Viral marketing: analyzing a brand's success

B2
90 min
Premium
1

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

  1. Think about a product that suddenly became extremely popular, perhaps because of social media. What was it, and why do you think it became so sought-after?
  2. How much influence do online reviews or content creators have on your decision to buy something? Share a specific example if you can.
  3. What does it mean to 'buy into a community' when you purchase a product? Can you think of a brand that makes its customers feel like they are part of a special group?
2

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

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 speaker, what are the benefits for a company when it allows its customers to 'co-author the narrative' of its brand?
Sample answerThe video says that when customers help create the brand's story, they can take the brand to places the company couldn't. It also generates a level of media and trust that money can't buy, because people trust other people more than official marketing.
02How has the Stanley brand's image and target audience changed from its original identity?
Sample answerOriginally, Stanley was seen as a practical, 'blue collar utilitarian masculine product'. The video explains that, much like the brand Yeti, Stanley has successfully expanded its appeal to new users and generations, allowing it to charge higher prices.
03What challenges has Stanley faced during its recent rise in popularity, and how have they affected the brand's success?
Sample answerThe brand has faced several challenges, including chaotic situations in stores, a theft incident, and customer concerns about lead in the manufacturing process. However, the video states that despite these issues and competitors' criticisms, none of it seems to be slowing Stanley down.
04In what way does Stanley's growth strategy differ from what many new brands today want, and what has made its marketing so effective compared to competitors?
Sample answerStanley's growth was slow and steady over time, building real brand affinity. This is different from new brands that want to 'blow up tomorrow'. Its marketing is more effective than competitors because it has created a 'cultural contagion' and acts more like a 'peer marketing engine' than a traditional advertising 'megaphone'.
4

Key vocabulary for discussing brands

Vocabulary
These expressions will help you communicate more naturally about viral marketing and brand identity.
Examples
tap into (a market/an emotion) — to access or make a connection with a large or powerful resource, such as a new group of customers or a strong feeling
Usage note: This phrasal verb is common in business and marketing. For example, a brand might 'tap into' the youth market or 'tap into' feelings of nostalgia to sell a product.
cult following — a small but very dedicated and enthusiastic group of fans for a particular brand, artist, or product
Usage note: Use this to describe brands with extremely loyal fans who create a strong community. It often suggests the brand is niche or has a unique identity that people connect with deeply.
generate buzz — to create a lot of excitement, discussion, and attention around something, especially before it is released
Usage note: This is often the main goal of a viral marketing campaign. Companies use social media, influencers, and limited editions to 'generate buzz' and get people talking.
word-of-mouth — information or recommendations passed from person to person in conversation
Usage note: Often used as an adjective, as in 'word-of-mouth marketing' or 'word-of-mouth recommendations.' As the video suggests, it's considered very effective because people trust their friends more than advertisements.
brand perception — the collection of thoughts, feelings, and expectations that consumers have about a particular brand
Usage note: This is a key concept in marketing. A company's actions, advertising, and product quality all shape its 'brand perception.' For example, 'Stanley's brand perception shifted from utilitarian to trendy.'
5

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

01The video suggests that the high demand for Stanley cups is partly due to the appeal of limited editions and the principle of scarcity.
02Following the controversy about lead, Stanley's competitors used social media to highlight the safety of their own products.
03When customers raised concerns about lead, Stanley's official response was to deny using the material in its products.
04The speaker believes Stanley's recent success is based solely on clever marketing, suggesting the product's quality is no longer a key factor.
05According to the speaker, competitors like Yeti have successfully replicated Stanley's marketing approach to create a similar cultural impact.
6

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

Word bank
01The company's rebranding campaign was a huge success, completely changing the public's of their products from old-fashioned to modern and innovative.
02The mysterious trailers and cryptic social media posts were designed to generate long before the movie was released.
03Despite having a small advertising budget, the new restaurant became incredibly popular purely through recommendations.
04The indie video game never became a mainstream hit, but it developed a dedicated following that kept it popular for years.
05Successful marketing campaigns often the emotions of their target audience, creating a strong personal connection with the brand.
7

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

01According to the video, what has been a key role of social commerce in Stanley's success?
02What lesson does the speaker highlight from Stanley's long-term growth strategy?
03What does the speaker identify as a unique aspect of Stanley's marketing compared to its main competitors?
04Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the video as a reason for Stanley's recent surge in popularity?
8

Marketing strategies in action

Complete the sentences to learn more about how brands build popularity.

Match each sentence beginning on the left with the correct ending on the right.

Drag or click to match
Definitions
9

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

  1. The video suggests that Stanley's success is due to marketing savvy rather than product innovation. To what extent do you agree that a brand's ability to generate buzz and manage its brand perception is more critical for success today than the actual quality or novelty of its product?
  2. Think about a product in your country that has developed a cult following, similar to the Stanley Cup. How did word-of-mouth and social media help build this community, and what specific emotion or market do you think the brand managed to tap into?
  3. Some might argue that marketing that creates a cult following based on community and trends, rather than product features, can be manipulative. Do you believe this form of marketing is a sustainable long-term strategy, or is it a short-term trend that will fade as consumers look for more authentic connections with brands?