US retailer Old Navy took to social media for its latest campaign. After a high school student posted an article about the retailer, the responses were used to create the spot.
The 60-second spot opens with the claim that “this ad was written by the internet.” But how did this happen? Did the clothing chain use its own accounts for user-generated content?
It all started when high school student Samuel Beasley posted a TikTok with the caption, “We’re about to get the most incendiary Old Navy ad ever. Although the upload referenced the song from Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak’s video, that didn’t stop comments.
The post sparked excitement everywhere, generating more than a thousand comments. He understood what people would want or expect to see in an advertisement for the popular clothing brand. It was essentially market research done at the most cellular level. Consumers themselves, spontaneously.
Never miss an opportunity
Old Navy saw the opportunity to connect directly with their audience. The Written by Internet campaign is the first iteration of a series that the brand says it wants to do. It’s a celebration of internet culture and allows fans to share their own ideas with a company.
The original video poster is thrilled to have inspired a campaign with a single message.
@thesamuelbeez album of the year #silksonic #Bruno Mars #andersonpaak ♬ Fly As Me – Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak & Silk Sonic
The original TikTok video.
“It’s really cool that I’m influencing an ad and that Old Navy allows people to put their influence in their ads,” Beasley said. “It’s just cool to see it all come together so well, even the various comments people have posted are in the ad!”
Is using social media the way to write ads?
Companies have long used market research to create cut advertising. But social media offers an unfiltered opportunity to hear directly from the consumer. Without even knowing that they are being watched.
The ad produced by Old Navy might be the first of its kind, but I doubt it will be the last.