REALMS Launches as a New Culture Consultancy
Senior industry leaders Rhian Mason and Elly Brand have established REALMS, an independent culture consultancy aimed at connecting brands with cultural opportunities. Recognizing the need for a coherent cultural strategy, REALMS enhances collaboration between brand and agency teams, allowing them to convert cultural intelligence into actionable strategies.
Navigating the Cultural Landscape
In a climate where marketing has become increasingly specialized and culture more interconnected, REALMS positions itself as a bridge. Rather than reacting to trends, the consultancy advocates for a proactive approach that seamlessly links various disciplines—social media, content creation, and partnerships—around a unified cultural strategy.
A New Model for Senior Women in Industry
REALMS is not just about cultural consultancy; it also champions a different leadership model for senior women in the industry, promoting ownership, ambition, and flexibility.
Rhian Mason states, “Most organizations don’t have a capability problem. They have a connection problem,” highlighting the consultancy’s focus on synergy among specialized capabilities. Instead of producing isolated discipline plans, REALMS connects existing capabilities through a shared cultural opportunity strategy.
Integrating into Existing Structures
Operating as an independent entity, REALMS complements existing brand and agency teams rather than replacing them, ensuring that cultural intelligence informs broader creative and media strategies. Their emphasis is on rapidly evolving disciplines such as social media and content partnerships.
Transforming Cultural Signals into Strategy
REALMS offers tools designed to translate cultural signals into effective strategies, bridging the gap between trends and meaningful brand activities. With over 25 years of collective experience, Mason and Brand have worked with major clients including Google, Amazon, and L’Oréal.
Addressing Structural Issues in Hiring
Brand underscores the importance of structural changes in hiring practices for cultural roles. She critiques the trend of hiring “culture-obsessed” social leads, suggesting that true cultural relevance should inform creative strategies from the start, rather than being retrofitted later in the process.
Conclusion
With a focus on shared responsibility for cultural relevance across all brand activities, REALMS aims to reshape the industry standard, fostering deeper connections between specialized talents and cultural opportunities from the outset.
For more insights, watch the introductory video here.
