How Even the Coolest Brands Age Out on Social Without Realizing It
From cult darlings to clearance racks — why even the most iconic brands lose their edge and how reinvention, not reposting, keeps them alive.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever been cool or if I’ve always been cool — which probably means I’m neither. Being cool seems like a lot of work, except the first rule of being cool is that it can’t look like you’re trying. So there are rules, but also no rules at all. What I do know is that cool is slippery. What’s cool to you might be cringe to someone else. Brands that were once the definition of cool aren’t anymore… or suddenly are again… or will be next Tuesday. The only constant? Vigilance. Cool doesn’t coast. If you’re not actively staying relevant, you’re already aging out.
The Life Cycle of Cool
This is what happens when brands grow up. Glossier, once beauty’s indie savior, struggles to regain its spark. Supreme, the New York streetwear icon that taught a generation the thrill of scarcity, now feels routine. Allbirds, the sustainable shoe brand once synonymous with minimalist chic, saw revenues tumble as the hype cooled. Peloton, once the darling of at-home fitness, saw engagement drop as competitors flooded the market. A global survey shows Gen Z are quick to disengage from brands they find out of touch.
At the same time, formerly dead brands can come alive if they read the room. Abercrombie & Fitch, once a punchline, learned to laugh at itself. Its self-aware, inclusive TikTok strategy boosted engagement significantly. H&M saw declining relevance in Europe until pivoting to sustainability-focused campaigns, improving brand sentiment in measurable ways.
Reinvention Over Refresh
The reinvention stories are compelling. Burberry traded safe beige for Daniel Lee’s punchy new vision, reigniting cultural chatter. LEGO evolved from toy to entertainment heavyweight with collaborations spanning Netflix to Adidas, helping drive record-breaking revenue. Fenty Beauty keeps stretching what inclusivity means in beauty, fueling significant growth. Kia Motors rebranded with a future-focused aesthetic and influencer-driven EV campaigns, boosting social engagement noticeably. Brands taking creative risks see outsized engagement lifts.
Culture Moves Faster Than You Do
Culture moves at breakneck speed, and what’s trending today can feel outdated by next week. Brands that survive this churn don’t just watch trends — they embed themselves in them. Duolingo has mastered this, transforming from a simple language-learning app into a cultural phenomenon by embracing chaotic, absurdist TikTok humor that feels native to the platform rather than corporate.
Zara doesn’t just follow fashion trends; it rewrites the retail calendar by turning social media inspiration into in-store product drops within weeks, keeping up with Gen Z’s demand for immediacy. For a generation that expects brands to act like participants, not advertisers, this kind of cultural agility isn’t optional — it’s the price of entry.
Collaborate or Die
Even collaborations have a shelf life — unless they feel real. Crocs, once dismissed as ugly comfort shoes, became a fashion statement by partnering with luxury label Balenciaga and musician Post Malone, creating high-demand limited editions that pushed them back into cultural conversation and drove double-digit revenue growth.
McDonald’s “Famous Orders” campaigns with BTS and Travis Scott weren’t simple celebrity endorsements — they turned the artists’ personal meal orders into events, sparking social media frenzy, long lines, and a measurable bump in sales. Nike takes a global approach to collaboration, working with athletes like Serena Williams and creators across emerging markets to craft culturally resonant campaigns that generate consistent spikes in social engagement and keep the brand at the forefront of sports and lifestyle culture.
7 Signs Your Brand Is Aging Out on Social
If your brand feels stuck in a loop, these warning signs might explain why.
1. Your engagement is sliding — and you don’t know why. Likes are down, shares are rare and your audience isn’t talking back.
2. Your content could belong to anyone. If your feed looks like your competitors’, you’ve lost your distinctive voice.
3. You’re absent from cultural conversations. Trends are happening on TikTok, Reddit, Discord and beyond — but your brand isn’t part of them.
4. Your audience has changed, but you haven’t. You’re still targeting your old base, ignoring how their tastes — and the next generation’s — have evolved.
5. Your collaborations flop. Influencers or partners promote your content, but there’s no spark — no conversation, no lift, no excitement.
6. Your creative team isn’t experimenting. You’re not testing new formats, voices or platforms — you’re just cranking out content.
7. Your metrics are outdated. You’re chasing likes instead of measuring participation, conversation and real business impact.
Cool Isn’t Universal
Cool doesn’t translate the same way in every market. Shein, a Chinese fast-fashion powerhouse criticized in the West for its environmental and labor practices, has found massive success in the Middle East by doubling down on affordability, fast inventory cycles, and leveraging armies of regional micro-influencers who speak directly to local audiences. Starbucks China defends its market leadership not by pushing Western coffee culture, but by leaning into deep-rooted traditions, such as elaborate Lunar New Year campaigns and localized product offerings like red bean lattes, which resonate with Chinese consumers in a tightening coffee market. Lay’s stays relevant by creating hyper-local campaigns, like limited-edition flavors and influencer-driven activations in India and the Middle East, proving that snacks can be deeply cultural when they mirror local tastes and traditions. Netflix Korea mastered the art of exporting local culture globally — creating hits like Squid Game that blend Korean storytelling sensibilities with universal themes, turning regional content into global phenomena. In APAC, where 62% of consumers expect brands to tailor their approach to local culture, one-size-fits-all messaging simply doesn’t work.
How Not to Age Out
Staying relevant isn’t a matter of luck — it’s deliberate, ongoing work. The brands that manage to avoid becoming digital wallpaper are those that treat communications as a living conversation, not a static bulletin board. Here’s how to stay in the game:
- Audit honestly: If your engagement is flatlining, it’s not a blip — it’s an alarm bell. Use social listening, audience surveys, and performance data to figure out where you’re losing traction and why.
- Invest in cultural R&D: Don’t treat new platforms like TikTok or Discord as afterthoughts. Use them as laboratories for experimentation, testing unconventional content styles, formats, and voices without fear of failure.
- Co-create: Stop renting audiences through one-off influencer posts. Partner with creators who have earned trust in their communities and bring them into the brand-building process to develop authentic, culturally resonant campaigns.
- Balance your content: Your grid shouldn’t look like an ad catalog. Blend polished campaign visuals with in-the-moment storytelling — live streams, behind-the-scenes content, and unpolished posts that make audiences feel part of the process.
- Localize with intent: Avoid the trap of copy-pasting content globally. Tailor your tone, visuals, and product storytelling to local tastes and trends — because what earns likes in New York may fall flat in Shanghai.
Relevance Is Rented
Cool has an expiration date. You don’t own it — you rent it. Brands that thrive understand this lease needs constant renewal — watching culture closely, experimenting boldly and dropping what no longer works. Relevance isn’t a trophy. It’s a tab you keep paying.
Sources: Morning Consult, Sprinklr, SimilarWeb, Lyst Index, LVMH Earnings Report, WARC, Business of Apps, Edelman Trust Barometer, QSR Magazine, Kantar, Nielsen, HubSpot.
