An Executive Voices Blog by Sophie Bloomfield, Creative Director & CEO at Sophie Bloomfield Consultancy (SBC)

In the dynamic world of social media, opinion-based videos that dissect brands and their marketing strategies are trending.

These videos inspire debates in the comments section, which causes the algorithms on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to amplify the content. This creates a win-win scenario—consumers can voice their opinions and receive instant feedback from their peers, while the platforms benefit from increased traffic and engagement.

But why are consumers making this content? It’s because they finally have a voice that brands are listening to. Brands now respond directly on social media and often take action as a result of complaints, because they know if they don’t it will affect the success of their brand.

For example, Jenn Jensen posted a TikTok complaining that the North Face jacket she wore hiking was not, in fact, waterproof. The brand responded by delivering her a replacement by helicopter.

But not every video comes from a dissatisfied customer. Many of the posts come from creators focused exclusively on examining brands and their strategies. Some of these individuals have even grown their followings to the point where they could be considered influencers, though they are more accurately described as social commentary creators. For example, Tefi, Blakely Thornton, and Terrence fo Connor are notable figures in this space.

The most striking recent example was the Sydney Sweeney x American Eagle jeans advert, which was branded by many consumers as an un-inclusive, whitewashed misstep. In contrast, Gap’s latest denim campaign that launched shortly after (under Zac Posen’s new creative direction) hit exactly the right notes. Featuring the girl group Katseye and music from Kelis, the video “takes the cultural cake,” as Blakely Thornton put it. Gap’s ad was deemed more relevant to their audience and more aligned with what the wider consumer is looking for.

Another example is the Guess AI-generated ad campaign in Vogue. The backlash came in two parts. First, the creative itself was weak; it was an AI-driven model concept that stripped opportunities from real talent while offering little artistic vision. Second, U.S. Vogue’s decision to print it at a time when the publication is struggling to stay culturally relevant signalled that “money talks.” This move highlighted a disconnect with consumers, who increasingly demand authentic, human-led storytelling rather than computerized, analytics-driven content.

Both of these instances resulted in massive engagement online, on the brand’s official platforms as well as through videos posted by consumers sharing insights into the strategies behind the companies’ efforts. Gap’s viral ad with Katseye, for example, has more than 141 million views and over 48,000 comments—many of which are comparing the retailer’s strategy to American Eagle’s.

TikTok is the most prominent platform for consumers reporting trends or consumer insights. That content is often then repurposed for Instagram reels (videos on Instagram are capped to three minutes compared to TikTok’s new 10-minute format, which suits “story time” videos as well as marketing and retail insights videos).

But it’s also important for marketers to keep an eye on Snapchat. To draw influencers and content makers back to the app, Snapchat is now offering the higher rates for its creator fund. Many content creators and influencers may try to direct their audiences to Snapchat to try and get better engagement on that platform, rather than on TikTok (where engagement is high, but the creator fund pays poorly).

This kind of commentary will only continue to grow as consumers are increasingly curious about the behind-the-scenes decisions and processes, and they want to feel like they are part of that story.

When a brand’s strategy is well reviewed, that spotlight can lead to reaching new audiences, improving engagement with existing audiences, further developing a strong brand identity, enhanced credibility and trust, and increased customer loyalty.

But for brands that are deemed to have subpar branding or marketing strategies, the negative videos can lead to a loss of revenue. You can also lose consumer interest, relevance in competitive markets, see poor return on investment, and lost engagement.

And it’s hard to win consumers back after a massive marketing fail.

However, in a public and transparent way, brands can begin to recover by acknowledging the misstep directly and taking accountability. An honest, open statement that admits the choice was not the right one, paired with a clear commitment to doing better, is essential. Beyond words, brands should outline concrete steps toward improvement, such as involving consumers in the conversation.

It’s an exciting time to be a marketer, as the focus has shifted toward creativity and community-driven strategies. Consumers want to belong, not be targeted. People don’t want to feel sold to; they want to see, experience, and discover.

Strong examples of this approach include Lidl’s “middle aisle” phenomenon, where shoppers eagerly anticipate the unexpected treasures they might uncover, and TK Maxx (TJ Maxx in North America), whose quirky product selection has inspired a wave of comedic TikTok content.

Brands that lean into discovery and delight, creating experiences that consumers want to engage with rather than pushing products directly, are likely to see TikTok videos praising their brilliant strategies.

SBC uses data and information from environmental, societal, economic, and creative sources to predict future trends to lead creative and business strategies.