We’re always on the lookout for the moments that we can cut through — not with noise, but with surprise – for our clients. The kind of marketing that doesn’t just perform well, but feels different as it’s where brands show up in unexpected ways, take risks, or break the rules of their category.
That’s what inspired Plot Twist: Stories Behind the Scroll, our latest quarterly LinkedIn series which has now drawn to a close.
Over the course of this series, we have spotlighted brands who used creative thinking, digital storytelling, and joined-up strategy to turn the most ordinary formats into something extraordinary, from museums going viral to car dealers acting like content studios. Here’s what we found behind the scroll:
Royal Armouries | When History Goes Viral
What happens when you mix a medieval museum with TikTok? A Henry VIII video with over 4 million views. The Royal Armouries Museum turned historical curation into cultural relevance by ditching the dusty museum tone in favour of humour, curiosity and fast-paced storytelling. They made their curators the stars, modernised their voice, and opened their archives to the scroll. We heard more about this from the Museum’s Director of Brand & Audiences, Florence Syminton at our latest Digital Leaders’ Collective event.
The Plot Twist? A 60% increase in visitors, press coverage, classroom shoutouts, and a reminder that even the oldest stories can drive the most modern engagement.
Reef Knots | ‘Reel’ness Over Polish
Reef Knots is a menswear brand built on ties, swim shorts and ocean conservation, but it was the founder’s lo-fi storytelling that really made waves. When they swapped ad polish for honest, handheld videos about purpose and brand origin, their engagement took off.
The Plot Twist? A challenger brand found their plot twist, not by spending more, but by being more human, proving that story-led content builds trust faster than studio shots.
The Tank Museum | From Local Collection to Global Creator
Before the Met or the Louvre ever took YouTube seriously, a rural Dorset museum quietly built the world’s biggest museum channel. The Tank Museum’s strategy? Post like a creator. They launched bingeable series, leaned into curators as on-camera experts, and embraced both long-form and Shorts.
The Plot Twist? 1 million+ subscribers, 232 million views, £80K raised in a single livestream, and all from a niche most marketers would overlook.
Octopus Energy | CX as the Campaign
Octopus Energy didn’t just disrupt energy pricing, they redefined what brand and marketing is in a utility sector. Everything; from their tariff structure to the CEO’s direct emails, became part of their brand presence. By designing their tech stack and customer service model for transparency and humanity, they built not just usage, but loyalty.
The Plot Twist? Over 7 million UK customers, 24% market share, and 60,000+ five-star reviews. Their marketing wasn’t layered on — it was baked in.
JCT600 | Forecourt to Flagship
This fourth-generation dealer group reinvented what automotive retail could look and feel like. They launched a scent-filled, AV-powered Leeds showroom, created the UK’s first open banking checkout for cars, and built a digital experience that let users reserve, finance or buy, and all from their sofa.
The Plot Twist? £1.31bn turnover in 2024, multiple industry awards, and a brand that made luxury feel accessible, omnichannel, and social-first.
Lick | Paint as Pop Culture
Lick Paint didn’t sell tins, they sold confidence with their strategy fused culture and commerce, using collaborations (Heinz red, MAC jet black), TikTok storytelling, and in-store tech to make decorating feel relevant again. DIY became a digital lifestyle movement, powered by content, community and colour.
The Plot Twist? 130% YoY tin sales growth, 1M+ decorators in their community, and a B Corp paint brand showing up in 1,800+ retail locations.
Chorley Group | From Potatoes to Pioneers
A family-run dealership in the North West made TikToks with potato influencers, offered live web chat until 11pm, and built automated EV-specific CRM journeys. Their GoEV content hub, social-first strategy, and late-night customer service model blurred the lines between media brand and motor retailer.
The Plot Twist? 100k+ organic video views, consistent five-star Trustpilot ratings, and national recognition for a dealership that made digital CX measurable — not just memorable.
What We Learnt from our Plot Twist Series 9 Stories Behind the Scroll
Just like the best plot twists in film, the brands that stood out didn’t rely on scale, they relied on shift. A shift in tone, channel, delivery or mindset. Here’s our key takeaways from seven weeks of scroll-worthy stories:
1. Trust > Tactics
From Reef Knots to Octopus, the brands that built trust through transparency and tone outperformed those chasing attention alone.
2. Content is Culture
Whether it was The Tank Museum building a YouTube empire or Lick creating a lifestyle, the best content didn’t explain but invited.
3. CX is Marketing
Octopus and Chorley both proved the same thing: when your customer journey becomes your brand story, you don’t need to over-market it.
4. Disruption Can Come from Anywhere
Some of the biggest digital wins have come from museums, paint brands and car dealers. You don’t have to be in a “cool” category to create culture, you just have to be brave enough to reframe it.
You Decide…
Now it’s over to you.
Which brand flipped the script best?
We’re running a poll over on Black Lab’s Linkedin Page and we’d love your vote, or your nomination for the next great plot twist in digital. Got a brand that should be featured next? Tag us or send us a message.
