• Table of Contents

  • Stop Chasing Virality: Build a Brand That Outlives the Algorithm
  • The Problem with the “Viral or Bust” Mentality
  • Brand > Buzz: The Long Game That Wins
  • The Anti-Viral Framework: How to Build a Brand That Lasts
  • 1. Nail Your Positioning
  • 2. Build a Voice That’s Unmistakably Yours
  • 3. Create Content That Educates, Entertains, or Elevates
  • 4. Play the Long Game with Owned Channels
  • 5. Measure What Matters
  • Truth Bomb of the Day
  • Case Study: Liquid Death’s Murderously Good Branding
  • Final Word: Stop Trying to Be Famous. Start Trying to Be Remembered.

Stop Chasing Virality: Build a Brand That Outlives the Algorithm

Let’s get one thing straight: if your marketing strategy is “go viral,” you might as well be playing darts blindfolded in a hurricane. Sure, you might hit the bullseye once, but odds are you’re just poking holes in your credibility.

In a world where TikTok trends expire faster than a gas station sushi roll, building a brand that actually lasts is the real flex. Virality is a sugar high. Brand is the protein. And if you’re still chasing likes like it’s 2012, it’s time for a marketing intervention.

The Problem with the “Viral or Bust” Mentality

Let’s break it down. Virality is unpredictable, unsustainable, and often unprofitable. It’s like trying to build a retirement plan on scratch-off tickets. Here’s why:

• Algorithms change faster than your CEO’s mood. What worked last week is now buried under a sea of AI-generated dance videos.
• Viral content rarely converts. Sure, you got 2 million views. But did anyone buy your product, or did they just laugh and scroll?
• It’s not a strategy. It’s a hope and a prayer. And hope is not a KPI.

Meanwhile, brands that focus on consistency, clarity, and customer obsession? They’re the ones laughing all the way to the bank while you’re still trying to make your intern do the next TikTok challenge.

Brand > Buzz: The Long Game That Wins

Let’s talk about the brands that don’t need to go viral because they’ve already gone vital. Think Patagonia, Apple, or even Liquid Death (yes, the canned water with a death wish). These brands didn’t build empires on one-hit wonders. They built them on:

• Clear positioning: You know exactly what they stand for—and what they stand against.
• Consistent voice: Whether it’s a billboard or a tweet, it sounds like them.
• Customer obsession: They don’t just sell. They serve, surprise, and sometimes even start movements.

They’re not chasing the algorithm. They’re building tribes. And tribes don’t scroll past—they stick around, buy more, and bring friends.

The Anti-Viral Framework: How to Build a Brand That Lasts

Here’s your five-step detox from the virality addiction. No hashtags required.

1. Nail Your Positioning

If your brand were a person, who would it be? If you say “everyone’s friend,” congratulations—you’ve just described a doormat. Great brands take a stand. They repel as much as they attract.

Tip: Use the “Only We” test. If you can’t finish the sentence “Only we…” with something bold and true, you’ve got work to do.

2. Build a Voice That’s Unmistakably Yours

Sounding like everyone else is the fastest way to be ignored. Your brand voice should be as distinct as your fingerprint—and ideally, as memorable as your drunk uncle at Thanksgiving.

Example: Wendy’s Twitter. They roast people. It’s weird. It works. You don’t have to be snarky, but you do have to be something.

3. Create Content That Educates, Entertains, or Elevates

Forget “content calendars.” Think “content with a purpose.” Every piece should do one of three things:

• Educate: Teach your audience something they didn’t know.
• Entertain: Make them laugh, cry, or at least not yawn.
• Elevate: Make them feel smarter, cooler, or more in control.

If it doesn’t do one of those, it’s just noise. And the internet has enough of that already.

4. Play the Long Game with Owned Channels

Social media is rented land. Your email list? That’s beachfront property. Your blog? That’s your digital compound. Build there.

Stat: Email marketing has an average ROI of $42 for every $1 spent. Try getting that from your latest TikTok dance.

5. Measure What Matters

Vanity metrics are like cotton candy—sweet, fluffy, and ultimately empty. Focus on:

• Engagement quality: Are people commenting thoughtfully or just dropping fire emojis?
• Conversion rates: Are your efforts actually driving revenue?
• Customer retention: Are people sticking around, or ghosting you after the first date?

Truth Bomb of the Day

“If your brand disappears tomorrow and no one notices, you didn’t have a brand—you had a content calendar.”

Case Study: Liquid Death’s Murderously Good Branding

Liquid Death didn’t go viral by accident. They built a brand so bold it made people say, “Wait, what?”—and then buy it. Their positioning? “Murder your thirst.” Their voice? Metal AF. Their content? Hilarious, weird, and unforgettable.

They didn’t chase trends. They created one. And now they’re valued at over $700 million. For water. In a can. With a skull on it.

Final Word: Stop Trying to Be Famous. Start Trying to Be Remembered.

Virality is a lottery ticket. Brand is compound interest. One gives you a moment.