Why unconventional collabs can be a brand's secret weapon

Sometimes you need to eat an entire cucumber.

And Logan Moffitt will show you the best way to do it.

If you’ve been online in the last few weeks, you’ve seen him.

The 23-year-old, platinum blonde, 'cucumber guy' has jumped from 3 million to over 6 million followers in the last two months. Why? Because of his viral cucumber salad series.

His salads include combinations like smoked salmon, cream cheese and everything bagel seasoning and have absolutely taken off on TikTok. So far, he's amassed over 300 million views across the videos. He's also sparked an outpouring of videos from other creators riffing off his format.

Now brands are swooping in to ride the high of the cucumber guy – but what about his content is so special?

First, he uses the same structure every single time.

Each video begins with the same thing: Logan, standing in the kitchen with his cucumber, mandoline, and container. He then says the same line, every time--

'Sometimes you need to eat an entire cucumber. I’m gonna show you the best way to do it.'

He then starts using the mandoline to slice his cucumber into the container. Then, he adds a variety of topping and sauce combos (and MSG, obviously). He shakes it up, then shares the result with his cucumber community.

In each video, eating with chopsticks is a non-negotiable. Logan always uses multiple slurps and 'mmmhm’s' so the audience knows whatever random combination he’s just made, it tastes delish.

This repetitive formula gives fans a common theme to return to. It's one that they’ve memorised so well, they’re now in the comments asking the creator to make t-shirts with his tagline, 'MSG, obviously.'

We all know that TikTok is a breeding ground for unconventional food trends.

Trends such as rat snacking, butter boards, and pickle-infused Dr. Pepper are consistently dividing the room (or feed). They attract viewers who either watch in admiration or disgust.

Now, Logan is at the forefront of the latest food related craze. And brands are lining up to collaborate with him, including Chipotle, DoorDash and Bloom Nutrition, just to name a few.

But it’s not just food brands that want to work with the cool cucumber creator.

Those in the beauty and hair care space, like Sephora, NYX Professional, K18 Hair and Flamingo are sponsoring Logan's videos. You can see him using their products during the usual format of his salad tutorials.

Some may think this is an odd pairing of genres. But cucumber is known for its high vitamin and silica content, making it great for skin and even hair loss prevention. It also helps that Logan's skin is ALWAYS dewy and glowy like some kind of ethereal prince.

In truth, unexpected partnerships can be a brand's secret weapon.

When a brand opts to work with a creator whose content doesn’t seem to fit with its product, it can often create more attention. That’s why there’s magic in unexpected partnerships.

Logan has a huge community that engages with his content. This is what brands should be considering when collaborating with creators like him.

It's why, for brands, partnerships should go deeper than just jumping on the next trend. It’s about looking at their audience and thinking: I haven’t been able to connect with this particular audience. This creator is doing a really good job at connecting, is there a way for me to play in this space as well?

Now if you will excuse me, I’ve just purchased 6 cucumbers, and I have to go see what all the fuss is about.

-Sophie, Writer