Category
Tech
Delegated Interfaces
Trend cluster
Category
Branded
Mockery
Brands poke fun at their rivals in bolder, call-out strategies.
4.5
Trend score
Trend
What is the Branded Mockery trend?
Branded Mockery: Beyond social media battles and light-hearted exchanges, brands in QSR all the way to fashion are taking more risks through activations and real-world campaigns that call out their competitors in negative, albeit humorous, ways. These examples speak to the evolution of brand identities and willingness to take risks when it comes to consumer communication and messaging in the public space.
Insight
The consumer insight behind the Branded Mockery trend
In the era of eco-consciousness and social media-driven transparency, big-brand skepticism is very commonplace. Consumers -- especially those who are more social media-literate -- are therefore tougher to market to. Humor is something this group responds positively to as it communicates more authenticity than say, fact-based or aspirational marketing.
Trend themes
Themes within the Branded Mockery trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Branded Mockery
Brands are embracing the use of humor in their marketing by calling out their competitors in negative but humorous ways.
02
Celebrity-Cameo Advertising
Major soda companies are using celebrity cameos to engage in humorous advertising tactics.
03
Daring Brand Call-Out Ads
Brands are taking risks in their marketing by referencing controversial events and creating humorous slogans.
Industry implications
What the Branded Mockery trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Fast Food
Fast food companies are using humor to differentiate themselves from other brands in a highly competitive industry.
For
Tech
Tech companies are using bold marketing tactics to compete with other major brands in the industry.
For
Fashion
Fashion companies are using humor to communicate more authenticity in their brand identities and messaging.
Workshop question
What risks are you willing to take to be more open and transparent with your consumers in terms of outlining your value proposition?
Trend signals
Trend signals for Branded Mockery
Trend score 4.5 out of 10, from popularity 80%, activity 48%, freshness 8%.
Popularity80%
Activity48%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X (not a primary audience)
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Evidence
Examples of the Branded Mockery trend
5 featured examples from Mar 27, 2018 to Aug 16, 2019CategoryMarketing
Daring Brand Call-Out Ads
This Skechers Ad Takes a Risk as It Trolls the Nike NCAA Malfunction
Brands in the athletic footwear industry can utilize brand call-out marketing to differentiate themselves from competitors and align with social issues.
CategoryLifestyle
Mocking Burger Campaigns
Burger King Mocks McDonalds with The Not Big Macs Menu Feature
Disruptive innovation opportunity: Fast food chains can employ creative marketing tactics, such as mock campaigns, to capture consumer attention and gain a competitive edge.
CategoryPop Culture
Fast Food Rivalry Mixtapes
Wendy's Released Songs About Competitors McDonald's and Burger King
Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporating music and entertainment into fast food marketing campaigns to differentiate from competitors.
CategoryPop Culture
Celebrity-Cameo Soda Commercials
Pepsi's More Than OK Super Bowl Ad Features Cardi B and Lil Jon
Disruptive innovation opportunity: Leveraging celebrity endorsements and humorous angles to increase brand awareness and market share in the beverage industry.
CategoryPop Culture
Cheeky Call-Out Laptop Ads
Microsoft Commissions a Guy Named 'Mac Book' for Its New Commercial
Opportunity for tech companies to engage in rivalry-driven marketing and promote their products.
