A proposal is often one of life’s most memorable moments, and rarely comes without months of planning. Whether it’s over a candlelit dinner, at home, or surrounded by family and friends, every couple has their own way of marking the occasion.
For daredevil couple Angela Nikolau and Vanya Beerkus, however, a traditional proposal simply wasn’t enough. Instead, the pair scaled the Empire State Building and unfurled a banner reading: “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace,” before Beerkus got down on one knee.
The jaw-dropping stunt quickly made headlines around the world. It also gave brands a chance to imagine themselves 1,454 feet above the ground, with marketers wasting little time putting their own spin on the viral moment.
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Here are some of our favourite trendjacks that have taken over social media:
1. Canva
In its trendjack, Canva enlarged the couple’s banner and overlaid the words, “Make the sign bigger with Canva,” highlighting its design and resizing capabilities. The brand also edited the proposal so that Beerkus appeared to be holding up a laptop, with the screen reading, “Try Canva for free now.”
2. Cisco
Cisco leaned into one of tech support’s oldest jokes with its trendjack. Swapping the couple’s original banner for one that read, “Have you tried turning it off and on again?”, the networking giant turned the gravity-defying proposal into a relatable IT help desk moment. Paired with the caption, “When your help desk ticket reaches new heights…”, the post pokes fun at the universal experience of troubleshooting while keeping the viral stunt front and centre.
3. Duolingo
It wouldn’t be a viral moment without Duolingo jumping on the trend. The brand’s German account, Duolingo Deutschland, reimagined Nikolau and Beerkus as the iconic Duo owl, transforming the proposal into one of its signature German language lessons complete with vocabulary prompts and translations. It rounded off the trendjack with a cheeky caption that read, “If he wanted to, he would,” poking fun at the internet’s favourite relationship mantra while staying true to Duolingo’s playful brand voice.
4. Empire State Building
One might expect the viral climb to spark concerns over security, but the Empire State Building’s social team saw a marketing opportunity instead. Recreating Nikolau’s photo of her engagement ring against the New York City skyline, the landmark reminded followers that they could still enjoy the same breathtaking view — and even pop the question themselves — from its 86th floor observation deck, no rooftop climb required.
5. Nak Hair
Australian haircare brand NAK Hair gave the viral stunt a colourful makeover, swapping the couple’s black banner for a bright pink one emblazoned with the claim that it is Australia’s number one haircare brand.
It also replaced Nikolau’s engagement ring with one of its leave-in moisturisers, turning the proposal into a product showcase. Leaning further into the joke, the brand styled its caption similar to a breaking news report: “Breaking news: NYC protestors have climbed the Empire State Building to promote NAK Hair Australia to the world. We knew we were globally loved, but we didn’t realise it had gone this far.”‘
6. Tarte Cosmetics
Beauty brand Tarte Cosmetics imagined what would happen if one of its coveted PR packages ended up at the top of the Empire State Building. Replacing the couple entirely, the brand filled the scene with its signature purple mailer packed with fan favourite products including the Shape Tape concealer, Tartelette tubing mascara and other bestsellers. It completed the trendjack with a playful caption claiming it had left a PR package at the top of the iconic New York landmark.
7. VaynerMedia
Global creative and media agency VaynerMedia brought the viral moment a little closer to home for creators and agency professionals. Reimagining the couple’s rooftop climb, it replaced the original banner with one reading, “When your laptop dies and you’re looking for your charger,” turning the daring stunt into an all-too-relatable workday dilemma.
The joke continued in the caption: “Ah yes, just where we left it… on top of the Empire State Building,” poking fun at the lengths creatives would go to retrieve a forgotten charger.
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