Brand saw a 1,379% increase after the internet turned the ‘morning routine’ guy into a meme

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In an example of the internet’s power to transform ordinary content into cultural phenomena, fitness influencer Ashton Hall’s meticulously detailed morning routine has become the unexpected catalyst for a significant financial windfall for Saratoga Spring Water’s parent company, Primo Brands.

Hall, a health coach with 8.7 million Instagram followers, posted what he intended as motivational content in early February 2025. The video showcased his daily ritual beginning at 3:50 A.M. with a series of unconventional practices, including removing tape from his mouth (to encourage nasal breathing), ice-water face immersions, swimming, and notably, drinking exclusively Saratoga Spring Water throughout his regimen.


 

While the Instagram Reel garnered an impressive 157 million views, it was the video’s reposting to X (formerly Twitter) on March 20 by account “tipsformenx” that truly ignited the phenomenon. There, it accumulated a staggering 553.1 million views and spawned countless parodies, jokes, and memes critiquing the routine’s impracticality.

“Bro woke up at 4 A.M. to spend 6 hours bullsh*tting,” wrote user kirawontmiss in a post that received over 459,000 likes. Another user, AlpelDokkan, shared screenshots of Hall swimming with the caption, “THIS IS DESTROYING ME BROOOOOO HE FLOATED FOR 4 MINUTES,” garnering 828,000 likes.

Perhaps the most financially significant meme featured a shopping cart filled with Saratoga Spring Water bottles and bananas (which Hall rubs on his face for allegedly healthier skin), captioned “Am I forgetting anything?” This post alone collected 700,000 likes and brought unprecedented attention to the water brand.

The viral moment has translated into tangible market gains for Primo Brands. According to MarketWatch, the company’s stock is projected to open at $33.27 per share on Monday, a notable increase from $29.89 on March 10. While Primo is a large company with multiple factors affecting its valuation, the coincidence of this rise with Hall’s viral moment suggests a significant impact from this unexpected marketing bonanza.

The meme has permeated internet culture to the point where users now post images of water bottles, bananas, and ice as shorthand references to Hall’s routine. Meanwhile, Hall remains undeterred by the mockery, continuing to share variations of his morning rituals—each featuring the now-iconic ice dunk and, presumably, his preferred brand of spring water.

This phenomenon demonstrates how internet culture can transform personal content into widespread economic influence, providing Primo Brands with the kind of organic marketing that traditional advertising could never achieve—regardless of budget.