10:11am
Article By: Madison Morgan, Senior Marketing & Communication Strategist
As a Marketing Strategist, I see most things I come into contact with through the lens of marketing, positioning, or understanding how brands are showing up to their audiences. Whether watching The Bachelor with my friends or learning what toys are best for my 10-month-old to play with, there’s something to learn in all of it.
I have been particularly excited and inspired by unique brand collaborations lately. In a sponsored post I saw the other day, I was reminded of the importance of really knowing your audience, was inspired by a cross-industry collaboration, and likely found my new go-to paper towel brand.
I watched the video at least four times and then sent it to my friends to watch and dissect. Talk about impact!
Let me set the scene for those of you who haven’t been keeping up with the drama from the 2021 Bachelor, Matt James, and the winner of his season, Rachael Kirkconnell. (roll your eyes if you must, but bear with me)
Rachael “won” Matt’s season of The Bachelor, and they left the show without getting engaged. Over the last four years, they’ve been dating, traveling, and becoming social media “food critics,” developing a significant following.
They have each amassed a large, dedicated social media following, worked to separate themselves from the Bachelor franchise, and built their brand as a couple. They were the couple to be in Bachelor Nation, and everyone has been waiting for their engagement.
In mid-January, Matt James posted on Instagram out of the blue that they broke up. It was a wild post and garnered a lot of attention, but things from Rachael’s side were radio silent. All of Bachelor Nation was wondering why. Why did they break up? Why haven’t we heard from Rachael? Why was it announced like this?
About a week later, Rachael shared her side of the story on Call Her Daddy, a popular podcast hosted by Alex Cooper. The episode was a hit, with over 2.9M views on YouTube alone. People love to know what’s going on!
Apparently, Matt unexpectedly broke up with Rachael on her way to the airport to fly home from their trip to Japan. As she was boarding the plane, he posted about their breakup, so the whole world knew hours later as she was about to be on a 12-hour flight without internet access. (Can you feel the drama??)
Brawny, the paper towel company, stepped in and said, “Oh, that’s one messy breakup! We got you, girl!” and partnered with Rachael to create this TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@brawny/video/7474284640442846506?_r=1&_t=ZT-8uCSqS03jnm
What I like about this from a marketing perspective and someone in their target audience:
This partnership highlights two main takeaways that are relevant to every business regardless of industry, age, or level of interest in The Bachelor.
First, collaborations can (and should) happen across industries.
Think about yourself, your brand, or your clients. Would partnering with someone from a totally different industry increase your reach, impact, or relevance?
As you think about potential connections, remember that you only need one thread of connection. For Brawny, they saw a mess that needed cleaning up. It didn’t matter that it was a relationship mess and couldn’t actually be cleaned up with a physical paper towel. They focused on their brand being reliable and dependable, unlike your ex. The Brawny Man is there to help you even with the most dramatic messes that show up in your life.
We recently found this thread of connection with our client, Alpacasews, and a local non-profit, Piedmont Wildlife Center. Alpacasews creates unique, custom plushies and is launching a new line of Dumpster Darlings, featuring rats, possums, and raccoons in trashcans. (cute, right?)
They are partnering with Piedmont Wildlife Center to educate about wildlife protection, help build new habitats for animals at the Center, and to increase brand awareness for both organizations. Alpacasews is even creating a custom stuffed animal inspired by an actual animal at Piedmont Wildlife Center. Be on the lookout for Edgar the Raven!
Second, knowing your audience (like really, really knowing them) is one of the most important things you can do for your brand.
It’s safe to assume that most of you are not familiar with this Bachelor drama unfolding over the last month. If you saw this video on Instagram or TikTok, you likely swiped past it.
However, as someone who watches The Bachelor regularly, attends a weekly watch party with my friends, and participates in an annual “fantasy league” (I know, I’m outing myself here) I was immediately invested. I watched the video several times, shared it with my friend to dissect, and have now written an article about the impact.
I am the target audience.
What makes it even more impactful is that I have no allegiance to a paper towel brand as a mom, wife, and consumer. But now that I have engaged with this collaboration, Brawny is a top-of-mind brand for me now and will likely impact my purchasing decisions moving forward.
As you consider whether my engagement with Bachelor Nation is healthy, ask yourself how well you know your audience. What are they engaging with on social media? What media do they consume after their 9-5?
Remember that at the end of the day, your audience is more than “C-Suite Executives” or “Marketing Managers”; they are moms and dads, friends, foodies, and pet owners. Consider how you can reach and engage with them beyond the obvious channels, partnerships, and avenues.
Thank you for bearing with me through the drama, details, and Bachelor deep cuts. Will you accept this rose?🌹