Brands have recently begun publishing “apology messages” one after another on social media. At first glance, these posts appear to be crisis statements, but they are actually the result of a completely new viral advertising strategy. Brands are creating a striking twist by saying, “We apologize... because we are too good.”

The messages generally start as if they are going to compensate for a mistake, but after a few lines, they turn into product praise. This surprise effect ensures that users read the post to the end. Considering how quickly ads are skipped on Instagram in particular, this approach is extremely memorable.

Another effect is humor. Brands' sincere and witty language makes users smile and increases sharing rates. In short, the “apology format” has now become one of the most creative advertising formats on social media.