Now that we’ve determined there is a new method of social media marketing on the scene (if you missed this, read here first), it’s time to explore who is doing it right. How can influencers appeal to this new cohort living in a Old Souls in Young Bodies generation? While perhaps not as well known, we believe that Truth’s anti-smoking campaign is a stellar example of using not only social media influencers but also engaging them in the right way to reach Generation Z.
WHO: Truth
WHAT: The anti-smoking nonprofit set out to create a video that, in an emotionally impactful way, would make it clear that smoking is not glamorous.
HOW: With the help of popular YouTubers such as Grace Helbig, Epic Meal Time’s Harley Mortenstein and AlphaCat, the brand created a song called “Left Swipe Dat,” referencing Tinder’s left swipe rejection feature to demonstrate not only that smoking is unattractive but that smokers get twice as many left swipes as non-smokers. Along with a variety of comedians, musicians and influencers, “Left Swipe Dat” features outrageous graphics that include a man on a dolphin riding a rainbow. The music video premiered during the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.
IMPACT: When the influencers shared their video, #LeftSwipeDat rose to the top of the worldwide trending topics. The YouTubers, with more than 34.54 million followers between them, reached a massive target audience in a way that gave the message an authentic, relatable quality. As a result, Truth received the Cannes Bronze Lion Award for the campaign.
View it for yourself:
Want more on Gen Z? Stay tuned for Jeff Fromm & Angie Read’s new book, Marketing to Gen Z, coming Spring 2018. Pre-order here!
