Viral marketing: discussing brand strategy and the passive voice

B2
90 min
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1

Think about these questions before watching. Share your ideas with a partner.

  1. Think of a product that suddenly became extremely popular, seemingly overnight. What factors do you believe contributed to it becoming a 'must-have' item?
  2. How much influence do social media trends and online personalities have on your own purchasing decisions? Give a specific example if you can.
  3. Beyond its practical function, why might someone feel a strong desire to own a specific trendy item? Discuss the role of community, identity, or social status in these trends.
2

Watch the video from 3:15 to 7:00. Pay attention to the main ideas, key vocabulary, and examples in this section.

▶ You only need to watch 3:15–7:00. The exercises focus on this part.
Video script196 segments · click a timestamp to jump

imagine going back to 1994 and asking

people what a hot product would look

like in 2024 chances are it wouldn't

resemble a Stanley

Cup yet here we are the reusable water

bottles are one of the most sought-after

forms of Beverage containment largely

thanks to Tik Tok Stanley's Revenue

jumped from $74 million in 2019 to $750

million in

2023 but look behind the massive sales

and there's a deeper case study in

effective product marketing and

leveraging cultural momentum I think

with the Stanley Cup brand you're not

really buying into Stanley you're buying

into the community of all the other

girls who have one in their hand and

it's very similar in my opinion to Jolie

the showerhead company that's gotten

pretty popular through customers who

post about it and you know on one hand

it's it's something to brag about right

you have this amazing piece of Hardware

in your home it's that with the Stanley

Cups as well but it's also it's this

sense of community like everybody's got

their Stanley Cup you know everybody's

staying hydrated it's it's something

that signals you know only good

things Stanley Cups marketing has been

successful in the

diversity by which it's gone to Market

so mean sanley cup is a 110 year old

company right and the the products

aren't terribly novel since its

conception 110 years ago like the only

new product it's had as far as a new

actual product was think in 2016 2017

the Quinter Tumblr right they have

different colorways since but the

product has been by and large very much

the same but the marketing savviness of

Stanley Cup is its ability to not only

do the traditional marketing means but

also leverage other vehicles by which

the message is not only reaching new

people but done in new contexts right

this uh this diversity of of

communication derivative Works provides

new opportunities to bring new people

into the brand into the idea so they've

partnered with content creators

throughout Tik Tok that have taken the

brand taking its products and reworked

it through their own cultural frames for

people who self-identify or subscribe to

a similar culture as that

Creator the success of Stanley's

marketing is mainly credited to its

company's president Terren Riley this is

the same man who made Crocs cool during

his 5-year stint as the Footwear

company's Chief marketing

officer after Riley saw the now famous

Tik Tok of a woman's Stanley Cup

surviving a carfire and still containing

ice he said it showed the product is

quote built for life and offered the

woman free Stanley and a new

car when I saw the that he was at the

ham of all this you go oh of course

because it is a very similar Playbook

not in its executions but in its ethos

in that brands are not owned by the

company they are stewarded by the

company but they are co-created their

meanings are co-created by the people

and if you invite people in to to

co-create Val you to co-author The

Narrative you share the pin with these

people to be a part of the mythology and

the folklore they'll do things that you

could never do they'll take you in

places that you can never be they'll

provide a level of media creates that

you can never buy because people trust

people more than any form of marketing

Communications Stanley the top All Steel

Thermos bottle that's completely

defendable Stanley has always always

been kind of a blue collar utilitarian

masculine product right it had an

efficacy it had a utility and not unlike

what Yeti has done with coolers and and

probably their own tumblers and a

portfolio of things they've they've

really found a way to expand appeal to

invite new users in to capture a higher

margin by redefining the brand for a new

generation and new audiences but it's

all rooted in the product quality we see

the absolute power of scarcity the

absolute appeal of limited editions and

and importantly what we also see is

desire um and demand on full display

right social commerce hasn't just um

kind of catalyzed this it's created

Community around it which is yet another

thing we see here which is the power of

community and ultimately identity

naturally Stanley's warp speed rise in

popularity has not been obstacle-free

there were the uncivilized situations at

Target the woman who was arrested for

allegedly stealing $2,500 worth of Cups

and customer concerns over potential

lead

content the company responded to the

concern saying it does use lead

containing sealing material during the

manufacturing process but that the lead

containing parts are covered with

stainless steel making the cup safe that

prompted competitors like Hydro Flask

and aala to take shots at Stanley in

social media posts and promote the

safety of their own products but none of

this appears to be slowing Stanley down

they have a much better grasp on who

their customer is and who's buying and

why they're buying than probably most of

the players in their category that sell

through retail if you look at Stanley as

a company it's not a company that was

venture-backed and forced to grow over a

couple years after launch it's a brand

that took its time to grow and mature

and build brand affinity and I think

that's a great lesson because a lot of

people who start a brand today they want

it to blow up tomorrow

and they want you know millions of fans

who are Die Hard fans of their brand to

be you know really excited about what

they're doing but that takes a lot of

time and consistency and continuity over

the years the other one I think is

figuring out how you turn your brand or

your marketing engine into you know

instead of a megaphone more sort of a a

peer marketing engine I mean it's

interesting because Yeti Hydro flas like

these folks were sort of Main stays in

in the category and again I I've never

seen an ad for hydro FL you know I've

only seen content for Yeti particularly

around the coolers on online but never

seen an ad for it but it's the cultural

contagion of Stanley that has created

such a gravitational pull and I haven't

seen the other brand sort of been able

to leverage its power in in this way

which to me there's probably a a lot of

folks looking at this case study their

competitors saying how do we if not do

our version of this but how do we and a

more Savvy way of looking at it how do

we ignite our own version of cultural

contagion in ways that are very unique

to us and the people who know us and

love us there's no question this isn't

just net positive it's net incredibly

positive right and you know Mayhem at

Target which is what we saw when they

were released a limited edition color

right you know first of all people are

going to people and that's not Stanley's

fault that's not Target's fault right

you know idiots are going to be idiots

but again what it does is it shows it

shows demand it illustrates desire it

puts it on full display we are all

desperate right to connect to belong to

express who we are to have a means of

identification that is culturally

relevant and that's just that's just

humans being humans like we were the

same way with we were in The Capes the

architecture of our brains is unchanged

and I don't think it's that bad to have

what is a relatively affordable quote

unquote luxury and accessible

aspirational vehicle you know if it

makes you happy do it as long as it

doesn't hurt anyone else

3

Answer these questions in your own words. Support your answers with evidence from the video.

01According to the video, what are the benefits for a company when it allows customers to 'co-author the narrative' of its brand?
Sample answerThe video says that when customers help create the brand's story, they will take the brand to new places and create authentic media that the company could never buy. This is because people trust other people more than they trust traditional marketing.
02In what way has Stanley's brand identity been redefined for a new generation?
Sample answerThe brand used to be seen as a practical, masculine product for blue-collar workers. Now, it has been redefined to appeal to new audiences by creating desire through things like scarcity, limited editions, and building a strong community, making it more of a trendy accessory.
03What challenges and controversies has Stanley faced during its recent rise in popularity?
Sample answerThe video mentions a few problems. There were chaotic situations in stores like Target, an incident where someone was arrested for stealing a large number of cups, and customer concerns about the use of lead in the manufacturing process.
04Why does the speaker believe Stanley's long-term growth strategy is a 'great lesson' for new brands?
Sample answerThe speaker thinks it's a great lesson because Stanley didn't become successful overnight. It's an old company that took its time to mature and build real brand affinity. This contrasts with many new companies that expect immediate, explosive growth, showing that building a loyal fan base requires time and consistency.
4

Vocabulary

Vocabulary
These expressions will help you communicate more naturally about this topic.
Examples
To gain traction — to start becoming popular or widely accepted.
Usage note: This is often used to describe how a new product, idea, or trend begins to succeed. For example, 'The new marketing campaign started to gain traction on social media.'
To tap into a market — to access and start using a particular group of potential customers.
Usage note: A common phrasal verb in business. It suggests successfully connecting with a new group. For example, 'Stanley managed to tap into the youth market by using influencers.'
To generate buzz — to create a lot of excitement and discussion about something, often through marketing.
Usage note: This is a key goal of viral marketing. It's often followed by 'around' or 'for' a product. For example, 'Limited edition drops are a great way to generate buzz.'
A double-edged sword — a situation or thing that has both positive and negative consequences.
Usage note: A useful idiom to show you understand complexity. For example, 'Going viral is a double-edged sword; you get free publicity, but you also risk negative attention.'
Public backlash — a strong, negative reaction from many people to an event or a company's actions.
Usage note: Often used with verbs like 'face', 'receive', or 'trigger'. For example, 'The company faced public backlash over concerns about the materials used in its products.'
5

Decide if each statement is true or false. Correct the false ones.

01The video suggests that Stanley's recent popularity is due to it being a new, venture-backed company that grew very quickly.
02According to the speaker, competitors like Hydro Flask used Stanley's lead controversy as a marketing opportunity for their own products.
03The speaker mentions that Stanley's original brand image was associated with being a practical, masculine, blue-collar product.
04In response to concerns about lead, Stanley's representatives denied using any lead in their manufacturing process.
05The speaker believes that the 'cultural contagion' of the Stanley brand is more powerful than traditional advertising, which competitors have struggled to replicate.
6

Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.

Word bank
01It took a few months, but the new app is finally starting to gain with younger users.
02The company's new marketing campaign is designed to the lucrative market of environmentally conscious consumers.
03The mysterious billboards were designed to generate before the product was officially launched.
04Going viral can be a ; while it brings massive attention, it also invites intense scrutiny and criticism.
05After the CEO's insensitive comments were made public, the company faced a severe on social media.
7

Choose the best answer based on what you heard in the video.

01The speaker contrasts a 'megaphone' with a 'peer marketing engine'. What does turning a brand into a 'peer marketing engine' imply?
02What does the speaker identify as the key element of Stanley's recent success that competitors have struggled to replicate?
03In response to the controversy over its manufacturing process, what was Stanley's official position?
04The video discusses several strategies behind Stanley's success. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as part of their approach?
8

Marketing & Consumer Trends

Test your understanding of key phrases and concepts from the discussion on product marketing and community.

Match each item on the left with the correct item on the right.

A
B
9

Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.

  1. The video suggests Stanley's success came from creating a community. Is it more effective for a brand to generate buzz by creating a new trend, or by tapping into an existing market? Which strategy do you think is more sustainable?
  2. Think of a product or brand that has recently gained traction in your country. How did the company manage to tap into the market so effectively, and do you believe the hype is genuine or just a result of clever marketing?
  3. Relying on social media trends to generate buzz can be a double-edged sword. What are the potential risks for a brand like Stanley, and can you imagine a scenario that could lead to significant public backlash?