Reactive Marketing: How Brands Turn Trends Into Headlines
Updated: Aug 12
Reactive marketing is when a brand spots a live cultural moment, whether a viral post, a meme, an internet joke, and responds fast enough to join the conversation before it passes. Done well, it turns an existing online moment into an incredible earned media moment.
The biggest marketing opportunities don't always come from months of planning. More often, they appear unexpectedly in the middle of a TV episode, a viral TikTok, or an internet joke that takes on a life of its own. Welcome to the brave new world of reactive marketing, also called newsjacking or moment marketing, where wit - and speed - win.
The brands that consistently earn attention are absolutely creative, but they are also prepared. They have teams that recognize a cultural moment, understand whether it makes sense for the brand, and have the ability to act before the conversation moves on.
This kind of speed requires close collaboration between PR, social, creative, and marketing teams, along with legal and often the c-suite. The brands that win are the ones with open lines of communication and the trust to act quickly when the right moment presents itself.
Culture moves fast. Approval processes should too.
Social media has fundamentally changed how brands participate in culture. A trending moment that dominates headlines on Monday can feel old by Wednesday. Even the strongest creative idea can lose its impact if internal approvals take too long.
That also means breaking down the traditional silos between marketing functions.
Today's best campaigns don't live exclusively in one channel. A social post can become a national news story, and an earned media opportunity can quickly evolve into a larger integrated marketing campaign. When agency partners and internal teams are sharing ideas in real time, they're far more likely to identify opportunities before they become yesterday's news.
The brands that succeed have a clear understanding of their voice, trust between marketing and leadership, and approval processes that allow them to move with confidence.
Here are a few brands that got it right.
CeraVe listened - and delivered a killer Super Bowl campaign
One of the best recent examples is CeraVe's Michael Cera campaign. The idea didn't come out of a traditional brainstorming session. It came from listening. For years, people online had joked that Michael Cera must have something to do with CeraVe simply because of the similarity in their names. Rather than dismissing the joke, CeraVe recognized that consumers had already created the insight for them.
The team leaned into the conversation by creating a series of social-first moments that fueled the speculation. Michael Cera was spotted carrying CeraVe products, signing bottles, and appearing alongside creators, prompting people to wonder if the internet rumor was actually true. The campaign quickly spread across TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and entertainment media, generating significant earned coverage before a single television commercial aired.
The story ultimately culminated in a Super Bowl commercial that revealed the joke, but by then the campaign had already captured consumers' attention. It wasn't just a successful ad. It was a masterclass in social listening, PR, influencer marketing, and paid media working together to turn an existing cultural conversation into one of the most memorable campaigns of the year.
CeraVe's Michael Cera spot was ranked the most effective Super Bowl campaign on TikTok by ad-research firm DAIVID. The lesson is simple: some of the best campaign ideas are already happening online. Brands just need teams that are paying attention and have the ability to act before the moment passes.
IKEA turned a luxury lookalike into a global PR win
When Balenciaga released a $2,145 tote bag that looked remarkably similar to IKEA's iconic blue FRAKTA bag, IKEA saw an opportunity. Instead of staying quiet, the brand responded with a playful guide titled, How to Identify an Original IKEA FRAKTA Bag.
While this is an oldie, it is still a goodie because it reminded consumers that the authentic version rustles when you shake it, carries everything from groceries to hockey gear, and costs just $0.99.
No celebrity endorsement, no paid partnership, and incredibly fast execution. The campaign’s smart creative embraced the conversation and reminded consumers exactly what makes IKEA, IKEA.
The campaign generated global earned media, millions of social impressions, and reinforced IKEA's personality as a brand that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Dr Pepper nearly missed its moment
Sometimes the biggest lessons have come from almost missing the opportunity.
Over the holidays, TikTok creator Brooke Monke posted an original Dr Pepper-inspired jingle that quickly gained traction online. Fans immediately began asking why it wasn't an official commercial and eagerly awaited Dr Pepper’s social team to engage with the creator’s post.
As the conversation grew, other brands recognized the opportunity more quickly than Dr Pepper. Vita Coco partnered with the creator while people were still talking about the trend, extending the conversation and earning positive attention of its own.
Dr Pepper ultimately featured the jingle in a commercial, but the delay highlighted an i
important reality. Viral moments rarely wait for lengthy approval chains. Every extra day creates space for another brand to join the conversation first.
The moment also reinforced the value of having agency partners and internal teams working closely together. Opportunities like these don't always originate from planned campaigns. More often, they're uncovered through daily social listening and brought forward by PR and social teams who understand both the brand and the broader cultural landscape.
It takes more than a great idea
There is a common thread across all of these campaigns: they happened because the right teams were talking to each other.
The most successful brands have PR, social, creative, and marketing teams that work together every day, along with agency partners who are constantly monitoring the cultural landscape for opportunities worth pursuing. Social teams are often the first to spot an emerging trend. PR teams understand how to turn that trend into a story that will resonate with media and the broader public. Creative teams know how to package it in a way that makes it visually appealing and shareable. When marketing functions are aligned, and leadership teams put their trust in them, brands can move with speed and confidence while the conversation is still unfolding.
At Crafted, we believe some of the best campaigns aren't built around a media calendar. They're built around cultural relevance. Our role is to identify those moments, connect the dots across PR and social, and help our clients act quickly enough to turn a fleeting trend into lasting earned attention.
Because in today's media landscape, brands don't always have to create the conversation. They simply need to recognize the right moment, have the confidence to join it and move, before someone else does.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is reactive marketing?
Reactive marketing is when a brand responds to a live cultural moment, whether a viral post, meme, or trending conversation, quickly enough to join it while it's still relevant. Unlike planned campaigns built around a media calendar, it capitalizes on moments that are already happening, turning existing online attention into earned media.
Q: What are some examples of reactive marketing?
Three recent standouts: CeraVe leaned into the long-running "Michael Cera = CeraVe" internet joke, building a social-first tease into a Super Bowl reveal. IKEA answered Balenciaga's $2,145 lookalike tote with a guide to spotting its $0.99 original. Dr Pepper eventually featured a fan's viral TikTok jingle…after nearly missing the moment.
Q: Why is it important for PR and social teams to work together?
Many of today's biggest earned media opportunities begin through social listening. When PR and social teams monitor trends together and align on messaging, they spot openings earlier and turn online conversations into brand stories. Social teams often see the trend first; PR teams know how to bring attention to it, and broader marketing functions make it a full-funnel campaign.
Q: How quickly should brands respond to a viral trend?
There's no single timeline, but speed matters. Interest is often highest in the first 24 to 48 hours. Brands with clear approval processes and trusted agency partners are best positioned to act while the conversation is still live, before a competitor joins it first.
Q: Does every trend make sense for every brand?
No. The goal isn't to chase every viral moment. Brands should join trends that genuinely align with their audience, products, and voice. Authenticity consistently outperforms a forced connection — a poorly fitting reaction reads as opportunistic and can do more harm than staying quiet.
Q: What role do PR agencies play in reactive marketing?
Agency partners are often first to spot emerging conversations because they monitor the media landscape and social platforms constantly. Beyond spotting the moment, they help brands judge whether it fits, shape a strategic response, secure approvals fast, and amplify the story through earned media and influencer relationships.
