Table of Contents
In the summer of 2025, something unexpected happened during a Coldplay concert in Boston. The show’s “kiss cam” captured Astronomer CEO, Andy Byron, embracing the tech company’s head of HR, Kristin Cabot. Their first reaction was to hide, which lead bandleader Chris Martin to quip, “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”
It didn’t take long for us all to learn that it was the former, as the image spread around the world in just a few seconds. We all remember the countless memes that circulated online, and how brands took advantage of the moment to promote their products. One of the most amusing campaigns was the private jet company GlobeAir, who advertised Boston-Hawaii routes for just €98 as a way to escape after a Coldplay concert.
This is a clear example of “trendjacking”, a marketing strategy that consists of taking advantage of a popular trend – be it an event, a hashtag, a meme or any trending topic – to position the brand at the centre of the discussion. It is not a new phenomenon, but the fact is that it is increasingly used to connect with audiences on social media.
TV and movie promotion
Netflix is one of the masters of this phenomenon. In 2014, singer Justin Bieber was arrested for speeding and driving under the influence. The official X account of the prison series “Orange Is The New Black”, one of the platform’s biggest hits, tweeted the message “We’ve got an open bunk for you, @justinbieber” alongside his mug shot.
Over the years, Netflix has also established collaborations with other “partners” to promote their catalogue. In late 2024 it teamed up with McDonald’s in Australia to celebrate the second season of “Squid Game”, with an exclusive menu and the chance to participate in a $100,000 prize draw through a game filled with references to the Korean series.
One of the most ingenious companies when it comes to linking TV and movie launches with their own products is undoubtedly the supermarket chain Lidl. As an example, using the poster of the new version of the film “Wuthering Heights” to promote a hiking jacket, or alluding to “Heated Rivalry”, the hit series about the romance between two rival ice skaters.
New product launches
One of the keys to “trendjacking” is to be nimble when it comes to riding the wave of popularity of a topic at just the right time. The latest edition of the Sprout Social Index™ study, which analyses the use of social media in marketing, states that 27% of consumers consider brands to be effective only if they participate within the first 24-48 hours of a trend.
One example of agility is the agri-food company Heinz. In September 2023, Taylor Swift appeared at a Kansas City Chiefs game with Travis Kelce, her alleged new partner. One of the singer’s fan accounts on X posted a photo of her eating chicken with “ketchup and seemingly ranch”, one of the most popular condiments in the US, quickly surpassed over 30 million views.
In just 24 hours, Heinz announced the launch of a new product, transforming its “Kranch” sauce, a combination of ketchup and ranch, into “Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch”. The 100 limited edition bottles sold out immediately, but within two weeks the supermarket chain Walmart was already selling the product nationwide. The sauce brand undoubtedly achieved a much higher potential reach than just its usual followers, which is one of the objectives of “trendjacking”.
That same year, Burger King not only launched a special combo at the same time as the premier of the movie “Barbie”, with a pink burger and Ken fries, but one of its Brazilian stores also decorated its entire facade with the pink theme.
Meanwhile, the accommodation platform AirBnB made Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse available to its users.
Animals as a hook
In recent months, the term “therian” has become embedded in the digital conversation through social networks such as TikTok. These are people, usually teenagers, who say they identify as non-human animals, which has sparked equal amounts of controversy and memes around the world. So much so that brands such as Durex and Rexona have not hesitated to join the polemic, with messages as daring as “So, what therian are you in bed?” and “Get the therian scent”, respectively, in their campaigns in Latin America.
Continuing the animal theme, who hasn’t yet heard of Punch, the Japanese macaque who bonded with a stuffed animal after its mother abandoned it? The tender story not only sparked a flood of visitors queuing at the gates of Ichikawa City Zoo, but also generated millions of online interactions, both from users and brands. But if there is one brand that has been able to jump onto this topic so quickly, it is Ikea, the manufacturer of the plush animal, which naturally sold out worldwide.
Ikea Singapore:
Ikea USA:
Ikea UK:
Ikea is also one of the companies that have best used “trendjacking” to interact with potential audiences in real time thanks to the Super Bowl. And without having to pay for ads. In the latest edition, the artist Bad Bunny paid tribute to his native Puerto Rico, as well as to Latino culture, through a show full of rhythm and colour. The multinational brand reflected the event across all its social media, in different languages, with clear references to elements of the show that could well be sold in their stores.
Ikea Spain:
Ikea Switzerland:
Ikea Chile:
Lidl also showed off its characteristic wordplay. And LEGO fans reproduced Bad Bunny’s house in miniature, as well as collecting signatures to petition the company to actually make it. Time will tell if LEGO actually will.
Recognition of social rights
As we have seen, most examples of “trendjacking” use humour to create a connection with consumers, but there is one significant case in which this brand strategy also helps brands to position themselves within social causes. In 2018, Saudi Arabia permitted women to drive, so vehicle manufacturer Ford launched a powerful visual campaign on X to celebrate this historic moment.
In short, brands can incorporate humour or a unique perspective into their content linked to popular topics, in order to stand out and create a more authentic connection with their consumers.