Who cares about 'what's working' anyway?

In both casual conversations and in business settings alike, we’re always asked how a brand or talent can really stand out: should they follow this viral trend? Or leverage what [insert viral cool brand] is currently doing?

The answer almost always lies outside of the above. Imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery, but that’s about as far as it’s going to get you.

We specialise in developing a memorable identity that leaves a tangible impression on your community. That takes time. And doing something people have seen a million times before isn’t enough for them to be able to RECALL your name or your brand in the long run.

WHAT IS BRAND RECALL?

Let me ask you a question. Of all the tweets or tiktoks you’ve seen today - how many usernames or profiles can you remember right now, without checking? It’s likely to be a low proportion. This is what ‘brand recall’ is - the ability for someone to remember you, so the next time they come across you, there’s a heightened level of trust.

LET ME GIVE YOU 3 EXAMPLES FROM THE REAL WORLD. CORTEIZ. THE TIKTOK FOR YOU PAGE. SOLANGE KNOWLES.

Stick with me. It’ll all make sense.

Let’s start with the one on everyone’s lips — the TikTok For You Page, affectionately known as the FYP. There’s a sentiment that simply following viral trends on TikTok will bring you overnight success. Good luck with that.

Here’s what we’ve learned about the algorithm after 10,000+ hours on the app. The TikTok algorithm is built to entertain the viewer, not necessarily immediately nurture highly engaged customers or audience… you’ve got to work a bit harder for that.

Take a look at any growing TikTok account under 100k followers - while they will have videos with 100,000s of views, they also have multiple that appear to have ‘tanked’ according to older-school social media standards.

At the peak of Instagram, going viral meant your business skyrocketed overnight. The transition from viewer to follower to cold hard cash was almost instant.

That isn’t a guaranteed outcome anymore. Why not? Because the FYP is designed to be an endless stream of variety, which makes it more difficult to keep attention. Especially if you’re jumping on viral trends, you become a voice in a sea of multiple that adds depth, texture, and entertainment to the trend - but your name, face, and brand become forgettable.

LESSON #1 - DOING ‘WHAT WORKS’ WITHOUT CLEAR FOLLOW-THROUGH IS A WASTE OF TIME.

Anyone can search for what’s trending right now. You don’t necessarily need me to advise you on that. The question is - how do you get people to convert from viewers to followers? How do you get people to stick? To remember who YOU are once the viral trend is done?

Like everything in marketing, there are many ways to achieve a single goal.

But here are two fail-safes:

1. create a recognisable motif (and use it frequently) and;

2. find a ‘hook’.

Your recognisable motif could be a strong way of editing, a clear, compelling introduction, or simply a unique take on hair/makeup/clothes. Kyle Marisa Roth shares celebrity blind items using a catchphrase that all pop-culture-obsessed fans of the millennial variety know, Britney’s ‘you want more? I’ll give you more as an intro in ALL her videos. Immediately a) implying to first-time users that we’ve been missing out and b) connecting instantly because the overlap between Britney-obsessed and the celebrity-gossip-obsessed communities is strong.

Our favorite type of ‘hook’ is in your prime real estate. Your display name. TikTok prioritises screen names over @handles, which gives you more space to quickly communicate your value during your precious 15 mins of FYP fame. So use it. Having an obscure name that no one can remember isn’t going to help. Clean Girl Hacks knows exactly that. The account's name is super clear, so if you’re a disciple of the clean girl aesthetic, you immediately know from a single video that the entire account is exactly what you need to achieve your Hailey Bieber-branded dreams.

LESSON #2 - DO YOU.

LESSONS FROM CORTEIZ RTW AND SOLANGE KNOWLES

It’s that simple, and it applies to both talent (public figures) and brands.

These days, Solange Knowles is known for her exquisitely crafted multi-disciplinary creative work, that is starkly different from her sister Beyoncé’s musical style. But there was a time when their father and Destiny’s Child's long-term manager, Matthew Knowles, wanted Solange to join the group that kickstarted her older sister’s career. It was working for one daughter, why not get BOTH daughters in on the action, right?

NOTE: THE (HE)ART DOESN’T LIE

Similarly and more recently, cult London brand Corteiz announced their partnership with Nike in a stealthy, batman-esque projection on London’s Niketown building in Central London.

Here’s what the founder had to say about their journey to prominence:

NOTE: IF YOUR CUSTOMERS LOVE YOU. THE ‘RULES’ DON’T ACTUALLY APPLY.

It’s not that influencer marketing or good press are irrelevant. Of course, they’re important. But as I said, there are many ways to create resonance and market yourself or a product. You don’t need a stale and overdone formula. You need to follow through on new ideas and experiments, even if they get their fair share of criticism, as did Corteiz’s 99p sale.

Instead of chasing virality, create space for creativity and experimentation. Trust the team you’re working with. The most effective campaigns are experimental to some degree. Live a little. It’s more fun that way.