Branding Trends – the Reddit Way?
By Marybeth Starr
Right now, an interesting shift in brand strategy is happening on Reddit. People are turning to online communities not for ads or influencers, but for honest, peer-to-peer advice. Whether it’s style tips, product reviews, or life hacks, these conversations carry more weight than a polished campaign. And here’s the kicker: this same mindset applies far beyond retail. Our community can take a page from this playbook too – and already does in many ways.
Think about it — dentists and labs are doing the same thing as Reddit users. They’re asking colleagues in Facebook groups, Slack channels, or even Reddit threads about which labs they trust, what materials work best, and how to solve tricky cases. A dental lab that shows up in these conversations with helpful insights, instead of a hard sell, immediately builds credibility. The goal isn’t to pitch, but to be the lab people think of when they say, “I know a place that can help with that.”
This doesn’t have to stop online. Dental labs can create their own versions of these trusted communities in person. Hosting a small study club, organizing technician meetups, or running hands-on workshops gives people a space to learn from each other. The lab isn’t just a vendor anymore—it’s the one bringing valuable conversations together. That kind of presence sticks.
Internally, we’re embracing this by starting something we’ve never done, we are beginning to work with our first ever KOL’s – we’ll be working with Mike Wandling and Brittany Mitchell. We trust their voice and they trust ours; it was a natural, organic fit that fits right into the idea of bringing knowledge beyond our own.
The big takeaway from Reddit is simple: people trust people. The strongest brands aren’t the loudest; they’re the ones that listen, contribute, and create space for real conversations. For dental labs, leaning into that approach—whether in a Facebook group or a local CE night—can turn everyday conversations into the most powerful form of marketing.
—Marybeth