“Spicy books” are all over TikTok right now. From creators offering their own recommendations of steamy romance novels to retailers showing off their in-store displays of popular TikTok books, the BookTok community is thriving online and IRL. And Walmart jumped on the trend by launching a “Spicy Summer” campaign to show consumers and BookTok followers that the brand is a go-to destination for the summer’s hottest books.
Kicking off the “Spicy Summer,” Walmart hosted an invite-only poolside event for influential members of the BookTok community to come together to discuss their latest summer reads and enjoy the campaign launch at the Santa Monica Proper Hotel in California on June 25. The Spicy Summer Soirée featured beachy furniture and décor from Walmart, and, of course, fan-favorite books like “A Court of Thorns and Roses” and “It Ends with Us” were stacked on rows of bookshelves, display walls and side tables next to loungers.
For the spicy theme, red, yellow and orange peppers adorned tables, countertops and bookshelves, along with Walmart’s limited-edition Spicy Books Hot Sauce set, packaged to look like a book with five Melinda’s hot sauces inside. Attendees got to try the sauces with light bites. Fiery Summer Drinks such as the Jalapeño Paloma, Mango Habanero Margarita and Spicy Bourbon Whiskey were on tap, each with a spice level ranging from mild to flaming. Participants who weren’t feeling spicy could skip the extra kick in their cocktails and mocktails. Even the ice cubes were decorated with the Spicy Summer logo.
“We wanted to make sure the commitment to the community came through in the details,” says Courtney Killingsworth, director-brand marketing at Walmart. “We are a customer-obsessed organization, so we look for the places where our customers are spending their time and create genuine moments of connection with them… BookTok is rapidly growing. I think it’s at more than 250 billion views. They’re a very passionate, enthusiastic group, and so it was our way to take summer as this core moment of reading and bring it together with spicy books.”
Walmart set up a book charm necklace- and bracelet-making station and a Spicy Swag Stitching stand, where participants could spice up their branded beach towels or totes with chili or phrase patches (“Born to be mild”) and custom monogram chain stitching. In a Red Hot Auras photo booth, attendees stepped in to capture their electromagnetic energy for interpretation.
“It was meticulously planned to ensure that every aspect of the event resonated with the BookTok community. We want this community to feel seen and understood,” Killingsworth says. “I think one of my favorite comments that we saw on social was, ‘OMG, this is for us.’ That is exactly what we’re after.”
In addition to the content generated on-site by BookTok creators (that’s how we first learned of the event), the brand sent kits to key influencers who couldn’t attend. Walmart also reshared the influencers’ social content and drove buzz through paid ads and earned coverage.
“What this really allowed us to do is tap into a culturally relevant moment, and it helped us work toward the goal of putting Walmart, the brand, into culture, and culture into the brand,” Killingsworth says. “At the end of the day, it was a step in the direction of shortening the distance from inspiration to purchase, and that’s the goal. And so we felt really good about the outcome of the event and the campaign at large. The response we received from the BookTok community was so positive and really excited.”
On the future of jumping on the next big TikTok trend, Killingsworth says, “Never say never.”
Explore Walmart’s Spicy Summer Soirée:
Photos: Courtesy of Walmart
