• by Shea Carter , Yesterday

A series going viral on social media doesn’t happen often. A series from a brandgoing viral on social happens… never.  Until now.

“Roomies,” a weekly video series launched in early June on Instagram Reels and TikTok, follows four roommates in New York City in the same mockumentary style made popular by “The Office.” And it has all the telltale signs of a hit sitcom: relatable moments, bingeable storytelling, and LOL humor. The twist? The made-for-social show isn’t the brainchild of an up-and-coming content creator or aspiring-actor. It’s from (gasp!) a brand. 

The show, created by Bilt -- a rewards program startup that lets renters earn points on their rent payments -- has generated millions of likes across both Instagram and TikTok, and even comments from influential creators like Caleb Simpson, known for his “impromptu” New York City real estate tours.

But you’d only know the show is from the brand if you paid attention to the small tag in the series’ profile. No watermarks, “brought-to-you bys,” or credits. Just playful, creative, incredibly watchable content. 

In the era of social, where everyone is a creator, an influencer or selling something, it’s a breath of fresh air to just be entertained by relatable storytelling.

The best part for Bilt? It’s working. While you may think the comments section is flooded with negative comments after discovering that the content is essentially a series of ads, it isn’t. Viewers are applauding the brand for its subtle, clever approach, and the content is doing exactly what it was intended to do: drive positive brand awareness and shape perception. 

Viewers are also doing something rare in the age of quick scrolling and minuscule attention spans—they are sticking around, returning for each new episode.

Bilt’s subtle approach takes advantage of modern algorithms that will serve the series to users’ For You Page if users have liked the content (or similar content) previously—no advertising spend necessary.  Bilt just had to create content good enough that users want more. And it did.

The latest video, which already boasts more than a million views, is generating comments like “Make it a daily show. Can’t wait a whole week.” and “I need 30-minute episodes, ten seasons, a wedding, relationships, etc, NOW.” 

Bilt’s take on subtle advertising is a refreshing shift. The company understands the mindset of the young, city-dwelling renter and is reaching that target audience with social-first content that resonates in the platforms where that audience spends much of its free time.

It’s the antithesis of brands scouring the comment section and jumping into conversations that may or may not be relevant. Instead of being what can come across as thirsty in the hope of reaching a new audience, the audience is coming to them. 

Bilt has indicated that it will begin to incorporate the brand into future video content, moving from subtle to a little less subtle. Will viewership last once the content starts to resemble the ads viewers are usually scrolling past? And more importantly, will Bilt, which tripled its valuation to $10.75 billion in July, be more than a marketing darling? Will great content translate to more members of the rewards program? I guess we’ll all have to continue to tune in.