Selling a Conversation: Marketing Strategy in the era of the Attention Economy

In today’s ultra-complex media landscape, capturing viewer attention is mandatory for any effective advertising campaign as discussed in Marketing Week, “Attention is advertising’s currency”. With content proliferating, attention has become a scarce resource and thus a strategic asset.

According to research in the broader “attention economy,” firms must navigate crowded digital landscapes to capture and retain audience engagement. Brands now fight for our limited attention. In a marketplace where content is abundant and time is finite, attention has become the new competitive frontier. Businesses now must develop innovative strategies to stand out and connect with their audience.

Traditionally, marketing emphasises the 4 Ps product, price, place, and promotion. But in today’s attention-driven environment, a new logic emerges: the product can become the medium for conversation, rather than just the item being sold. When a brand launches a product not merely to fulfil a functional need but to spark discourse, shareability and social momentum, the product plays dual roles: as merchandise and as message.

This shift means that success is no longer measured solely by sales volume or profit per item. Instead, a brand may prioritise how much talk is generated about the drop, how many conversations it sparks, how much earned media it receives, and how it reinforces the brand identity.

Case study: SKIMS

Founded in 2019 by Kim Kardashian (with co-founders Emma Grede and Jens Grede), SKIMS is a brand that has skillfully harnessed media and social platforms to build meaningful connections with its customers. By July 2023 the brand was valued at about $4 billion after a funding round.

While SKIMS’ success is certainly built on product (shapewear, loungewear, inclusive sizing), what stands out is how every release and collaboration becomes not only a shopping moment, but a cultural moment. The brand uses celebrity endorsements, social-first campaigns, inclusive messaging and timed drops all engineered to generate buzz, sell out quickly, and get people talking.

On October 14, 2025, SKIMS released the Faux Hair Micro String Thong retailing at $32. According to the fashion press, the drop sold out within hours of release. Rather than

another basic underwear drop, it leans into absurdity and shock value. It broke norms and caught people’s attention.

Rather than just being marketed, the product is the marketing. The drop is designed to generate news coverage, social media memes, debate and that earned media far outweighs the typical ad spend.

But despite its absurdity, it still aligns with their reputation for inclusivity and body positivity so the stunt doesn't feel completely disconnected from the brand’s identity.

In a world where the average consumer is bombarded with messages and where attention is a challenge brands must face, SKIMS’ Faux Hair Micro String Thong serves as a great example of how brands can engineer a product not merely to sell but to spark conversation to preserve the brands memorability and cultural relevance.