How Tapping In Can Help Your Business: Arby’s Style

No one really thought much of Arby’s official twitter account until they capitalized on one similarity they found with current pop culture—Pharrell Williams’ hat at the Grammy’s. As soon as they tweeted “…Hey, can we have our hat back?” it unleashed a Twitter account holder’s dream and they received thousands of followers. Not bad for a mundane, fast-food staple. The trend expanded with others making fake accounts claiming to be the hate itself, which led to some pretty witty puns with Arby’s account. Arby’s revamped their image, as much as a fast food joint can. So how did this all happen?
Simple; Arby’s tapped in. What does that mean? It means that Arby’s found a way to make their brand and iconic image a forefront in the news, in a positive way. This realization that Pharrell’s hat looked similar to the Arby’s sign wasn’t something that was discovered the next week, it was discovered that night and capitalized on during the show. It’s a truth that in order to gain a following, it’s important to be present in the culture around you. Yes, Arby’s had no veritable cause to be involved in pop culture until that moment. Now, their followers on their social media accounts are strong and they have a new look and vibe to their brand. It was one small moment that changed their brand. Had they not had team members invested in the world around them, they would have missed it completely. See what we mean? Change can happen in an instant, if you’re ready when the opportunity comes around.
This is especially essential for small businesses in local communities. No you don’t need to monitor every television show or music event in order to gain some ground, but you do need to be aware of the happenings and themes that are occurring in your own back yard. Then and only then will you be ready to engage appropriately when the opportunity presents itself. So, tap in every once in a while, say hello to the neighboring business, run through your social media feed on your lunch break, share something that is uniquely you and look for the eccentricities that are worth connecting with. If nothing happens, you’ll always end up richer in community—and that’s something you can always hang your hat on.
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