Marketers are under increasing pressure to serve up a customer experience in which the customer can participate.

Promo Magazine: Live from IEG: The Rise of ‘Culture Marketing’.

"The relationship between brands and society will be a major opportunity and chafing point for the next century," said Zolli, founder of New York-based think tank Z Partners. "People deeply resist the idea that they’re merely consumers. They are participants—and what’s more, they are in control."

"Rather than interrupting consumers’ experiences, companies have an opportunity to enhance them," she said. "The big opportunity is to make people feel better about themselves because of a sponsorship."

Strike a balance between "broadcast, where the media happens," and "conversation, where culture happens," Zolli said. Brands need to balance both kinds of marketing messages while remaining culturally authentic.