These days, a lot of brands are quick to jump on viral social media trends; whether it is memes, hashtag challenges, or dance videos. You name it, they are in it. But here is the thing: a study by Glimpse Research found that 40 percent of people think it is cool when brands follow trends, while 33 percent find it embarrassing. That should make you pause. Just because everyone is doing it does not mean it is the right move.

This is not just about social media marketing; it is about brand authenticity in marketing and whether your voice remains real. What is going on is deeper than “should we TikTok or not.” It is about brands jumping on viral trends at the cost of their own voice, mission and foundation, just because they want to appear trendy. When you add in the wave of AI generated content floating around, the value of being human and authentic has never been clearer or harder to pull off.

The Trend Trap

Lots of brands treat trending content like a quick ticket to attention. This is where the trouble begins.

  • If you are always chasing whatever is trending this week, you risk losing sight of what made your brand stand out to begin with your product, your audience, and your values
  • Brand foundation. What you stand for, who you serve and how you do it? This starts to fade into the background, when you chase trends.
  • Instead of a consistent voice and positioning, you become “That brand doing the dance meme” rather than “That brand that solves X better than anyone.”

This is a classic case of social media trend marketing risk. Take the case of brands like Heineken and Aerie. Both are now positioning themselves as more human, more authentic in contrast to the flood of AI generated content that other brands are moving towards. They are saying: “We see you. We are real.” That is a smart move when so many brands are simply piling onto the “AI can do everything” narrative.

Yet there is a twist: when you copy that positioning just because it is trendy, you risk becoming part of the noise.

AI Content Fatigue

Here is what is happening right now: AI tools are so accessible that the barrier to create content is basically gone. Everyone from teenagers to established brands can generate images, videos, posts, ads, etc. That should be exciting, but it is also turning into a mess.