Why exactly is this Banana Republic bag going viral in TikTok?

We are all familiar with the term "TikTok made me buy it" and it seems like TikTok has struck again - this time with Banana Republic’s Vida Bag going viral. Why exactly it's going viral, we aren't sure, but according to WWD, the Vida Bag has already amassed 26.4 million views on the platform.

TikTok is currently known to be one of the most influential platforms out there. In August, SensorTower said that the average amount of time being spent on TikTok is 95 minutes per day and this has only increased over the years. The platform has found its fame for being able to churn out user generated content that captivates Gen Zs, explained Serm Teck Choon, co-founder and CEO of martech company Antsomi in a previous conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

But once again, we ask, why did this pretty simple looking bag go viral?

According to Jude Foo, general manager and partner, Nine:TwentyEight, there are two factors on why the Banana Republic (BR) bag went viral. On the platform level, the videos are served based on patterns and viewing behavior. Once the video started picking up steam, it’s a cycle of people seeing it as more people share it and then people sharing it as more people see it.

“On the content level of what people are seeing and/or sharing, there are many other videos being created by both influencers and non-influencers who are hyping up the bag. You can see a myriad of options on how the bag pairs against different looks, different people and different occasions,” an insight given by Foo. But attributing the bag's success to social media completely, wouldn't be fair. Foo added that the sweet spot of the price also played a role. "You see reports of a recession and people are bracing for it, so while you might hold back against a Chanel, an ‘it’ bag retailing for US$400 is an affordable indulgence," he said. 

He added that the ‘surprise’ factor that this came from a brand such as BR, which isn't necessarily known for its bags, also lent weight to the virality. "It’s a mix of incredibility and curiosity for people who know and don’t know the brand," said Foo.

Kenny Yap, managing director, Socialyse and Red Havas,said that there are three main reasons why social media platforms have so much influence. Firstly, most people spend quite a fair bit of time on these platforms daily, leading to mass reach and huge follower counts. Secondly, these platforms have lots of interactive formats, enabling brands and individuals to create very creative content that can significantly increase buzz and appeal. Lastly, these platforms offer customers great convenience whether it’s direct purchases on the platforms or links to the purchase site.

On a separate note, KFC Singapore recently used TikTok to hunt for recipes and resulted in launching a limited-edition burger ‘Zhng’ Zinger, suggested by TikTok content creator Zaki Hussain.

However, the power of TikTok isn’t limited to positive outcomes. In September, the VP of Apple’s procurement team left the company after a TikTok video of him went viral. In the video, the former VP, Tony Blevins, made vulgar comments about women at the car show. 

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