ThinkboxThis month’s Chart of the Month comes from our latest study, ‘Cultural Advantage’, which explores the cultural influence of different media.
Using a framework developed by cultural insight specialists, everyday people and incorporating a diverse range of academic perspectives, the study tested seven ways media shape culture each varying in importance to people’s lives. In order of importance, they are: continuity, purpose, bonding, affirmation, transformation, bridging, and currency.
The analysis shows that each media channel has a distinct cultural signature. The larger the area represented in the chart, the broader and more holistic its cultural influence.
TV has the strongest and most comprehensive cultural signature of the channels studied, with particular strength in affirmation and continuity. This reflects its ability to create shared experiences and build lasting cultural influence over time.
Social media is especially strong on currency and bonding, reflecting its role in driving real-time conversation and connection. Content creators perform on currency and transformation, inspiring audiences and shaping perspectives.
While each channel brings different strengths, TV has the broadest overall cultural footprint, underlining its ability to create shared cultural experiences at scale.
Want to dig deeper into how different media channels create cultural advantage — and what it means for advertisers? Read Cultural Advantage.
For all Chart of the Month's from the recent months, download the slides from the link above, this includes:
- August: Brand building drives LLM visibility
- July: On average, brands could double their investment and still generate a profitable return, unlocking 11% headline profit growth
- June: TV has the highest share of cultural availability
- May: 30-second TV ads consistently account for half of all impacts
- April: TV advertising is the most trusted medium
- March: Total TV is fundamental for getting ads seen
- January/February: We feel most relaxed when watching TV
- December: TV is the battery that charges other media
- September/October: Twice as many people trust brands advertised on TV than YouTube