BTS JOYRIDE's Re-Launch w/ Ryan Trahan

Here’s What You Can Learn From JOYRIDEs Launch with Ryan Trahan

JOYRIDE, the candy brand, had an explosive surge in popularity last month.

All because they brought on Ryan Trahan as co-owner and chief creative officer to launch new sour strips.

The product sold out in less than one week and is set to debut on shelves in 1,300 Target stores across the United States this June.

Now, before you think, "I don’t have 15M subscribers; none of these tactics apply to my business," pause for a moment.

Many of the tactics are applicable to your brand - here’s how.

Epic Launch, One Focus

The JOYRIDE announcement video, released on Trahan's channel, amassed over 4 million views in just 24 hours (now sitting at 8M).

Why? Because it's epic.

It felt like a mini-movie, like a Super Bowl commercial with extremely high production value.

The 5-minute video took six months to produce and even has a movie poster for sale!

And it worked!

“I just felt like if I put so much effort into…an MP4 file on YouTube, then it would show my audience that [JOYRIDE] is not a cash grab—this is not a short-term thing for me,” Trahan said.

Activate Your Audience (Not Just For $ And Likes)

Ryan didn’t just tell his 15 million subs to like the video and buy JOYRIDE.

Here’s what he did to create a compound effect.

Rally the audience behind a retailer

Want to get into a major retailer?

Ryan called on his followers to directly tag Target on social media, asking, "When are we getting JOYRIDE?"

This showed consumer demand directly to the retailer.

Now - JOYRIDE is scheduled to launch in 1,300 Target stores in June.

Leverage giveaways to turn customers into brand ambassadors

Most brands use giveaways for lead acquisition.

Ryan leveraged giveaways to transform customers into active brand ambassadors.

The giveaway: a year's supply of JOYRIDE sour strips given each month to the creator of the most viewed piece of UGC.

Co-create with the community through feedback

Ryan didn't just push products.

He invited his audience into the creative process by asking them to vote on their favorite flavors - which they used to direct future launches.

Everything is a Content Opportunity

Running low on content ideas? Look to Ryan Trahan for inspiration.

He flew out to hand-deliver an e-bike and a year's supply of JOYRIDE products to the brand's first customer, capturing the moment on video.

This showcased customer appreciation while simultaneously creating a compelling content opportunity.

How to implement:

So here’s what you can apply - even if you don’t have 15m followers.

• Trying to get into retail? Run an influencer campaign and ask everyone to tag the retailer.
• Run a giveaway to your customers - the best UGC wins.
• Use community feedback to publicly develop new products.