We found this meditation on brand building in the Harvard Business Review fascinating. Cultural Strategy author, Douglas Holt, talks about how much harder it is to build a brand in the era of social media. Initially, branded content appeared to be the key to creating substantive relationships with customers, but now with so many ways to opt out, it’s much harder for brands to maintain visibility. Holt goes on to talk about how digital technologies and social media has created a “crowd culture” and has turbocharged the creative culture, creating powerful influencers and has allowed millions of people to have their voices heard. This has diminished brand visibility and has made them appear less significant. How can brands overcome this diminishment? Holt suggests locating cultural opportunities, targeting crowd cultures, diffusing ideologies and continuing to use culture flashpoints to your brand’s advantage. This article is jam packed with info, so take a moment to sit down and open your mind about alternative marketing strategies.