Wake up. Mouth tape. Push-ups on the balcony. Meditate. Ice bowl. Gym. Banana peel on the face.
Know what we’re talking about? If not, your competitors might – and we have yet another case for trend-based marketing.
Let’s get you up to speed on the latest morning routine trend that’s had the internet completely hooked – and discover how brands are winning by tapping in.
Let’s dive in.
The origins of the morning routine trend (and why it went viral)
Influencers sharing their unbelievable morning routines is nothing new. From early starts to jam-packed schedules, their ability to accomplish so much before 9am leaves us mere mortals gawking.
Yet influencer Ashton Hall’s latest morning routine turned the gear up a notch. So much so that his routine went viral on X last week, getting over 770 million views. And now the internet can’t stop talking about it.
Ashton’s video shows him waking at 3:52am, doing push ups on his balcony at 4:04am, heading to the gym at 6:20am, and – most interestingly – rubbing banana peel on his skin at 8:45am. Plus, we can’t ignore the many times he dips his face in iced Saratoga Spring Water.
After the post was shared on March 20, the term “morning routine” quickly picked up steam. Four days later, it hit over 200k mentions across the internet.
So, why did it go viral? Quite simply, for its absurdity. Thousands of people hopped on the trend, sharing photos of bananas and ice bowls – or even sharing memes about abstaining from any morning productivity completely in a rejection to Ashton’s high output.
For the most part, people thought the hyper-productivity of internet-shared morning routines were laughable. And those in on the joke led to high engagement rates on these posts.
So, what does any of this mean for brands? Well, probably more than you’d think.
When brands go viral by accident
An unexpected winner of the morning routine trend was Saratoga Spring Water. Featured comically often in Ashton’s video, viewers noticed the branding and ran with it – creating their own memes about Saratoga.
The brand picked up over 30k more mentions than usual thanks to the unexpected spotlight in Ashton’s video. And rather than ignoring the sudden attention, Saratoga leaned in, posting a series of content that touched on the trend – making the brand feel like an organic part of the hype.
It worked too; Saratoga Spring Water gained over 25k Instagram followers in March – almost a 150% increase. The most popular of their related posts also boasts over 50k likes.
Saratoga’s quick post turnaround and ability to lean into the trend without hesitation are a reminder that even unintentional product placements can drive real engagement when a trend takes off – if you approach them properly.
But what can other brands do to reap the rewards of trends like this?
How to leverage trend-based marketing
Smart marketers are hopping on the morning routine trend – and seeing real results. By reacting quickly and leaning into the conversation, brands are making their mark in creative ways.
Take Duolingo, a brand known for its reactive, trend-savvy marketing. The brand posted their satirical take on the trend at the peak of its popularity.
The video got over 45 million views on TikTok, with thousands of comments engaging with the content. And the comment below covers why the joke landed so well.
People like being part of an internet inside joke – so let them. Don’t be afraid of some followers not understanding your trend-based content. After all, not everyone needs to get your posts right away.
In fact, when some followers don’t understand, it generates FOMO – driving them to ask questions in the comments. The ones who do get it will jump in to explain, sparking conversations, boosting engagement, and feeding the algorithm. Either way, your numbers go up. It’s a win-win.
Don’t have the time for video content? It doesn’t have to be that complicated. Take McDonald’s for example. The brand shared an image of their take on Ashton’s ice bowl, featuring their iconic Sprite offering.
Posted at the peak of the morning routine trend, the brand got over 47 million views.
We’re always talking about trusting your social media team – and these posts prove the power of quick post turnarounds. Some brands hold off on getting creative – assuming a trend isn’t popular enough to warrant getting involved. But while your competitors are hesitating, take advantage.
The key? Agility. Social listening can help brands to spot trends early, so you can jump in while the conversation’s hot.
So, if you want to stay ahead, tune in, be flexible, and when the moment strikes – go for it.
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