May 23rd, 2024. TikTok creator Aiyanna (@aiyannace) strolls into an NYC Cava location, filming as she places her order. What starts as a regular “Day in my life” turns into a hidden promotion as she pans to the back of the store where a baker’s dozen of employees stand around the grill. Murmurs and shuffles can be heard while text flashes on the screen: “Idk what’s going on at Cava…” So, what were they planning behind the counter? What was this inconspicuous TikTok advertising for?
Five days later, Cava’s official TikTok account made a series of videos stitching Aiyanna, hinting more at their new release. Commenters speculated below each one, some guessing at a new location release, more veggie options, or even salmon. Large creators such as @thephillymallu even joined in on the discourse, making their own predictions and further spreading the hype. Turns out, these series of videos were all teasers for their newest addition to the menu: steak.
Through just a handful of videos and influencer partnerships, Cava turned this product launch into a huge success. But, what made their campaign so impactful, and how did it stand out from others?
First, the timing. Be it luck or skillful forecasting, Cava managed to plan this steak drop right at the peak of their main competitor’s controversy. In the months leading up, Chipotle has been facing immense controversy over their small portion sizes and high prices. Before Cava’s campaign even started, eyes were already shifting towards them – the steak launch just cruised along the wave of attention.
User-generated content was also a major factor. Unsurprisingly, consumers find more interest in content created by other regular consumers as they seem more trustworthy than large brands. So, by announcing the menu update primarily through the use of influencers, Cava was able to take advantage of this preconceived user-to-user relationship. Furthermore, if you watch Aiyanna’s original video back, you see that it has no elements of a standard influencer ad at all – without the “#cavapartner” tag in the caption, there would be no indication that Aiyanna was paid to make this video. This makes the Cava hype seem more credible, prompting other users to buy into it and create videos of their own. Soon enough, everyone on social media is talking about their campaign, making predictions about what the mysterious Cava grill holds.
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