What brands can learn from Anora beating Wicked at the Oscars

The Oscars. A night of suspense, sparkle and at least one acceptance speech that goes on too long. But beyond the red carpet glitz and heartfelt thank-yous, there’s a deeper story to unearth about taste, timing and the cultural temperature of the times.

While Wicked reportedly spent $150 million in global marketing efforts and generated countless viral moments, it was Sean Baker’s Anora—an indie film made for just $6 million—that dominated the evening, picking up five awards. The electric atmosphere and fervent applause that greeted underdog Anora’s Oscar sweep reflects audiences’ hunger for fresh narratives, bold visions and original stories. 

Look back at the last few years of Best Picture Oscar wins and you notice a trend. In 2024, Oppenheimer cleaned up. Big budget, even bigger cast, biopic format. But the year before? Everything Everywhere All At Once was the longshot that triumphed: irreverent, chaotic and completely wild. Look back further and The Shape of Water (quirky), Parasite (non-English language) and CODA (small-scale) all prove the underdog can win big.

The lesson to brands and CMOs is clear: Cultural impact isn’t about who spends the most—it’s about who resonates the most. The best brands aren’t trying to be everything to everyone. They’re laser-focused on what makes them different, and they own it unapologetically to earn cultural cachet.

Don’t go chasing algorithms

With the rise of TikTok-fuelled, hyper-niche categorisation (think Pink Pilates Princess and Coastal Cowgirls) and “core-ification” of trends such as #GrandpaCore and #UnderconsumptionCore, brands are encouraged to become evermore reactionary to algorithmic spikes. 

When a brand activates a trend at the right time, in the right way, the short-term impact can be striking. But the problem with hyperreactivity is it often erodes authenticity. Constantly chasing the algorithm is not a long-term brand strategy. Instead, the key to staying relevant is consistency over chaos. The most culturally resonant brands have a clear point of view and a personality that stays recognisable, no matter the platform or trend. 

Anora is proof that story beats spend. Because it has something money can’t buy: emotional depth, authenticity and a story that resonates. What it lacks in special effects or lavish cinematography, it delivers through a singular creative vision, a style that embraces imperfection and a move into fresh, uncharted visual and emotional territory. 

As consumer demands grow increasingly sophisticated with each year, achieving genuine relevance becomes a delicate balance of keeping up with culture without simply piggybacking trends. To avoid getting lost in the noise, secure trust and cement their place in cultural conversations, brands should move beyond surface-level trend-chasing and focus efforts on delivering something original and human-centric. 

Jump on trends without a real reason to be there, and brands risk coming off as desperate, not relevant. Consumers, especially Gen Z, are expert-level at dissecting and dismissing inauthentic messaging. If your values don’t line up with your actions, they will call you out. Brands need to play the long game, not the gimmick game.

Shaping the agenda

Another error? Mistaking noise for impact. 

Just because you go viral, it doesn’t mean you necessarily matter. Cultural resonance isn’t about being the loudest—it’s about being the most meaningful. Universal’s publicity storm for Wicked delivered ROI in immediate box office sales, ranking as the biggest opening in history for a Broadway-to-film adaptation. Whether people will still be talking about how the movie made them feel in five years remains to be seen. 

The brands that endure don’t just comment on what’s happening; they shape what happens next. Mschf, while not a brand in the traditional sense, is a masterclass in cultural hacking that sets, rather than follows, the agenda. With its art-collective-meets-product-drop model, Mschf understands that the best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing. Rather, it feels like an insider club you’re lucky to be in. The troupe’s diverse, subversive commentaries on culture have earned the clout to influence the influencers; generating endless memes and levels of online discussion that brands often shell out thousands to achieve.

Another power move to carve out a place in culture? Invite people in. The brands that win in today’s landscape aren’t just talking to their audience; they’re listening carefully and building with them. Co-creation, community involvement and open-source branding aren’t just buzzwords, they’re what turns a campaign into a movement. Skims, for example, has commanded modern essentials marketing, tapping into what people want to wear now, not just what looks good on a runway. Yes, its drop model creates demand, but more importantly, its inclusivity feels intentional, never performative. 

Show, don’t tell

And here’s something brands don’t think about enough: Embrace mystery. Not everything has to be optimised, over-explained or immediately monetised. Some of the most talked-about brands are the ones that leave a little to the imagination, making people lean in instead of scroll past. 

In an age of oversharing and overexposure, defying categorisation to build intrigue is an underrated strategy. Liquid Death is rightly lauded for turning water—literally water—into a counterculture movement. Its success proves that convention is just a suggestion—awaiting considered, intentional disruption. In an oversaturated landscape, people want to champion something that feels real and earned, not predictable or heavily funded. 

Wicked may have had the machinery behind it, but Anora had the heart. For brands, this indie underdog’s breakthrough sends a timely message: You don’t need a massive budget to win, you need a perspective people care about—and the creative vision to deliver it. 

Jolene Delisle is the founder and head of brand creative at The Working Assembly.