How Saratoga Water’s Viral Moment Proves The Power Of Organic Social Media Buzz For Food Brands

For food and beverage brands, achieving viral status is like striking gold. Keeping up with social media’s ever-changing landscape, however, is trickier than it seems. The relationship between major brands and consumers has always been fickle, so in most cases, it’s the luck of the draw. An attempt at going viral can either fall flat or score you millions of likes. Ultimately, an organic response is the best case scenario. 

Saratoga Spring Water, a New York-based premium water brand, recently experienced a surge in popularity thanks to TikTok influencer Ashton Hall. In a video posted on February 7 that gained major traction last weekend, Hall shares his hilariously intense morning routine—starting at 3:50 a.m. and wrapping up by 9:30 a.m.

Between brushing his teeth, working out, and a questionable self-care ritual involving a banana peel, one thing stands out: his obsession with Saratoga Spring Water. He sips it mid-workout, rinses his mouth with it, and even dunks his face into a bowl of it—twice. The result? A social media frenzy that’s put Saratoga in the spotlight.

@ashtonhallofficial

Day 191 of the morning routine that changed my life 3:50am to 9:30am Sin lives late at night.. if you’re dealing with a weak mind, bad decisions, or lack of productivity go to sleep early. 4:00am – 8:00am no one’s calling or distracting your productivity.. they are sleep. 8:00pm – 12:00am is the opposite. Just try 30 days.. send this to your partners. It’s time to do better.

♬ original sound – Worthy Supps

At 99.8 million views and counting as of this article, it has become one of the year’s biggest viral moments, inspiring a slew of imitation videos, responses, and memes. Most surprising is the positive impact it has had on Saratoga Spring Water. According to Investopedia, shares of Primo Brands, Saratoga’s parent company, rose nearly 3% on Monday, spurred by an increase in investor interest. What’s even more surprising? Saratoga has no affiliation with Ashton Hall—this viral moment was pure, unintentional marketing at its finest.

Moments like these are rare, as companies typically churn out big bucks for influencers. They underscore the incalculable benefits of going viral organically — a unicorn achievement in the world of marketing. A similar case occurred in 2021 when popular rapper Doja Cat tweeted Taco Bell, demanding the return of its then-discontinued Mexican Pizza, a move that echoed the sentiments of thousands of fans.

Taco Bell caught wind of it and smartly decided to sign Doja Cat as an official partner and feature her in a Super Bowl ad. Following its triumphant return in 2022, Taco Bell sold an estimated 45 million Mexican Pizzas. Those are just two examples of the positive impact organic viral trends have on food brands. 

@big.logs Happy birthday Grimace! #fyp #grimace #xyzbca #foryou ♬ Dream Sweet in Sea Major – ♡•ɢᴇᴍ•♡

McDonald’s experienced an 11% boost in sales thanks to a viral trend inspired by its Grimace Birthday Shake, per Fortune. Scores of fans filmed themselves “overdosing” on the shake in a quasi-horror film style. It wasn’t the reaction McDonald’s had anticipated, but it helped nonetheless. 

In 2024, Chili’s was navigating bankruptcy when a viral “cheese pull” trend unexpectedly turned things around. Capitalizing on the buzz, the brand revamped its fried mozzarella sticks, adding them to the “Triple Dipper” platter. The move sparked over 144 million posts, drove a 70% surge in sales, and reinvigorated customer interest—giving Chili’s the momentum it needed to climb out of financial trouble.

Organic viral trends can be a double-edged sword, as brands typically have no input on how they are represented. But when a brand figures out how to capitalize on the moment and make the alignment work, it works in a major way.