The world’s of the Swiftiverse and Warhammer have more in common than we think, and brands can become a part of these worlds too, but must tread carefully.

It has its own culture-specific language, a series of cult-like signs and symbols, and – of course – a highly developed series of rituals and traditions; Warhammer is an excellent example of a subculture. 

What’s more, it’s a subculture experiencing rapid growth too – we can see from our CultureIndex that it’s quadrupled in scale over the last twelve months, and sales at Games Workshop (Warhammer’s creator) rose 26% in the last year. 

As with many tabletop board games, Warhammer saw a surge in new players during the COVID-19 lockdowns (an estimated 42% rise), and while some dropped away, it would appear that the ‘lore’ of Warhammer remained in their imagination – with references to Warhammer, fantasy, and ‘lore’ appearing in music (from AG Cook), fashion (through merchandise from NTS), and even the ‘Swiftiverse’ too. 

But why has this largely violent and pessimistic war game had such a deep influence across such an array of areas of culture? Well, firstly it’s important to note that most of the references just aren’t that deep into Warhammer – they’re references to either visuals or language, and broad nods to fantasy, and even more broadly, a focus on world-building. 

Our belief is that what makes Warhammer such a strong subculture is what also makes it a great (and increasingly popular) cross-cultural reference – to be part of a Warhammer clan is to belong, and to be part of a broader community that often feels like a secret society. To understand the references is to be in the know; and this is a powerful feeling that many subcultures and communities conjure as they grow.

Alongside this, ‘world-building’ has been a persistent part of arts-based cultures for a long time – but has increased significantly over the last decade as artists look to deepen their relationship with fans. From Prince to Cowboy Carter, from Banksy to the Chapman brothers – bringing different realities to life with involved stories, complex characters, and threaded themes has a lot of similarities to Warhammer and story-based strategy games in general. 

These worlds give people a space to belong, to find like-minded people, and to explore alternate visions of reality in new and safe ways. Brands can – and should – play an active role in these worlds. Here are three ways to do that:

• The references that make people feel part of a community can also act as barriers to involvement too. Understanding these ‘secret codes’ and references (visual, audio, or language) to a given subculture or community are the first steps to beginning to step into it. Spending time researching and learning about these references will help you and your brand to create an outline of subculture and its dynamics before you begin to think about your role within it.
  
• While ‘world-building’ has been around for decades in niche areas of culture, its recent rapid adoption within popular culture means for many people it still feels new. Demonstrate your understanding of ‘world-building’ by creating new spaces (physical, virtual, and/or metaphorical) that foster community and connection and expression, and give people places to belong.
  
• Creating your own brand ‘worlds’ is an advanced step, but ‘expert level’ is taking your brand into existing worlds. Step into existing platforms carefully, considering what your purpose is there, what value you’ll bring to the existing subculture and community, and with a comprehensive understanding of the subculture itself. No dad dancing, please. 

To unlock more culture insights, email discover@culturelab.co 

^{(Sources: CultureLab CultureIndex, May 2024; warhammercommunity.com, 2024)}