Why Did KSI Freak Out Over ‘Thick Of It’ Memes? Trump & Kai Cenat Collab, Logan Paul vs. Messi! - 432

TL;DR

KSI turned the hate around “Thick Of It” into promotion by publicly acting angry and asking people to stop making memes, knowing those reactions would encourage more posts, views, and streams. He recognized the opportunity after the backlash began and leaned into it because the song was catchy, easy to meme, and already attracting attention. Read on to see which reactions were genuine and how his strategy developed.

Transcript

bro I sang thick of it to my daughter Esme she started crying she stopped crying when I stopped singing it oh fantastic great you know I put the song out and it was just getting a ton of hate I was like all right let me just lean into this you even had me fool cuz you messaged me being like bro are you all right JJ how up to speed are you on the cu... Read More

Key Insights

• KSI used negative reactions to his song as a marketing strategy, embracing the memes and controversy.
• The key to viral marketing is understanding internet culture and using it to your advantage.
• Attention is a currency in the digital age, and negative attention can be as powerful as positive.
• Memes can significantly boost a product's visibility and engagement when used strategically.
• KSI's approach demonstrates the importance of adaptability and creativity in marketing.
• Even negative memes can contribute to a song's success by increasing streams and views.
• The internet's reaction can be unpredictable, but leaning into trends can yield positive results.
• KSI's experience shows that controversy, when managed well, can be a powerful promotional tool.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did KSI use ‘Thick Of It’ memes to market the song?

KSI acted angry and told people to stop making memes and making fun of him, while expecting those requests to provoke even more memes and videos. He said the resulting hate and attention could be directed toward the song, contributing to its streams and views.

Q: Was KSI genuinely angry about the reaction to ‘Thick Of It’?

KSI said he was not actually mad about the song’s reception. His performance was convincing enough that a friend messaged him to ask whether he was all right after seeing him appear to flip out on Aiden’s stream.

Q: Did KSI plan the meme strategy before releasing the song?

KSI described adapting after the song came out and received a ton of hate and ridicule. He saw what was happening, decided to embrace it, and leaned into an angry public persona to generate more reactions.

Q: Why did KSI think ‘Thick Of It’ became so easy to meme?

KSI described the song as “catchy cringe” and said people could easily make memes from it. Because those memes performed well and offered creators free views, people kept turning him into characters such as Darth Vader, Peter Griffin, Homer Simpson, and Michael Jackson.

Q: How did acting angry increase attention for KSI’s song?

The strategy relied on people continuing to mock the song when KSI appeared upset by their jokes. More memes and videos meant more attention, which KSI and the hosts said contributed to the song’s streams and views.

Q: Were any of KSI’s angry posts genuine?

KSI said the first two tweets he directed at Dan were probably genuine because he objected to Dan coming after his business. Once KSI had a single coming out, however, he realized he could use that conflict, hate, and attention to market the song.

Q: What did KSI mean when he said attention is currency?

KSI’s approach treated both praise and ridicule as useful because either could keep people discussing and playing the song. A host noted that KSI practiced this idea by converting apparent anger and continued mockery into more streams and views.

Q: Why was KSI willing to embrace negative attention?

KSI said he had been loved, hated, and experienced everything in between during his long career. That experience made him comfortable embracing the backlash, especially because he believed the song was good and expected many people to follow the existing trend.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• KSI utilized the backlash and meme culture surrounding his song 'Thick Of It' to boost its popularity. By embracing the negative attention and turning it into a marketing strategy, he successfully increased the song's visibility and chart performance. This approach highlights the power of internet culture in shaping public perception and driving engagement.

• The internet's reaction to KSI's song was initially negative, but he capitalized on this by encouraging memes and controversy. This unconventional marketing strategy resulted in increased streams and a higher chart position, demonstrating the effectiveness of embracing digital trends for promotional success.

• KSI's experience with 'Thick Of It' illustrates the potential of using memes and controversy as marketing tools. By leaning into negative reactions, he turned potential failure into success, highlighting the importance of understanding and leveraging internet culture in today's digital landscape.