Scrolling on social media, many stumble upon a clip of musical artist and producer Victoria Beverly Walker, professionally known as PinkPantheress, on the British game show “The Weakest Link.” This surprise appearance resulted in memes across social media, as people wondered why a music artist participated in a game show.

The amount of comments, likes and reposts were all helping Walker gain traction. Fans got to see Walker intimately as she participated as any other regular contestant. Traditional music marketing consists of billboards, social media posts, talk shows and regular interviews, something Walker did not participate in. Walker’s appearance on the game show indirectly  promoted her music, as fans attempted to understand more about the artist. Though Walker’s appearance on the game show did not relate to her music at all,  fans found her relatable and likeable as they were able to see her personality outside of her music promotions.

From Walker’s appearance on the show on Feb. 7, which garnered over 1.8 million streams on through television and streaming. Walker gained over 300,000 followers on Instagram. This unconventional television appearance created a viral moment rivaling traditional marketing strategies.

Many more artists are pursuing unconventional marketing strategies. Musical artist Harry Styles’s recently-released fourth studio album featured a promotion campaign through WhatsApp and Message texts to fans instead of industry standard official press releases, street posters or interviews.

Marketing that catches fans off guard creates more conversation about the artist and fosters more connection between the artist and their fanbase. 

“They’re creating a bigger brand for themselves, and a lot of individuals have done it,” Principles of Marketing teacher Matthew Feeler, said. “Because there’s a big market for it, I think they understand that they have a lot of power within their brand.”

With the fast-moving nature of content today spontaneous choices contribute to a new wave of marketing in which fans are further engaged rather than scroll past. 

The idea of unconventional marketing with out-of-the-box thinking or shock value is not new, but it is growing and transforming as the world becomes more digitalized. Modern celebrities rely on their online resources for marketing creativity because it reaches many viewers and increases reactions.

In 2010, artist Stefani Germanotta, known as Lady Gaga, stepped on to the Music Television Video Music Awards (MTV VMAs) red carpet wearing a dress completely made out of raw meat. Through surprise and mixed responses, Lady Gaga continued to gain traction. By the end of 2010, her album “The Fame Monster,” which she was nominated for at the VMAs, sold nearly 6 million copies.

Despite new marketing techniques appearing to be innovative and random, they all stem from core marketing techniques. At the end of the day, artists are continuing to build their personal brand with the public, breaking down the wall between them and their fans.

“[They] resort back to a lot of those traditional marketing concepts that still apply today,” Feeler said. “And you know, a lot of those things are great resources to look back on and understand a little better.”