If you were anywhere near social media last month, you likely saw rows of red flags flooding your news feed. And it wasn’t just regular Internet users posting them. Brands and celebrities, from Dreamworks to Dolly Parton got in on it too.

So, what was it all about?

In a nutshell, it started as the Internet’s way of sharing relationship warning signs that quickly took on a life of its own. Even Crocs (yes, the spongy shoes we all love to hate) tweeted “I’m not a Crocs person” as a signal it’s time to ditch your significant other.

LEVERAGING INTERNET CULTURE TO MARKET YOUR BRAND

Brands have been jumping in on viral trends for years. With great success in a lot of cases. But great success isn’t always guaranteed. In fact, piggybacking on a mass movement can do more harm than good in the current (and let’s face it, unforgiving) state of social media.

In this post, we explore the topic of ‘trendjacking’ as part of your marketing strategy and offer some Sugar-tested dos and don’ts:

  1. Know Your Audience: Before jumping on a viral trend, take stock of who your audience is and ask yourself. Does this trend speak to them? For example, if your audience isn’t likely comprised of many Star Wars’ fans, it doesn’t make sense to leverage #MayThe4thBeWithYou as part of your marketing strategy. Just because it’s popular and trending doesn’t mean it speaks to your target crowd.
  2. Keep it Relevant to Your Brand : It’s natural to want to insert your brand into a viral trend. But it can backfire if the movement you’re joining has little (or nothing) to do with your brand’s identity, image or value proposition. Don’t sacrifice hard-earned authenticity to fit a fleeting trend
  3. Establish Guidelines and Stick to Them: To avoid wading into hot water, establish a system of evaluating trends BEFORE you jump on them. Might this trend offend some of our followers? Will it potentially confuse our customers? Does it conflict with our core values? These are key questions to consider prior to hitting “post.”
  4. Be Selective: There are few things more annoying than a brand that hops on every social media trend under the sun. Instead, it’s wiser to be choosy and only “trendjack” when the above conditions are met.

As marketers, it’s not enough to stay versed on the latest Internet trends, we also have to use them responsibly. The above tips are a great starting point to ensure your company or brand is always on the right side of trendjacking.

No red flags here!

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