Question

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what does a brand have to do to use a trend successfully in marketing and advertising – can you give an example?
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Explanation:

The key steps ensure the trend feels authentic to the brand (avoiding backlash for inauthentic bandwagoning) and drives meaningful audience connection. Duolingo's example works because it didn't just replicate the trend—it adapted it to highlight its brand personality and core product purpose, leading to high engagement and shareability.

Answer:

To use a trend successfully, a brand must: 1. Align the trend with its core identity and audience; 2. Act quickly to capitalize on the trend's peak relevance; 3. Add unique, brand-specific value rather than just copying the trend.
Example: When the "Silent Library" TikTok trend (where people lip-sync to dramatic audio in quiet spaces) was popular, Duolingo created a video where its owl mascot "lip-synced" to dramatic audio while "catching" users skipping their language lessons. This aligned with Duolingo's playful, meme-friendly brand identity, targeted its Gen Z/young adult audience, and tied the trend directly to its product (language learning accountability).