New Vulgarity in modern branding is a trend we’ve observed recently that contradicts the idea that a brand’s marketing and communications should adhere to certain rules and should be tasteful. In this short briefing, we explore how a new range of brands and creatives are placing importance on subverting taste, being playful, being challenging, being unexpected.

1. NEW VULGARITY:
HOW BRANDS ARE SUBVERTING TASTE
Protein

2. 16 to 24 years old
Creative / Networked
Open-minded / Tastemakers
The first to develop trends and
influence the masses
Introduction The New Vulgar

3. The New VulgarMethodology
We used a mixed method research approach
from our recent Youth Report:
40
Our
Community
3,400
Audience
Survey
50
Ethnographic
Interviews
Observational
Research

4. The faith consumers once placed in institutions is on the wane
Methodology The New Vulgar

5. Which of the following do you trust?
22%
Brands
18%
Government
28%
Media
51%
None of them
OverviewIntroduction The New Vulgar

6. A new generation of consumers are savvy to brand’s marketing tricks
Introduction The New Vulgar

7. We asked them what they think when
a celebrity or influencer endorses a
brand on social media …
38%
The person must really like it
Introduction The New Vulgar
62%
They don’t care, they just want
to get paid

8. The earnestness and authority that brands use to sell their
products is becoming outdated
Introduction The New Vulgar

9. We asked them, what terms are still relevant in advertising?
28%
Said craft, heritage, artisanal
and legacy
Introduction The New Vulgar

10. Consumers are on the hunt for content that challenges them and
gives an antidote to a sense of seriousness that’s all pervasive
Introduction The New Vulgar

11. “Brands are trying to tap into a sensibility that they see
happening around them. It’s a desire brands have to be a bit
punk and they see vulgarity as a means to express that.”
— Dom Sebastian, multidisciplinary artist
The New VulgarIntroduction

12. Authentic
The Vulgar Aesthetic
Youth Report
A
NEW
LOW
SUBVERTING
PRETTY
ASSAULTING
THE
SENSES
Introduction The New Vulgar

13. Authentic
The Vulgar Aesthetic
Youth Report
A
NEW
LOW
Introduction The New Vulgar

14. The concepts of elitism and prestige are being questioned
A New Low The New Vulgar

15. A new generation of consumers are re-contextualising conventional
symbols of wealth, prestige and intellect previously held sacred
A New Low The New Vulgar

16. “Vulgarity is about transgressing social norms on the most
fundamental level. To be a vulgarian is to break the rules.”
— Sean Monahan, a trends expert and founder of K-Hole
A New Low The New Vulgar

17. Toiletpaper Shop
A New Low The New Vulgar

18. Christopher Shannon
A New Low The New Vulgar

19. Thank you.
Client
1 statement copy
Youth Report

20. Gucci AW17
A New Low The New Vulgar

21. Thank you.
Client
1 statement copy

22. Authentic
The Vulgar Aesthetic
Youth Report
SUBVERTING
PRETTY
Introduction The New Vulgar

23. Consumers are rebelling against prescribed notions of beauty
Subverting Pretty The New Vulgar

24. A new set of creatives don’t just ask us to reassess our understanding
of beauty, they throw the whole concept out the window
Subverting Pretty The New Vulgar

25. “Good taste is associated with things that are really polished
and conformist and really slick and very finished and final. If
you think of the visual characteristics of bad taste you think
of things that are maybe a bit more crude and rough.”
— Joanna Tulej, art director and visual trends expert
The New VulgarSubverting Pretty

26. Vetements
The New VulgarSubverting Pretty

27. Youth ReportDrivers
Isamaya Ffrench
The New VulgarSubverting Pretty

28. Happy Breakfast
The New VulgarSubverting Pretty

29. “For years, I’ve battled [childish] themes in pursuit of a more
'grown up' aesthetic. Happy Breakfast is about embracing
those instincts again, a big fuck you to taste!”
— Gary Card, set designer and artist
The New VulgarSubverting Pretty

30. Hans Brinker Budget Hotel
The New VulgarSubverting Pretty

31. Thank you.
Client
1 statement copy

32. “It’s good to look for the limits and feel uncomfortable with
what you make because then you also surprise people with
it.”
— Gijs van den Berg, art director, KesselsKramer
The New VulgarSubverting Pretty

33. Camper x Dom Sebastian
The New VulgarSubverting Pretty

34. Thank you.
Client
1 statement copy

35. Authentic
The Vulgar Aesthetic
Youth Report
ASSAULTING
THE
SENSES
Introduction The New Vulgar

36. Some brands are challenging our pre-conceived ideas
of what a piece of content should or shouldn’t be
Assaulting The Senses The New Vulgar

37. In order to break through the noise brands they’ve
recognised they need to do something different
Assaulting The Senses The New Vulgar

38. “We need to break through the normcore, millennial pink
hazed world that we’ve created for ourselves through this
crude and slightly ugly slightly rough aesthetic.”
— Joanna Tulej, art director and visual trends expert
Assaulting the Senses The New Vulgar

39. Claudia Mate
Assaulting the Senses The New Vulgar

40. Charles Jeffrey
Assaulting the Senses The New Vulgar

41. Thank you.
Client
1 statement copy

42. “The way we consume images is completely different. We see
most things on the internet now. With brands there seems to
be a need for the images to almost be viral or have that share-
ability.”
— Dom Sebastian, multidisciplinary artist
Assaulting the Senses The New Vulgar

43. Kenzo
Assaulting the Senses The New Vulgar

44. Thank you.
Client
1 statement copy

45. Key Takeouts
• Take inspiration and collaborate with key artists
and photographers
• Explore the conventions of your industry and
develop ways to challenge those conventions in
your communication
• Jar and challenge consumers with new aesthetics,
bright saturated colours, and juxtapositions
• Always remain aware of the context that can
define your limit of play
The New Vulgar

46. Authentic Youth Report
More …?
If you would like us to come in and present the
full report to your team with tailored version on
specific key takeouts. Please contact:
jonny.ayres@prote.in
+44 (0) 20 7247 3999