"Silence, brand!" Has become a buzzword for the corporate cringe inflicted when brands hammer a joke to death on social media. It's usually uttered when brands try to muscle in on an existing meme, but here's an example that started with a big brand actually doing something funny.
When Levi's circumvented FIFA guidelines dictating the covering-up of all non-World Cup branding by simply sticking a sheet over its iconic silhouette, the internet applauded its audacity. Then Heinz did it. Then Gillette did it. And there are probably more to come.
The denim giant, whose name happens to be attached to one of the stadiums, successfully turned censorship into content. "Welcoming the world to the beautiful [redacted] stadium!" announced a Levi's Instagram post revealing the covered logo, while the brand's social media logos were plastered with white too.
Then along came Heinz. After (admittedly ridiculous) images of taped-over condiment bottles went viral, the ketchup pedlar has launched the Unofficial Stadium Ketchup, complete with a blacked out brand name on the label and strapline. The brand even produced limited edition bottles with a censored logo. Nice. The same idea, but a different take on it thanks to the physical product.
Then came Gillette with its own version of the stunt, simulating the look of shaving foam squirted over the logo. Okay, another somewhat original take – the foam works as a gag because it's a believable application of the brand's product. But, what's this? It seems real photographs from the ground have revealed that Gilette's actual covering isn't quite so inventive, leading to suspicion that the brand's 'foam' image could be AI-generated. Cool!
It's hard not to imagine these brands' marketing managers in their boardrooms, watching the positive response to the Levi's ad and shouting, "Quick! We need some of that!". But copying another brand's idea will always result in diminishing returns. If a fourth brand tries to drop a funny 'covered' logo image tomorrow, it probably won't land at all. Especially if it's AI-generated. Gillette's is the first take on the stunt that seems to be receiving online eye-rolls. "This looks AI generated, and Levi's Stadium already did this," one Redditor comments, while an Instagram commenter adds, "Good try but Levi’s takes the cake."
It just goes to show how jumping on viral smash-and-grab marketing trends can be a double-edged sword (or razor blade) for brands. Each successive attempt at the joke is going to look a little less original than the last. And... oh, look, Beats by Dre has just stuck some digital tape over its logo.
