Culture vulture – a term used for those who appropriate certain cultures for their own specific gain – is popular in the entertainment field.
In fact, the best example of a culture vulture is someone who is great on reading what’s popular and capitalising off of it.
We’ve seen it with countless non-creatives who’ve used pop culture to their advantage. They’re the ones who underpay artists with massive influence (or don’t pay them at all). They use other peoples’ cultures to copy off of, make millions, then sue the little guys. They infringe upon others’ copyrighted or patented content (be it fashion, music, trends, or even phrases) in attempts to pass it off as their own.
And they do it intentionally.
A culture vulture has no shame. And it’s obvious because it’s usually off-brand. It often leaves people wondering why they’ve become relevant all of a sudden. Why they matter.
Don’t be that person.
In corporate video, it can be tempting to want to get involved in popular trends. But how much is too much?
Well, for one, if borrowing from an online or indie source, make sure you and your company pay homage to where its creative content comes from. For example, make sure you credit the original poster on Twitter or Tumblr before you use that creative catchphrase or make that film from Twitter.
Another way to avoid being a culture vulture is to actually hire new blood. This means a diversified staff full of people from all backgrounds who can enhance (and sometimes correct) your usage of pop culture. This not only makes your campaign, commercial, or ad relevant – it also saves you embarrassment from potentially using popular culture incorrectly.
We at Key West Video understand the importance of creating timely, relevant content for the masses. For more information on the services we provide, visit our website today!
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