To Trend Or Not To Trend?

In Trends

Deciding whether to trend or not is hardly a choice but when brands do, they need to ask whether the juice was worth the squeeze. It’s a struggle many brands face because as incredible as trending can sound for brand exposure, it can also do harm to a campaign where Afrillennials lose track of the brand message and chase the hype in the moment. Is trending going to give your campaign staying power? Here are 3 factors to consider before hitting send for that “mind blowing” campaign.

1. Humans Sell To Humans

We can’t stress enough that you are selling to human beings, not robots. Students can decide what they’ll put on their budget list and what won’t make the cut. When it comes to your messaging Afrillennials who love what you have to say will likely continue to support your brand, especially if your messaging is relevant and frequent enough to remind them you’re there – Ask – Does the content resonate with them? Will they find it worthy of their engagement and what are the perks for them?

One brand that got it right, with one of the most effective campaigns to hit South African campuses is Team NESCAFÉ. They headed to TUT, Wits University and University of Pretoria and invited students on campus to the ultimate Connect Café, where students got to connect with each other in a very special way over a fresh cup of coffee.

NESCAFÉ supplied campuses with thousands of limited red mugs. Students styled-up their mugs creating custom designer mugs, with their twitter handles as their signature! These mugs made their way to the next campus where students could keep a unique mug from another student, thereby creating a very special connection. Of course they knew where these mugs came from; all they had to do was check out the Facebook, Twitter or Instagram handles on the mugs, to further the connection.

The result: #ItAllStarts, the official NESCAFÉ hashtag trended numerous times over the short space of time that the brand was activating on campus and these pop-up Connect Cafés are still going strong!

This campaign ticked an important box with the youth: It was relevant! Students instantly got involved and were willing to engage with complete strangers, which made them the driver of the message and in turn made NESCAFÉ a relatable brand to the student market. The reason the campaign was relevant is that it allowed them to connect with their peers, which is also one of the top ways Afrillennials share brand information and inform purchasing decisions. This certainly made the campaign a winner with Afrillennials as they spend a lot of time on social media posting about various events and non-events. The brand literally took over the campuses visited by being in touch with what students want. NESCAFÉ created greater reach and set the bar for what could have otherwise been another boring day on campus.

2. Stay In Your Lane

Everyone and their teddy bear collection has realized the power of climbing on a brand’s following to get traction on social media and brands don’t mind the attention. Afrillennials have realized that hopping on the follow-train could boost their status on social media. With every mass follow comes a mass unfollow and they gain the numbers. To avoid this your brand should be taking the time to convert a follower or viewer into an engaged member of its brand community.

3. Keep The Momentum Going

One mistake brands should never make, after running a campaign that gets them on the trending list, is to go dead silent in the days that follow. It’s worthwhile to have a social media plan that has continuity so that your brand has a consistent presence in the eyes of the youth, even if it’s as simple as sharing generic information about your offerings. Sometimes this is needed, but balance this content effectively with a hint of infotainment, to avoid losing the youth’s interest.

According to the most recent Student Spend Report, the youth are “NOW” oriented in terms of their spending habits. This means, as much as your brand is a favourite to them in the moment, it may not necessarily be the case when they get to the store tomorrow and set sites on other offerings. Their interest is fleeting, and a comprehensive yet flexible social media plan needs to be rolling at all times so that your brand is always at the top of student minds.

Touch And Go!

Needless to say, trending is still high on the list of wants brands have when it comes to executing kick ass campaigns on the ground. If you’re in need of expert help in creating an engaging brand campaign set to rock students’ attention your way, we have just the right offerings to get your brand trending! Call us on 011 885 3918 or email .