First of all, let me introduce myself. My name’s George and I’m one of the Digital Designers here at mmunic. I joined the team back in August 2020 (the early days of this seemingly never-ending pandemic), and since then I’ve been watching how brands have taken on their marketing strategies a little differently compared to how they would have done a year prior.
While stuck at home throughout most of 2020, more people than ever before have had time to try out social media for the first time, which in result has caused a huge shift in the world of digital marketing. Everyone’s mum, dad and nan are on TikTok now. And if your dog doesn’t have a brand deal already, well…
Image provided by Hootsuite
On top of this, big brands are finally realising that no one likes a ‘corporate’ social media account. People want to see some personality behind the brand they’re investing in. At the end of the day, the internet is a place where people go to take a break from their busy lives, whether that’s reading ridiculous tweets, watching the latest viral video or sharing hilarious memes with their friends (and yes, that also goes for B2B social media users).
Seeing as I haven’t yet got my dog a brand deal, I thought I’d use all that extra social media time I’ve clocked up to dive deep into how other brands have responded to the new social media landscape. Here are some of my favourite social campaigns that big brands have rolled out since the start of 2021:
JANUARY
Burger King kicks off the new year with its first major rebrand in 20 years
Burger King has definitely given the phrase “New Year, new me” a whole new level…
The insanely popular and successful fast food chain has teamed up with design agency Jones Knowles Ritchie to rebrand their company with fresh new visual designs, restaurant concepts, decor, colours, fonts, uniforms, even packaging and merch, and I am obsessed! They have completely moved away from the well-known 1999 logo we have all grown to love, and switched it up with an updated play on the 1969 and 1994 versions that reads “Burger King” nestled between the buns. Simple but stylish!
The company’s big marketing goal was to use design to have people craving their food. Heavily inspired by real and delicious food, the more modern look for the fast food chain marks the first complete rebrand in over 20 years and is said to more authentically represent Burger King’s values.
Experience the all new Burger King yourself by watching the advert showcasing their rebrand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjT6hCNfthY
JANUARY
Girls react to the first female, Black, and South Asian Vice President
Girl Up, a gender equality and leadership initiative from the UN released a powerful video called “Today We Rise”, illustrating the unmeasurable impact of the first female, Black, and South Asian American to hold the title Vice President.
The short film launched with the tagline, “When one girl rises, all-girls rise.”
On the 20th of January, 2021, young girls around the world are crying with tears of joy watching the first Black and South Asian woman to become vice president. These touching moments were captured by a network of photographers and cinematographers across 30 different U.S households.
Melissa Kilby, Girl Up’s executive director, said Harris’ new role as the first Black and South Asian woman vice president “is about hope and possibilities—it’s about infinite potential, of every girl, everywhere. Girls seeing her taking the oath will grow up to remember the moment they believed they could do anything.” This moment in history is definitely going to have a huge impact on generations to come!
Read the impacts Kamala Harris has left on young girls across the country here:
Watch the video here:
FEBRUARY
That weird and wonderful time Weetabix took over Twitter
Sometimes the best way to go viral is to be completely and utterly ridiculous, and that is exactly what Weetabix did, and, well, just look at what happened…
The good people of Weetabix trolled Twitter with the suggestion you might like to try adding beans to your cereal. The post began trending immediately and was a controversial hot-topic tweet for the next week!
If Weetabix were looking for a reaction – then they definitely got one. Literally everyone was talking about the tweet they posted and pretty much every brand known to man began adding to the bizarre thread by adding their own brand related puns!
Lidl, Domino’s, Specsavers, Tinder, KFC, Krispy Kreme, National Rail, Tesco, Marmite, NHS, Yorkshire Tea and so many more big named brands we all know and love were involved in the national debate that divided the nation. Speaking of dividing the nation… The debate was even taken into the House of Commons by Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, now there’s something you don’t see every day!
Watch the political weety-beanz debate here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT1tpetJFQ4
The Weetabix/Heinz medley Twitter thread has to be one of the best Twitter thread interactions of all time. I highly recommend you take a look at the Twitter thread yourself (if you fancy a silly giggle): https://twitter.com/weetabix/status/1359074254789165059
You’re welcome.
Would you eat beans on your bix for breakfast? Tweet us! @mmunicltd
MARCH
KFC say goodbye to their 64-year-old slogan due to the pandemic
KFC plucks slogans from other brands. The fast food giant placed a digital ad van outside of Nike’s well known Oxford Street store.
As KFC are currently winging it without a slogan (yes, the pun was definitely intended) due to the pandemic suspending their famous 64-year-old tagline “It’s Finger Lickin’ Good” (for obvious reasons), the fast-food franchise is having some fun on social media by pushing some buttons, and we can totally see why! #PleaseDon’tSueKFC #ComedyGold
APRIL
Fisher-Price shows us how to be kids again and see toys everywhere
Fisher-Price’s latest campaign invites viewers to rekindle their childhood imagination by finding new meanings for everyday objects around them.
This heart-warming campaign video by Fisher-Price shows a broom being used as a guitar, a hairbrush doubling as a microphone (who didn’t do this!?) and an ironing board becoming a surfboard, and well…you get the picture! Everything is a toy in the world of a child. The brand reminds us to release our inner child and to look at the world a little differently, just like we did as kids!
The famous toy company took their social media marketing to the next level when they began to post everyday objects as tiny packaged toys on their Instagram feed. Such a clever concept!
Watch how you can find toys all around you by watching their adorable video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xWrE9jXeU0&feature=emb_title
Is it time to shake up your social media?
So, are you now inspired to change up your brand’s online persona? Maybe it’s time to change up how you post, let loose and get creative! Sometimes all it takes is to think outside the box, let your inner child out and be a little bit more fun.
If you’d like a helping hand getting your social media up and running, just give us a call or an email, or an Instagram message, or a Facebook message, or a Twitter DM, or even a phone call, whatever you prefer. Anytime from 9-5, Monday – Friday, we’re here to help! (Just not on the weekends, because I’m busy trying to make brand deals with my dog).
I hope you enjoyed a few of my favourite campaigns this year that have been offered to us so far! Stay tuned for many more weird and wonderful campaign updates. I’m now off to eat a bowl of Weetabix and beans (while still trying to get my dog that brand deal…).
