Jen Kling’s Post

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Jen Kling Jen Kling is an Influencer

Brand Builder | Strategist | Marketer | Coffee Lover | Wanderlust Seeker

When In Rome... Thought...well...apparently a lot of people and every brand under the sun. The below screenshot of just a small assortment of the brands chiming in makes me think perhaps the wheels are indeed off. This is not cultural relevance. This is not being a part of the conversation. It's a check the box if we don't show up we're the only ones who didn't show up and what will happen if we don't show up kind of tactic that wreaks of same same conformity and fear of well, I don't know, fear of being considered not culturally dialed in? 😱 Jumping on the brandwagon* is not how to be relevant, interesting, clever, or part of culture. It is however a fast track to blending in with every other brand who felt they needed to play the game.  Take a beat. Does this moment actually mean anything to your consumer? Is it in any way a part of what your brand is about? Brands want to be fun and pithy and exude personality, but when you look at the below, doesn't it seem like they're all...exactly the same? 🤔 In a world where trends fade fast, and there's a new meme a minute, pause and consider if the cost of not showing up outweighs the diminished return of showing up all the time, even when and especially when, it doesn't make any sense. *The brandwagon: this term is one of my own pun-loving imagination, it is not real, please use responsibly.

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James Gregson

👨🏻💻 Brand & Marketing Creative Leader: building and growing Brand through strategic brand marketing, breakthrough creativity, data and purpose • 🏆 Adweek Creative 100 • 🇺🇲 🇬🇧

11mo

Inquiring minds need to know what the average consumer thinks of this stuff, because the cynical marketer in me has many (not positive) opinions 🫢

Sara Wilson

I coined the term digital campfires. Now I help brands build them 🔥 Creating community-powered pathways to attention, relevance & loyalty with Gen Z | ex-FB & IG | Speaker, YouTube | Contributor, Harvard Biz. Review

11mo

10000 percent true. Loved this take on the death spiral of a TT trend https://shorturl.at/kRT25

Kennyatta Collins

Brand Strategist | Photographer | Chronic Odds Defier

11mo

I’d be curious to see how much of these tactics come from not knowing how to communicate to the target audience on a constantly shifting platform like X or a platform that hasn’t the traction yet like threads.

Josh Cole

CMO / Marketing Leader / Advisor. Entrepreneurial marketer who delivers quantifiable brand & revenue growth. Performance mindset + creative spirit. Dedicated to developing inclusive, collaborative, high-performing teams.

11mo

There's a personal branding version on Linkedin, when suddenly our feeds are full of the same idea posted by multiple people, all shared as if it's a unique thought. I find the copycat thinking lame - don't know if I'm too sensitive to it or anyone else feels the same. Will call it "personal brandwangoning" now in honor of your new term.

Avnie Bansal

Growth at Creative Salon | LSE

11mo

Love *Brandwagon!! haha But just on moment marketing - I feel these are the low-cost, low-effort social activations that help brands keep up appearances! While some might be silly as a sock and make no sense, some are harmless trends to jump on that seem to be paying off.

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Bryan Waddell 🏄

Senior Marketing Manager - Hot Pockets at Nestlé | 40under40

11mo

Check the average age of the community manager first 🤷♂️

Clay Ostrom

Win with a brand built on research, not guesses | Founder Map & Fire 🔥, SmokeLadder | Contributor at Foundr Magazine

11mo

This is our future if we let generative AI run things. 😂

Jeremy Adney

Design Manager - Consumer Experience @ AdventHealth

11mo

Brandwagon is a fantastic phrase. Kudos.

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