Crumbl’s Unique Path To Becoming The Most Popular Cookie Chain On Social Media

It’s only been around for seven years, but chances are you’ve seen it in your social media feed even if you haven’t walked out with one of those famous pink boxes.

Crumbl’s rise to prominence has been swift, unpredictable, and at least somewhat unrelated to cookies.

TikTok trendy

As any brand knows, reaching young people is crucial … and these days, there’s no better place to find them than on TikTok. For Crumbl, it was a natural fit.

The company has opened locations far and wide, with more than 1,000 currently in operation. Perhaps more impressive, though, is its nearly 10 million TikTok followers.

Whether online or IRL, Crumbl has fueled its growth by focusing not only on the taste of its cookies but the experience.

Constantly changing menus means you’ll have to act fast if you want to get a particularly yummy-sounding flavor. And in addition to the distinctive boxes, some of the more elaborate recipes are practically begging to be shared on social media.

Will it last?

They say all good things must come to an end, and our cultural preferences tend to shift over time. So will Crumbl’s reign as king of the sugary hill be short-lived? We’ll have to wait and see.

But for now, the company seems to be making the most of its viral exposure. A flurry of reviews, notifications from its popular app, and a buzz-generating pop-up event in Australia have all contributed to the massive attention surrounding this brand.

It hasn’t been that long since everybody was crazy for fancy cupcakes or build-your-own frozen yogurt cups. But Columbia University adjunct business professor Stephen Zagor notes an important distinction for Crumbl.

“This is an internet brand,” he said, noting that, for now, it seems to be making “all the right marketing moves.”

Chris Agee December 10th, 2024

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