Sep 1, 2025
The Great Lock-in is the internet’s latest movement of discipline and focus, where people commit to 120 days of consistency before the year ends. In this blog, we explore what the trend means for brands, how to tap into it, and what to do if your brand doesn’t naturally fit into the lifestyle. Read on to see how your business can stay relevant in this cultural moment.
On September 1, 2025, Gen Z kicks off what social media is calling the Great Lock-in — 120 days of focus, commitment, and consistency, stretching right to December 31.
The idea is simple but powerful: with just four months left in the year, you can still change your life. People are “locking in” to whatever matters most to them — whether that’s going to the gym, eating healthier, saving more money, finishing books, or simply building routines they’ve been putting off.
It’s less about the specific activity and more about the mindset: discipline, accountability, and results.
But here’s the question: what does this wave of focus mean for your brand?
Why Brands should pay attention
When consumers enter a lock-in season, their habits shift. They start making sharper decisions about where their time, money, and attention go. For brands, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity.
Intentional Spending: People will invest only in products or services that align with their goals.
Community & Accountability: They’ll look for brands that can motivate them, track progress with them, or cheer them on.
Cultural Connection: Lock-in isn’t just a personal goal — it’s a moment. And moments like these are where culture is built.
If your brand can tap into this mindset, you’re not just selling a product. You’re becoming part of a transformation.
How to tap into the Great Lock-in
Here are five ways brands can show up during the Great Lock-in:
1. Align your messaging with Discipline
Position your brand as a partner in commitment. For example:
A food brand could spotlight healthier meal options as “lock-in fuel.”
A fintech app could run a “120-day saving streak” campaign.
2. Create Challenges or Rituals
Encourage your audience to join in. You could try:
Weekly lock-in check-ins.
A branded hashtag for people to share their progress.
Mini-challenges tied to your product (e.g., a bookstore curating a “Lock-in Reading List”).
3. Build Communities around focus
Whether it’s an Instagram community, an email series, or a Twitter thread, create spaces where people can connect around consistency. Make your brand the host of their accountability circle.
4. Reward Consistency
Now is the best time to highlight loyalty. This could be:
Discounts for repeat orders
Rewards for streaks (like 7 days of using your service)
Badges, shoutouts, or even giveaways for people who share their lock-in progress with your brand.
5. Reflect the Lifestyle in Content
Your visuals and copy should mirror the lock-in energy: discipline, transformation, and focus. Show people using your product while locked in — at the gym, at the desk, on a morning walk, in their saving or studying routines.
When the Great Lock-in doesn’t favour you
Not every brand will immediately benefit from the Great Lock-in. In fact, for some, this might feel like a slowdown.
Think about it.
If someone is committing to healthier eating, your dessert brand might not be on their list. If they’re focusing on saving more, your luxury or nightlife business might get less attention.
But here’s the opportunity: locking in isn’t about deprivation — it’s about intentionality. And even brands outside the “focus” categories can reposition themselves to stay relevant.
How to Navigate as a “Non-Lock-in Friendly” Brand
Reframe Indulgence as Reward: Turn your product into the “earned treat” after milestones. (“After 30 days of focus, celebrate with us.”)
Tie into Mental Health: Remind people that balance matters too. Be the brand that gives permission to rest.
Create Routines: Limited-time lock-in rituals (like a “Sunday Scoop Reset” for ice cream) give consumers space for indulgence without breaking discipline.
Stay in their minds with content: Even if conversions dip, keep your audience engaged with culture-led storytelling so they return when the lock-in season ends.
In short: if you’re not the brand people use to lock in, you can still be the brand they turn to while locked in.
Closing Thought
The Great Lock-in isn’t just another TikTok challenge. It’s a collective cultural reset. For individuals, it’s about proving what’s possible in 120 days. For brands, it’s an opportunity to step into that narrative — not by distracting people, but by enabling their goals.
And if your product doesn’t naturally fit the “discipline” mold, don’t panic. You can still tap into the values of consistency, intentionality, and balance to show your audience that you understand their headspace.
The brands that do this well won’t just ride the wave of the moment— they’ll lock in loyalty that lasts well beyond the New Years.
