3 Examples of Great Brand Involvement

How can brands get involved without being annoying? This is a question we ask ourselves as consumers and marketers a lot, because who doesn’t roll their eyes at a bad attempt at staying relevant? If you’ve been on a form of social media in the past decade, you probably have your own list of brand examples that made you say ‘WAT’, from natural disaster posts, sporting events, political posts, and even celeb news. (Yes Pepsi, you and Kendall will never live it down).

I’m not here to stroll down bad marketing memory lane though, today I want to highlight some recent brands that have successfully rode the fine line of just the right amount vs. trying too hard when it comes to pop culture and events.

World Cup

If you’re a sports fan, you are probably aware that the World Cup is happening, like right meow. Now while we’ve all seen the typical sports brand commercials, alcohol brand celebratory ads, and of course the celeb endorsements, Adidas and Nike stood out with their Bitmoji collaboration. It's a simple campaign but who doesn't love adding in their bitmoji every once in a while? While you might not want to change your bitmoji outfit for every single sporting event in a year, this one stands out because it's not in your face but you can still support your team with one of your fave athletic brands without actually buying a jersey.

Pride Month

Do you like gin? Martini’s, a good G&T, or even a gin slushy are great cocktail options for summer. Nolet’s has shared a specialty cocktail that IMHO does not go down the rabbit hole of cheesy rainbow but instead keeps your PRIDE celebration classy. PRIDE is always a fun time for brands to get creative and showcase fun content (especially with glitter), even if edible glitter isn’t your thing, this is a great way for a brand to show support without being obnoxious or pushing a brand agenda on the greater celebration. (recipe here)

Anthony Bourdain

There is absolutely nothing great about this. We were just as shocked, saddened, and remorseful about his tragic exit as everyone else. While there is no true bright side to this, Netflix did offer condolence by prolonging Parts Unknown. It was scheduled to leave the US queue on 6/16 and this move may not seem monumental for marketing purposes but for many of us, it’s a way to celebrate his life and remember how much he meant to us as a world. 

While we could go back and forth all day on good vs. bad marketing examples, these are just three examples of brands contributing to big events in a way that doesn’t make you cringe. When it comes to marketing and community management you need to listen to your target consumers or users, and toe the line of just right or too far. They will tell you if you are on the right path or if you are pulling a Pepsi.