# Branded Mockery Brands poke fun at their rivals in bolder, call-out strategies. By [Tana Makmanee](https://www.trendhunter.com/tmak), SVP, Research Services at Trend Hunter | Published Mar 8, 2019 | Category: [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/pro/category/marketing-strategy) Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/branded-mockery ## Key Figures - Trend score: 4.5/10 - Evidence articles: 5 ## 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. ## 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. ## At a Glance - Evidence: 5 featured examples - Articles from: Mar 27, 2018 to Aug 16, 2019 - Published: Mar 8, 2019 - Patterns: [Divergence](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/divergence), [Redirection](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/redirection) - Megatrends: [Tribalism](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/tribalism), [Authenticity](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/authenticity) ## Audience - Gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Themes within the Branded Mockery trend ### Branded Mockery Brands are embracing the use of humor in their marketing by calling out their competitors in negative but humorous ways. ### Celebrity-Cameo Advertising Major soda companies are using celebrity cameos to engage in humorous advertising tactics. ### Daring Brand Call-Out Ads Brands are taking risks in their marketing by referencing controversial events and creating humorous slogans. ## What the Branded Mockery trend means for industry ### For 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 for Branded Mockery Trend score 4.5 out of 10, from popularity 80%, activity 48%, freshness 8%. - Popularity: 80% - Activity: 48% - Freshness: 8% ## Examples of the Branded Mockery trend 5 featured examples from Mar 27, 2018 to Aug 16, 2019. - [Daring Brand Call-Out Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skechers-ad): This Skechers Ad Takes a Risk as It Trolls the Nike NCAA Malfunction (Category: Marketing) Implication: Brands in the athletic footwear industry can utilize brand call-out marketing to differentiate themselves from competitors and align with social issues. - [Mocking Burger Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/not-big-macs): Burger King Mocks McDonalds with The Not Big Macs Menu Feature (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: Disruptive innovation opportunity: Fast food chains can employ creative marketing tactics, such as mock campaigns, to capture consumer attention and gain a competitive edge. - [Fast Food Rivalry Mixtapes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wendys-mixtape): Wendy's Released Songs About Competitors McDonald's and Burger King (Category: Pop Culture) Implication: Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporating music and entertainment into fast food marketing campaigns to differentiate from competitors. - [Celebrity-Cameo Soda Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/more-than-ok): Pepsi's More Than OK Super Bowl Ad Features Cardi B and Lil Jon (Category: Pop Culture) Implication: Disruptive innovation opportunity: Leveraging celebrity endorsements and humorous angles to increase brand awareness and market share in the beverage industry. - [Cheeky Call-Out Laptop Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/laptop-ad): Microsoft Commissions a Guy Named 'Mac Book' for Its New Commercial (Category: Pop Culture) Implication: Opportunity for tech companies to engage in rivalry-driven marketing and promote their products. ## Recent trend clusters - [Delegated Interfaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/delegated-interfaces) (Tech) - [Sneaker Theater](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/sneaker-theater) (Fashion) - [Functional Indulgence](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/functional-indulgence1) (Lifestyle) - [Ritual Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/ritual-systems) (Fashion) ## Trending in Marketing - [Mystery Packaging Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cow-not-laughing) - [Athlete Beauty Ambassadorships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/athlete-beauty-ambassadorships) - [Creator-Led Learning Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/learning-series) - [Accessible Fintech Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chequing-account) All articles: [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing)