Do brands know what’s trending locally?

Nearly one-third of the world uses social networks regularly, and a 2017 study by Mediakix found that the average person will spend more than five years of their lives on social media.

Platforms like Facebook and Twitter have transformed the way brands and companies are able to engage with their customer bases and promote their products and services. In other words, social media has truly changed the way we advertise.

For brands who stay up-to-date with consumer trends, viral topics offer a unique opportunity to hone their voice, increase brand recognition and, most importantly, connect with their consumers.

Creative Culture have put together a list of some of our favourite recent campaigns from around the world.

Swiping right on their marketing approach

In July 2017, a young American man tweeted screenshots of his literally years-long conversation with fellow Kent State University student. Despite swiping right nearly 3 years ago, the two had never met in person, and instead texted each other with ever more dramatic excuses for their delayed response.

Not surprisingly, the tweet quickly went viral and Tinder seized the opportunity to garner some attention by offering the couple a dream date anywhere in the world.

Prior to their official first date, the two met for the first time on morning television show Good Morning America before being flown to Maui, Hawaii for an all expenses-paid, week-long “date”.

Not only did Tinder increase its brand recognition through its twitter exchange, it also capitalised on the Good Morning America television slot.

Embracing trends keeps you young

In 2016, an Instagram trend appeared in Japan. Users were showing off their DIY phone cases, makeup bags, and pencil cases made using an Evian water bottle label.

One Evian pencil case tutorial by Japanese vlogger Mako Ikeda even garnered nearly half a million views. 

Evian seized this opportunity and created a website specifically dedicated to showcasing these creations.

The brand also took it one step further by partnering with My Little Box, a monthly beauty subscription service, to release a series of limited edition label designs for these crafty social media users.

Get #GitheriMan a cell phone!

A photo emerged during the recent tense Kenyan elections that quickly went viral, as it featured a man queueing to vote while nonchalantly eating githeri, a traditional meal of boiled maize and beans.

From this image, the hashtag #GitheriMan was born and the internet was shortly awash with many memes featuring the man’s image.

When the man in the photo, Martin Kamotho, was located, Citizen TV Kenya reported that he did not own a smartphone and therefore was unaware of his immense popularity until his aunt showed him.

Safaricom Limited, one of Kenya’s leading internet and mobile service providers, answered the plea of many Kenyans by gifting the man and his family new Samsung S8+ smartphones in a series of tweets that garnered over 1.5k retweets.

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo, we can stay out past midnight, too!

Earlier this month, women in India began posting selfies to social media platforms using the hashtag #AintNoCinderella. The hashtag was created by Divya Spandana in response to an Indian politician’s comment that a woman who was chased by two men who attempted to kidnap her “should not have gone out at 12 in the night”. The hashtag quickly went viral, gaining attention from global networks like the BBC. Over the weekend, women continued to tweet their support and Indian brand TE-A-ME joined in early Monday morning, tweeting out an advert raising a glass – or rather, a tea cup – toasting the women. While the subject matter surrounding the hashtag is quite controversial, the tea brand has never been shy about expressing their opinions.

These examples illustrate how the growing power and influence of consumers, through their engagement with brands on social media, have evolved online marketing strategies. Similarly, a brand’s choice to get involved in trending topics demonstrates their understanding of and commitment to their consumers, both local and international. Because let’s not forget, understanding local markets and trends is the key to success.