Moment Marketing: How These Brands Caught Lightning in a Bottle

Learn how brands use moment marketing to capitalize on current events. Discover iconic examples and strategies to create viral content that resonates with audiences.

The Mets and their "Grimace Era"

Ocean Spray makes dreams come true

Uber thanks people for not riding

Oreo proves you can dunk in the dark

How to catch that "lightning in a bottle" moment

There isn’t a science to going viral. But it’s important to be ready to seize that “lightning in a bottle” moment when it happens. What are we talking about? “Moment marketing”— it’s how brands capitalize on current events to create exciting content that speaks to their audience. 

It’s all about timing. One of our favorite examples of moment marketing happened with Coors. Just over a year ago, former Angels player Shoehei Ohtani hit and damaged a billboard in Citi Field, creating a small black hole in the Coors ad. Instead of ignoring the funny moment, Coors acted. Just two days after the event, the famous beer brand launched a commemorative can featuring the black square just above the “C” with the tagline “hits the spot.” The cans sold out in under 24 hours.

Coors seized the opportunity almost instantly, showing us a valuable lesson in the power of moment marketing. Let’s dive into some of the most iconic examples of moment marketing and how you can create strategies to catch lightning in a bottle. 

We know we were already talking about baseball (and Citi Field), but this example is just too good not to share (and what started this digest’s brainstorming session at our weekly meeting). If you follow the Mets, you know they aren’t always the most reliable team to root for, and this season has been no different. That was, until June 12, when they came back to win 7 to 6 after losing for most of the game. This just so happened to be the game where McDonald’s mascot, Grimace, threw the first pitch. The best part is that the Mets went on to win seven games in a row, their longest winning streak in two years. Fans and players dubbed this the “Grimace effect.”

Soon enough, fans were buying Grimace shirts, painting their faces purple, and even getting tattoos of the mascot. 

The Mets embraced their “Grimace era,” posting a photo of the mascot to their Instagram account on June 17, holding a sign reading, “I’m still watching. 5–0!” And they weren’t the only ones. McDonald’s celebrated the Mets’ winning streak by changing their profile picture and cover photo on X to photos of Grimace wearing a Mets cap. The fast food chain allowed Grimace to hack its X account and share his flattery for the love from Mets fans.

Mets’ fans' energy about this situation aligned perfectly with McDonald’s voice on social media, giving them more content ideas to maintain the connection. Even after the winning streak ended, people are still talking about the “Grimace era,” a funny story to pass on to the next generation of Mets fans. 

If you were on TikTok in 2020, you probably remember a longboard rider who lip-synced to Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” while drinking a bottle of Ocean Spray juice. Nathan Apodaca (TikTok user @420doggface208) decided to film himself on his way to work and post it to TikTok, accumulating over 90 million views in total. 

When the marketing team at Ocean Spray saw the video, they knew they wanted to connect with the creator. They knew that a repost wasn’t meaningful enough to show their appreciation for his support, so they sent him a brand new red Nissan pickup truck filled with Ocean Spray products. The team’s main strategy was to join the conversation as quickly as possible in an authentic way, appreciating the positive light being shed on the brand. 

When COVID-19 turned the world upside down, the working world changed with it. Grocery store and healthcare employees simultaneously became “essential workers,” many lost their jobs, and some businesses never recovered. In this moment of uncertainty, people valued connection more than ever, which is what Uber channeled in its “Thank You For Not Riding” advertisement. In a time period where people couldn’t travel, the transport company found an opportunity to encourage people to stay home to keep themselves and others safe. 

The ad features clips of families and friends adapting to COVID-19 regulations. At the end of the heartwarming video, the sentences “Stay home for everyone who can’t. Thank you for not riding with Uber” appear. It’s a simple message that shows how the company supports COVID-19 regulations and encourages others to do the same. 

This advertisement was released on April 8, 2020, just three weeks after the United States began to shut down. If the company waited just a week longer, its campaign could have been overshadowed by another. Instead, Uber released it at the perfect time to tug on our heartstrings and remind us the purpose of staying quarantined: to keep those around us safe.

For this example, we’re traveling back in time to Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, when a power outage at the biggest United States sporting event of the year caused the game to be put on pause for over 30 minutes. In a monumental moment, Oreo shone through with its iconic post to Twitter (now X), saying, “You can still dunk in the dark.” 

In a short time, Oreo’s Twitter following increased by 8,000 and its Instagram following by 34,000. Oreo couldn’t have predicted the blackout, but they had a team that was tuned in and turned on their on-demand creativity as soon as “lightning” struck. The marketing team was in the middle of an Instagram campaign, asking Super Bowl viewers to vote whether they preferred the “cookie” or “creme” part of the Oreo. Because the team was working hard to monitor votes, the team was ready to respond to whatever came their way during the game. Along with an influx of social media followers, the brand received numerous awards— including a Cannes Silver Lion Award for Best Use of Digital Direct Marketing and a Cannes Bronze Lion Award for Best Viral Advertising. Plus, the company is known for having one of the most innovative tweets of current events of all time. The blackout was an unpredictable happening that struck gold for the cookie manufacturer.

Moment marketing is no easy feat. It’s crucial to react quickly to relevant trending topics to resonate with consumers. That said, remember to always stay true to your brand and consider whether it makes sense to bottle said lightning. Here’s what we recommend to stay fresh on what’s trending:

When an opportunity arises, act fast. Trends have a lifespan, and you only have a short time to jump on the train before the topic becomes stale. Start an exciting conversation about a given topic, rather than regurgitating what other brands are saying or doing. Consider having a rapid response team in place to help you create and release content when necessary. 

Social media is a great place to start when it comes to finding out what’s happening in real-time. Set aside time to scroll through social media accounts to find current happenings your brand could comment on. We love social media trends, but we also encourage you to think outside of the box. How can these efforts extend beyond social media and into the real world? Expand your brainstorm beyond a single social post. Think of the best way to make an impact. Those are the moments that last in peoples’ minds. Empower other team members to get into this mindset so your brand can become a powerhouse for keeping up with trends.

Social media is a great way to quickly get in front of a large and diverse audience. That’s why many instances of moment marketing revolve around a clever social post. But, it’s important to consider other ways to capture moments without leaning too heavily on social media.

• Email Marketing— Send timely emails related to ongoing events or trending topics.
• SMS Marketing— Reach your audiences directly and immediately to offer them insights into a current trend or share discount codes about a relevant topic.
• In-store Displays— Use signage to start a conversation about a current event.
• Digital Advertising— Create digital advertisements to get your topical message across to audiences.
• Print Materials— Make posters, flyers, or business cards to place in local businesses and share your perspective on a timely event.

Moment marketing is a powerful tool in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. Brands that can swiftly and creatively respond to current events can create memorable connections with their audience and beyond. Turn fleeting cultural moments into lasting brand impressions. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to take risks!