Weekly Shorts: 5 unique 4th of July influencer marketing campaigns by brands

The proliferation of platforms and formats like short-videos have changed the influencer marketing game for marketers, brands and creators. In this fast-evolving space, keep up with the big trends and hot topics that matter in Storyboard18’s Weekly Shorts in collaboration with affable.ai, an end-to-end AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Track how creators, communities and brands are engaging with users and disrupting marketing to get a sharp and fast insight into present and future trends.

Looking for unique 4th of July promotion ideas? We have a list of five click-worthy influencer campaigns to inspire your strategy.

The 4th of July is indeed an important event for American families. But it is an equally essential marketing opportunity for brands to establish an emotional connection with customers.

Take, for instance, the case of Away, a renowned American travel retailer. The company made headlines with a unique ad in the New York Times. As part of its 4th of July promotions in 2021, the company published an advertisement with the headline, "If you want to be a better American, get out of America."

The ad stressed that the best way to be a good American is to travel — engage with people from different backgrounds, and foster empathy. The travel company subtly promoted its services by encouraging people to go on vacations frequently.

Away is not the only company leveraging the 4th of July holiday to advertise its products. Five leading brands, including American Eagle, Škoda, Bomb Pop, Budweiser, and Old Navy, ran outstanding influencer marketing campaigns on the 4th of July, creating spectacular awareness and engagement.

1. Škoda - Piggyback on the popularity of competitor brands

Škoda adopted a spectacular influencer marketing strategy for its 4th of July promotion campaign in 2022. The Czech automobile manufacturer piggybacked on the popularity of the top three cars in France—Renault, Citroen, and Peugeot, instead of talking about their cars in influencer videos.

The company collaborated with three YouTube influencers to post YouTube videos featuring test drives of the three competitor cars. But there's a twist. Škoda put up a billboard of its new car, the Škoda Fabia, in the background of each video.

The campaign set the brand apart from its competitors and made a mark in the mind of the customers, which is essential to do if you're marketing around special events such as the 4th of July. People at such times look to purchase new products. So instead of giving discount offers like everyone else, you can go creative with your influencer campaign.

2. Bomb Pop - Build influential UGC with TikTok filters

Bomb Pop, America's most beloved tri-color popsicle, collaborated with GALE, a global business agency, and TikTok to launch a TikTok filter. The #AFlavorForEveryYou campaign attempted to reintroduce the nostalgic treat to the younger generations. The TikTok filter allowed youngsters to connect over things that interest them. Be it reading, dancing, sports, or more, creators shared their interests, building tons of user-generated content (UGC) for the company.

The campaign created a positive buzz for Bomb Pop right before American Independence Day, leading to an almost 11 percent engagement rate. It also achieved 37.4 million views on its content, according to TikTok for Business.

3. Budweiser - Approach millennials with star-studded content

Budweiser, the best-selling American beer brand, targeted the younger demographics for their 4th of July promotions. It launched a music video called Yours To Take in April 2022, featuring an original song sung by Anderson Paak, an American rapper, singer, and producer.

The music video also featured famous artists, micro-influencers, and go-getters to excite the millennial audience further. Budweiser published individual Instagram posts to highlight the journey to success of these influencers, creating an emotional connection with the audience.

The "Tomorrow Is #YoursToTake" campaign is not the first attempt by Budweiser to engage the younger segment. The 4th of July ad, Go Fourth, America with Bill Pullman, is an excellent example of using star-studded content to stir patriotism in millennials.

4. American Eagle - Create hype with OTT stars the summer before the 4th of July

American Eagle is a fashion store chain targeting Gen Zs and millennials for its summer collection. The brand knows that the younger generation is drawn to its popular products. So they collaborated with the cast of "The Summer I Turned Pretty" to build hype and boost sales around Independence Day 2023.

The "The Summer of Us" campaign launched by American Eagle boasts partnerships with the three actors of the popular show promoting the brand's clothing line right before the 4th of July.

5. Old Navy - Foray into the Metaverse with a purpose-driven campaign

In 2023, Old Navy decided to take its Magic the Dog mascot on Metaverse. The company wanted to commemorate Independence Day and pay tribute to its founding year, 1994. They collaborated with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (a national organisation educating young minds) to create a modern version of Magic—the shelter dog chosen as a mascot for the brand in 1995.

The collaboration resulted in 1,994 (founding year) non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of Magic sporting Old Navy 4th of July t-shirts. The brand partnered with Heather Parady, influencer and podcast host of The Heather Parady Show to create awareness, educate people, and boost sales around the 4th of July.

This week’s Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of Affable.ai