The Trend + Brand Product Formula Is Not Enough

Earlier this year, restaurant critic Pete Wells excused himself from the table after 12 years. In his last essay for The New York Times, he painted a bleak portrait of a hyper-optimized restaurant industry and dining culture devoid of personal exchanges, humanity, and friction. Wells also took issue with the rise of TikTok “foodfluencers,” where restaurants ultimately get the short end of the virality stick: “Restaurants that are packed for the first few weeks are empty six months later. The wisest owners now avoid serving anything that might go viral, because they don’t want their business to burn itself out.”

Wells’ op-ed is a good jumping off point to discuss the pitfalls of brands chasing virality. “Speaking Gen Z’s language” or putting your own spin on latest trending format isn’t a winning formula anymore, much like cheffing up the next rainbow bagel will only get you so far.

Here are a few starting points to avoid the fleeting temptations of flash-in-the-pan creative and tell brand stories that are substantive and enduring.

Understand that ‘top-performing’ might not be the best creative

Everyone thought they were brat this summer. They also thought that participation in the trend was mandatory. This led to everyone from politicians, investment banks, and trains that run infrequently to “jump in” on the trend.