5 Social Media Experiments That Worked and Some That Didn’t

Table of Contents (TOC):

• Times When The Experiments Were Successful
  • Duolingo’s “Death of Duo”
  • Spotify Wrapped
  • Barbie Movie Marketing
  • Apple's #ShotOniPhone
  • Chicken Shop Date with Amelia
• Times When They Weren’t
  • Burger King’s International Women’s Day Tweet
  • Poonam Pandey’s Fake Death
• Make Sure Your Social Media Experiments Stand a Strong Chance
• Learn the Basics with UniAthena
• Launch Your Social Media Campaign the Right Way

You don’t need to be chronically online to know about the social media experiments and trends happening all around the world. Brands are known to take social media risks. Sometimes these risks work, and other times they plummet into deep waters.

If you want to start social media marketing (SMM), you need to understand these social media trends and experiments. After all, one poorly thought-out post can lead to your brand being cancelled online.

Let’s start with understanding what works.

Times When The Experiments Were Successful

1. Duolingo’s “Death of Duo”

February 11th was a dark day for Duolingo users. Unaware of what was to come, they opened the language learning app as usual. Only to find their beloved Duo dead.

The shocking twist created a viral moment on all social media platforms, grabbing the attention of celebrities, brands, and even people who never used Duolingo in the first place.

Why it worked: Duo was a famous mascot carrying the legacy of the Duolingo app for 14 years. His sudden, dramatic ‘death’ came as a shock in the most bizarre way possible. It got people talking and brought a lot of attention to the brand.

2. Spotify Wrapped

Can you imagine a time before Spotify Wrapped? No top artists, no stats on listening hours, and no yearly curated playlists. Spotify Wrapped is one of the best social media experiments that worked.

Why it worked: Spotify did what no other company was doing, and they did it in a fun way. They, like any other brand, were already collecting user data and keeping track of activity to make the user experience better. They just flipped the script and gave the stats back to the users in a fun and engaging way. Adding personality tags, giving exact listening hours, and putting people in the top listening % of their favourite artists just make the entire experience better.

3. Barbie Movie Marketing

Everything was Barbie-core in the summer of 2023. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie went all out on its marketing. They focused on partnering with influencers, encouraging memes, using the popular song “Barbie Girl” by Aqua, and marketing the movie towards adults rather than children. The Barbie Selfie Generator was especially a success as it gave the audience a chance to create their own version of a Barbie movie poster.

Why it worked: No other movie marketing had been this loud online and offline before. They played into the pink and girly theme and did not shy away from releasing the film on the same day as another blockbuster. People loved the two different aesthetics and approaches of Barbie and Oppenheimer, and it worked in the movie’s favour.

4. Apple's #ShotOniPhone

Another brand that leveraged user-generated content is Apple. They launched their #ShotOniPhone campaign, encouraging users to share photos and videos taken with high-quality cameras on their iPhones. This even encouraged new filmmakers to shoot entire films on iPhones.

Why it worked: Apple’s confidence in its cameras gave people the reassurance they needed. It gave the brand a chance to authentically generate positive feedback for the product and make it stand apart from the competition.

5. Chicken Shop Date with Amelia

Whenever there is a new movie, show, or music out, the actors or artists have to promote it. They go on talk shows, press tours, red carpets, and more. But it all gets boring after a point. The interviews ask the same 10 questions, and the cycle repeats.

Amelia Dimoldenberg, a comedian from the UK, broke this monotony with her Chicken Shop Date show. Instead of interviewing the celebrities and asking them about the project they are promoting, she takes them out on a date in a random chicken shop. The date is awkward and funny, yet it feels like a breath of fresh air.

Why it worked: It breaks the rules of celebrity interviews by making the entire setup feel real and authentic. As viewers, we don’t see an actor being interviewed by a journalist, but just two people on a date where things may or may not be going that well. She rarely brings up the project they are promoting, yet the point gets across.

Times When They Weren’t

1. Burger King’s International Women’s Day Tweet

On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2021, Burger King tweeted “Women belong in the kitchen” in a clickbait-style attempt to get people’s attention and promote their scholarship for female employees looking to pursue a culinary career.

Why it failed: While the tweet was supposed to be shocking and eye-catching, Burger King did not account that people often consume content out of context on social media marketing platforms. The tweet tweeted by itself came off as insensitive and tone-deaf.

2. Poonam Pandey’s Fake Death

Social media marketing can be tricky. And while the death of a mascot might not be a big deal, the death of a celebrity is just too real. So when the Indian celebrity Poonam Pandey’s Instagram account announced her death, it was no laughing matter. People were shocked. But what shocked them even more was that it was all a marketing experiment to turn people’s attention to cervical cancer awareness.

Why it failed: While awareness was the goal, the execution was seen as disrespectful and unethical. Faking death for attention, especially on such a serious topic, crossed a line for many people.

Make Sure Your Social Media Experiments Stand a Strong Chance

Now, most people would think social media experiments are a shot in the dark. But what if they weren’t?

What if you had Social Media Marketing (SMM) knowledge that worked in your favour? 

Learn the Basics with UniAthena

Instead of following social media trends blindly, give UniAthena a go! Understand what is social media marketing and how you can make the most out of social media marketing platforms for your business.

UniAthena’s Basics of Social Media Marketing free short course helps you learn the following:

• Social Media Platforms and Their Audiences
• Social Media Advertising
• Influencer Marketing
• Managing Online Reputation
• Social Media Analytics

Learn the fundamentals of social media marketing and get your free certification from CIQ, UK.

Launch Your Social Media Campaign the Right Way

Once you know how social media marketing works, you will have the confidence to launch any social media experiment you want. Just be sure to take notes from both the wins and flops. 

Wear your protective gear and get experimenting!