Pearls: Too many brands are playing it safe.
By Emma Christley, Writer, Oyster Creative
Oh, social media — a place that feeds on our worst insecurities, sows mistrust and misinformation, and turns everyday people into content farms (“pics or it didn’t happen”).
I’ve also found it to be a place for finding creative inspiration, building community, and providing resources. Especially right now when it’s so easy to doom scroll and fall into a pit of despair.
But, it doesn’t have to be this way. I used to think I hated working with social media, but maybe I just hate how some brands use it.
Some will tell you social media marketing is all about conversion and sales, but followers know when they’re being sold to, and they’re tired of it. Social media isn’t just a marketing tool, it’s a community tool.
For me, I like to follow brands where I can see a real person behind-the-scenes, putting in the work. Like @stylingbychi.
Chi Ilochi is a local Pittsburgh fashion stylist, and while she’s having her work featured in Essence and Teen Vogue, she’s bringing her community with her.
On the blog section of her site, she regularly highlights local creatives and gives them shout outs to her 7.7K Instagram followers. She also provides clothing and free styling sessions to people experiencing homelessness, mental illness, and physical disabilities. Chi is demonstrating her commitment to her community beyond just what she posts.
Long gone are the days of apolitical social content, and too many brands are playing it safe.
Not Dick’s Sporting Goods.
In the aftermath of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in early 2018, the company stepped up and implemented a change that even legislators have failed to implement.
They took a step towards, what many believe is, common sense gun reform by no longer selling assault-style weapons or high capacity magazines, and no longer selling firearms to anyone under 21.
Mere hours after the Supreme Court effectively overturned long-standing precedent in their Dobbs v. Jackson decision, DSG CEO Lauren Hobart posted to her personal Linkedin page that the company would reimburse employees who may have to travel across state lines to get an abortion.
In both of these scenarios, and in DSG’s ongoing commitment to DEI and Sustainability, the company is proving itself as a leader in championing these initiatives.
When the social landscape looks bleak, people need resources. They don’t need some toxic positivity quote about how it’s all going to be okay. They need to know their rights if they’re going out protesting or how they can still get a medical abortion using a forwarding address. They need to know which senators and representatives to call, upcoming election dates, and where they can donate.
@keystonenewsroom is a great example of an account that uses the oh-so-trendy infographic to deliver actionable information.
Following the recent shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Congress passed the first gun violence bill in 30 years, and 8 out of 9 Republican PA Representatives voted against the bill.
As a brand whose goal is to inform, Keystone Newsroom created an infographic with the names and districts of the Representatives that voted against the bill and provided a condensed version of a news article in the caption to inform their audience.
With midterm elections coming up in November, an infographic like this is a perfect way to disseminate information on elected officials who are possibly up for reelection and use a current trend to do so.
I know that major changes to brands’ social media will not be made overnight, and convincing other brands to commit to a level of social responsibility will be an uphill battle. But when I look at these brands, I see that a better way for social media is possible, and it’s my goal as a social media marketer to help brands be a part of that way forward.
