Tati Lindenberg, VP Marketing at Unilever for Dirt is Good, asks MAD//Insight, can your brand build a consistent legacy while having to adapt to new audiences and needs all the time?

You can’t stay still for too long.

When you think of legacy, you may think of it as something created in the past. But real legacy doesn’t exist in the past – it’s a continuum of time that doesn’t ever stop. Legacy is built on, forever evolving. And so really, it can only ever live in the present. 

Shifting cultures and consumer needs are some of the bigger obstacles brands face when it comes to building a legacy. Can your brand build a consistent legacy while having to adapt to new audiences and needs all the time? 

We asked ourselves the question 20 years ago when we launched Dirt Is Good. And we quickly realised that building a legacy is all about keeping your brand purpose sacred, even when adapting to new environments.

We speak of our legacy in eras.

In many ways, yes, like Taylor Swift (or Madonna if we’re really going there). But for Dirt Is Good it’s not just about celebrating our different eras but making sure we have them – making sure we shift our brand’s focus every five years to keep ourselves aligned with our consumers. And never diluting our purpose that dirt, is and always will be, good. 

Right now, we’re in an era of ‘Play On’. The two words are centred around resilience and confidence. We want people to go out, get dirty, and play on – with a focus in sport. And our partners at Arsenal and RocNation Sports (among others) are helping us spread the message: it’s when we dive in with no fear of getting muddy, that we evolve.

Legacy isn’t just a time thing, it’s a place thing too.

Whenever we move into a new era, our biggest question is: how do we keep connecting with audiences across borders? We’re a global brand who have made it into millions of homes around the world. And each market operates in a completely different cultural context. 

Dirt Is Good is more provocative in some regions than others. And so, the way each of our markets communicate with their audiences differ across the board. For example, in Brazil – my home country – sport is a colossal part of the culture – kids are kicking balls barefoot, left right and centre in streets, alleyways, on the beach. Playing in the dirt invented a signature style for Brazilian ballers – the skills and motion a product of the environment. Therefore, teaming up with football icon Vini Jr. to shout out the message of Dirt Is Good felt completely organic. 

On the other hand, our team in China were very aware that outdoor and team sport wasn’t as dominant in the country. And Chinese families kept a very high standard of cleanliness when it came to dirt. As a result, the ‘Play On’ message is all about living fearlessly. It’s the same idea, but the focus in each market tilts to connect with the audience.  

Global brands work better without ego.

I know that if I want Dirt Is Good to transcend time and borders, I can’t do it alone. I rely on open and honest feedback from my local teams – people who know their cultures better than I ever could. There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to global marketing. There never will be. At the same time, no legacy can be founded on inconsistency.

Your identity and purpose should never change. But the expression of it has to be adaptable. That’s how you stay relevant. That’s how you move with time and connect with cultures from differing foundations. That’s how you play on. 

Tati will be writing regularly for MAD//Insight throughout the year.