ICYMI: Last week we revealed how Lox Club was able to pull off a genius brand marketing play utilizing both creator partnerships and paid advertising on TikTok.
This week, we’ll be giving a recap on how a serial dating app user became a TikTok trending topic and controversial content inspo for a handful of brands.
#WestElmCaleb
If you are someone who accesses the internet at all, it is likely by now you have heard the name “West Elm Caleb” at least a handful of times over the past 5 days. And for those of you who are still ???? with the designer furniture boy’s full origin story – here’s a quick timeline of the events that unfolded on TikTok that lead to his rise in (un)popularity:
Part 1: Date 001
NYC creator @meemshou makes a lighthearted video poking fun at how often one can go on a fantastic first date, and then somehow still get “ghosted”
Although the intention was to comment on NYC dating culture as a whole, in her video caption she calls out a boy named Caleb as the most recent “ghoster” and the inspiration of the video.
Surprisingly, this had her comments flooding with girls who had a similar experience with a guy named Caleb in NYC who worked as a furniture designer at West Elm– thus introducing #WestElmCaleb
Spoiler alert: the Caleb who inspired Mimi’s original video turned out to be an entirely different NYC-based ghosting Caleb than West Elm Caleb!
Part 2: Hoping the West Elm Social Media Team is hanging in there
Over the course of the next week and a half, a surge of girls all over NYC began posting videos sharing their experiences with Caleb, bonding with other girls over the hilarious similarities in their courtships, as well as questions from intrigued creators watching this all unfold. For reference, the hashtag #WestElmCaleb has 57.3M views as it stands today.
With such a sharp increase in mentions of WEC, the opportunity for discoverability was at an all time high– something that would trigger any marketer’s gut reaction.
In seemingly record time, brands of all sizes – Uno, Ruggable, Kepler – created content putting their own spins on their relationship with West Elm Caleb, eager to ride the wave.
Part 3: Picking up the pieces (of our hearts)
But, with the subject matter involving a very real person who never intended to be in the public eye, having his use of dating apps turned into an advertisement left many feeling uneasy, and most brands ended up deleting their videos shortly after.
As a part of the “chronically online” generation, it is far from abnormal to share a large portion of your life on various social media platforms. But, most don’t consider that level of transparency as subjecting oneself to “the public eye.” Despite having very public profiles, the intended viewers are people within or adjacent to our social circles– not millions of strangers, nationwide news outlets, and global brands.
And although West Elm Caleb should 100% consider getting himself a copy of “Attached,” being treated like the f***k boy character in a low budget RomCom by the entirety of the internet was definitely not something he signed up for or deserved.
Main Takeaways:
As a platform where content that is both entertaining and captivating thrives, brands on TikTok are quick to offer their own humorous spin on trending topics in lightning speed, with hopes of going viral.
While we all are guilty of getting caught up in the moment and acting out of character at one point or another, there are a few questions brands and creators eager to capitalize on trending storylines should stop and ask themselves:
Does the butt of this joke have an entire PR team at their disposal or are they a software engineer who likes IPAs, has a snowboard that takes up a good portion of his studio apartment, and whose best friend is his rescue dog Scout?
If the answer to the PR question is “no,” will participation in this trend at the expense of this individual improve their life in any way? Will it inch them closer to an appearance on a daytime talk show where they receive one of those giant checks for $50k+?
If yes, proceed with the content brief. If no, sit this one out.
🎵 Trending Sounds🎵
What’s this? I like it, Picasso!
What this sound is: Extracted from a creator’s original video, this sound has been adopted by accounts as a way to show that it’s possible to appreciate something, even if you don’t quite understand it. Creators have been using text overlay to first present the unconventional item or thought, followed up by an explanation, then appreciation.
How your brand can use it: If there is a particularly funny or common confusion among users of your product, you can first present it, then show an individual start to explain the practical solution, followed by being cut off by the user affirming they like your product– whether they understand it or not!
What this sound is: This audio snippet (originally taken from a Katy Perry song) has been used by creators citing a particularly alarming, dramatic, or exciting situation as they attempt to calm themselves down and act as if it’s “no big deal.”
How your brand can use it: Brands can show an overjoyed individual reacting to a product launch, discovering a new use case for your product, or any other fun “hack” you want to share – and pair it with this sound.
If you like what you see, please share with a friend!