The year is slowly coming to a close, and this year, we’ve seen brands from all across the globe craft compelling ad campaigns. In the midst of doomscrolling, there have definitely been moments where you’ve stopped and stared, completely mesmerised by what you’re seeing. Curious about which brands made us feel that way too?
With over 67.1% of the world’s population (5.44 billion people) on social media, creating a timeless and immensely rewarding online experience for your target audience can feel like an uphill battle. But once you’ve cracked the code, the rewards never stop rolling in. Hence, here’s a list of five exemplary brands that we believe have had the greatest impact on viewers this year.
Spotify
Coming in hot is Spotify, specifically Spotify Wrapped. For those of you who don’t know, Spotify Wrapped gives you insight into which songs, artists, and genres you listened to most throughout the year. This year’s Spotify Wrapped was particularly interesting. To celebrate the features 10th anniversary, Spotify decided to replace its top genre feature to now include a “Music Evolution” story.
This feature reveals to users the musical phases that distinctively defined their year and for this year, Spotify leveraged AI to craft 13-slides that defined users listening tastes associated with specific character traits.
While the usage of AI in this year’s Wrapped sparked a lot of debate about the integrity of using the feature to capture the essence of humanity, it did garner a lot of attention for Spotify. That means, there were more people talking about Spotify, downloading the app and sharing their Wrapped results on social media.
While for next year’s Wrapped, Spotify may need to do a bit of damage control, this year’s updated attempt definitely garnered a lot of publicity. And sometimes bad publicity is good publicity.
Duolingo
Whether you use Duolingo or not, you’ve definitely come across the Duolingo mascot on social media. And not in the way you think you would.
The app has almost always had a fun yet professional marketing strategy, but this year, the platform decided to go completely off the rails. However, its unhinged marketing strategy has certainly nurtured its success. By steering clear from traditional advertising, Duolingo was all over TikTok and Reels, establishing a brand-new brand identity that appealed to younger millennials and Gen-Z users.
The Duolingo mascot was seen partaking in popular social media trends that used the sounds and vocabulary prominent amongst the younger generation. The trending audios and partnerships add to Duolingo’s narrative, making each new video more memorable.
McDonalds
McDonald’s took the internet by storm by bringing back Grimace– the giant purple character who apparently is meant to depict a taste bud. Well, whether you know what Grimace is or not, the internet is obsessed with it.
Grimace first went viral in 2023 when McDonald’s decided to celebrate the creature’s 52nd birthday with a new limited-edition purple milkshake on its menu. This “birthday treat” then inspired the “Grimace shake” TikTok trend, where users created mini horror movies mocking the effects of consuming the bright purple milkshake.
Fast forward to this year, Grimace is back. And for the first time ever, the shake was released Down Under. So now, even Australians can be seen actively participating in the Grimace shake trend.
Glossier
Glossier is a cult classic beauty brand for a reason. Unlike traditional, airbrushed advertisements, Glossier is big on user-generated content (UGC). The company has over three million followers on Instagram and most of its ads showcase real-world product experiences.
Through a mix of everyday people, texture-driven product shots, UGC content, and of course, a couple of funny memes in the mix, the company has been able to capitalise on word-of-mouth marketing. At present, over 70% of its online sales traffic comes from peer referrals. Glossier’s intimate approach to marketing has enabled the brand’s loyal customers to magnify its outreach.
Crocs
Crocs have officially been made cool to wear again. The brand has endured many ups and downs, but has also withstood the test of time. To appeal to a new generation of consumers, the shoe was re-marketed as fashionable rather than functional. On social media, Crocs pokes fun at itself whilst displaying a huge range of personalities– whether its high-profile celebrities, athletes or even healthcare professionals.
Overall, Crocs’ marketing strategy thrives on embracing the unconventional, leveraging celebrating endorsements and UGC content to target a diverse consumer base.
Why is this important?
Social media is everywhere today. In fact, it’s almost unheard of to not be on some sort of social media. Whether you run a small business or operate as part of a larger industry, social media is essential in elevating your brand’s online presence.
It could be as simple as posting a picture on Instagram about your team or uploading a 10-minute vlog on YouTube about the work you do. And sometimes, you might want to throw in an unhinged video or two to shake things up a little.
An engaging social media strategy humanises your brand and that way, you’ll be able to gain insights into the kind of content that makes your audience tick. Once you’ve figured it out, you’ll be able to create a continuous stream of content that never fails to entertain them.
It’s important to stay up-to-date with what’s going on online. Partake in trends that have the ability to generate a lasting impression on your audience. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to experiment.