In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, agility is key, and Amazon Business has proven itself a frontrunner by seamlessly incorporating a popular social media trend into its advertising strategy. This post explores how Amazon Business successfully leveraged the viral Roman Empire trend, creatively adapting it to communicate the benefits of its services.
Let’s dive into the details of this innovative campaign and dissect the factors that contributed to its success. Exploring how the company seamlessly integrated the trend into its creative approach and executed a compelling narrative that resonated with its target audience.
The Social Media Roman Empire Trend
In September 2023, the Roman Empire trend gained widespread popularity, sparked by women worldwide posing a seemingly innocuous question to the men in their lives: “How frequently do you contemplate the Roman Empire?” Participants recorded and shared the responses, resulting in a plethora of amusing videos circulating on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. The prevailing sentiment from these interactions suggests that men often ponder the topic, with some even admitting to daily reflections, leaving women intrigued and somewhat perplexed. Notably, on TikTok alone, Brandwatch reported that the trend garnered an impressive 1.8 billion views.

Amazon’s Approach to the Roman Empire Trend
Amazon’s marketing team identified the budding Roman Empire trend in early September 2023. Recognizing its potential resonance with a broad audience. Understanding the virality of social media challenges and trends, Amazon swiftly seized the opportunity to align its message with this cultural phenomenon. From there Amazon integrated this theme into its creative process. Amazon was able to craft a narrative that seamlessly blended historical curiosity with the modern convenience of Amazon Business.
Why it worked:
- Timeliness
- Creative execution
- Proper alignment
The hero film of the campaign unfolds with an ancient Roman, pondering his day, struck with the inspiration to build a new city, Rome. Amazon Business takes center stage in this historical narrative, showcasing its role in streamlining the procurement process. The use of a smartphone to access Amazon Business, secure discounted bulk orders, consult purchasing guides, and analyze expenses vividly portrays the platform’s practicality, even in the context of ancient Rome.
Timely Execution and Multi-Channel Approach:
Amazon Business didn’t stop at the hero film; it strategically extended the campaign across various channels. An online social campaign provided a behind-the-scenes look at the city-building process, adding depth to the narrative. The integration of a national out-of-home campaign, alongside a robust suite of social and digital assets, ensured widespread visibility. A marquee placement in the Wall Street Journal further solidified Amazon Business’s commitment to reaching diverse audiences.
All this was executed and implemented while the trend was still going viral on social media. Their ability to swiftly adapt the creative concept to fit their brand was a huge part of Amazon’s campaign success.
Amazon Business’s incorporation of the Roman Empire trend showcases its adeptness at infusing cultural relevance into its marketing strategies. This campaign serves as a noteworthy example, highlighting the significance of creativity, collaboration, and timely execution in the digital marketing domain. As marketing professionals grapple with the challenges of capturing attention in a saturated landscape, staying attuned to trends, and mastering the art of adapting creative content appropriately and promptly, the Amazon Business campaign stands out as a stellar illustration of crafting compelling narratives.
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