How sweetgreen Turns Salads Into Social Media Gold

Table of Contents

• Sips & Strategies

• Key Takeaways

• Three Things You Can Do Right Now

Sips & Strategies - sweetgreen

In this third issue of Tremento’s Hospitality Marketing School, we’re digitally visiting sweetgreen. Sweetgreen is no ordinary salad chain, and its marketing proves it.

Let’s take a closer look at what makes their strategy so compelling

Aki & Ko: Relatability Done Right

One of the first things you’ll notice on sweetgreen’s Instagram is their collaboration with Aki & Ko, an elderly couple with over 1.2 million Instagram followers. They’re adorable, relatable, and appeal to a wide range of audiences—whether you see them as “like my grandparents” or “like myself,” they connect on an emotional level. The posts they created in collaboration are fun and highly shareable, making their followers smile and wanting to share the content.

The takeaway? Influencers don’t always have to be young and trendy. Instead, they should resonate with your audience and bring something unique to your brand.

Click on the pictures above to see the post(s)!

Riding the Wave of Trends

Scrolling through sweetgreen’s Instagram, you’ll notice their knack for repurposing popular trends (sometimes from completely other industries) for their content.

Whether it’s playful humor or eye-catching carousel posts, they keep things fresh and engaging. And the best part? Many of their trend-inspired posts don’t require fresh photography—they creatively reuse existing memes or graphics.

Check out these examples for inspiration:

You don’t always have to reinvent the wheel—adapting trends to your brand is a great way to keep your content relevant and fun.

Collaborating with Renée Rapp

Sweetgreen has also ventured into celebrity partnerships, teaming up with actress and singer Renée Rapp to create a signature salad named after her. The campaign featured stunning visuals of Renée and the salad, amplifying sweetgreen’s reach through her audience.

You might think this is out of reach for a smaller business, but here’s how you can apply the same strategy on a local level:

• Partner with a local influencer, food blogger, or community figure to co-create a dish or drink.

• If you’re in a small town, think about collaborating with local personalities like athletes or musicians to make the partnership feel authentic and exciting.

• Don’t know where to start? Host a contest where locals submit their own dish ideas, and choose one to feature. You can even give it a fun name and build buzz around the winner.

Seasonal And Other Shareable Content Ideas

For more creative inspiration, check out:

• Very shareable content: inform your audience about what’s in season

• This fun way of teasing a new partnership

• This playful “spinach on your teeth” concept, which they did with various celebrities (and continue doing).

Key Takeaways From sweetgreen

Leverage Influencers Smartly: Whether it’s Aki & Ko, Renée Rapp or… your local high school’s quarterback, Sweetgreen shows that the right collaborations can expand your reach and create relatable, shareable content. Try things out.

Adapt Trends Creatively: Don’t be afraid to take what works elsewhere and give it your own spin. Sweetgreen consistently uses trending formats to create engaging, on-brand content.

Partner Locally: You don’t need a big budget to create buzz—partner with local figures, brands or host a contest to engage your community.

Infuse Humor: Sweetgreen’s posts make you laugh and smile. Most of it is lighthearted and funny.

Three Things You Can Do Right Now to Get Closer To sweetgreen’s Success

1. Find Relatable Influencers: Partner with a local personality—whether it’s a food blogger, musician, or athlete—and work with them to create a dish or promotion. It’s a win-win for visibility.

2. Tap Into Trends: Browse social media for trending formats or memes and brainstorm how you can adapt them for your brand. Start simple—you don’t need new photography for every post!

3. Plan a Seasonal Promotion: Run a timely campaign (like a “Back to School” deal, or temporary menu item that’s only available for a month) to encourage repeat visits and build excitement.

Sweetgreen proves that even a salad chain can turn marketing into an art form. With a mix of creative partnerships, trend-savvy content, and local engagement, they’ve built a brand that stands out. Let their approach inspire you to take your marketing to the next level!

I hope you enjoyed this third edition of HMS by Tremento. Questions, suggestions? E-mail me!

See you next week 👋