Brand References Drive Sharing
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A strategy for creating viral content by including specific brand, location, and cultural references that resonate deeply with targeted audiences. This approach drives high engagement through relatability and tribal identity.
Core Strategy Elements
- Focus on niche audiences rather than mass market
- Create content that gets extremely high engagement from a small, specific group
- Include multiple brand/location references to encourage sharing
- Balance humor and authenticity to make content relatable
Implementation Method
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Research specific locations/communities
- Study Yelp reviews to understand local hotspots
- Identify popular stores and restaurants
- Learn common jokes and cultural references
- Understand neighborhood stereotypes and dynamics
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Create detailed persona-based content
- Include specific prices (e.g. rent costs)
- Reference local hangout spots
- Add authentic local slang/phrases
- Include insider jokes about the area
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Maximize shareability by:
- Tagging mentioned businesses/locations
- Making content slightly provocative but not offensive
- Creating tribal identity ("us vs them" dynamics)
- Balancing criticism with backhanded compliments
Real Example: Roommate App Launch
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Created city-specific infographics for major markets
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- Boston
- New York
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Each infographic included:
- Neighborhood stereotypes
- Local shopping spots
- Popular restaurants
- Common phrases/quotes
- Inside jokes about the area
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Results:
- Local news outlets shared the content
- Featured businesses reshared
- Generated 100,000+ users from infographics alone
- High viral coefficient through organic sharing
The key insight is that while mass market reach may be lower, engagement and conversion rates are significantly higher when content speaks directly to specific community identities.
Sam Parr
Host of MFM and fitness influencer
Sam Parr is a serial entrepreneur and business media pioneer.
In 2016, he founded The Hustle, a business news media company that started in his kitchen with just $12 and grew to eight figures in revenue.
Sam led the charge in making newsletters popular when few believed in their potential.
After four successful years, he sold The Hustle to HubSpot, a publicly traded company. Now operating as HubSpot Media, The Hustle reaches 3 million readers daily, employs a team of nearly 100, and has been the launchpad for dozens of its staff to found their own media companies and newsletters.
Sam remains the host of the popular business podcast, My First Million, and continues to start and sell companies. He also co-founded Hampton, a highly vetted community for entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs, and teaches people to write better through his platform, Copy That.