Cultural branding is the most human path toward the future of business

Pedro Prado Pabón
May 21
3 min read

Can a brand build community, join global conversations—like AI—and scale its business all at once? The answer lies in sincerity and the perceived value of the brand.

In a context where branding is undergoing a deep cultural and social transformation, it’s no longer enough to think of brand management as an isolated visual or commercial strategy. Much less as an attempt that stays on paper—in the cloud—or just on social media. Today more than ever, branding has evolved from a rigid corporate manual into a platform for cultural activism and a statement of principles; one that drives action and encourages responsible participation in the collective conversation.

While AI is everywhere—even in the soup—and trends become increasingly disposable—copy and paste—brands that reconnect with the human side and understand their role in society will take the podium. The data confirms it: today, meaning matters more than empty branding.

According to the Edelman Trust Barometer 2024 – Special Report: Brands and Politics, 71% of people expect brands to take a stand on social issues. Meanwhile, The Future 100: 2024 de VML eport highlights that audiences see brands as voices that contribute to people’s well-being and promote a more hopeful future.

So, why settle for trivialities? Cultural branding emerges to manage more human brands with real impact and long-term sustainability.

What is cultural branding and why is it the future?

Cultural branding is a strategy that understands social dynamics, collective imaginaries, and the symbols that shape us as a society, translating them into actions that inspire meaningful change in the world.

Unlike traditional branding—focused on visual identity and corporate tone—cultural branding broadens the perspective: it engages with the issues that matter, moves people through symbolism, and connects honestly with its environment. In this way, it allows brands to build community and lead new conversations aligned with sustainability challenges and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

It’s also good business

A common mistake is thinking cultural branding is exclusive to institutions or foundations. Nothing could be further from the truth. This strategy is synonymous with sustainability for any company that wants to create value through authentic experiences.

Brands that understand this don’t just gain customers: they gain community, reputation, and ambassadors who promote their values.

Consider this example: if you own a hotel in the Colombian Pacific, do you want it to be just a stopover or a living experience that connects with the territory and its culture?

When Cultural Branding comes into play, it also generates profitability:

✅ Connects the brand with the social and cultural context.

✅ Builds stronger and longer-lasting bonds with its audiences.

✅ Drives sustainable and coherent business models.

✅ Adds symbolic value that translates into differentiation and tangible returns.

Cultural branding in the age of AI

What does it mean to build a brand in a world shaped by AI, rapid social change, and increasingly demanding audiences?

Far from replacing creativity, AI can become an ally when used ethically and thoughtfully. The challenge lies in integrating technology without losing intuition or human connection. Here, cultural branding plays a key role: reminding us that the most powerful part of a brand is still its ability to move, inspire, and transform collectively.

Brands that manage to combine technology and automation with sensitive storytelling, data analysis with cultural symbols, will lead the way.

Case study: Artefacto Films

A clear example is Artefacto Films, a Barcelona-based production company that navigates the space between human creation and artificial intelligence with a critical, aesthetic, ethical, and innovative perspective.

Their approach starts with a sincere question: how to make films with artificial intelligence without losing the soul of art?

We developed a brand inspired by the analog and the digital, art and code. The main symbol — an “A” transformed into a window inspired by Magritte — embodies both humanity and technology, representing the possibility of seeing cinema from a new perspective.

The result: a film brand that embraces technology without losing its humanity. One that remembers memory and emotion remain irreplaceable.

Discover the full brand development here.

Reflection

In times of automation, cultural branding is the most human path toward the future of business — a necessary evolution that transforms brands into benchmarks, businesses into agents of change, and consumers into engaged communities demanding consistency and action. It must be the strategy to stand firm and lead meaningful global change.

As Colombia’s first cultural branding agency, we open the doors to brands that challenge the trivial, promote collective well-being, and build an authentic legacy.