Charli XCX is a masterclass in modern branding… and should be your next “favourite reference, baby”.

We keep hearing about the death of nightlife and how gen z are drinking less, going out less, having sex less (yawn emoji). But then Charli XCX, pop’s fave unhinged party girl, drops “Brat” and clubbing has never felt so enticing. I got back from drinks on Thursday night to my housemate getting hyped in the kitchen, XCX on the speakers. “She’s on a night out in East, gunna catch her set at The Lexington”, he said before heading. Obviously I heard all about it the next morning; how Charli showed up in a neon green “Brat” Tesla with bat wings, the emerging artists she chose to partner with and spotlight for her whistle-stop sets, and (for her devout fans, not so) surprise appearance at Dalston Superstore.?

There’s something so iconic about XCX's strategy for piercing through culture and noise that I can’t refrain from trying to learn from it, analyse it, embody it? So top level, here’s some observations that just might inspire you to channel Charli XCX for your next brand strategy.

1. Own the narrative. The year kicked off with XCX exposing her marketing team (no shade) for their “viral worthy” ideas. Genius. She knew that in doing so, she was revealing something far more interesting and entertaining than anything her team had come up with: an exclusive peek behind the scenes of celebrity marketing. This wasn’t a dig at her team, it was content in its own right. People love to see through the veneer of celebrity, they love to be in on the joke. By being unashamedly herself, Charli XCX showed the cultural power of shit that just cannot be scripted.
2. Stir speculation. First she announced a Boiler Room set with no location. Then she promoted her tour with Troye Sivan through ads on Grindr. Then you see her interviewing kids on viral TikTok account ‘Recess Therapy’. XCX literally has the internet hanging on her next move and nobody can guess it. She constantly gives her fans something to talk about; sometimes letting them in on her references and sometimes making them work for it.
3. Calculate exclusivity. Charli XCX's BRAT Club creates a sense of belonging and insider knowledge, making her fans feel like the chosen few. The limited capacity of her tiny-venue underground tours create a sense of urgency and thrill. Her exterior bitchiness only drives more eagerness for her audience to connect with her true self. She’s monumentally successful, but her unfiltered feelings of insecurity, obsession, and sharp wit are just so deeply relatable and fiercely well observed.
4. Think in layers. Challenging conventional boundaries is in XCX’s DNA. There’s something aggressively anti-aesthetic and provocative about her album artwork. But her tweet declaring, “I think the constant demand for access to women’s bodies and faces in our album artwork is misogynistic and boring,” reveals a deeper level of thoughtfulness to the “Brat” universe.?
5. Self awarenesss as a reactive marketing strategy. When fans are annoyed at her TikToks or have issues with ticket links, she responds by being super personal and self-referential (see screenshots below). This extends to XCX addressing controversies over product placement or poking fun at the UK banning her marketing for obviously promoting a sandwich bag. Obviously. Being real with her audience not only defuses potential backlash but creates a meta-commentary that turns mistakes into marketing moments.
6. Embrace the merch mindset. Charli XCX is like the pop equivalent of MSCHF.? She transforms her performances and appearances into must-have cultural moments. Like luxury brands that turn high-margin items into status symbols, XCX leverages scarcity and cultural capital to keep her audience wanting more.