Overview:
At this year’s Advertising Week, Loren Brill Castle, founder and CEO of Sweet Loren’s, joined digital media coordinator Ryan Weitz to share one of the most unexpected success stories in modern marketing — how a simple TikTok mistake turned into a viral branding moment that every marketer can learn from.
When “Oops” Became “OMG”
It started as a social media nightmare. One evening, Ryan Weitz, Sweet Loren’s digital media coordinator, accidentally changed the brand’s TikTok name to her own — and then discovered that TikTok wouldn’t allow her to change it back for seven days.
For most brands, that would mean panic mode. But instead of hiding the error, Sweet Loren’s leaned into it. The company embraced the temporary rebrand and turned the moment into a clever, self-aware content series that captured hearts — and views — across the internet.
The result? Millions of views, a 277% sales jump, and a 32% increase in followers in just days.
Turning Mistakes Into Marketing Gold
During the session, Castle and Weitz walked audiences through how the team stayed calm under pressure, saw the creative opportunity in chaos, and used humor and honesty to connect with their audience.
“We decided to embrace it,” said Loren Brill Castle. “We lead with authenticity — and that means showing the human side of our brand. It resonated far more than perfection ever could.”
The TikTok mishap — dubbed the “Ryan Saga” online — humanized Sweet Loren’s in a way that polished campaigns rarely can. The brand’s transparency and quick thinking transformed what could’ve been a PR crisis into a viral success story.
Sweet Loren’s: A Brand Built on Purpose
For Castle, authenticity has always been the core of Sweet Loren’s. The company was born out of her own personal journey — after a cancer diagnosis inspired her to rethink food and create desserts that were both delicious and better-for-you.
From her small New York City apartment, she began experimenting with natural ingredients. Today, Sweet Loren’s is the #1 natural cookie dough brand in the U.S., sold in over 35,000 retail stores nationwide, and ranked seven times on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies.
Sweet Loren’s products are all free from the top 14 allergens, offering cookie doughs, rolled doughs, and breakfast biscuits that let consumers indulge without compromise.
Meet “Ryan” — The Accidental Face of a Viral Moment
Weitz, now affectionately known as “Ryan from TikTok,” shared how she balanced humor and humility throughout the viral week.
“It was terrifying at first,” Weitz laughed. “But when we saw how people reacted, we realized it was an opportunity to show the human side of our brand — and to have some fun with it.”
Weitz, a digital media coordinator and micro-influencer with over 30,000 followers, is also the founder of her own social media agency. Her story reminds marketers that personality, spontaneity, and honesty can be the most powerful tools in today’s digital landscape.
Lessons in Sweet Success
Key takeaways from the talk included:
- Authenticity wins. Embracing mistakes openly can deepen trust and boost engagement.
- Lead with compassion and creativity. A supportive culture enables bold, real-time pivots.
- Humanize your brand. Letting audiences see your brand’s imperfections can amplify connection and reach.
Final Thought
Sweet Loren’s story is proof that even the most dreaded social media mistakes can become a marketer’s dream — when handled with courage, creativity, and heart.
Or as Loren Brill Castle put it best:
“Perfection isn’t what makes people fall in love with your brand. Realness does.”
By Presence News
© 2025 Presence News. All rights reserved.
Editor’s Note: This article covers a session from Advertising Week highlighting brand innovation and storytelling in the digital age.
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