A FASHION MARKETER'S PLAYBOOK FOR HOW TO CREATE AND NAVIGATE BRAND VIRALITY
Liandra Salles of Skep360 shares how she helps fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands build cultural relevance that lasts and makes the most of those moments when they happen.
For experienced marketers and brand strategists, creating a viral brand moment isn’t about luck or random TikTok happenstance. According to Liandra Salles, founder of Skep360, the biggest “overnight wins” are rarely overnight at all.
“Most viral moments look spontaneous,” Salles explains, “but they’re usually built on preparation. The brands that ‘win overnight’ are the ones that already had clarity, positioning and cultural awareness in place so when the moment appears, they’re ready to move without overthinking.”
Founded in 2019, Skep360 operates across Miami and New York, focusing on fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Salles describes the agency’s purpose clearly:
“Skep360 partners with founders and leadership teams to bring structure, clarity and cultural relevance to brands, from inception through moments of growth.”
The question is: How does a brand break through today without becoming noise?
As Salles puts it: “Define what you stand for early and protect it. Growth follows clarity.”
STRATEGY AND PLANNING
There are a few important baselines Salles emphasizes when brands talk about wanting to “go viral.”
First: most smart brands aren’t chasing virality for its own sake.
“Honestly, no,” she says, when asked whether brands secretly want to go viral. “Most brands don’t want to ‘go viral,’ they want to be taken seriously. Virality without context can actually cheapen a brand.”
For Salles, one of the biggest misconceptions especially in fashion and beauty is assuming attention automatically equals success. “We’ve all seen moments explode on TikTok and disappear 48 hours later. If nothing changes for the brand afterward perception, demand or credibility, it wasn’t impact. It was noise.”
So what does a true viral moment look like?
“For me, it’s when culture does the work for you,” she explains. “When people reference the brand without tagging it, when press picks it up organically, when demand lasts longer than the post itself. Views alone don’t mean much anymore.”
Liandra Salles, founder of Skep360.
Photo: Courtesy of Skep360
THE SKEP360 APPROACH
Salles is careful to define Skep360 not as a traditional vendor agency, but as something closer to an internal extension of the brands she works with.
“Skep360 works as an extension of the brand, not a vendor,” she says. “Each engagement is tailored from the ground up, with strategy guiding execution so that growth feels considered, cohesive, and true to the brand’s essence. Nothing is copy-paste. I actually hate that.”
Skep360’s services are fully aligned under one strategic vision:
Brand strategy
Creative direction
Influencer and talent strategy
Experiential concepts
Content positioning
Close collaboration with PR
Salles’s approach was shaped by working at scale across global brands.
“Working with global brands taught me how to think at scale,” she says. “When you operate across markets, teams and cultures, you develop strong judgment.”
She credits specific client experiences with reinforcing the importance of coherence over constant reinvention.
“Brands like BMW, Hublot, Tiffany and Arezzo showed me that relevance isn’t about constant reinvention, but about building systems that allow a brand to evolve without losing coherence.”
WHAT BRANDS NEED TO BREAK THROUGH RIGHT NOW
Salles believes that in today’s landscape, the brands that stand out aren’t the ones participating in every trend, but the ones protecting a clear identity.
“Clarity of identity, discipline in execution, and the ability to say no,” she says. “Not every trend deserves participation.”
She sees cultural relevance as something earned through proximity and consistency rather than sheer reach.
“Cultural relevance comes from proximity, not reach,” Salles explains. “Being in the right rooms, with the right people, telling the right story, consistently.”
And she says every successful campaign shares one essential trait:
“Alignment,” she says. “When product, timing, talent and message are aligned, campaigns don’t feel forced.”
Skep360 luxury campaign work Hublot.
Photo: Courtesy of Skep360
BALANCING DATA AND CREATIVE INSTINCT
For Salles, data matters but it isn’t the creative driver. It’s the foundation.
“Data tells us what’s working and what’s repeatable,” she says. “Strategy helps us decide what deserves to be scaled. Creativity is where we allow space to evolve.”
Her internal model is structured intentionally:
“Roughly 70% of what we do is informed by what we know works repetition, consistency, proven signals. The remaining 30% is intentionally left open for experimentation, intuition and cultural risk.”
BUILDING EMOTIONAL RESONANCE
Salles says emotional connection is always the signal of longevity.
“When it feels specific and honest,” she explains. “Broad ideas get attention. Personal ones create connection.”
Sometimes, she knows creative is landing in the room before it ever hits the public.
“When we are presenting the creative to the founder or marketing team, we see a drop of a tear, or an unexpected laugh that’s when we know that we nailed it.”
EXECUTING A CULTURAL MOMENT
One of Salles’s most impactful recent examples involved actress Leighton Meester, executed with deliberate understatement.
“We worked with Leighton Meester for one of our brands in a way that was intentionally understated,” she says, “speaking directly to a specific cultural memory.”
The campaign closed with a subtle signal:
“The audience we were targeting grew up with Gossip Girl, so we ended the campaign with a subtle ‘XOXO.’ It was a quiet ‘if you know, you know’ moment.”
That cultural shorthand, Salles explains, created organic conversation and relevance without forcing virality.
Skep360 campaign moment featuring Leighton Meester.
Photo: Courtesy of Skep360
But Salles is quick to emphasize that celebrity is not a requirement for cultural impact.
“Not every cultural moment requires a big name,” she says. “Some of the most powerful activations are built around real emotion and participation.”
For Mother’s Day, Skep360 created a custom product for loyal clients to gift their mothers — and asked them to record the reactions.
“We asked them to simply record the moment and their mothers’ reactions. Those authentic videos were then compiled and streamed in Times Square.”
The impact wasn’t about fame.
“What made it resonate wasn’t celebrity,” she explains. “It was recognition. Everyday people seeing real, intimate moments reflected in a public space.”
Mother’s Day activation streamed in Times Square.
Photo: Courtesy of Skep360
WHEN SPEED FAILS
Speed matters in marketing, Salles says but only after clarity is established. “I’d rather my brands be consistent than fast.”
She recalls a significant opportunity that slipped away because internal systems weren’t ready.
“This last December, there was a major placement opportunity for one of our brands with a high-profile artist, but production and collection timing weren’t aligned. The brand hesitated… and the moment passed.”
The lesson?
“Speed is about preparedness. When structure isn’t in place, even the best opportunity becomes a liability.”
THE FUTURE OF FASHION MARKETING
In 2025, Skep360’s work supported over $5 million in business across its portfolio, spanning brand launches, market expansion and cultural activations.
In 2024, the agency was recognized with a Stellar Award for Best Marketing Agency, reflecting its focus on strategic depth and executional excellence.
But for Salles, the most meaningful outcomes are not short-term spikes.
“The outcomes we value most are clients that never leave, sustained relevance, repeat partnerships, and brands that grow stronger over time, not just louder in the moment.”
Her guiding rule remains simple:
“Protect the brand first. Attention follows.”
And what excites her most about what comes next?
“A shift back to intention,” she says. “Fewer moments, better ones.”
