🍔 THE INS AND OUTS OF POP CULTURE MARKETING 

Last week, American burger chain In-N-Out’s pop-up event sold 500 burgers even before their official opening time, with lines starting as early as 3.30 am (the last time the brand was in town, the wait began at 6.05 am). Not a week after, Chick-fil-A reported all slots for their upcoming pop-up event had already sold out. At the time of writing, Chick-fil-A has just announced they will be adding more slots following the success of the first sale. We all know how much Singaporeans love waiting in line – be it for the latest Omega x Swatch watch drop or for a chicken-shaped bag, a quick walk around the city on a weekend will show you just how much they’re willing to do to get their hands on their hearts desires.   

💡 OUR TAKE

Between Nara Smith rating In-N-Out burgers a 9/10 and the Chick-fil-A girl meme, it’s not hard to understand why Singaporeans are willing to lose sleep over events like this. 

But if there’s one thing about pop culture, it’s never just about the burger. We’ve previously reported how food and beverage have always been the most important cultural pillar that commands huge equity with consumers. Specifically within this context, from films like The Menu and shows like The Bear to Spongebob’s secret formula saga, burgers have always been a symbol of how something as simple as two buns between a patty can be a source of comfort, indescribable bliss, and indulgence – and that’s the thing with pop culture, you either get it or you don’t. 

Speaking of burgers, McDonald’s is one brand that has managed to effectively lean into this sentiment to create a presence in other pop culture territories (see their past works in anime, K-pop, and gaming). By creating experiences around distinct passion points, they were able to prolong that feel-good feeling, long after the actual product itself had been consumed. 

The key takeaway here is for brands to understand how having ownable experiences rooted in pop culture evokes emotions that are not easily replicable. It brings together a multitude of experiences, inside jokes and deep appreciation that only fans (not consumers) can acknowledge. 

Delivering on you-just-had-to-be-there moments is what helps people recall your brand with fondness and not just top of mind because it’s everywhere. Think of it this way – you might not even remember what the burger tastes like 10 years from now, but you will always remember the emotions tied to the experience of lining up as early as 3 am, finally receiving the bracelet and the laughter shared with friends. 

And if you’re a brand looking for a segue into pop culture, catch this crash course on brand partnerships. If anything, we’re always here to help! 

For those of you born before 1997, ‘fax, no printer‘ is Gen Z speak for ‘undeniable facts I agree with’