Social Matter — the social media hits of the summer – VOL 02

1. BEING ABLE TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF IS A VERY HUMAN ATTITUDE THAT BRANDS EMBRACE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Conversation can be an opportunity: Brands such as Astronomer, Jet2holidays, KFC, and American Eagle are doing just that.

This summer, we witnessed one of the most viral moments of the year: Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR Director Kristin Cabot were caught on camera by a “Kiss Cam” during a Coldplay concert. But here’s the masterstroke: instead of avoiding the situation, Astronomer reacted strategically by hiring Gwyneth Paltrow, the ex-partner of Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin. Paltrow answered popular questions from users to explain Astronomer’s functions and relevance. This action not only addressed a potential image crisis, but also expanded the brand’s reach to a global audience, transforming the incident into a social media success.

Similarly, the song from a 2015 Jet2holidays ad went viral on TikTok in 2025. The audio, known for Jess Glynne’s jingle, has been used by users to illustrate moments perceived as “catastrophic” in their vacations or daily lives, to the point where the brand itself began to use it for that purpose to take advantage of the hype.

KFC also dominates social media listening. One example is when, tired of receiving bad reviews about their fries, they decided to change the recipe and give them away to fans. Or when fans asked for the return of Eduardo the chicken leg, the brand’s iconic meme, and the brand turned it into a collector’s toy and even a Christmas ornament.

However, sometimes this listening can lead to a lack of meaningful dialogue or superficiality, as evidenced by the American Eagle ad starring Sydney Sweeney. This case sparked a polarized debate on social media, highlighting the need to foster meaningful conversations in an environment where immediacy prevails.
 

2. HOW BRANDS JOIN THE CONVERSATION AND GAIN VISIBILITY

The announcement of Taylor Swift’s new album causes a chain reaction among brands, who take advantage of it in creative ways

On August 12, social media was abuzz with the announcement of Taylor Swift’s upcoming album, which quickly became a cultural phenomenon. The cover, featuring glitter and a predominance of orange, quickly became a key visual replicated on platforms such as Instagram and X.

Brands such as Dunkin, FedEx, Nyx, and Aperol took advantage of the occasion to launch posts inspired by this imagery, adapting it to their own language and brand universe.

This case illustrates how leveraging cultural momentum allows brands to increase visibility, connect emotionally with their audiences, and reinforce their positioning, provided there is consistency between the trend and the brand identity.
 

3. LA VELADA IS NOT SPONSORED, IT IS UNDERSTOOD

Vicio Drops x Nothing x La Velada del Año

Once again, the highly anticipated 5th edition of Ibai Llanos’ La Velada del Año established itself as one of the key spaces for brands seeking to connect with young and global audiences. As one of the official sponsors, Vicio implemented a drop campaign in collaboration with Nothing and several event participants.

For example, TheGrefg received a package with the official La Velada gloves, a Nothing Phone 3, Nothing Headphones, and a Vicio burger after climbing a mountain where a helicopter delivered the box to him. Similarly, AriGameplays received the same box at his home.

* But… what is a drop? A drop is a highly anticipated launch of products or digital content on social media. It is characterized by being a limited edition, available for a very short time, or by having a high impact on social media. This type of strategy generates a lot of hype among followers and is used to connect directly with the community, making the brand even more desirable.
 

4. A COMMUNITY IS NOT JUST FOLLOWERS

The year of crises at festivals: Tomorrowland, Sónar, and FIB

Social media is the space where conversation and festivals are seen and felt…

• Tomorrowland. In July, just two days before the start of the festival, a fire destroyed part of the iconic main stage. Faced with doubts about the viability of the festival, the organization reacted quickly and, together with the resources of its partner Metallica, managed to build a new stage in 48 hours. The management and transparency with the public were exemplary, with a quick and collaborative response.
• Sónar. In the context of criticism of KKR (the investment fund that owns the festival, singled out for its links to economic operations in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel), the organization issued an initial statement that did not resolve the doubts, forcing a second communication and, finally, an offer to refund tickets. Although the messages did not clarify everything, the final decision demonstrated sensitivity and a willingness to respond to the community.
• FIB. Affected by the same KKR crisis, the festival offered no public explanations or refunds despite the cancellations in the lineup. The lack of response led to criticism for the lack of transparency in management.

Festivals are also social brands, and as such, they must deploy themselves on social media while remaining true to their purpose, creating connections with their community and generating relevant conversations. This also means participating in conversations generated around the brand, listening, and acting accordingly.
 

5. ENTERTAINMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA: A LEVER FOR CONNECTION AND SALES?

Loewe triumphs on TikTok and among Gen Z, and Duolingo makes humor its banner

Loewe is giving a masterclass in how to use social media. While its Instagram is pure art and aesthetics, TikTok becomes its playground for closeness and experimentation. Loewe’s content on TikTok is fun, quirky, and often seems improvised. This unfiltered, human-centered approach speaks directly to Generation Z, making it almost impossible not to come across Loewe’s captivating content.

A similar case is that of Duolingo. The popular language app has been making humor its main territory on social media for years. While its Instagram combines some product ads with stories, tips, and memes (always humorous and with language learning as the core), Duolingo makes TikTok its own particular stage. There, learning takes a back seat to humor: its famous owl wanders around the offices or even the streets in irreverent and surreal situations, often drawing on topics from the app, but also from the cultural context of each country where it operates. It thus projects a young and crazy image that prioritizes entertainment as a way to connect with Gen Z.