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Are brands crossing a line in the pursuit of relevance?

Credit: Thred
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Brighton, UK
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The widespread mocking of Gary Barlow’s son proves that virality alone should not equate marketability. 

Oh boy, does the internet love a spectacle. Over the past week, a photograph of Gary Barlow’s son, Daniel, towering above his dad, went viral. The memes arrived shortly after, and overnight Daniel became a punchline feeding the algorithm’s endless appetite.

Like most social media trends nowadays, viral content is a bit of an open season for brand marketing. But the relentless pursuit of ‘relevance’, especially online, means companies are often tapping into conversations where they really aren’t warranted.

Since Daniel Barlow’s photo first made the rounds on social media, a number of brand accounts have published their own spin on it, including Ryanair and Screwfix.

But making a young person’s height a prop for your latest bid at virality (and therefore sales) feels… uncomfortable, to say the least.

The most striking thing about this latest internet phenomenon, however, is that very few people seem to be taking issue with the commercialisation of a trend that ultimately mocks the appearance of a 24-year-old.

Relevance in 2024 is defined not by thoughtful connection, but by how quickly you can jump on a meme and turn it into a tweet with the potential for maximum engagement. Just look at Paddy Power.

Humor has always had its place in advertising. Done well, it’s a way to connect authentically and cut through the noise. Done poorly, it reveals a brand’s desperation and thoughtlessness.

@screwfix_uk In all fairness, Gary Barlow’s son is massive… 😅 #Screwfix #TradieTok #GaryBarlow #Fyp ♬ original sound – Screwfix

‘The biggest thing I can take away from this’ Tiktok user Lauren Spearman said of the Daniel Barlow memes, ‘is that it shows such a lack of emotional intelligence from whoever is behind these [brand] accounts.’

‘If you’re a brand, if you’re a creator, if you’re just a human and you are resorting to taking the piss out of someone’s appearance all in the name of views and shares and comments, then have a word with yourself.’

Spearman’s thoughts have been shared by a handful of other content creators, including marketing expert Carlo Talks, who believes thoughtlessly tapping into trends like these does more damage to the companies themselves.

‘Brands that are jumping on the trend of Gary Barlow’s son are doing a super stupid thing for two main reasons. One, just living on creating memes is not a sustainable way for a brand to grow. Also […] people will remember the meme, they will not remember the brand.’

‘Brands should rather focus on being more relevant for the things they do’ Carlos continued. ‘This looks like straight up bullying’.

The point here isn’t to deny that the meme itself can be humorous. It’s to question why a brand feels entitled to leverage a human moment to sell more products.

Virality has become a means of drowning out ethics, and there’s a thin line between a meme existing organically and a brand’s cynical deployment of it to appear ‘down with the kids’.

The lack of empathy shown in the Daniel Barlow memes demonstrates how quick companies are to leverage trends without considering whether they fit their USP at all.

The relentless pace of social media trends fuels this detachment. The rise and fall of a viral moment happens so quickly that we rarely stop to question the repercussions. And so the race for relevance comes with blinders on.

When social media first merged with brand marketing, it offered the promise of real-time connection and community-building. But the pursuit of relevance has soured into a different kind of game: a race to mock, meme, and joke before the next viral tide sweeps in.

Brands want to be everywhere, but this omnipresence comes at the cost of human decency and tact. It shows a lack of respect for the people at the heart of the stories they appropriate, and a lack of credibility when it comes to brand identity.

Just because a trend goes viral, doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all marketing opportunity. There is power in restraint. There is respect in choosing not to participate in the pile-on. And yes, there is a time to remember that while brand social media accounts may be given voices, they don’t have to speak on every matter.

As in every case, the trend cycle will inevitably move on. But if we don’t confront what moments like this reveal about our cultural values, the question of how far brands should go will arise with every meme, viral photo, and person-turned-punchline.

If a brand’s desire to ‘relate’ means resorting to public mockery, perhaps it’s time to rethink what it means to be ‘relevant’ at all.

Writer Brighton, UK

I’m Flo, (She/Her) a remote writer at Thred. I recently completed a Masters in Visual Anthropology, and seek to interrogate the ways digital spaces can amplify marginalised voices in the arts and cultural sectors. Follow me on LinkedIn or ping me some feedback via email.

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