Brat Summer might be over as Charli XCX makes last-ditch effort with Billie Eilish collaboration

Can a brand embody the "brat" persona?

Assembly, No Fixed Address, and Ogilvy are betting on it. These agencies, along with others, have been promoting reactive campaigns to their clients inspired by Brat Summer, a social media trend ignited by British pop star Charli XCX’s early June album “Brat.”

The efforts have primarily been tactical, featuring out-of-home (OOH) placements and a mix of organic and limited paid social activity that highlights the album's lyrics and its lime green cover.

Despite Charli XCX’s somewhat vague description of the trend (“You’re just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes”), it has garnered attention from iced tea brands and sausage manufacturers. 

This highlights marketers’ eagerness to engage in niche cultural trends and how agencies pitch these moments to them.

Despite its apparent prominence, Brat Summer may be less significant than it seems. A YouGov survey of 3,200 British consumers conducted on July 26th revealed that only 11% were familiar with and understood the term. 

Additionally, the involvement of brands like U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential election campaign has led some industry experts to reconsider their engagement with the trend.

Brand reactions to trends constitute a major part of their organic activity on social media platforms.

 A survey conducted by the agency Billion Dollar Boy of 500 brand managers in the U.S. and U.K. found that 97% of social media marketers believe 20% of their organic social media efforts are trend-related, with 77% intending to boost this proportion in the coming year.