MAD//Fest + Reddit's new report, The Power of Reddit - and The Brands Winning On It, looks at how the platform is being used to unlock customer insights, recommendations and sales.

Have you ever found yourself hours into a Reddit rabbit hole? If so, you’re not alone.

Usage of the social platform is soaring with weekly active users up 24% to more than half a billion people.

In a world where so much of our online discovery is powered by AI, people are seeking human validation more than ever and whether you’re searching for theories on the latest series of The Traitors or recommendations for the best buggy for two kids, Reddit is the place you’ll get a big ol' dose of honesty.

But how can brands take advantage of this? In MAD//Fest’s latest FREE report, The Power of Reddit - And The Brands Winning On It, we explore how businesses have used the platform to gain a competitive advantage.

Brands like Dove. The Unilever-owned business put Reddit at the centre of its Cannes Lions-winning campaign earlier this year, which truly unlocked the power of human reviews.

As part of its r/eal Reviews campaign, Dove invited Reddit users to give their honest opinions of its Intensive Repair 10-in-1 Serum Mask and committed to publishing the first 50 responses - good or bad - unedited in its ads.

Amid many positive posts were reviews that said the hair mask smelled like “expired hotel shampoo” and “like an old lady”.

Dove stayed true to its word and included those posts within the campaign, which ran across social and out-of-home.

The ad launched in New York with a two-day pop-up at the Flatiron Plaza, where oversized reviews were displayed alongside product sampling. Further outdoor advertising ran across the city, and testimonial-style films in which anonymised Redditors read their own reviews aloud were pushed across social media.

Dove US Head of Beauty & Wellbeing Emily Barfoot said: “With r/eal reviews we leant into what consumers trust most - real opinions from real people. 

“The concept was rooted in a strong strategic platform and bold idea, designed to show up where real influence is being shaped today. 

“Platforms like Reddit are no longer just conversation spaces. They’re where opinions are formed, shared and continuously referenced. By leaning into authentic reviews, we could amplify credible, consumer-led proof of our mask’s superiority in a way that would be trusted and far-reaching.

“Transparency wasn’t a risk, it was our strategy, and it reflects a shift to how influence is earned today – away from polished endorsements and towards credibility built through real experience.”

The campaign, which won six Cannes Lions awards this year, racked up more than a billion earned impressions and helped the product become the bestselling hair mask in the US during its duration.

Download The Power of Reddit - And The Brands Winning On It today to hear more eye-opening ways that brands are making the most out of the fast-growing social platform.

Discover how to:

  • Harness the power of human reviews
  • Use the platform as your brand’s personal focus group
  • Drive awareness, consideration and sales

PLUS Hear case studies from brands including Levi’s + Sonos

DOWNLOAD THE POWER OF REDDIT - AND THE BRANDS WINNING ON IT REPORT