Brands and Influencers Embracing ‘Brat Summer’ Trend

If you haven’t heard, it’s brat summer. Charli XCX released her new album, BRAT, in June 2024, and her song “Apple” has become a summer hit. The singer’s explanation of what a “brat” is:  Someone with positive, bold and confident energy who isn’t afraid to be themselves. Many creators, brands, and even politicians have embraced the brat movement and participated in the easy-to-learn dance routine. The brat trend has been over social media this summer, from bright green merch to match the album cover to energetic dances on TikTok. Here are some of the creators and brands embracing the lifestyle.

Why is the brat trend important for brands and influencers?

Currently, #Brat on TikTok has over 1.2M posts connected to the hashtag. The hashtag #bratsummer alone has over 117.7K related posts. According to Brandgraph, our social media intelligence platform, the hashtag #bratsummer surged in June.

Participating in social trends is a way for brands to connect authentically with their audiences — if the trend makes sense.

Examples of brat summer content

Here’s how brands and influencers in various niches have embraced the trend.

Beauty

This post by Milani Cosmetics captures how a popular beauty brand can partake in a trend to connect to audiences who appreciate the song and album. According to a recent article in Chief Marketer with Milani CMO Jeremy Lowenstein, Milani Cosmetics aims to be inclusive and wants to lean into conversations on social media. The brand has seen success participating in social media trends like this.

Food industry

Brands like Dottie’s Donuts have even participated by showcasing their delicious treats in the brat green frosting. This strategy works because it allows brands to engage with their audience in a fun and creative way and encourages social sharing, leading to wider reach and potential new customers.

Movie industry

Unique industries like the movie business partook in the popular trend as well. During promotion for the film “Twisters,” the main actors and actresses participated in the popular “Apple” dance trend associated with brat summer, receiving over 2.5M likes.

Fashion Industry

Brands such as LuxeGen, a fashion and beauty business aimed at Gen Z audiences, have used the popular hashtag to their advantage on social media by sharing what #Brat means to their employees and what they consider “Brat Girl Essentials.”

Celebrities 

Even celebrities use trendy hashtags and creative dance to connect with their audiences and appear more approachable and down to earth. This video shows Ashley Tisdale busting out her moves for the “Apple” dance.

Rylee Arnold, a popular dancer and influencer, takes a shot at the dance in her way for her 952K TikTok followers.

In conclusion, the ‘Brat Summer’ trend has shown the immense power of social media in shaping cultural phenomena. From beauty brands to food businesses, film industries, fashion houses, and celebrities, various sectors have harnessed the trend to connect authentically with their audiences. With over 1.2M posts on TikTok under the #Brat hashtag, it’s evident that participating in such trends can significantly boost a brand or influencer’s visibility and engagement. The trend underscores the importance of authenticity and being attuned to social trends and creatively integrating them into marketing strategies to stay relevant and appealing to audiences.

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