When it comes to hashtags and memes, this segment of internet culture is ubiquitous across social and digital platforms. It’s simply another form of communication, another way to bring specific points across, to induce certain emotions in an audience and to express oneself or one’s brand.
#tbt or #ThrowbackThursday/#Throwbackto/#ThrowbackTuesday is particular popular and, in a nutshell, involves reminiscing on past moments by posting old photos. How popular you ask? Well, Instagram currently has over 335 million posts tagged with #tbt. It comes as no surprise that a hashtag embracing nostalgia would be this powerful. (My blog on nostalgia can be found here).
The question is: how can companies utilize such internet culture to speak to their customers? Recently, my colleague sent me the above picture of a promotion being run by Massy Stores, a regional supermarket chain. The below picture was taken from Massy Stores Trinidad’s Facebook page. Both are a great example of merging online media and offline marketing techniques to create a fun, recognizable slogan across two channels that helps drive their promo home. It shows that Massy has an understanding of current online trends and it’s refreshing to see companies taking advantage of these viral tags to differentiate themselves from the noise.
So remember, the next time you come across viral hashtags or similar internet media, try to think outside the box for your brand. Not everything will be applicable but you will find that sweet spot that elevates you from your competition, both in the online and offline space.
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