It’s time for some more trends. There’s been a lot of work in 2020 that’s had us buzzing, and this week was no exception. In fact, in this week’s trend discussion, G/L found a really interesting counterpoint between two brands attempting to ride social media buzz.
The lesson we learned? When it comes to social media, timing is everything. The window of relevancy is short, so you’ve got to capitalize before it closes.
In the first trend of the week, Evian took a big swing and missed. Remember the Fyre Festival? It may have only been about a year ago when the two documentaries about this debacle released (and a year previously when that whole mess blew up in real time online), but in social media years, that feels like decades ago.
Beyond Ja Rule struggling to stay relevant (we were as shocked as you were to see that he’s still around) and Billy McFarland bumbling through his explanations of his decisions to go forward despite being on the event equivalent of the Titanic, one moment that stood out to many was an event producer, Andy King, who said he was ready to perform lewd acts on a customs officer to release Evian water to concert goers.
Now King is a spokesperson for Evian. In 2020.
If that feels wholly irrelevant, that’s because it is. That ship has sailed and everyone has left the island, leaving King and Evian alone on the metaphorical deserted stage.
On the other hand, another King (Burger King), whose large and somewhat creepy mascot has garnered plenty of online buzz, has proven how well a brand can capitalize on a trend if they execute it well and make it timely.
We all are aware of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leaving the royal family, the Megxit as it were. As they attempt to plan their new life as simple working folk with no ties to the queen, Burger King is promoting a career opportunity that would allow Harry and Meghan to remain royal. The company offered them a new crown as fast food royalty. Not only is it timely, it’s on brand and highly shareable. A social campaign fit for a king.
When it comes to social media trends, a great campaign requires as perfect storm of being on-brand, on time and on point. Where creativity meets execution. We’d love to talk trends with you and see how your brand can become a social butterfly. Get in touch!