In a Divided America, Does the ‘Mass Market’ Even Still Exist?

At this point in an election cycle, it’s natural for things to feel divisive. Democracies are designed to accentuate points of differentiation between candidates just before a vote, after which the winner should set about reunifying the country, and governing in the national interest. But, objectively, this natural democratic rhythm has been disrupted in recent years. There’s an extent to which election campaigns now feel permanent, a perennial parade of partisanship in which two sides poke and provoke one another throughout a term. And the result is that the US is perhaps more culturally fragmented today than it has been for a long time. 

For businesses and marketers, this phenomenon has knock-on effects. In the not-so-distant past, brands often sought the opportunity to connect to the ‘mass market’, turbo-charging growth by spanning generations and creating relevance across demographics. But what does ‘the mass market’ mean in 2024 and, in a world of hyper-personalised ads and AI-powered content creation, does such a thing even still exist? 

Jo Cresswell, creative director at adam&eveDDB West, is unsure how much it ever truly did. “As a creative who moved here from the (small) British Isles, the biggest shock to me was how small the frame of cultural reference was when talking to a nationwide, mass market,” she tells LBB. “Don’t get me wrong, when you start to break down this huge country into coasts, states, and cities, you suddenly find a lot more ways to connect. But ultimately, mass marketing in the US can be tricky even without extreme division. But maybe it’s time to try?”

It’s true that a lot of the modern forces driving people apart are artificial: engagement-hungry algorithms, and political messaging that’s designed to create wedges. And meanwhile the emotions brands might seek to leverage to communicate en-masse are as human and organic as ever. “As the presidential election heats up, a familiar narrative is that we are more the same than different,” says Jennifer Kohl, chief media officer at VML. “I think that is true. I want to believe that is true”. 

And yet, in practical terms, there’s nothing nefarious about a brand wanting to connect with its audience on a more personal level. In fact, it’s become what many of us actually want and expect from the businesses we shop with. “Given the advances in data, technology, AI and digital in general, consumers now expect messages to be more personalised to them”, continues Jennifer. “They want a brand to know they are going on holiday and serve them an ad for a bathing suit. And they expect the brand to know when they bought the bathing suit and not keep serving them that same ad.” 

Joel Edwards is the founder of Evolve Studios, a production shop whose mission is to “unite culture through storytelling”. But he tells LBB that, before high-mindedly wading in culture, businesses should start with the fundamentals. “Brands need to remember: What do we exist to do? What’s our true identity? Many cultural divides revolve around social issues, which can’t be fixed by forced corporate initiatives,” he explains. “If you’re selling a snack or beverage, focus on creating (or keeping) connection with buyers, not changing the world. People and communities do that, not for profit products.” 

So, perhaps these issues of cultural fragmentation are beyond the scope or influence of advertising. Maybe the gaps are simply becoming too wide, too yawning, for marketing or branded storytelling to bridge. Or perhaps not. 

“While we may not be gathered around every Thursday night watching Seinfeld on NBC, there are plenty of water cooler moments that still happen,” posits Jennifer. “Sports in general - and the Super Bowl specifically - prove that we do still gather around a common interest,”

It’s a reminder of just how powerful storytelling can be when it truly manages to rise above noise and fragmentation. “Reflecting on the Paris Olympics and the huge benefit of having Snoop Dog be our guide demonstrates that we can all align on Team USA,” says Jennifer. “And binge-watching Yellowstone, or The Bear, or Beef also demonstrates how content can find a ‘mass’ audience. And if content can be mass, then so can marketing and advertising.” 

So when it comes to creating that sort of content, it helps to embrace big, open-armed concepts. “Keep ideas like hope, kindness, and human dignity at the centre of your message,” suggests Joel. “‘Minority messaging’ doesn’t work in ‘mass marketing’ - it alienates the majority of your customers, and hurts business. And when in doubt, use humour; everyone loves to smile and laugh.” 

“Maybe the question isn’t whether mass marketing still exists but maybe it's more about ‘common interest marketing’,” suggests Jennifer. “It's up to marketers to uncover the common threads, and the common truths. Politically we may not align exactly, but our country is so much bigger than politics. Good content and a good win for your home team will always get people cheering together, after all.” 

On which point, Joel also underlines the value of simply learning more about what people want to hear from stories and brands, and leaning into it. “In a democracy, the customer’s vote is always right. So understand what they want,” he says. “Build your campaigns based on grassroots community data, and real insights from consumers. It’s not a coincidence that most of the new mega-success stories (Adobe, Tesla, Lululemon, Chewy) emerged from passionate communities dedicated to their products.” 

Without sounding overly grandiose, perhaps there really is a role brands can play in (to borrow Joel’s words) uniting culture through storytelling. It might seem antithetical to the overriding context of algorithmic targeting, but maybe that can help make broader storytelling all the more effective. 

“We know that speaking to more targeted intersections always garners more authentic connection, but our algorithms continue to push us all apart.” notes Jo. “In a divided America, maybe trying to find something in common could help to heal a rift? It wouldn’t be easy, but we could get going on the brief now…”