Brand marketing nowadays is snarky, savvy, and relatable, especially with the profusion of memes, videos, and gifs. But when Pizza Hut recently repurposed a popular TikTok video to tease a new pizza release, the backlash was swift and strong.
The original TikTok video shows Brittany Tomlinson reacting to kombucha for the first time, and her amusing facial expressions became a meme overnight.
Pizza Hut then repurposed the video on August 21 to tease a possible new pizza next month. However, AdWeek reported that Tomlinson called out the brand, demanding payment for using her material to generate possible revenue.
(Photo credit: Adweek)
Her supporters backed her up.
Way to take something without permission @pizzahut
Once again, after taking away my chocolate dunkers, you’ve disappointed me.
CREDIT FOR THE GREATEST GIF OF ALL TIME: @Brittany_broski
— Coda.???? (@codawashere) August 21, 2019
Contact pizza hut directly with proof that your video was used for commercial purposes and tell them how much they owe you ????
— Venxs ღ (@Venxslive) August 21, 2019
Never thought I’d have to do this… but I reported Pizza Hut ????????
— Coda.???? (@codawashere) August 21, 2019
Pizza Hut deleted the video within hours of posting. However, it raised questions for pizzerias looking to make a name for themselves with “borrowed” content on social media.
Adweek interviewed a lawyer on the subject, and the information can be read here.
