The halo effect: What Sky Sports’ TikTok misstep tells us about building real communities on social

Opinion

The failures behind the launch of Sky Sports’ Halo channel highlight what it really takes to build a social community that feels alive, authentic, and participatory, says BBD Perfect Storm’s chief innovation officer.

Sky Sports launched Halo, its TikTok channel celebrating women’s sport, with the best of intentions last month. But what landed missed the social beat entirely.

Not only did it miss the platform’s rhythm, its audience’s tone, and the cultural cues that drive TikTok community growth, but it was also siloed.

Its Instagram, X and YouTube siblings barely noticed it existed. Its tone tried to speak TikTok, but leaned on trends that had already had their moment – think “hot girl walks” and matcha aesthetics. The result? An instant, very public shrug from the community it hoped to win over. It was axed soon after launch, following online backlash, with its posts described as “patronising” and “sexist”. 

Ironically, Halo built a community and sparked a conversation – just not the conversation about women’s sport it had hoped for.

Instead, it highlighted what it really takes to build a social community that feels alive, authentic, and participatory. For brands, the rules have changed. Community, creators, and cultural fluency now matter far more than polished campaigns or brand-first content.

Culture moves fast. Communities move faster

Trends come and go. But communities? They keep the conversation alive, remixing, reacting, and amplifying what matters to them. And calling out what doesn’t. On TikTok, a creator’s post can ripple through millions of feeds in hours – a force of momentum that doesn’t come from logos, campaigns, or fancy production. 

It’s not enough to produce content and hope it lands. Social communities reward authenticity and participation, and they punish inauthenticity or lagging references instantly.

To succeed, brands don’t need to shout louder, they need to listen, learn and lean into a cultural moment as it happens – spinning it for their audience. 

More than publishing channels, platforms are living, breathing cultures. Brands that treat them like marketing megaphones get called out fast. Brands that understand the language, the rituals, the inside jokes? They thrive.

If you’re late to the conversation, it shows. Halo leaned too heavily on last year’s TikTok vocabulary. Communities don’t forgive a tone that feels out of sync.

Community signals beat brand messaging

TikTok momentum comes from peer engagement, shared ideas, and a sense of belonging. Content might make people feel seen, but comments make them feel connected. 76% of TikTok users agree that brands replying to comments make them feel like part of the community; it’s clear that community signals carry more weight than brand-led messaging. And how platforms differ in the way they reflect relevance and engagement.

Because on social media, relevance can’t be declared; it’s earned. And nowhere was this clearer than in the reaction to Halo.

Female fans aren’t a niche audience waiting to be discovered but already a driving force in sports culture. The response didn’t reveal a lack of passion for women’s sport; it exposed how easily a brand can overlook a community that has been building, shaping, and celebrating this world long before any campaign arrives.

Each platform reflects this dynamic differently. TikTok rewards participation and cultural literacy. Instagram leans into aesthetic and social proof, and YouTube amplifies depth and loyalty.

When brands push out polished, one-way messaging without understanding the signals already pulsing through these communities, they feel out of step with the platform’s culture.

But when brands listen, respond, and embed themselves in their audience’s rhythms, everything shifts. The algorithm amplifies it. The community validates it. And the brand becomes part of the story, not a spectator.

Creators as the cultural compass

For legacy brands stepping into new cultural spaces, creators are the tutors you didn’t know you needed. They translate community language, show what participation actually looks like, and reveal how culture moves fast. 

There are over 50 million content creators generating ideas, humour, and cultural reference points worldwide – and audiences are listening. In fact, 83% of users see the influencers or creators they follow as trusted sources of information. That’s a level of credibility no brand ad can buy.

Creators give brands the chance to bridge gaps and deepen audience connection – particularly when they’re serving niche communities.

Micro and mid-tier creators don’t just deliver reach; they deliver relevance. Social-first brands understand this: they prioritise micro creators 84% of the time and mid-tier creators 87% of the time, recognising that authenticity and cultural fluency travel further than follower counts ever could.

How to launch or relaunch a channel without tripping

So what should brands do differently? The answer isn’t to chase trends faster. It’s about building channels that feel native, human, and interconnected.

Soft-launch your personality. Test formats, tones and communities before making a grand entrance. Culture rewards those who listen first. 

Ground your channel in real audience behaviour. Not in the brand deck. Not in last year’s trends. In what your community actually does, watches, shares and comments on.

Build interdependence across your ecosystem. Halo’s biggest issue wasn’t its content – it was the sense that it lived on an island. New channels thrive when they’re visibly supported by the brand’s core platforms.

Treat creators as cultural advisors, not distribution assets. Bring them in early. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and let creators take the reins. Their knowledge is your insurance against irrelevance.

Allow community feedback to shape your evolution. The most-loved online channels feel co-built. Participation beats perfection. 

The real halo effect

Halo was a brutal reminder that communities can spot inauthenticity in an instant – but they’ll reward brands that show up with humility, curiosity, and a willingness to learn.

The Sky Sports moment is a blueprint. Listen to creators. Lean into culture as it happens. Build channels that feel alive, interconnected, and human.

Do that, and your audience won’t just notice, they’ll participate, share, and advocate, turning engagement into loyalty in a way no polished campaign could ever buy.

‘Sky is a creator’: Sky Media leans into curation on platforms

Laura Redman is chief innovation officer at BBD Perfect Storm