The ‘borrowed interest’ appeal: Brands riding the wave of popular events and memes in the digital age

Abstract

This paper examines the practice of borrowed interest marketing that attempts to associate brands with popular current events and Internet memes. Brand managers are recommended to apply the six criteria in the ADPLAN framework (ie attention, distinction, positioning, linkage, amplification and net equity) to evaluate the potential strategic impact of capitalising on trending cultural topics. This paper concludes with practical implications and cautions regarding brands’ use of borrowed interest appeal.