Your Ordinary Is Your Audience’s Extraordinary

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the author's love for reality TV shows, particularly those that showcase the behind-the-scenes of various professions. It explores the concept that a brand's "ordinary" can be extraordinary to its audience, and provides examples of how various organizations have successfully leveraged this idea in their social media content.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The author's love for reality TV shows

1. What types of reality TV shows does the author enjoy?

• The author enjoys reality TV shows about work, such as Ice Road Truckers, Cake Boss, and Million Dollar Listing.
• These shows provide good drama, layered character development, and explanations of niche skills.

2. How did the author's love for these shows translate to social media?

• The author didn't realize the connection until a podcast host, Dan Titmuss, shared the concept that "your brand's ordinary is your audience's extraordinary."
• This means that the everyday activities and processes that may seem ordinary to a brand can be fascinating and captivating to its audience.

[02] Examples of brands showcasing their "ordinary"

1. What are some examples of brands showcasing their "ordinary" activities?

• The Getty Museum explained how they earthquake-proofed their ceramics, which received 17K likes.
• A video of an employee at Wild Rivers Waterpark Irvine showing how they walk the slides each morning has 400K views.
• The Natural History Museum posted a video of an employee vacuuming the 21,000-pound blue whale model.
• The Ritz Paris has a video titled "The Art of Room Service".
• A video about what it's like to be a guard at The Met received many positive comments.
• LOEWE showed how a shirt from their SS25 menswear show came together.
• A simple, funny moment captured by American Ballet Theatre has 1.2M views.

2. Why does this type of content resonate with audiences?

• As the podcast host Dan Titmuss explained, we often focus on the end product and don't think about the fascinating work behind the scenes.
• Showing the "ordinary" work that goes into creating the end product invites the audience into the brand's world and makes them feel like an insider.

[03] Strategies for showcasing the "ordinary"

1. What are some strategies for brands to showcase their "ordinary"?

• The Utah Department of Transportation has a series called "There's a Reason For That" where they explain their work, including on topics like potholes.
• The Philadelphia Eagles' social media manager, Julie, takes viewers along for a day in her life, teasing more "episodes" with the social team.
• Sotheby's posted a simple, well-edited video of an auctioneer, which went viral and led to a series of follow-up videos.

2. What is the key takeaway for brands regarding their "ordinary"?

• The author emphasizes that a brand's "ordinary" can be its audience's "extraordinary," and encourages brands to embrace and showcase the behind-the-scenes aspects of their work.
• As Dan Titmuss said, when brands are enthusiastic about their everyday occurrences, it becomes infectious and invites the audience into their world.