3 Rebranding lessons from Addison Rae

If you don't know Addison Rae, you'll know her song.

'When we drive in your car, I'm your baby...'

Yeah, that one.

The one you've watched Froodle dance to on TikTok over and over.

The one you sing quietly when you're about to fall asleep.

The one at the top of your 'On Repeat' playlist.

Ok, these examples miiight be me-specific, but I'm sure you know the song.

But what you might not know is that Rae has undergone a major rebrand.

She hasn't always been a 'cool girl,' like her music videos for Diet Pepsi and Aquamarine might suggest.

These videos communicate Rae's fairly new persona: conventionally hot, slightly weird, great at dancing, and mysterious.

Sort of... cute girl next door, but she's smoking two cigarettes at once.

But she hasn't always been this way.

Because Rae came to fame back in the simple days, in a simple way: She did TikTok dances.

Remember when the platform was all dancing? Users copying each other's moves, experimenting with their facials...and not much else really.

(Here's an old video of Rae's to jog your memory.)

It was cringe.

But it was epic.

And Rae absolutely dominated the platform.

After a few months of being on TikTok, she reached one million followers, and by 2020 she was one of the highest-paid influencers on the app.

So then she did something so understandable!

She attempted to leverage her internet fame and turn it into 'real' success.

She tried her hand at acting in He's All That, had a go at launching her own fragrance line, and released her first song (which, while not as good as her recent ones, I still bump in the car).

But nothing did very well.

So, how did she turn it around?

Well, she completely rebranded!

In an epic feat, Rae went from chronically online, often-trolled TikToker to an actual pop star, shrouded in strange mystique.

And this change has been so transformational, that it just can't have happened by accident.

So, here's what we marketers can learn from Rae's rebrand.

1. Embrace image evolution.

Rae's early start as a slightly 'cringe' TikToker has actually added to her lore and improved her ‘It Girl’ status.

It makes us wonder about her growth and how she changed. Has she always had this hidden artistry? When did she stop filming herself dancing by the pool in her family home and start smoking?

It's a great reminder to embrace the brand journey—not hide it. The origin story is all part of the package, and it can exist as part of your new brand.

2. Strategic partnerships can work wonders.

As someone who has been viewed by many, many internet users as 'cringe,' a key part of Rae's rebrand has been building credibility...and becoming cool.

And she did this by collaborating with some serious pop-stars. She featured on Charlie XCX's 'The von dutch remix', and formed a public friendship with Charlie and pop-angel Troye Sivan.

These two established stars even supported Rae onstage at Madison Square Garden singing ‘Diet Pepsi’.

Rae's connection with these respected pop stars boosted her brand and positioned her, by association, as a serious artist.

So when looking at strategic brand partnerships, choose products and people you truly align with, and who have the capacity to take you to the next level.

3. Keep 'em guessing.

Possibly one of the most effective strategies Rae used for rebranding herself was creating a layer of mystery.

Girl went from posting non-stop, unflitered videos of her dancing in different locations to beautifully cryptic content.

In 2023, she archived her past Instagram and TikTok posts. She then rolled out the new-Rae: blurry upside-down bikini shots, photobooth tumblr-eqsue selfies, carousels filled with odd photos of food and beaches.

It's hard to know what's happening on her social media.

And it's perfect!

This confusing, somewhat strange posting creates mystery around Rae—we wonder: What's her life like? What is she really like?

Plus it's totally sporadic, so we're desperate for more.

So if you're looking to change up your brand, it's worth readjusting your social media strategy and adding a layer of mystery to it all...

Whether you go the Addision Rae route of posting less or take the Nutter Butter hysterical-posting road—doing something different and difficult to explain is a great way to get people talking about your brand.

It's also a super effective way to signal to them something new is coming!

So, basically, Addison Rae is a branding genius.

Or her team is, at least.

And while I'm into it, it does make me slightly sad that Rae had to change her whole image to get her music taken seriously.

Because, in all honestly, why can't we enjoy good music from a girly-pop, 'cringe' TikToker?

Is being enthusiastic and enjoying posting yourself on the internet really that embarrassing?

But, in saying all that, when it comes to Rae's adjusted image: I'm all in.

As put perfectly by Charlie Sawyer in Screenshot, Addison Rae's releases this year have left 'the gays and the girlies gagging.'

And I can't wait to see what's next.

-Maggie, Copywriter