How Diageo and SAMY are Rewriting the Rules of Cultural Relevance

In marketing, relevance is a word that gets thrown around so often it risks losing its meaning.

Every brand wants to be culturally relevant, but in an algorithmic world where trends flame out in days rather than weeks, how do you actually achieve it? How do you distinguish between a fleeting TikTok fad and a massive cultural shift that should reshape your product roadmap?

On the latest episode of our CX-Wise podcast, host Nate Bennett sits down with two folks who have cracked this code: Nathan Townsend, Chief Partnership Officer at the social-first agency SAMY, and Alberto Romano, Foresight Leader at the global beverage giant Diageo. Together, they peel back the layers on a partnership that blends "eyes-on-the-ground" social listening with deep cultural foresight.

If you're someone who’s trying to navigate a fragmented digital ecosystem, this conversation isn't just interesting — it’s essential listening.

Let the consumer write the brief

Most of us would have sat in boardrooms where campaigns are concocted based on what the business wants to say. Nathan Townsend argues that this approach is passé.

At SAMY, the mantra is simple but radical: You should always let the consumer write the brief. This isn't just about reading comments; it’s about finding a common truth that aligns every department in an organization. When you start with a deep understanding of consumer behavior, you stop guessing. You stop trying to force a message onto an audience and start serving them where they actually are. As Townsend points out, the days of inventing an idea in an office and hoping it sticks are over; we live in an algorithmic world and brands must move at the speed of culture to survive.

The Foresight System

One of the most fascinating segments of the episode revolves around a problem every global enterprise faces: the Tower of Babel effect. Alberto Romano explains that at Diageo, different regional teams were using different words to describe the same trends— “wellness,” “well-being,” “conscious living.” It made global strategy nearly impossible.

Enter the Foresight System*

By using Sprinklr, Diageo and SAMY created a system to quantify human behavior. It allows them to track "slow culture" — the macro human truths that don’t change, like the drive for community or the desire for betterment and separate them from "fast culture," the ephemeral fads that pop up on our feeds.

This distinction is critical for decision-makers. It stops you from pivoting your entire strategy for a "thrift store challenge" while missing the massive, underlying shift toward sustainability that drove it.

Diageo’s Foresight System™ is a proprietary AI-driven listening tool developed in collaboration with Sprinklr and its other partners.

‘Data to back the crazy’

Perhaps the most inspiring takeaway from the episode is Romano’s description of himself as an "idea sparker." In a data-driven world, we often fear that intuition is dead. Romano argues the opposite. When you have a robust listening system, you have “data to back the crazy.”

The data provides the safety net that allows for adventurous creative choices. A prime example discussed is the rise of neo-hedonism, a trend focused on the quest for pleasure, which grew 48% year-over-year. Post-COVID, the data showed that people weren't just returning to pubs; they were seeking “alternative social spaces.”

Armed with this insight, Diageo didn't just buy more bar ads. They launched Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ice Chalet in collaboration with luxury ski wear brand, Perfect Moment, tapping into the après-ski culture. It was a move that placed a premium product into a specific, high-joy moment where consumers were already gathering. It wasn't about the bar; it was about the feeling of celebration. That is the power of foresight: finding new places to play that your competitors haven't even noticed yet.

The future is opti-channel commerce

Looking 12 to 18 months ahead, Townsend sees the next major shift in social commerce. The funnel is collapsing. Consumers are no longer content to watch a creator, then go to a website, then search for a product. They want to purchase in the moment of inspiration.

This mirrors a shift from omnichannel (being everywhere) to opti-channel which means being on the optimum channel at the right time. Whether it’s WhatsApp commerce or a creator demonstrating a product on TikTok, the brands that win will be the ones that reduce friction between cool content and add to cart.

Why you need to listen to this episode

In a world currently obsessed with AI and automation, this conversation circles back to something profoundly human. The technology — Sprinklr, social listening, data frameworks — is vital, but only because it enables brands to act more human.

Romano leaves listeners with a piece of advice that should be taped to every marketer's monitor: “My big ask to people is stay relevant, listen to your consumer, but with your heart because then you'll find that perfect place to grow, to create, to build.” Don't just chase what is hot on TikTok. Understand the deep, slow-moving cultural currents and then find the intersection where your brand’s heritage meets the consumer’s new reality.

If you’re ready to elevate your CX game and learn how to turn foresight into action, you cannot afford to miss this episode.

Watch or hear the full conversation with Nate Bennett, Nathan Townsend and Alberto Romano.