Viral marketing campaigns: Scarcity drop

Cases
49
Median Spread Score
40
Most started on
Instagram29%
First post to peak
3 days

By mechanic

All380Controversy154Newsjacking140Response chain110Transgression108Real-world spectacle75Pairing74Mystery & lore60Scarcity drop49Visible in use46Creator relay41Identity badge29Challenge26Maker origin18Underdog17Political adoption16Sell-out loop16Remixable template15Shareable output13Revival11Brand pile-on9Fandom mobilisation7Dupe economy6

e.l.f. x Liquid Death Corpse Paint

62
Corpse Paint by Liquid Death x e.l.f. Cosmetics

8B impressions

Solo Stove: Snoop Goes Smokeless

61
I’m giving up smoke.

19.5B impressions

McDonald’s: WcDonald’s

55
WcDonald’s manga takeout bag

6B impressions

e.l.f. Judge Beauty

53
In e.l.f we Trust | e.l.f Cosmetics Game Day Commercial 2024

105B impressions

Goldfish: Chilean Sea Bass

53
The official Goldfish® brand on Instagram: "They look like Goldfish. They taste like Goldfish. But they’re called Chilean Sea Bass. Which is WAY more grown up. Shop now at the link in bio."

14.5B impressions

Heineken: The Boring Phone

53
Heineken | The Boring Phone - HD Camera

8.9B impressions

Heinz: Heinz Ketchup & Seemingly Ranch

52
Heinz on Instagram: "It’s a new Era for Heinz. Introducing Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch. Limited-edition bottles coming soon. #SeeminglyRanch #ItHasToBeHeinz"

4.7B impressions

YETI x Liquid Death Casket Cooler

52
The Life-Sized Casket Cooler from Liquid Death x YETI

1.2B impressions

The Unburnable Book

50
The Unburnable Book: Margaret Atwood’s THE HANDMAID'S TALE

12B impressions

Pete Davidson, Official Boyfriend of Reformation

48
Reformation on Instagram: "Pete Davidson, Official Boyfriend of Reformation. Written and directed by @_matthew_frost_"

11B impressions

Coors Light: Case of the Mondays

47
Coors Light Chill Face Roller holding a beer can.

12.8B impressions

Dave's Hot Chicken Drake birthday giveaway

47
Sora Has Lost Its App Store Crown to … Dave's Hot Chicken | Dave's Hot Chicken

Peaked at #1

Doritos Rainbows

47
Doritos Rainbows bags beside rows of multicolored chips, from the campaign designer’s portfolio.

2B impressions

Frida’s Breast Milk Ice Cream Campaign

47
‘Breast milk ice cream’ now available: What’s really inside

7.8B impressions

Sweethearts Situationships

47
Sweethearts takes 'Situationships' to the next level

4B impressions

It's an e.l.f.ing Glow Storm

45
A special @elfyeah radiance report: It's an E.L.F.ING GLOW STORM! Please exercise ✨extreme iridescence!✨ (and thank you @weatherchannel for inspiring the glowcast!)🤍 #elfpartner

5B impressions

Gustaf Westman Baguette Holder

45
Gustaf Westman on Instagram: "Made a baguette holder for my Paris pop-pop! 🥖 3 RUE CUNIN-GRIDAINE, Saturday and sunday 11-19"

Xbox Cheeky Controller

45
Image of a custom ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Xbox Series X console with two katanas attached to the backside and a Deadpool-themed covering, set in an industrial scene. Two Deadpool-themed controllers…

5B impressions

Balenciaga Paris destroyed sneaker campaign

44
os novos tênis da balenciaga vou postar aqui e você pense o que quiser

390M impressions

e.l.f. eyes.lips.face.sticky.

44
eyes.lips.face.sticky. | e.l.f. Cosmetics Game Day Commercial 2023

57B impressions

Merit Solo Shadow

44
Merit's Solo Shadow cream eyeshadow in its pot.

$1M revenue

Haaland for the Win!

42
Haaland for the Win! Clash of Clans x Erling Haaland

64M views

Miracle-Gro Full Bush Summer

42
It's a #FullBushSummer with @Miracle-Gro #ad

1.35B impressions

Cards Against Humanity Saves America

40
Cards Against Humanity Saves America

$2.3M revenue

IKEA x Chupa Chups meatball lollipop

40
IKEA UK on Instagram: "We heard you like Swedish candy 🍭 So here’s the sweetest mashup no one asked for, but everyone will want to taste!"

25M impressions

Nissan ARIYA Lofi

40
Enjoy the Powerfully Peaceful ARIYA | Nissan USA

395M impressions

Cash App and Timothée Chalamet’s Sphere stunt

39
Timothée Chalamet on Instagram: "MARTY SUPREME OUT IN 3 DAYS TICKET LINK IN BIO"

1.3M views

Heinz Mustard: Heinz Mustard X Mustard

39
Heinz - Mustard X Mustard

2.1B impressions

IKEA Phone Sleep Collection

39
IKEA UAE on Instagram‎: "A new era of sleep begins tonight with the Phone Sleep Collection. Available in stores when you shop Dhs750+, including one item from the Complete Sleep Collection. Tuck…

650M impressions

Heinz: Every Sauce

38
INTRODUCING… Every Sauce ✨ A holy grail of sauces that includes not one, not two, but 14 Heinz sauces! 🤯 The catch, only 100 bottles exist and the only way to get one is to win! Tap the link below…

220M impressions

Lidl Eau de Croissant

38
Plunge Creations’ croissant-shaped bottles for Lidl’s perfume campaign.

9M views

The Ordinary's Ordinarily Priced Eggs

38
The Ordinary on Instagram: "We heard NYC needed eggs. 🥚 This weekend, you can get 12 ordinarily priced eggs at our stores for $3.37. No frills, just eggs. While supplies last. 📍 Nolita 26 Prince…

Virginia State’s Boots On The Ground Commencement

38
Our graduates are ready to hit the ground running. In fact, they already got their " BOOTS ON THE GROUND."

2M views

Pickle's Back

37
Megan Thee Stallion & Nickelback - Pickle’s Back [Official Music Video]

4M impressions

New Coke x Stranger Things

36
The upside-down New Coke vending machine used for the Stranger Things promotion.

Valtteri Bottas's Ultimate Second Car

36
Meat pie warmer? ✅ Budgie Smuggler clothes line? ✅ Kookaburra horn? ✅ Your first car could NEVER... So we made a second car that could. Purpose built for an Aussie road trip. @Uber_Australia…

17.3M views

Uber Eats: Football is for Food

36
Football is for Food | Uber Eats

40M impressions

Heinz: Can't Unsee It

33
Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine – Can’t Unsee It

1.58B impressions

KFC Extra Crispy Sunscreen

33
A fried chicken-scented sunscreen giveaway promoted by an infomercial starring George Hamilton as the Colonel.

200K views

7-Eleven: Always Open

31
Ja’Marr Chase on Instagram: "isjamarropen.com #7ElevenPartner”"

500M impressions

Lana Del Rey for Skims Valentine’s Day

31
SKIMS on Instagram: "Our SKIMS Valentine: Lana Del Rey. Music’s queen of hearts opens our dedicated Valentine's Shop Tuesday, January 23 at 9AM PT / 12PM ET. @honeymoon wears the Velvet Lace Teddy…

Fall Guys Battle of the Brands

30
Official Battle of the Brands artwork showed the winning bidders around a SpecialEffect crown.

50M impressions

Ford x Sydney Sweeney

30
Ford’s Bronco restoration film with Sydney Sweeney, followed by sponsored Auto 101 tutorials and Dickies workwear.

94.2M impressions

KitKat Iftar Bar

27
The Iftar Bar beside its red geometric packaging.

2M impressions

OMHU: The Iconic Dupe

27
How a campaign about lookalikes became a lookalike contest

38.8M impressions

Binance #CryptoCelebAlert

26
Superstars ≠ crypto experts. Music artist @JBALVIN says “do your own research”. On 2.13 when big names try to give you crypto advice — 🚨 sound #CryptoCelebAlert and grab 1/2222 NFTs of basketball…

SKIMS White Lotus Valentine’s Day campaign

25
Kim Kardashian on Instagram: "I watched White Lotus and had to have my girls! LAUNCHING JANUARY 26: THE @SKIMS VALENTINE’S DAY SHOP. It’s back and sexier than ever, starring breakout stars and…

4.6M views

Lowe's Black Friday Bucket Giveaway 2025

24
Lowe's Home Improvement on Instagram: "🪣 Our Black Friday Bucket Giveaway is BACK 🪣 🎉 The first 50 members in-store on 11/28 get a FREE Lowe’s bucket full of products AND a chance to get a FREE…

359M impressions

Coors Light's Out

19
Looks like we got a new can design thanks to the best player in baseball. Thoughts?

1M impressions

More collections

Scarcity drop in every industry