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.
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.
