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In today’s nonstop, hyper-connected world, headline-worthy cultural moments come one right after the other. High profile events like the Olympics, Oscars, Met Gala (and even the release of a highly anticipated streaming series) can capture global attention and spark widespread conversation.
For marketers, that makes for a very valuable newsjacking opportunity.
When leveraged effectively, these happenings can significantly boost engagement, enhancing awareness and inspiring customer loyalty across segments. A real-time marketing moment or campaign shows audiences that your brand is in tune with what’s happening in the world and your brand has a personality.
It’s easier to jump in and get noticed when folks are already excited and talking about something. But how can brands tap into these moments without looking like they’re trying too hard? Read on to learn how to identify and integrate cultural moments into your marketing campaigns and see how others have gotten in on the action this year.
Identifying the Right Moments for Your Brand
The cultural moments we’re referring to often come with massive media coverage and online buzz, giving you a golden opportunity to amplify your voice and reach a broader audience. But to make sure your message lands, you have to do your homework first. Here’s how to get started:
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Stay on top of trends: Keep an eye on current events, trending topics, and social media buzz. That doesn’t mean just skimming headlines; dive into discussions and really listen to understand what’s resonating with people.
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Know your audience: Find out what your audience really cares about — their passions, preferences, and habits. Are they sports fanatics, movie buffs, fashion enthusiasts, or something else entirely? Pick moments that will resonate with their interests.
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Align with your brand values: Make sure the moments you choose align with your brand’s mission and values. Authenticity is key – if something feels forced, your audience will notice.
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Be sensitive and authentic: Avoid exploiting sensitive issues for marketing gain. It’s one thing to join in on a light-hearted event, but leveraging more serious issues can backfire. Keep contributions meaningful and respectful.
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Start small: Not every effort needs to be a big campaign. Sometimes, a well-timed and cleverly crafted social media post can make just as big of an impact.
Tactic #1: Plan Ahead
Real-time marketing usually depends on day-to-day newsbreaks and social media activity, but certain cultural moments are annual or planned much more in advance. From awards season to fashion week, sporting events, and beyond, savvy marketers have plenty of time to roll out relevant content.
Brand Example: LinkedIn — Everyone’s Business
Two years ago, in partnership with LinkedIn, the esteemed Cannes Lions finally introduced a category honoring creativity in B2B marketing. To fuel that fire and help grow the industry further, this year the professional social network got two-time Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Ben Proudfoot to create a film for the event worthy of the silver screen.
Why it Works
The result, “Everyone’s Business,” is a remarkable effort that passionately explores the world-changing activities and immense potential of B2B companies in an accessible and highly engaging way. “At LinkedIn, we fundamentally believe we are a knowledge marketplace,” says the company’s Senior Director of Marketing Solutions, Tusar Barik. “It’s a place for you and I as professionals to share information,” and that’s exactly what this film does.
How do we help raise all the boats? That’s what we want to do in the B2B industry – to help marketers understand how to get better at their jobs.
📅 Related Reading: How to Plan Your B2B Marketing Strategy
Tactic #2: Pay Attention
Timeliness is essential to leverage cultural moments. Real-time marketing requires agility and a keen eye on trending topics to quickly integrate a brand’s message into the current conversation — no matter how big or small the resulting effort may be.
Brand Example: Away — Yes, Chef
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Earlier this year, when Calvin Klein revealed its underwear ad featuring Jeremy Allen White, star of the hit series The Bear, the public’s response was huge and immediate. With something so instantly viral, when the marketing team at Away made the connection between the actor’s abs and the ridges on their suitcases, they knew they had to act fast to make an impact.
Why It Works
Less than 24 hours after the initial idea, their spoof photoshoot was up on Instagram, where it’s garnered over 19,000 likes — far and away more than any other post. “Our team’s bias for action is what made this so successful,” said Alice Chen, Director of Social Media and Community. “What started out as a funny ‘what-if’ during a creative meeting turned into a ‘let’s go’ Slack.
Partaking in a cultural conversation where our audience is involved is paramount to Away’s social media strategy, and the content felt ownable and entertaining, so we knew we had to act.
📰 Related Reading: Newsjacking: 4 Best Examples of Brands Capitalizing on Viral Moments
Tactic #3: Leverage Influencers and Brand Partnerships
Partnering with influencers who are already part of a cultural moment only amplifies your brand’s reach and credibility. This kind of synergy can bring in new audiences and higher levels of trust — invaluable when it comes to creating authentic connections with fans and potential customers.
Brand Example: 7-Eleven x Ja’Marr Chase — Always Open
— Ja’MarrChase (@Real10jayy__) October 8, 2023
After scoring three touchdowns on the heels of a game that left him frustrated and telling cameras he was “always [expletive] open,” Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase posted the picture above to X — a snapshot of a 7-Eleven, whose tagline happens to be one and the same: Always Open. Less than a week later, a perfect brand partnership (plus merch!) was born when he hit the field repping a chain with the convenience store’s logo.
Getting this visible during an NFL broadcast is worth millions of dollars.
— Jordan Rogers, sports marketing expert
Why It Works
As a totally organic collaboration, 7-Eleven’s collection of t-shirts, caps, onesies, and more quickly became a fan favorite. Isjamarropen.com is still live, still funny, and still leads to the drop’s remaining items. And with ongoing efforts to sponsor college athletes, 7-Eleven already had a stake in sports when this opportunity landed in their laps — making the partnership all the more natural.
🏆 Related Reading: Brand Champions: The 4 Best Sports Marketing Campaigns of 2024
Tactic #4: Don’t Shy Away from the Unexpected
Sometimes, aligning your brand with an unexpected or seemingly irrelevant cultural moment can thrust it into the public eye and elevate its perception. By surprising and delighting audiences, when done right, this approach can boost recall and make you more memorable.
Brand Example: Museum of Discovery’s Met Gala
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In an unlikely mash-up, a science museum in Little Rock, Arkansas capitalized on the buzz around the Met Gala by creating a social media campaign matching their Animal Ambassadors to Met Gala looks. Imaginative and homespun, the timely post was met with heightened engagement on Instagram, tons of additional views from re-posts on popular subreddits, Imgur, and beyond.
Why It Works
This campaign is a prime example of a low-fi, low-cost concept turned major hit. It blends two powerhouse marketing principles that are working especially well right now: timely and cultural + satiating the public’s only increasing appetite for the odd, absurd, and downright bizarre. The last thing you’d think of when you think of museum-dwelling birds and reptiles is Zendaya dripped out in Maison Margiela — and that’s exactly why this surprise hit works.
🤪 Related Reading: Marketers: Weird is Back, Embrace the Absurd
