Thanks to the speed of the Internet, a meme can become a global phenomenon in a matter of hours.  So it’s no wonder that some advertisers find creative ways to exploit the latest news headlines as a way to inject themselves into the larger conversation — for example, this Australian beverage ad which capitalized on the instant celebrity of the rescued Chilean miners.

But how do marketing opportunities change when these tactics can occur both instantly and globally?

  • How nimble is your agency?
  • How quickly could you capitalize on a hot topic?
  • How quickly could such a venture be approved?
  • Would it fit under a larger branding motif, or would it need to be invented from scratch?
  • How would you measure the impact of a meme- or news-related campaign?
  • Are your company’s values compromised by being overly topical?
  • Are there political or cultural references that you would not make?

If marketing moves at the speed of business, and if that speed is forever increasing, understanding where your company stands on these issues will become increasingly important in your brand’s fight for both short-term dominance and long-term relevance.

Will anyone remember the Chilean miners in a year?

Will anyone remember this Chill beverage campaign?

Will it matter?