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How Nutter Butter’s unhinged TikTok strategy has taken the internet by storm – and how your company can leverage a similar strategy for TikTok growth.
But here’s the thing: Nutter Butter’s chaotic content isn’t new. They’ve been perfecting their TikTok strategy for over a year. However, it wasn’t until TikTok user Cassie Fitzwater posted a viral video captioned “@Nutter Butter are you okay??” that the internet started buzzing about the cookie company’s one-of-a-kind approach to social media. Other brands, like Pinterest, Sour Patch Kids, and Wheat Thins, even chimed in, leaving comments like “I’m logging off” and “I think we need a break.”
The food and restaurant industry has long been home to quirky, offbeat social media strategies that one could call unhinged—think Wendy’s, Oreo, and McDonald’s (and yes, we all remember the eerie Grimace shake trend that took over TikTok last summer). These brands thrive by tapping into trends surrounding memes and slang, building rapport with younger audiences, and creating an environment for two-way communication with their customers.
Why is it that other brands can post unconventional, meme-heavy content and not receive as much attention, while Nutter Butter consistently creates buzz?
The answer is simple: Nutter Butter is pioneering a new level of absurdity in marketing aimed at Gen Z and Gen Alpha. A company spokesperson explained it best in a USA Today interview, saying, “Our social channels create a realm of extreme absurdity and deep lore by going where no other cookie has gone before.” Unlike brands like Wendy’s or McDonald’s, which are great at riding meme trends or sparking new ones, Nutter Butter’s TikToks are a different beast entirely. Their videos often defy categorization—they’re so out-there that users can’t easily replicate or fit them into any trending format.
And that’s the magic. Nutter Butter’s TikTok content thrives because it’s unpredictable, leaving viewers both confused and hooked. Users can’t help but keep scrolling, even if they want to look away.
While Nutter Butter’s approach might not work for every brand, especially those with more conventional audiences, their success offers a valuable lesson: building a strong social media strategy takes time and persistence. Nutter Butter spent over a year flying under the radar before their TikTok blew up. Similarly, your brand won’t achieve overnight success with a new strategy—it takes months of consistency to gain traction and build rapport with your audience. Remember, a brand’s online personality develops over time.
Another key takeaway from Nutter Butter’s TikTok? It’s sometimes more effective to promote your brand rather than your product. Their videos rarely showcase their peanut butter cookies. Instead, they focus on creating memorable, viral content that drives brand awareness. This strategy seems to be paying off: the account grew from 3,100 followers in August to a whopping 700,000 followers and 4.1 million new likes in just a few months, according to AdWeek. Sales, too, have seen a massive uptick since the beginning of 2024.
As one commenter put it, “I hadn’t thought about Nutter Butter in 20 years. They did exactly what they came here to do.”
Nutter Butter’s success serves as a reminder that it’s okay to experiment with your social media content. The unconventional might just be what resonates with your audience. With TikTok’s endless niches, there’s always a chance your content will land with someone—or at the very least, intrigue them enough to keep watching.
In a platform where viral trends and brand popularity shift almost daily, Nutter Butter has found their (admittedly bizarre) niche. Through consistency and experimentation, they’ve managed to capture the attention of Gen Alpha while breathing new life into a 50-year-old brand. If they can do it, so can you.
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Brooke B.
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