opportunities to develop PR and marketing content that resonates with audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Cowboy culture won\u2019t remain in vogue forever, meaning the next cultural movement is already on the horizon.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how to harness the next cultural shift for your brand’s benefit. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

#1 Know Your Audience<\/h2>\n

Pop culture trends are crucial to the zeitgeist but don\u2019t apply evenly to everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Despite their broad popularity, many cultural moments are relatively niche, requiring PR professionals to understand their audience and make discerning decisions about content direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

For example, the resurgence of the cowboy aesthetic doesn\u2019t resonate with all demographics equally. Consequently, a fashion brand targeting a social media-saturated GenZ audience might effectively leverage this trend, while a brand targeting a more mature audience might find greater success by highlighting timeless classics or contemporary chic styles instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Know your audience and prioritize the cultural moments that matter most to them because resonance is what attracts and maintains their attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

#2 Pay Attention to the Trends<\/h2>\n

PR and marketing are agile professions, but social media’s rise and influence have amplified this reality. That\u2019s why highly effective teams notice and remain responsive to the latest trends influencing their audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

However, many PR professionals rely on luck rather than an intentional strategy for identifying, analyzing, and capitalizing on the latest trends. Rather than hoping to capture lightning in a bottle, PR and marketing professionals can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n