Subaru Crosstrek
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Subaru Crosstrek *
Through deep research on the modern hippie subculture, we uncovered what drives freedom, community, and exploration.
We translated these cultural insights into a Subaru Crosstrek strategy that authentically connects with a niche audience and turns understanding into meaningful brand positioning.
This project challenged us to connect Subaru Crosstrek to a community that lives on their own terms, with a goal simple but bold:
understand a subculture deeply and let those insights guide every single strategic decision.
The Process
The Challenge
The challenge wasn’t just about selling a car - it was about discovering how the Crosstrek could live within the lifestyle of a group that values meaning, independence, and nonconformity over traditional measures of success. To do that, my team and I had to move past stereotypes of “hippies” and instead uncover how they define themselves today.
The Approach
To understand the modern hippie subculture, we combined qualitative research with immersive observation - visiting spaces where the community gathers and seeing firsthand how they express identity, make choices, and build connection. This approach revealed key patterns while acknowledging the individuality that defines the subculture.
Our core insight: “We reject the norms of being tied down to a physical location; we’re driven by insatiable curiosity and a desire to explore—even off the beaten path.” Subaru and the modern hippie spirit are kindred forces, rooted in freedom, exploration, and connection. For those who see life as a journey rather than a destination, Subaru is more than a car - it’s a trusted companion along the way.
Personal Takeaways
This project taught me how to research subcultures with empathy and rigor. By combining surveys, interviews, and cultural observation, I learned how to translate human values into brand strategy. More importantly, it showed me that authentic connection starts with listening - when you understand people deeply, the creative strategy almost writes itself.
Key Artifact: Target Audience Persona
By synthesizing survey data, interviews, and real-world observations, we created a customer persona that captures the core motivations, values, and behaviors of the modern hippie subculture. This persona captures the insights that guided our strategy, showing how freedom, exploration, and community drive their decisions and how Subaru can authentically connect with them.
Which of the following values is most important to you?
How many times a year do you travel?
Here’s a peek at some of the feedback that shaped our approach and helped us to get inside our audience’s head.
Meet our customer persona:
Sage Montgomery.
See how we brought our research to life in this creative brief.
