How Subtlety Has Become The Loudest Marketing Approach In The Social Space

As marketers, we were often taught that in order to create impactful and successful marketing campaigns, we need to make bold moves in the industry to separate ourselves from the competition—this meaning something standout, eye-catching, and dare I say, disruptive.

While these traditional, glitzy, and attention-grabbing marketing campaigns can be effective for certain brand strategies, with the rise of social media and influencer campaigns, along with the influence of Gen Z opinions, it’s evident that the landscape has shifted. These once large-scale, striking branding tactics no longer achieve the same level of impressions they once did for these consumers, who have become overloaded with these advertising schemes.

The alternative? Creating what has been coined as "quiet marketing"—a subtler, more authentic approach to reaching consumers without overwhelming them.

It didn’t take long for influencers to catch on that this subtle way of campaigning reaches their audiences more effectively than traditional key messaging frameworks, and it’s safe to say the results speak for themselves.

Let’s take a look at three recent influencer campaigns that have leveraged quiet marketing to bring attention to brand products without the typical flash and hype.

Earlier this summer, Gen Z’s most sought-after TikToker, Ashtin Earle, took to her socials in this TikTok to highlight her new workout onesie from Garage, using the hashtag #iweargarage. With a simple account mention and hashtag, Ashtin captured the attention of her followers and beyond, generating 5.2 million views and 96,600 likes. In comparison to Earle’s more ad-heavy campaigns, other recent efforts generated around 4,000 likes and just over 96,000 views. As younger audiences have been bombarded with a surplus of branding, these consumers are craving refined, authentic marketing approaches—which is what led to the success of Garage’s strategy.

Similarly, TikTok personality Olly Bowman shared this TikTok tour of his new home in London, England, in which a simple house tour subtly became an ad for Joy of Clean’s products. By incorporating content that Bowman’s audience enjoys, his life as an Aussie living in the UK, the quiet marketing approach effectively raised brand awareness among his 780,000 followers. This clever advertising tactic was so seamless that users barely noticed it was an ad, filling the comment section with, “didn’t even notice this was an ad until I read the caption.” This subtle approach not only reached the intended audience but also increased brand awareness and engagement within a highly receptive demographic. Aligning a TikToker’s personality with ad messaging is what captured the audience, as it remained true to Bowman’s personality online.

Sticking to his niche audience of reality TV, comedy, and pop culture fanatics, Jake Shane went to TikTok to share his new favourite lip treatment, Laneige in this post. In true Jake Shane fashion, he played off everyone’s favourite TV series this summer, Love Island US, and mimicked a confessional as the character portrayed on the show while sharing his love for Laneige. Shane approached this advertisement just like he would in any of his organic content, making it relatable and entertaining from a consumer perspective. Sparking 3,200,000 impressions and 446,800 views, Jake Shane spoke to his audience rather than at them creating a light hearted space for his community to share their love for the brand and his of course, his Love Island impression. 

As demonstrated by these highly engaged campaigns, quiet marketing doesn’t mean that targeted approaches are small or invisible—it’s about putting the audience at the forefront by capturing their attention in a more genuine, less forceful way. This, in turn, sparks curiosity about the brand and reinforces brand identity bringing entertainment to consumers while coincidentally driving results for brands.

Amy Newediuk, Account Coordinator