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Today’s marketing world is just so fast. Everything feels so rapidly used or leveraged. For example, trends nowadays feel like a charity gala open invitation where people can just jump in without a second thought. One moment can go viral, and suddenly, it’s a piece of meat that all lions want a bite from. But here’s an uncomfortable truth for you: not all trends can be suitable for your brand to have a moment. Because believe me when I say that when brands jump in without thinking, audiences know.
The Story Everyone Watched
Egyptian tales are never-ending. We have the good, the generous, the hideous, and the baffling. However, one recent moment that went viral in Egypt was Essam and his backpack. After telling his mother that he traded his school bag for a luncheon sandwich, his mother stepped in quickly in order to clarify to the school that his story didn’t add up much. The school responded kindly by replacing his bag and getting him new supplies. This was considered by the internet a story that held a resonating human moment. Audiences? Oh yeah they got hooked and started engaging with the whole scenario.
From Moment to Marketing Playground
As a natural response, brands saw an opportunity and some stepped in to leverage Essam’s moment and tie their names to it. Shrimpzone, B.LABAN, and other names jumped in and recreated the whole trade story with Essam. However, not all brands resonated with the whole trend idea. Yes, trading Essam’s bag for a whole shrimp tray is all fun and games. It worked because it aligned. However, that wasn’t the scenario for all brands. Here’s where it gets interesting.
The Brands That Stayed Silent (But Shouldn’t Have)
While some brands (resonating or not) rushed in to jump on the trend, ironically some other brands (who, in my opinion, were more than relevant) stayed quiet.
- A luncheon brand could’ve owned the narrative completely since it all circulates back to that specific product.
- A noodle brand like Indomie, which Essam actually likes, as his mom stated, had a natural entry point
- Stationery brands could’ve aligned with the “back-to-school” sentiment
Instead, many of these brands missed the moment. That is just as telling about their way of thinking as the same as brands that jumped on the trend without a second thought.
Relevance Isn’t Optional
Here’s the lesson or the moral of the whole story: trends are not a free-for-all thing. Just because a moment goes viral doesn’t mean your brand belongs in such virality. The brands that win the market and are seen are not the fastest.
They’re, however, the most relevant to the trend or at least have a narrative that could be. Jumping on a trend without alignment may feel like you’re forcing yourself on the market and backfire badly. It confuses audiences. It weakens brand identity. On the other side, sitting out a trend you perfectly fit? That’s a missed opportunity. You don’t want to be included in both negative poles.
