Haven’t you heard? It’s Brat Summer (well unless you’re located in the Southern Hemisphere but I digress).

Whether you’re basking in the sun or bundling up in Australia, there’s no denying it – the release of Charli XCX’s latest ‘Brat’ album is one of the most iconic social media moments (and marketing strategies) of 2024.

Wait, what the hell is Brat Summer?

If you’re not glued to your screen 24/7 or living under a rock (sorry), here’s the lowdown: Charli XCX, our lime-green queen, dropped an album in early June that’s basically a techno dance party blending the pulse of party culture with introspective themes of existential womanhood, grief, identity, anxiety and self-discovery.

It’s messy, carefree, vulnerable and refreshingly authentic.

The album cover that broke the internet

Charli XCX dropped ‘Brat’ with an album cover typography and colour that defied all expectations and conventions. The vibrant lime-green colour and blurry typography sent the internet into a total frenzy, sparking memes, debates, and, of course, publicity on steroids.

What critics saw as sloppy, Charli’s fans and many, many internet users saw as iconic, beautifully chaotic and fun. Suddenly, that shade of green and blurry text wasn’t just an album cover—it was a movement that channelled a rebellious carefree spirit the masses heavily resonated with (myself included).

Charli XCX’s team seized the chance to leverage off the huge online buzz (both good and bad) to further the album’s exposure through creating a ‘Brat’ generator. This genius move from her team allowed fans, brands and even political parties to create their own chaotic art altering the blurry text to relate to their specific cause, life situations, personality or brand.

The result? INSANE amounts of social media engagement and album exposure.

Brat Wall: One of the very few walls people are EXCITED to actually run into…

The number of social media-worthy moments generated for this album is incredible, and the ‘Brat Wall’ was just the beginning.

Charli XCX kicked things off with a TikTok live stream, revealing a vividly green wall on an unidentified New York City street. Excited fans quickly identified the location and flocked to the spot, eager to capture the perfect Instagrammable picture in front of the lime green wall.
What ensued was an explosion of user-generated content.

But that’s not even the best part. The ‘Brat Wall’ became a dynamic canvas, constantly evolving to announce deluxe editions, tease upcoming collaborations, and share messages directly with Charli XCX’s fans. It kept everyone glued to her TikTok account, eagerly awaiting the next big reveal. With each new layer of paint, speculation grew, as fans tried to decode the latest message before it was fully unveiled.

Following the NYC launch, Brat Walls sprang up across the globe, including right in our backyard with installations in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Nipple piercings, sex tapes, shoplifting = marketing strategies?

It was abundantly clear that this album was achieving peak virality not just for its music, but for the wild, chaotic brilliance of its artwork and promotional activities.

To add to the true genuineness of the album promotion, Charli XCX decided to pull back the curtain on her marketing team’s “viral-worthy” strategies they had sent her, and it was nothing short of genius. By providing a raw, behind-the-scenes look into the world of celebrity marketing and unveiling the inner workings of her album’s large-scale promo, Charli XCX sparked overwhelmingly positive sentiment, deepening her audience’s love for both her and the album.

Transparency and authenticity: I’m sensing a trend here. Are you? Also, I think her team is utterly insane, what the f*ck are these suggestions?

Strategic AF collaborations

From Addison Rae to Billie Eilish, Charli XCX truly mastered the art of strategic collaborations for ‘Brat’, keeping her at the forefront of pop culture while staying authentic and relatable. Her 360 music video is a feast for the Gen Z eyes, packed with “it girls” like Chloë Sevigny and Emma Chamberlain, making for endless social media buzz and conversations.

But it’s her collaboration with New Zealand singer and songwriter Lorde on the ‘Girl So Confusing’ remix that truly stands out to me. This track is iconic not just for its sound, but for the way it brilliantly navigates the long-rumoured rivalry between the two pop queens. Instead of avoiding this narrative, they embraced it, creating a raw track highlighting a situation that many women can genuinely relate to. I mean, take a sip if you’ve never had a frenemy or felt like you were being compared to another woman.

The lyrics read like an intimate conversation between frenemies, candidly airing their misunderstandings and reservations about one another. The authenticity in the lyrics made me feel like a fly on the wall while the two pop singers resolved their issues.

Brat-fueled genius: from podcasts to Boiler Room’s

‘Brat’ is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Whether it’s Resident Advisor, Jake Shane’s Therapuss podcast, or Emma Chamberlain’s Anything Goes podcast, Charli XCX is simply everywhere, and I’m here for it. All these marketing moves were iconic and led to only further reach of the ‘Brat’ album.

And before I wrap up, I simply have to talk about her Boiler Room set.

But Carolina, what’s a Boiler Room? In short, it’s an underground music platform known for live-streaming intimate DJ sets and performances, connecting artists with fans in raw, authentic settings.

And Charli XCX’s Boiler Room set was a stroke of marketing genius, blending her edgy pop sound with the platform’s underground, intimate vibe. By performing in this raw and authentic space, she positioned her album as both avant-garde and accessible, appealing to both hardcore fans and new listeners.

The set went viral, perfectly aligning with her ‘Brat’ persona and generating massive buzz online. It was more than just a performance; it was a strategic move that solidified her status as a boundary-pushing artist.

On that note, here are my key takeaways from Charli XCX’s online ‘Bratitude’ and how your brand can effectively leverage them (you’re welcome).

1. Turn Controversy into Connection: When controversy knocks, don’t hide—throw open the door and invite it in for a chat. Instead of dodging criticism, face it head-on and get your audience talking. Got some negative feedback? Flip it into a moment of truth by launching a campaign that encourages people to share their honest thoughts. Not only does this make your brand look transparent, but it also turns critics into loyal fans by making them feel heard and valued.

Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches campaign is a great example. They responded to criticism about beauty standards by launching a campaign that encouraged women to see their real beauty, turning a negative into a powerful and positive conversation.

2. Embrace Authenticity and Transparency: Let’s be real—today’s audience can spot a fake a mile away. So, drop the polished facade and show some realness. Whether it’s a behind-the-scenes peek or a candid oops moment, let your audience in on the journey. This kind of transparency isn’t just refreshing; it’s how you build a brand that people actually believe in.

An example of a brand embracing authenticity and transparency is Patagonia. The company openly discusses its environmental impact, including areas where it falls short, through initiatives like the Footprint Chronicles. By being upfront about their challenges and progress, Patagonia has built a strong, trustworthy brand image that resonates with consumers.

3. Create Interactive and Shareable Physical Activations: Want your brand to go viral? Give people something they can touch, feel, and most importantly, share. Think pop-ups, think cool installations—stuff that makes people whip out their phones and post about it. It’s like giving your brand wings to fly across social media, all thanks to the power of user-generated content.

A great example is IKEA’s IKEA Real Life Series. They recreated famous living rooms from TV shows like Friends and The Simpsons in their stores, allowing customers to walk through and interact with the spaces. These installations were highly shareable, encouraging visitors to snap photos and post them on social media, which generated significant buzz and engagement for the brand.

4. Choose Strategic Collaborations: Not all collabs are created equal. Choose partners who vibe with your brand’s values and can bring something fresh to the table. For example, imagine a health food brand partnering with a tech company to create a wellness app. It’s not just about expanding your reach; it’s about embedding your brand in new, relevant contexts, ensuring you’re not just noticed but truly remembered.

An example of this is Nike’s collaboration with Apple to create the Nike+ product line. This partnership combined Nike’s expertise in fitness with Apple’s technology, resulting in products like the Nike+ running app and Apple Watch Nike edition. This strategic collaboration not only extended Nike’s reach into the tech-savvy fitness market but also reinforced both brands’ commitment to innovation and performance, making them more memorable and influential in the minds of consumers.

By Carolina Domínguez, Social Media and Digital Manager at Circul8.