Viral Products and the TikTok Generation

I was talking to my cousin about social media marketing the other day to get another perspective on how social media affects our everyday lives. Instantly she told me about TikTok, a platform used by many people across the world, especially Gen-Z. More specifically, she talked to me about the Skyhigh mascara phenomenon, a product she and many of her friends have bought because of the app and which has swept across the platform to the point where it has sold out multiple times. For those not in the know, there has a been a new viral trend in TikTok where people are trying on the Mabelline Skyhigh mascara, and showing what their face looks like before and after applying it. 

The product first gained traction after TikTok influencer Jessica Eid posted a sponsored video showcasing its positive qualities, showcasing the application and the differences before and after putting it on. Even for someone with no knowledge about beauty products, the contrast is quite stark. This product most definitely helps the eyes "pop" and changes the way a person looks. As my cousin puts it, "the product is perfect. All mascaras advertise the before and after, but really none of them walk the walk after talking the talk. The videos that I have seen proved that it is more than worth buying it." I have to agree with her.

What I find most interesting of all is the products' virality. Some people who have tried out the product have liked it so much that they decide to make posts showcasing the difference before and after using it on social media like TikTok without being sponsored by the company. This is a perfect example of Viral Marketing, with people believing in a product so much that they advertise it on their own time for free. It really is the perfect storm: you make a product that people really enjoy and where you can easily spot its impact, and people will more than gladly show their friends, family, and followers how much it matters to them. Let this be a lesson for any aspiring marketers; sometimes, you just need a product to speak for itself. 

What do you think about Viral marketing? How important are influencers in shaping consumer wants and needs? Have you tried a product that has been promoted on social media before? Let me know in the comments!

Company Battles

 We've all seen it before: A company posts something on their social media. Maybe it's a new promotion or product, a meme, or just a poll. What they get is a witty response in the replies... by another company. Companies interact with one another constantly, and it is a good strategy. Friendly banter establishes the members of it as important, gives onlookers a reason to follow both accounts, and keep the brands top of mind, all of which are crucial for Social Media Marketing. As such, I want to look over a few of my favorite Twitter feuds between giants. 

A classic, the smartphone market is a battlefield where Apple and Samsung constantly trade market share and try to strive to become THE smartphone. So of course, when the opportunity arises to be snarky and promote Apple's other competitors, Samsung more than obliges. It's a simple response, but it hits Apple perfectly, giving Samsung a well-deserved win in the constant struggle that is brand social media interactions. 

Another great example of a short but hard-hitting reply, this time in the automobile industry. Audi posts a cool-looking picture promoting their M4, and BMW quickly swoops in to promote their own brand and denigrate Audi's. It's a bit more aggressive than the previous example, but I would still call this banter. All in all, score for whoever manages the BMW USA account, as well as for anyone that enjoys watching companies feud.

Not all wars need constant battles. Ceasefires here and then have occurred during war. The first that comes to mind  is the Christmas truce of 1914, where many British and German soldiers in WWI agreed to a stop for the warfare during December 24 to 26. A ceasefire in the comic book occurred when Chadwick Boseman unexpectedly passed away. Here we can see DC, Marvel's main competitor, honoring the actor's legacy. A class move all around that puts both Marvel and DC in a more positive light.

Here's another interesting "ceasefire." With the COVID pandemic happening, Burger King decided to make a post inciting their followers to shop at fast (and not so fast) food places, including their chief rival, McDonalds. An interesting strategy indeed, Burger King shows solidarity for their competitors and they are seen in a more positive light. They still promote their product and brand, but they also create an image of altruism by telling their followers to go elsewhere to support everyone during an unprecedented time. A very smart move all-around.

So what are some of your favorite social media interactions between brands? What do you think is the best way to interact with competition in social media? Let me know in the comments!

Trendy Wendy's

For as long as I can remember, social media has been a part of my life. I was just a kid when my mom set up my Facebook and I followed all of my friends. A few years later I joined snapchat and twitter. They are just what my generation lives and breathes. One of the reasons I chose the topic that I chose for this blog was because of twitter accounts like Wendy's. There is something brilliant about how well they have incorporated millennial and gen-z into their brand through the use of social media, especially Twitter. It's constant "beef" with other burger chains, self-aware humor and snark are what draws many consumers into what is essentially a constant advertisement machine. Simply put, Wendy's Twitter account is brilliant.

Wendy's Twitter account often goes after its main competitors, such as Burger King and McDonalds, especially when egged on by other twitter users. The account will highlight the other restaurant's shortcomings, such as McDonald's well-known issues with ice cream machine, or the lack of online following for brands like Carl's Jr. Despite these attacks, the company and brand do not seem overly combative or aggressive. In fact, the general way that the Wendy's twitter account can is perceived is as funny, snarky and endearing, as can be seen by the high number of likes and retweets for the account.

Even Wendy's posts that are thinly-veiled promotions of their product line get a good amount of likes and retweets through the use of humor and self-deprecating humor. What Wendy's Twitter account has done is make itself a space for relatable millennial/gen-z humor that tells you about new and delicious products and subconsciously reminds you to get it when you're out and about. After the brand's twitter success, there is no doubt whatsoever that this is the future for social media marketing.

What do you think about Wendy's approach to Social Media Marketing? What are they doing right or wrong? Do you have a favorite Wendy's tweet? Let me know in the comments below!

How do you do, fellow brands?

 Hello everyone, and welcome to my blog!  I find the way advertising has changed over the years to be very interesting. As many of you know, television usage has been dropping for many years, with people opting to use online entertainment services instead. Where once marketers had plenty of space to push their brands messages out there, it is becoming harder to reach new generations who get on Netflix, binge shows uninterrupted, and use ad blockers. This does not mean that brands couldn't reach young audiences, however. Social media has been on the rise for a while, and many people my age use it every day. This has presented an opportunity for brands to become relevant in the public conversation, in part by emulating our manner of speaking and posting online. What this means is that many brand twitters try to employ self-aware, self-deprecating, or absurd humor that you often see from normal twitter users. 

You may be wondering why I chose the "fellow kids" meme for my blog. The reason is simple: It is the way many in my generation perceives brands trying to cater to us on social media by acting and talking like we do. Simply put, some brands are better than others at generating goodwill online or staying hip. The goal is for your brand to be part of the conversation and in the consumer's mind; maybe when you go to the store, you'll buy Pepsi if you remember their snarky tweets at Coke, or you'll go to Wendy's when you remember their funny memes that left an impression on you. Sometimes trying to blend in does not go to plan and you end up hurting your brand more than helping it, or you tweet something that offends a large portion of your clientele. There is a balance to be struck, and while it may seem easy enough to tweet random drivel or memes to get the "young'uns" to buy your product, it can be quite hard to do properly. 

For the above posts, it is clear that whoever ran the account didn't fully grasp what they needed to do in order to stay relatable. Posting a meme and lazily connecting it to your brand is simply not enough and only makes you look even more out of touch, as can be seen by the low number of likes and retweets despite Ruffles being a very well-known brand, enjoyed by many social media users. Even worse, using a hashtag without realizing it's about abuse survivors makes you seem out of touch and offends a lot of people who see your tweet as making light of a serious and important topic. Regardless of whether big brands stay relatable to millennials and gen z, it is certain that their social media accounts and their manner of speaking will continue, with more and more adopting the strategy as time has gone on. With this blog, I hope to explore some of these brands, their strategies, their successes and their mistakes. 

If you want to read more about brand successes or failures, here's a few pages that I found interesting about the topic:

https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2018/06/29/funniest-twitter-accounts

https://www.inc.com/max-totsky/social-media-fails-2019.html

What do you think about social media marketing and these brands' approaches to it? Let me know in the comments!