We crossed 200,000 followers on Instagram this week. It’s been a ride of growth and conversations with new fans and friends. My production of content has doubled, I’m also sharing daily updates on IG through our broadcasts channel.
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12 rules I use to create and improve social media strategies
Have you ever thought about killing your current social media strategy? This feeling of not being content with your current image of your brand. I have and I was wrong, my feelings don't matter, it's about the people. That's rule number one for creating a good strategy. Focus on others, not you.
Now, What are your thoughts on creating value for the audience? Is it end the goal of your strategy? If so, it shouldn't be. Value for your audience doesn't mean profit for you. That's rule number two don't confuse value with profit. The Value equation has changed.
On growth, Why do you feel more content and diversification of topics is the answer? If you have the big budget, feel free to create more. If not, the idea is to connect more and generate word of mouth and referrals. That's rule number 3.
On Trends, What do you get by searching on TikTok and Instagram? You only get a footprint of the trend or it's creator. Most trends are reborn cultural moments and vibrations if you study the past, you win the present. That's rule number 4. Dig Deep, not along the lines.
On Creativity, Have you drawn the line between artistic and business content? If you haven't, draw it. Many brands try to be artistic and business-oriented in the same breath. It's rarely strategic, you end up with halfassed posts. That's rule number 5. Social moves quick, hold the trick.
On Presentation, Ask the customer, not the user or marketer. It doesn't matter that most people don't care about how an Instagram or TikTok feed looks. If your customer shops at ALD or Ralph Lauren, anything aesthetic. Their traits and your own brand identity should inform how to present the brand. If an aesthetic feed benefits you, do it. That's rule number 6, Presentation is about the customer, not the platform.
On Products, If someone can imagine it, show it less and try to build the Mandela effect. If your main selling point is product design, show it. Showing or not showing a product is about imagination. I can imagine a RedBull Can, I can't imagine how Liquid Death's Can looks because it changes. That's rule number 7, the amount you need to show your product is less about engagement. More about building brand memory and imagination of your customers. The Social Strategy can do a lot more than awareness. Liquid Death or Poppi have the product in their content. Because they are on the track to build that product/brand memory.
In regards to Mandela Effect, Many legendary brands like Apple and Fruits of the loom enjoy it.
On People, Why would you argue with a stranger? Most of your followers don't have the same context as you. They are a stranger to XYZ in that post you published. Treat them like stranger, be nice to the lost ones. If they are mad for no reason, remember you and the stranger are at a party. Your next move defines your personality to the party, A clap back means, You are the person. A copy/paste write-up, everyone ignore and moves on. That's rule number 8. Put yourself and the stranger in different scenarios, based on context.
On Storytelling, A Cinema with people talking all the time, thank god for subtitles. The Medium is the message on every platform because that's the main pillar you have in your content. Other than the actual story. Your medium plays the role of subtitles in that crowded cinema, choose your medium with care. That's rule number 9. Currently, Editing and Video Composition is empowering best and worst stories.
On Community, Why aren't you making them talk to each other? Sending your followers to a community is about connecting over their shared interests. They were already connecting over brand media you and others create. Your task is to keep the conversations in text and audio, bridge the gap and end the silence. That's rule number 10. Less Media and More Conversation.
It's not easy but it starts with your brand teams chatting instead of broadcasting.
On Measurement, Ordering more than you can eat and not knowing what to oder. We continue to get new metrics that don't matter and less education on important metrics. It's important to revaluate your key KPIs based on recent researches. Like IPSOS sharing longer watch time on ads doesn't equate to longer-term effectiveness. Another research sharing Clicks aren’t a good proxy for brand results. That's rule number 11. Use research to make sense of social metrics and look into media consumption trends. Don’t blindly trust what you see on analytics dashboard.
If you create something, It is ok to root or edit for 100% watch time. But as the research about Paid ads reveals Watch time . For Organic, Viewers not finishing the video doesn't mean they don't value or recognise it.
Using researches about formats and media consumption is the key to understanding analytics.
On Strategy, A brand is an object, everything else is a Frictional force. A perfect strategy knows the amount of net force needed to keep the brand in motion. But most brands think, they are in space. That's rule number 12. Your object aka brand remains the same, but your strategy/force needs to change.
How long will the old people effect last?
Pierce Brosnan and Martin Scorsese for Kith & Giorgio Armani: The Traveler.
Older Parents/Employees using Gen-Z slang, FyField Manor B&B, Hever Castle and Arasaka Racing Developments.
Aki and Koichi, TikTok’s favourite fashion couple representing brands and Gen-Z fashion.
Iconic: Miu Miu inviting their top customer to walk the runway.
Plenty of other examples and a huge amount of engagement on videos starring old people in branded content. The "Old people effect" is real. Is it cuteness and relatability doing wonders? Possibly. The important part is that it bridges the gap between older generations and Gen-Z.
What should come next is brands diversifying the identities of older people showing up in brand social and traditional ad campaigns. The focus on cuteness and evergreen icons is cool, but it is unlikely to bridge the generational gap in a few campaigns or brand efforts. To speed up the process, more identities and variations should be brought to the table. That would make this effect last longer and become more adaptive for different brands.
How dating apps contribute to the demographic crisis?
kyla scanlon
’s recent write-up on state of dating apps and how it co-relates to current Gen-Z crisis is a must-read. Every app with a community is turning into a dating playground while the original dating platforms are struggling. In Spain, people are now using Pineapple Supermarkets to find dating partners.
For dating apps, It’s a non-marketing marketing problem. Both Tinder and Hinge are doing great marketing, Tinder’s recent campaigns with MischiefUS have performed very well and this week, they announced new partnership with e.l.f cosmetics, overall good response. Hinge’s recent campaign and their platform ‘The dating app designed to be deleted’ are good, just like Tinder.
The Problem is “Too much perfectness”. By reading Kyla's article, you learn that Gen-Zers struggle with dating, and overall, the pressure from Internet influencers is making them tune out. These campaigns are a good dose of creativity and love, but dating is messy, and whether it's girlhood or manhood, every side has a spectrum from crazy to okay.
Dating apps won't achieve their next peak growth stage unless they address the mess they have made with their algorithms and the contributions of other platforms.
Every single dating app can learn something from Pinterest and Snap, both of which are building a new brand message of 'we are more positive and encourage actual socialization'. Their message is a response to the general negative identity being associated with social media. At least one of the dating apps needs to address the current negative identity associated with these platforms. How?
Both Pinterest and Snapchat released reports sharing they have a positive impact on their users. A 2023 research from Pinterest and UC Berkeley shared, Pinterest is that positive place for them (Gen-Z): Pinterest is more likely than its competitors to always leave its users feeling positive after spending time on the platform.
Snapchat also released a new study with The University of Amsterdam, revealing they are also more positive than… Snap shares, “We found a consistent negative impact on time spent on Tok, IG and YT across all three mental health dimensions. Conversely, spending time on Snapchat positively affected friendship closeness and well-being but had no significant impact on self-esteem.”
While I can’t confirm the positivity of Snapchat, external research from Sprout Social shared (51%) of all consumers feel that Pinterest is more positive than other platforms. Both platforms are selling this idea of “Advertise/Exist on our positive platform”.
Using a similar formula can help dating platforms preserve their brand presence, at least in front of investors. Regarding their overall presence, A lot of external factors play a huge role in predicting what’s next.
Random Idea of the Week: Brands should try to recreate feelings of post-breakup, pre-vacation and vacation-dump in a flow. Many do the post-product launch dumps, but IG is judgy. Neutral leaves you with nothing, Recreating that feeling of post-breakup vibes after a product launch can help brands generate a conversation.
Ad campaigns informed by data shared previously in our newsletter
PayPal launched their biggest campaign to this date, in terms of budget. The campaign is using a universally loved star Will Ferrell and popular song ‘Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere’ to make sure people remember PayPal is universal and they can just tap to pay everywhere. A solid ad but the brand definitely needs more strong messages to fight Apple Pay and other payment options.
From the archive: 70% of Gen Z, despite their tech savviness, said they would not prefer a transition to a completely cashless society. This unexpectedly aligns them with almost 80% of baby boomers who share the same sentiment. (Report)
Old but Good: Heineken’s International Beer Day campaign “Forgotten Beers” focuses on socialisation element of having a Beer. The campaign fits their mission to get more Gen-Zers to drink beer through idea of socialisation and having fun at third places.
Research: Almost two-thirds of consumers aged 18-24 have said that they “worry about the emotional impact of alcohol”, while a similar proportion reported that they would like to learn more about drinking mindfully.
Newsletter Fact: You can access 100s of reports shared in our previously weekly recaps through archive page. Quickly find reports and consumer researches to support your social and digital ad campaigns.
From & On Social:
Articles & Reports you need to read this week
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Marketing Communications by Steve Blank.
Why Silicon Valley Is Abuzz Over ‘Founder Mode’ by The NY Times.
There’s no such thing as ‘performance branding’ marketing by Mark Ritson.
Hollywood’s 10 Percent Problem by PUCK.
Luxury, Online: A report on state of luxury on digital platforms by Vaan Group and Hyper.
Every webpage deserves to be a place by Matt Webb
The ‘feral 25-year-olds’ making Kamala Harris go viral on TikTok by The Washington Post
Their PR is deluding you by Julia Harrison
The TikTokification of Everything
1. TikTok changed our drive to find meaning.
This “-ification” trend is one of the biggest example of how TikTok has changed our approach to find meaning.
People are not trying to find “oh, what psychological phenomenon I’m experiencing?”. They are turning their thoughts into content.
A Google search no longer gives us a meaning or fulfilling result. People are openly turning thoughts into content to feel heard or get viral. Repackaging of existing solutions as new findings as a performative act.
2. You are a joke if you don’t commodify yourself.
Two things that don’t work most of the time are “Cancel Culture” and “Sustainability Pressure on Influencers”.
People talk about Gen-Z this or that in regards to sustainability and woke culture. But as soon as one of the influencer from the generation goes viral. The creator and the audiences are happy to see the creator commodify their identity/work to get the bag. Turning your life into a play has never been encouraged enough. You are content, not human.
3. Socialising through media, Instagram copying TikTok.
What TikTok changed was how people socialise, real talk vs media sharing.
People were already sharing memes and videos with each other on IG before TikTok. But the platform never focused on it.
Post-TikTok becoming a mainstream platform. IG definitely realised how Tok continued to thrive using only media as the socialising component. Fast forward to 2023, IG started pushing the agenda of “Sharing” is important. As they finally realised that that media socialising is the new wave. Instagram knows conversations in DMs are happening more through reels and memes being shared with each other.
After TikTok, Every major platform has followed their path. Pushing videos as a format to generate conversations around it. This has also indirectly changed how we think, You have friends that can’t stop referencing Online trends, they think in memes and media.
Socialising through media can be good or bad as friends/people often have different interests and there isn’t an overlap. Breakups and Cultural wars are happening with loved ones because of media socialisation.
When media defines who you are, you care about what others consume. But People have different interests.
Pre-TikTok, everyone was ok with having different interests but it’s different now. Socialising through media has changed us + IG is now leading TikTok in this game. You talk in memes and trends aka content: Demure, Talk Tuah, Rizz, etc.
4. The performative nihilism on TikTok
It’s simply the urge of social media users to rely on algorithms to find like-minded people based on their beliefs & Ideologies. Because it is a shortcut to friendships & influence that are personalized for them. And their beliefs are not challenged, allowing them to reject anything with…
Cringe, L, -5000 aura, womp womp.
Performative use of social media + Doomscrolling, you get performative nihilism. People rejecting different elements of social media while being extremely performative when talking against them.
TikTok and Twitter are two platforms filled with the nihilistic people. If TikTok has “What about me?” Effect in the comments. People saying, “Can you create a recipe for me?” Or the usual: “where is this dress from?”, Failure to see either meaning or intent behind the post.
Twitter has an extreme version, hiring a POC actor for a character previously played by a white actor is “extreme and woke” news to some users. They Fail to acknowledge that POC exist but make a tweet for engagement.
Algorithms are pandering to everyone and people take it out on creators when algorithms fail.
Q: TikTok has shaped our behaviour but is TikTokification even real? It has different meanings:
Exploitation, People believe TikTok has ruined the way people consume media, especially Music.
Product Copycats, Every platform following the path of TikTok, including non-social apps like Amazon and Spotify.
Reformation, Gen-Z reviving an old Millennial or Gen-X song on TikTok.
Behavioural Shift, Everyone wants the same 15-seconds content
Or sometimes it has no meanings. Everyone is using this word as clickbait without any intent to explain why and how TikTok is affecting Music, Media or Gen-Z.
What do I mean by TikTokification of everything?
Every platform leads us to another one. TikTok has shaped our behaviours to think in terms of media/content. This behaviour continues to thrive as you can tell by the current social media landscape.
Brands and creators that speak in media are considered the best. That is shaping our consumer habits.
TikTok’s overconsumption arc has shaped how we value media. And last being, socialising through media is shaping our behaviour, making some of us anti-social or nihilistic about social media content.
You have Media, Consumerism and Socialisation, the big 3 that affect most aspects lives. That’s why I call it “TikTokification of everything”.
Video references and deeper dives:
Go Woke Go Broke is not true or simple
New Research has found that when an advert can authentically and positively portray a full range of people – devoid of stereotypes – it can provide an edge in the marketplace when it comes to consumer preferences and long-term sales figures. It also found that inclusive ads gave brands a 3.5% boost to shorter-term sales and a more than 16% increase in the longer term.
To be clear, this isn’t the first study to share being woke pays off. Another Study from IPSOS shows, Breaking taboos and defying category conventions gives advertisers a 21% boost in ad attention.
So, What should you do “be woke” or not? The answer is simple.
1. The Noise is Anti-woke mobs, actual threat is Brand safety.
Everyone agrees that Internet is filled with weird people and trolls. It also provokes many normal people to act different.
When marketers go from generic and neutral messages to different, even if they aren’t woke. They are met with unasked backlash and often see negative sentiment. It’s rarely due to woke messaging, most of the time it is failed brand safety measures prompting action against your company. Even though media bashes Elon Musk’s X for running ads alongside sensitive content. This isn’t a Twitter-only problem.
Tom Goodwin, Marketing Leader sharing his thoughts on Brand Safety:
We need to ask more questions about brand safety and where the ads show. Some of the allegedly woke ads in recent years have been called out for 1% inclusivity efforts. Is there a solution for brands to be inclusive and reach the right people?
The Washington Post recently did something that could help brands improve their targeting and better understand their followers.
WaPo on TikTok asked their followers to download and send their TikTok data. From that, they learned a lot about their followers and their potential interests. It's obviously a big ask, but 800 people agreed to WaPo's request, and they all seemed excited. People can also download account information on Instagram and X.
This type of data analysis will give brands perspective on what kind of other content is being seen alongside their videos. Media placement matters as much as the contents of that media. iHeartMedia’s research shares 7 out of 10 consumers said the ads are irrelevant despite being targeted.
2. What are woke ads?
Most Ads are skipped in less than 2-3 seconds, people can’t care less about influencers. When straight influencers have Liquid Death in their hands, we call it a logo-slap partnership. If it is not creative, only corporate doing corporate.
The same goes for LGBTQ+ individuals or POC holding a can of beer or wearing a product. Call it what it is: a logo slap.
In those cases, the ads aren't woke. It's people on both the extreme left and far right causing the trouble.
The 1% woke ads are 50% good and 50% bad. They often engage in Inspiration Porn, saviour complex, virtue signalling and most importantly are often by brands with bad/mid products.
In the PBS documentary "America at a Crossroads," you learn that exposing people to content outside their echo chambers isn't the best option to get people out of them. Many push back and get angry when shown content from the other side.
And this is exactly what woke ads get wrong. Brands try too hard to be the hero in these ads. It's hard to guilt-trip people into being more inclusive. The 50% of woke ads that are good or effective are all about creating value and having people recognize who created that value. They also don't hide the fact that it's being done for capitalistic reasons.
People hate it when companies hide that they are doing it for profit. Here are few ads that are inclusive and worked well:
Dollar Shave Club “Get Ready” ad film is an inclusive ad that is extremely watchable.
Old ad campaigns by “Perviouslyownedbyagayman.com”
BVG “Is mir egal” campaign is a humour-filled campaign, it’s absolute Berlin.
Zalando “We will hug again” using Godspeed from Frank Ocean.
IKEA “Dining Room Table” ad from 1994.
Zillow “Ah, the nothing like feeling of finding your place: Dog”.
Bench/ “How long can you keep a secret?”
Orange’s WoMen’s football AI ad campaign.
After watching over 100s of commercials, I can safely say, there are too many bad commercials with inspirational tones.
4. More Data on what to do as a brand in these political times: It’s confusing.
Post-Budlight controversy: A NBC Study shared 58% of US citizens believe it's inappropriate for companies to take stances on issues.
iSpot’s 2024 Study shared 23% of Americans say they’re annoyed by political ads, but their annoyance doesn’t carry over to brand ads that surround political campaigns.
78% of American adults say social media companies have too much influence on politics. (Pew)
Edelman’s recent survey showed 54% of people in the U.S. said they buy or avoid brands based on their perceived political positions, up 2 percentage points from last year.
71% of people globally said brands must take a side on political issues when under pressure.
It’s your decision to be woke or not. You have the data and research to make your decision. Here are my personal takes on Go Woke Go Broke:
Any type of ad that scolds people and doesn’t create value is highly skippable and often creates backlash.
Neutrality in marketing doesn’t exist. Silence is the loudest action and not your ally.
The definition of Woke or this whole movement is quite strange and many use the word very frankly without any knowledge.
It’s important to read about the cultures and get perspective before you start working on your ads.
I believe many brands want to be political but they lack creativity to do so.
5 rules for podcast advertising to get sales without being annoying.
Announce and integrate: Ask the podcaster to clarify/announce you are the show sponsor and then, give the host storytelling tactics to integrate the discussions into niched conversations.
Always sponsor more than one or two podcast episodes.
If the show has a strong presence on social media, do a mix of IG Stories + Podcast sponsorship.
Listen to the f**king podcast and identify the boring parts and think of a creative ad to turn boring into interesting.
Remember rule 4, listen before buying media.
In the comments section:
Netflix made binging desirable, but then we're consuming the media faster than we're appreciating it. So our satisfaction isn’t maximized.
From the post about Netflix and Streaming wars.
relax, every cultural and social movement comes in cycles, and nostalgia is just a part of the process of finding something to hold onto. We’re now “in between” movements. After the rise of social media and tech companies, the ultra individualism, I feel we might enter in an new era in the next 10 years, maybe post-capitalism, maybe more “eco-friendly”, I don’t know, but I do know we’re in a transitory moment.
From the post about Millennials to Gen-Z nostalgia.
The cinema cartography is one of the best video essay channels on YouTube,i I do wish for them to get more traction on their content but gatekeeping them makes me feel strangely superior to my peers
From the post recommending best youtube videos to learn media creation.
I guess there are 3 main audiences that need satisfying, the audience with a varied degree of awareness to their issues. The audience that’s responsible for platforming these issues for the creator and consumer who wants to keep consumption high. The audience who wants a medium to target those who will help fulfil their desire to be seen and heard..
Everyone can’t be right, nor wrong… but many will join the line to try and figure this stuff out loool
From the post about Kendrick Lamar’s latest song, which is a critique of the current state of hip-hop music and entertainment.
you're SO right. I'd say its a process that started with the first social media, so it's more a "social-mediafication" but yeah, we're reaching a peak maybe (and I think we can go even further with VR's).
From the post about TikTokification of everything.
3 Diagrams and Infographics I shared on IG:
Not owned or created by me.
A mega-recap of marketing moments + social media strategies and dating apps crisis