SPOTTED! In Social: Jon Hamm-ing it up

By Amanda Dunlap

Things we’re seeing on social right now (and why your brand should care), December edition

Our new monthly feature: a short, quippy dispatch from your friendly neighborhood social media agency

If you’ve opened Instagram in the past… oh, five minutes, you’ve probably seen it: Jon Hamm shimmying in the club, lost in the moment. Or, you’ve seen the clip from The Office of Michael Scott hoisting a boombox with peak chaotic manager energy. These Reels templates are everywhere, from creators and influencers, to individual users and brand pages — and if you’re pretending to be above trends, your brand is going to get left in the dust. When it comes to this one, embracing your company’s silly side will serve you well. And when we say “well,” we mean an increased chance of new followers and engagement, along with maximized visibility. Count you in? We thought so.

These silly, meme-y, blink-and-you’ll-miss-them templates? They’re gold. Not because they’re deeply meaningful. Not because they’re polished. But because they’re easy, fast, and immediately recognizable. Your audience doesn’t need a prep course — one glimpse of Jon Hamm’s hips or Michael Scott’s determined boombox pose, and the joke has already landed.

But here’s where brands sometimes miss the mark:

⭐ Trend participation isn’t about copying — it’s about contextualizing.

Sure, anyone can slap their logo on a trending audio. But the magic happens when you tailor the format to your tone, your humor, and your unique audience’s world. The template gives you a skeleton; your brand voice provides the muscles and personality, which is what will help the content go the distance and not fall flat.

⭐ Act fast.

By the time you’ve run a trend through three brainstorm meetings and a rigorous round of approvals, that trend has already died, been buried, resurrected ironically, and died again. Don’t get us wrong: Quality assurance and multiple sets of eyes are non-negotiables. But time is of the essence when you start seeing the same video template every other scroll.Get scrappy. Move fast. Stay relevant.

⭐ Playfulness builds connection.

People love seeing brands with a pulse. Brands that don’t take themselves too seriously and are willing to join the cultural conversation.

So yes, your brand is allowed — encouraged — to jump on the Jon Hamm dance train. Make Michael Scott your unofficial head of morale for the day. Use the templates, bend them to your voice, and have fun with them.

Because on social right now?

The brands winning are the ones willing to be a little silly, a little quick, and a lot human.

Want help spotting trends like these to help keep your company’s online presence successful? Stay tuned for our newest “Spotted!” series for a monthly clue on what you should be posting. And if you, like most marketers, wear 50 hats and simply don’t have time to keep up with the latest social shenanigans, that’s what we’re here for! Give us a shout — we’d love to chat.

Amanda Dunlap is the Director of Strategy and Relationships at WideFoc.us, where she spends her days digging into strategic ways for clients to grow revenue on social. She is a people-person who loves connecting with others at work, in-person, and on social media — giving her an authentic perspective on the topic of cultivating community online. Outside of work, she is the mom of a 2-year-old and spends most of her free time with her family!