How We Generate Created One of the UK’s Biggest Viral Hits

A little under three months ago, I shared our intention to ramp up We Generate’s social media presence, starting with a fresh and audacious TikTok strategy. Back then, I proudly announced that our first post had surpassed our previous best, amassing over 2k views. Fast forward to today, and I’m thrilled to report that last week, our agency achieved one of the UK’s biggest viral videos, now hitting over 23 million views, with the follow-up video reaching 7.2 million views.

This viral success has reverberated across multiple platforms, with reposts going viral on Instagram and other social media sites. The original post has propelled us past 27k followers in just three weeks, with our sights now set on hitting 50k as we roll out our new storyline. Many of our recent videos are now racking up tens of thousands of views, all achieving a minimum of 50k views and an average of 150k views—a significant leap for an account that had just 300 followers less than a month ago.

So, How Did We Do It?

At We Generate, we’re no strangers to going viral. Our reputation in the music and entertainment industry is built on delivering consistent viral numbers for our clients. However, it’s a different ballgame when your own team is in the spotlight rather than global celebrities. But the fundamentals of virality remain the same.

We devised a narrative centered around our new intern, Emma, who made her TikTok debut with a video that captured the audience’s attention instantly. In her introduction, Emma candidly confessed that she had “no idea what she was doing” but needed the job to secure her visa and stay in the country. Playing into Gen Z stereotypes, Emma asked viewers to help her gain views to avoid deportation, cheekily noting that being sent back would be “sooo long and so boring.”

Emma’s charm and laid-back approach quickly won over the audience. Whether it was showing up to meetings hungover or, in the case of the viral video, accidentally tuning into a Zoom call from the beach, Emma embodies the perfect mix of underdog and mischievous star. Her antics push the boundaries, creating a compelling narrative that viewers can’t help but follow.

Keeping It Fresh

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The Strategy Behind the Challenge

The idea of challenging a social media team to hit a certain target before a deadline is nothing new—we’ve seen it done before. So how do we keep it fresh and engaging? The answer is simple: we lean into the fact that people are quick to point out when something isn’t original. In fact, the more it triggers people, the better.

By openly acknowledging the familiarity of the strategy, we’re tapping into the audience’s instinct to critique and engage. The narrative we’re building around Emma and our goal to hit 10k followers plays into this tension. We’re not just ignoring the criticism; we’re using it to fuel engagement. The more pressed people get about the “unoriginality,” the more they talk about it, share it, and ironically, help us reach our goal.

What’s Next for We Generate and Emma?

The viral video sparked widespread interest in Emma’s story, and have since released a number of follow up videos. The second post, Emma was challenged to reach and to help us hit 10k followers, gained nearly 7 million views. This post had a clear call to action, and the response has been incredible—bringing in a further 17,000 new followers.

As the follower count grows, so does Emma’s confidence and in the next chapter, she boldly claims she wants a public apology from her boss. Should she reach the next milestone of 50k followers, she wants this apology in the form of a billboard, where the affectionate term she now refers to him as ‘Smooch’ will be emblazoned across the said billboard, Emma was right, Smooch was wrong she claims in the latest installment of the We Generate chapter!