Following the launch of Cultural Power in December to the UK and Australian markets, the newly branded M+C Saatchi Group is going global with the official unveiling of the Cultural Power Index, an AI-powered diagnostic tool that helps brands drive growth by harnessing the power of culture.
At the heart of the launch is the Cultural Power Index, a proprietary AI-powered, diagnostic tool that helps brands drive growth by harnessing the power of culture. Created by the group’s consulting division, the Cultural Power Index analyses billions of data signals from across media, social, and cultural landscapes to measure a brand’s Cultural Power in real time.
The Cultural Power Index’s unique and proprietary methodology enables the group to identify where there are opportunities to build Cultural Power for its clients, allowing them to understand clients’ current cultural relevance compared to competitors, pinpoint specific levers they should pull to enhance their Cultural Power and drive growth and track shifts in cultural perception to stay ahead of trends.
The modern brand landscape is undergoing seismic shifts, with $400B lost from the world’s top 100 brands over the last 2 years, according to Kantar BrandZ.
By 2025, consumer time spent on new media will more than double traditional media, according to Statista.
Over 1 billion ad-blockers have been installed globally, making it harder than ever for brands to reach audiences, also according to Statista.
But brands that understand and harness cultural forces are outperforming their competition. Kantar found that brands with strong cultural relevance grow 6x faster than those with low cultural engagement.
Brands perceived as “changing culture” are trusted 38 per cent more than those seen as merely “functional,” according to the Edelman Trust Barometer.
The refreshed M+C Saatchi brand identity includes replacing its ampersand with a +.
The visual refresh was created by the group’s experience design agency Re and includes new logos for all its agencies as well as new fonts, colour palette, and bespoke Cultural Power idents, in addition to a new global website, created by its digital agency MCD.
M+C Saatchi Group has historically always been at the forefront of culture, working with some of the world’s most influential brands.
Recently they worked with adidas, strengthening its position at the core of streetwear and youth culture; Archewell Foundation, supporting the foundation’s efforts to enhance child online safety and advocate for responsible social media practices; LEGO x Pharrell, bridging pop culture and play for an era-defining collaboration; NHS, creating powerful public engagement campaigns that drive real-world impact; and Heineken x Champions League, embedding the brand in football fan communities across Europe.
“We believe Cultural Power is the most significant driver of brand growth today. With the Cultural Power Index, we’re not just defining what makes a brand culturally relevant – we’re providing a roadmap for them to harness and scale that power,” Zaid Al-Qassab, CEO M+C Saatchi Group said.
“This is more than just a rebrand – it’s a bold statement of our ambition,’ he continued. ‘Our new visual identity and the Cultural Power Index mark a defining moment in our journey to help brands turn cultural relevance into real business growth,” Al-Qassab added.
“Creativity has always been at the heart of what M+C Saatchi does. It’s why we were so excited to join the group. But with Cultural Power, we’re taking it to the next level. The refreshed brand and the Cultural Power Index give us the tools to help brands not just participate in culture but shape it. It’s a real game-changer for how creativity can drive brand growth,” joint global chief creative officers Rob Doubal and Laurence (Lolly) Thomson said.
“For 30 years, M+C Saatchi has shaped brands that are woven into our culture. This next chapter ensures we will continue to harness culture as a strategic growth driver, operationalising our positioning through a new organisational model, and bespoke tools to measure our impact. This isn’t just about relevance – it’s about embedding brands into the moments that fuel trust, engagement, and commercial impact,” Justin Graham, CEO APAC, M&C Saatchi Group added.
