From Viral Moment to Booming Merch Empire: How Mads Mitch used a Viral Moment to Build Recurring Revenue

Mads Mitch is a TikTok sensation who makes videos while getting ready, funny storytimes, and more. In October Mads posted a video in which the infamous phrase came to life, “How hard can it be? Boys do it.” 

The TikTok sound became a sensation, starting a trend that stuck with thousands of people. Mads says timing is everything when it comes to social trends, but to her it wasn’t just about the trend. Mads wanted to seize the opportunity and create a community- She wanted this to be a movement.

Mads decided to take on the journey of creating her own merch line. After creating her designs, she was able to quickly put her new collection together on Fourthwall. Launch day came and Mads’s shop was flooded with orders. ‍

Q&A With Mads Mitch

What was your initial reaction to your sound going viral?

It’s funny because the original video was actually from October. At the time it was pretty well-received but nothing really came of it! Then in January, people started to use the audio from my video to make their own videos of them doing the coolest things imaginable. It was funny to me that it randomly became a trend months after the fact, so I was really surprised. It was such a cool experience and such a fun moment to be a part of.

Can you share a bit about your experience creating your merch and site?

I started designing the merch as soon as it started going viral. I knew I wanted to have tons of different options in terms of graphics, colors and styles because I wanted something that would appeal to everyone. I designed two of the designs myself, and then had a graphic designer draw up the third design. Putting the collection together on Fourthwall was super easy and I loved having so many different options to play around with. 

How do you feel about the message behind the line “how hard can it be? boys do it” resonating with so many people?

It will never not be the coolest thing ever to me. Being a content creator, it can often feel like you’re making content to this ambiguous void of people. With this trend it was so cool to tangibly see how many people were participating.

Have you encountered any criticism or backlash regarding the message of your merchandise, and if so, how have you addressed it? 

Yes! Just like everything on the internet, this had it’s fair share of criticism and backlash. I actually made a video addressing some of these comments and it ended up being one my best performing videos of all time, and ended up driving even more traction to my original video. So the negativity led to funny content and a spike in engagement, can’t complain!

How did you feel when you saw the overwhelming response to the launch?

I was floored. There were a lot of delays in actually launching (on my end), so if I’d had it my way I would have launched a couple weeks earlier to really capitalize on the viral moment. Even though a lot of people were asking for the merch, I had fears that I had maybe missed the moment a little bit, and timing is everything with social trends, so I didn’t really know what to expect. Launch day was a real “pinch me” moment. 

What strategies did you use to promote your merchandise and maximize sales? 

I actually used to work in social media marketing and I was able to dust off those skills with this launch which was really fun. I also had an insanely specific creative vision for shooting the merch, and luckily I was able to bring that to life. I announced the merch a week before it launched and was promoting on my TikTok and Instagram. On IG, I did a merch Q&A to answer and address any questions people had ahead of time, so they’d be confident in their purchase. I also posted a “plan your buy” the night before, which I think was super helpful. It laid out all of the products and pricing, so again people could go into it well-informed. I also did a PR package giveaway a few days before launch, which really conjured up excitement. The photo assets I had were also effective because they captured the origin story of the sound and didn’t read as just standard promotional pictures. I also did a limited edition drop for International Women’s Day that featured several new products that were only available for 3 days. Half of the proceeds were donated to a really cool women’s organization!

Are there any future plans or projects related to your merchandise line that you can share with us?

I don’t have anything upcoming for HHCIBBDI (How hard can it be? Boys do it) but I’m planning on making merch for my podcast in the near future, which I’m really excited about!

Are there any lessons or insights you gained from the experience of launching your merch that you think other creators could benefit from? 

I would say moving quickly to capitalize on big moments is so important. Luckily, working with Fourthwall is super easy and streamlined, which makes it easy to move things quickly. I also have found that some creators release merch in a very nonchalant and casual way, and I think not being afraid to make it a whole moment is important. I spent way more time on the marketing aspects of this launch than anything else, and I think that was a big reason for its success. Also, listen to your audience! The week leading up to launch I was getting a lot of comments saying “I hope you have kids sizes” or “I hope you do long sleeves” and it’s so easy to add those options to have items that appeal to everyone, so I did!

Can you share any memorable stories or interactions you’ve had with supporters since launching your merchandise? 

One of the biggest requests with this merch was that I make kids/toddler/baby sizes. So I actually made an entire design geared toward this demographic with a matching sweatshirt for adults. It’s been so cool to see moms and their little kids wear their matching merch! 

Start Your Own Merch Journey Today

Mads Mitch used Fourthwall to get her brand started. With Fourthwall, you can have your own custom website for your shop and memberships all in one seamless hub. You have the ability to really connect with your supporters and you have a lot of control over your shop. You can set your own prices, run sales, create member’s only products, and so much more. 

Fourthwall handles the difficult parts like manufacturing, customer service, and taxes - so you can focus on the fun stuff and make sure your site feels true to you and your brand. Sign up for Fourthwall today to start your new business!