Lost in Found: Ben Harms

Connecting with Youth Culture Without Being Cringe

It’s time for another episode of LOST IN FOUND, the podcast from Catch+Release that explores the space where creators, creatives and Chief Marketing Officers come together. In this episode, our host (and C+R ECD) Tom Christmann speaks with Ben Harms, Chief Growth Officer at Archrival, a youth culture agency that's redefining how brands engage with young adults.

Archrival, a youth culture agency based in Lincoln, Nebraska, with additional offices in Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles, California, is at the forefront of redefining cultural engagement for brands aiming to connect with younger audiences. With a roster of high-profile clients such as Adidas, Red Bull, and Spotify, Archrival leverages its deep understanding of youth culture to create authentic and memorable brand experiences. Through a blend of strategic thinking, creative innovation, and a rebellious spirit, Archrival not only navigates the complex landscape of modern marketing but also serves as a great example of how brands can genuinely engage with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, fostering brand love and loyalty while driving sales.

Bottoms Up

What makes Archrival so good at engaging with young adults? It starts with that old buzzword: authenticity. For Ben, that starts with connecting to the true source of brand culture: the customers themselves. After all, they’re the human beings who embody the essence of the brand. This approach often means leaving more corporate marketing methodologies behind.

As Ben says, "It[‘s all about the] content creators and finding local people and it becomes this very bottom-up engine that helps the brand understand where culture is going. [Then it’s about] activating out in the world and representing the brand in an authentic way."

At Archrival, this strategy of empowering youth isn’t just about talking to young people; It’s about hiring them too. And then putting them into empowering roles where they can make a real difference. "We really surround ourselves as an agency,” says Ben. “We can't claim to be a youth culture agency if we don't have a ton of young people working for us.”

Curiosity + Co-creation

Archrival's office features a mural of the White Whale from Moby Dick, symbolizing their ethos of passionate curiosity and the pursuit of greatness. "It's always about that pursuit and always about staying curious,” says Ben.

That relentless quest for the next big idea and understanding of cultural dynamics eventually led to a pivotal strategy of empowering brand fans to co-create. But this isn’t some scripted influencer program. Instead, Archrival leaves the creativity up to the creators themselves, building a deeper, more meaningful connection to the audience.

"The more we put a formula around what we expected them to do, the less successful and impactful it was," says Ben.

Community Over Computers

And while everyone is all agog about the new AI-powered digital tools that seem to be emerging daily to make marketers lives easier, Ben firmly believes in the power of old-fashioned human connection. "There is no better driver for impact than real human beings who are passionate about your brand, who co-create with you, and will help you understand where culture is going," he said.

What about traditional Influencer Marketing? A striking statistic Ben shared was the shift in Gen Z's trust: "86% trust a brand that's publishing UGC [User-Generated Content], while only 12% trust a brand when it's promoted by an influencer.” This shift underscores the growing importance of user-generated content in building credibility but also means that every brand needs to get to know more creators. And think about creating a community around the brand.

When it comes to creating that community, Ben advises a gradual approach. "It takes time to build that," he says, emphasizing the importance of aligning with business metrics and strategic understanding of the brand. Getting to know the people who are naturally talking about your brand on social media platforms is a good first step.

We hope this conversation with Ben Harms not only sheds light on the evolving landscape of marketing to young adults but also provides actionable strategies that modern marketers can implement. Here’s three takeaways we heard loud and clear.