We've all been there. That paralyzing moment when you're staring at a blank document, or scrolling social for content “inspiration” waiting for the perfect concept to materialize. The pressure to create something groundbreaking, something that will stop thumbs from scrolling and change the trajectory of your brand forever.
But what if I told you that sometimes the most engaging content isn't born from grand visions or elaborate strategies? Sometimes, it's as simple as a glitched billboard and a team that knows how to seize the moment.
During a New York Mets game, last year Shohei Ohtani hit a foul ball so hard it knocked out part of a Coors Light billboard. The result? A silver can with one perfectly glitched black square floating above the logo.
Most brands would've called maintenance. Coors Light called their agency.
Within 48 hours, that "mistake" became a limited-edition product drop, a campaign called "Lights Out," and a global viral moment. No media budget. No sponsorship deal. Just a fast, clever flip of a moment into a message.
This is what separates good marketers from great ones. Not the ability to create perfect campaigns from scratch, but the reflex to recognize opportunity in the unexpected and to act before the internet moves on and the moment passes.
That's exactly what Coors Light's team did. They saw the damaged billboard not as a maintenance issue but as a storytelling opportunity. They recognized that the internet would be talking about this moment for maybe 72 hours tops—and they needed to own the conversation before it disappeared.
I can just imagine the Coors Light team chat exploding with ideas the moment someone shared a photo of that damaged billboard. "What if we..." messages flying back and forth, building on each other's energy, transforming what could have been an embarrassing moment into marketing gold.
The internet moves fast. By the time you've perfected your response to a trend, or life happening the moment is well gone. (Which is why most of the time you will find me advising businesses against hopping on trends unless it already aligns with their messaging and we can jump on it immediately.)
And while we’re on the topic of creating content from seized opportunities, don’t be afraid to recycle the content you’ve put out that has already proven it is capable of an audience. The posts that have been shared a bunch of times, liked and commented on- reuse them. Because the truth is constantly creating new content all of the time is exhausting. And there are going to be some days when you are scrolling for “inspiration” and the “inspiration” doesn’t come.
Those are the days to reuse what already exists.
What has already proven it’s worth.
Repost it exactly as it is.
Because the truth is we are each following so many accounts that we aren’t going to remember if we already saw it or not.
I wouldn't be surprised if Coors Light found ways to extend this campaign, perhaps by creating "glitched" limited editions for other major sporting events or developing a broader platform around embracing unexpected moments.
Some will call it repetitive and boring. But to me it’s smart marketing. The social algorithms reward consistency, and your audience appreciates the continuation of conversations they're already invested in. Because social is a continued conversation.
So here's my challenge to you: Stop waiting and scrolling for the big idea.
Instead, start recognizing the micro-inspirations all around you:
The accidental visual your snapped when unlocking your phone
The unexpected interaction between your brand and a cultural moment
The "mistake" that actually looks kind of cool
These aren't flaws to be fixed—they're jumping off points for content that feels authentic, timely, and human.
Sometimes your best work doesn't come from months of planning—it comes from a broken billboard and a team that knows how to run with it. And when something works, don't be afraid to remix it, extend it, and squeeze every drop of engagement from it before moving on to the next big (or small) thing.