The following excerpt originally appeared in ADWEEK. Read the full piece by Justin Chin on ADWEEK.

During a Brandweek 2026 fireside chat co-hosted with Collectively, Natalie Silverstein, Chief Innovation Officer at Collectively, joined Mindy Murray, Director of Social & Influencer at General Mills, in conversation with Chelsea Bakken, Head of Audience Development and Social at ADWEEK, to discuss how brands can strategically position themselves in cultural spaces that resonate with consumers.

Natalie kicked off the panel by defining “culture” as it relates to marketing. “It’s what people are talking about unprompted by brands. It’s what bubbles up.”

She elaborated by saying that culture is often “sparked by a piece of intellectual property,” like a TV show or TikTok trend, that then takes on a life of its own.

“The flames are fanned by people just doing what they’re going to do, and a lot of the most magical stuff comes from people being creative and collaborating in these online spaces in really unique ways,” Silverstein added.

By understanding how culture moves, Silverstein said brands can find the permission to engage with consumers.