The return of traditionalism? Cultural backlash and narrative reframing in Super Bowl television advertising (2021-2026)

Resumo

This dissertation examines the relationship between advertising, brand identity, and cultural transformation through the lens of contemporary cultural backlash. Grounded in the assumption that advertising operates as both a reflection of brand identity and a response to broader cultural dynamics, it investigates how brands negotiate the tension between cultural responsiveness and identity preservation amid a shifting ideological landscape marked by the transition from progressive brand activism to emerging forms of conservative and traditionalist backlash. The study draws on theories of culture, branding, authenticity, brand activism, and Cultural Backlash to argue that accelerated ideological shifts have intensified the challenges of maintaining coherent brand identities. To examine this phenomenon, a longitudinal mixed-method approach was adopted, analysing Super Bowl commercials released between 2021 and 2026. The methodology combines qualitative interpretation with a qualitative coding framework to identify changes in advertising narratives across the period. The findings suggest that advertising does not exhibit an explicit return to conservative ideology but rather a selective reintegration of traditional elements into contemporary brand communication. This "soft comeback of traditionalism" is primarily reflected through increased product centrality, changes in gender representation, and the renewed use of traditional cultural imagery, employed as symbolic resources to reinforce authenticity and brand coherence rather than as overt political statements. The dissertation contributes to the literature on advertising, branding, and culture by arguing that the principal strategic challenge facing contemporary brands is no longer simply adapting to cultural change, but doing so without compromising the symbolic coherence of their identity. In periods of accelerated ideological change, authenticity increasingly depends on balancing cultural responsiveness with continuity of brand identity.

Ficha do documento

Tipo

Dissertação

Ano

2026

Instituição

Fundação Getulio Vargas

Fonte

Repositório da FGV

Idioma

Inglês

Acesso

Acesso aberto

Identificador

oai:repositorio.fgv.br:10438/41073

Palavras-chave

Cultural backlashTraditionalismBrand authenticityCultureReação culturalTradicionalismoAutenticidade de marcaCulturaAdministração de empresasPublicidadePosicionamento (Publicidade)Imagem corporativaCampanhas publicitárias - Aspectos sociaisComunicação e cultura