By rsukhraj@hubspot.com (Ramona Sukhraj)

You don’t have to be in marketing to know what it means to “go viral,” but the dream of saying, “My brand went viral”? — That’s definitely unique to our profession.

Marketing managers are even credited with coining the phrase back in the 1980s, but it’s safe to say a lot has changed since then.

“Going viral” is slowly giving way to “becoming a meme” these days, but either way, we mean getting lots of attention on the Internet, especially on social media.

Think the 10,000 retweets Oreo got on its famous “You can still dunk in the dark” Super Bowl tweet in 2013 or the 154 million views Solo Stoves’ covert collaboration with Snoop Dogg generated in 2023.

But let’s be honest; these big brands have it easy.

Global brands have agencies and well-staffed marketing teams standing by to pounce on current events and trends. Plus, they have large, established audiences paying attention and ready to spread timely content.

What are the little guys supposed to do? How can we grab some of the viral glory? Let’s talk through how 16 small (or formally small) brands made it happen and what you can learn from their stories.

16 Small Brands That Went Viral On Social Media

1. Janet Heller Fine Jewelry

Everyone’s still talking about the Paris Summer Olympics — and not just about the athletes.

After winning gold in the all-around gymnastics final, gymnast Simone Biles showed off a diamond-studded gold goat pendant (representing being the GOAT or “Greatest Of All Time”) to cameras.

And then, of course, fans everywhere wanted their own.