Curated content, brand stories, and the stuff worth sharing.

BÈIS, the travel luggage brand founded by actress Shay Mitchell, has quickly become one of the most talked-about brands on social media and truly an ‘it’ luggage brand… (I am personally a huge fan). Shay built a loyal audience by sharing her travel adventures, and her personal brand aligns perfectly with BEIS’ ethos – luggage that is both functional and fashionable.  Thanks to its strong, personality-driven marketing and founder-led content, BÈIS has become a standout brand in the travel luggage space, not just for its sleek and functional yet  fashionable designs.

Here are the lessons you can learn from BÈIS’ marketing strategy: 

Personal branding: Shay Mitchell

Actress Shay Mitchell, known for her role in Pretty Little Liars, built a deeply engaged audience on social media by sharing her travel adventures. Shay’s personal brand aligns seamlessly with the ethos of BÈIS, lending credibility to the brand. She is known for being a seasoned traveller, so consumers could trust that she was creating luggage that was both chic and functional. From day one, BÈIS had a clear founder-led story: travel essentials that can withstand every adventure and look cute while doing it.

Shay is not just selling luggage, she is selling a lifestyle her followers already love. It doesn’t stop there: Shay is firmly the face of the brand and is regularly seen sporting BÈIS products.

Cheeky copywriting

I am obsessed with BÈIS’ clever copywriting, especially their airport dad campaign with the slogan ‘from airport dad to airport daddy’ on Father’s Day last year. The campaign, inspired by @girlbosstown, tapped into the relatable ‘airport dad’ stereotype that circulated TikTok, while showcasing their bags in action.  Since their customer base primarily comprises a female demographic, the campaign aimed to attract more male customers, which it did successfully, while also creating an entertaining and shareable moment on social media. I also love their use of witty  puns on the word ‘BÈIS’ in their copy, such as ‘second-BÈIS’ and ‘home BÈIS’.

Turning bad PR into genius marketing

When customers complained about light-coloured bags getting dirty too quickly, BÈIS didn’t ignore it nor bury their heads in the sand. Instead, they launched the BÈIS wash pop-up in LA, emulating a retro-style car wash, where customers could drop by and clean their bags for free. Not only did this openly address customer feedback, but it also served as a great shareable moment on social media. Plus, Shay herself was there, engaging with fans and reinforcing community connection –  lesson in how to turn negative customer feedback into a memorable consumer experience.

Packing videos and styling videos

Their Tiktok page does such a good job at selling the products through packing tips, ‘pack with me’ videos and styling content. The content is engaging, satisfying (with lots of ASMR) and informative, showing off how functional and fashionable the products are.

Collaborations

BÈIS leverages meaningful partnerships to expand its reach and broaden its customer base. The brand partners with other well-known companies and celebrities that share BÈIS’ values and aesthetics, such as Solidcore, Lonely Hearts, Anthropologie and model Elsa Hosk. This generates buzz around its products and keeps BÈIS’ stock fresh and interesting. For example, BÈIS creates thematic collections around trending pop culture moments, such as the Barbie and Wicked films. From its collaboration with Delta Airline’s to festival activations like the BÈIS pit stop at stagecoach, BÈIS has mastered experiential marketing that gets people talking. Ultimately, BÈIS meets customers where they are at: airports, festivals and social media.

Employee-generated content

Their Tiktok account features the whole BÈIS team across all different levels — from CEO to content creator. I love how they use the platform to directly engage with their audience, positioning themselves as a customer-centric brand. BÈIS is a masterclass in social media marketing. From Shay’s founder-led storytelling to viral campaigns, clever copywriting, and engaging social content, each move feels effortlessly cool. By listening to its audience, embracing pop culture, and turning even negative feedback into a brand moment, BÈIS has built an engaged, loyal community that’s as obsessed with the brand as they are with their next adventure.

Lemme deep-dive this real quick (sorry 😉 )… Love them or loath them, the Kardashians are marketing geniuses. Kourtney Kardashian’s brand makes wellness fun and supplements sexy. Lemme is a supplement brand launched in 2022 by Kourtney Kardashian. Unlike typical supplement brands that feel sterile and boring, Lemme makes wellness feel playful, fun approachable, and ‘for the girls’.

Here are the lessons you can learn from Lemme’s marketing strategy: 

Problem and solution content

The brand incorporates the name Lemme into its product names, making them memorable and directly addressing the problems of its target audience. Examples include Lemme Chill, Lemme Sleep, Lemme Glow, Lemme Tone, Lemme Smooth, Lemme Focus, and Lemme Debloat. This strategy not only enhances brand recognition but also helps consumers identify with the products and understand how Lemme provides a solution to their problems (e.g., feeling tired, anxious, or bloated). I love how they integrate “Lemme” into their storytelling and copywriting. “Lemme get real results” and “Lemme hear it” are perfect examples.

Instagrammable and fun packaging

I hate to say it, but in 2025, if you want your product to get noticed on social media, it needs to look good in a photo. Supplements aren’t typically ‘sexy’, but Lemme’s unique packaging ensures it stands out on the shelf among standard black-and-white supplement bottles.

A light-hearted and fun visual aesthetic

The brand positions itself as fun, witty, and ‘for the girls’, which is reflected in its creative imagery and engaging graphics. While their Instagram feed is all over the place, it certainly is visually entertaining.  This aesthetic carries over to their website, one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s interactive, fun, and so addictive. Even if you’re not interested in Lemme products, I highly recommend subscribing to their email list – the email marketing is to die for! 

Founder-led content

Kourtney Kardashian has built a reputation as the wellness-obsessed Kardashian, regularly promoting her vegan lifestyle. Unlike some of her previous business ventures, Lemme aligns perfectly with her personal brand. She explains that, instead of taking 30 different supplements, she worked with a team of experts to formulate Lemme, simplifying the supplement routine for her audience.

Kourtney is all in on the brand. She stars in all their TikTok videos, shows up in Target stores with a bullhorn, and regularly duets or stitches customer videos about Lemme — a great example of interactive marketing. Their TikTok videos are humorous and dry, just like the eldest Kardashian sister. 

Community engagement 

Kourtney and the Lemme team take the time to actively engage with their community’s videos, comments and questions on TikTok. This is the best way to build a community in 2025 and develop rapport with your audience. People want to feel seen and heard by those that they spend their money with. Lemme is proof that wellness brands don’t have to be boring. By combining problem-solving content, a visually engaging aesthetic, and a highly involved founder, the brand has built a loyal following that extends beyond traditional supplement buyers. Their ability to connect with consumers through humour, relatability and interactive engagement makes them a standout in the space.

The brands that get it, get it. Founded in 2020 by model and influencer Jess Hunt, Refy Beauty was launched to simplify beauty with high-quality and minimal-effort products. REFY is the UK’s fastest-growing makeup brand and they aren’t just setting the standard in the beauty industry, they are also raising the bar for social media marketing and branding. 

Clean girl aesthetic

REFY has one of the dreamiest Instagram feeds — beautifully curated yet still authentic and relatable. Its signature clean and minimal aesthetic aligns perfectly with its messaging around simplifying beauty. With plenty of ‘get ready with me’ and ‘how-to’ videos, product demos, and beauty tips, REFY’s instagram and TikTok feeds feel more like a friend sharing beauty advice than a brand pushing products.

*That* community trip

Scrolling through REFY’s Tiktok, it’s clear how much they prioritise their community. In 2025, brands recognise  that community is one of their most powerful assets, and REFY is shaking up the influencer marketing landscape as a result. Traditionally, beauty brands have hosted extravagant influencer trips, but in recent years, consumers have grown weary of this approach, seeing it as out of touch, especially during economic downturns. With this is mind, REFY took a bold, new approach — shifting from influencer-exclusive trips to community-driven experiences.

In the summer of 2024, REFY invited some of its most engaged community members to a branded villa retreat in Mallorca. This move fostered genuine connections, making customers feel valued and heard. The villa experience allowed community members to spend time with REFY’s founder, Jess Hunt, embrace the brand’s values, and enjoy the natural, effortless beauty of Mallorca — perfectly aligned with REFY’s image. This was a first for a beauty brand of its size, and the community-first approach went viral. The buzz surrounding this shift became a marketing moment in itself.

Community centred approach

Beyond the villa retreat, REFY excels in experiential marketing, hosting pop-ups and community events in cities worldwide, including London, Paris and New York. By creating unique in-person experiences, REFY strengthens its relationships with customers and gives back to its community. For a consumer, attending a pop-up is exciting and memorable, offering a deeper understanding of the brand’s mission and vision. Could this shift signal the decline of traditional influencer trips and the rise of community-first marketing? Consumers no longer want to feel like mere customers, they want to be part of the brand.

Additionally, REFY’S Instagram broadcast channel – the REFY group chat –  regularly shares exclusive competitions, IRL meet-ups, events, interactive polls, and product launches, further strengthening its community.

Leveraging UGC (user-generated content)

User-generated content (UGC) is a core pillar of REFY’S social media marketing strategy, turning loyal customers into brand ambassadors. By leveraging UGC, REFY builds social proof and increases discoverability, making the brand feel more authentic and relatable. Rather than focusing solely on big-name influencers and celebrities, REFY prioritises micro-influencers — those with smaller but highly engaged audiences. This strategy makes the content feel less salesy, more organic, and genuinely impactful.

Personal brand and founder-led content

REFY’s co-founder, Jess Hunt, was first a content creator and beauty influencer, best known for her signature thick eyebrows. She launched REFY after spotting a gap in the market for high-quality, user-friendly brow products. Jess’ personal brand is a key factor in REFY’S success — she is the brand’s biggest advocate. She regularly shares her skincare and makeup routines which feature REFY products, increasing brand exposure and creating a strong sense of authenticity. By putting its community at the heart of its strategy, REFY is setting a new standard for beauty brands. Whether through user-generated content, pop-ups, or a hands-on founder presence, the brand continues to foster deep connections with its audience. As influencer marketing evolves, REFY proves that authenticity, inclusivity and genuine engagement always wins.

Good Girl Snacks might just be the coolest brand ever. The Gen-Z female-founded pickle company that launched last year has taken social media by storm. The best friend duo have truly transformed ordinary pickles into viral sensations and a hot girl ‘must-have’. Thanks to their pre-launch strategy and social media marketing that thought outside of the box, they were able to generate hype around the brand before the product was even on the shelves — all for a low cost and without the need for paid advertising and marketing.

Founder-led content

The Gen-Z female-founded brand Good Girl Snacks, went viral with their product ‘hot girl pickles’ last year. The duo behind the brand regularly share BTS content about what it is like to be two young business owners and building a brand with your best friend. They tell their story and take their audience with them on their journey — something they have done since its inception.

Lifestyle content

There is only so much you can post about pickles. What Good Girl Snacks does to keep a steady stream of content is integrating pickles into a ‘hot girl’ lifestyle. They also share tons of recipes so their audience can see how their pickles can be enjoyed.

Creative content

Pickles aren’t the prettiest of foods, yet their Instagram feed is full of aesthetically-pleasing and fun images. They are super creative and think outside the box — which I’m obsessed with!

Community-building

With a smaller budget than big brands and knowing the power of community, Good Girl Snacks prioritises community events and experiences over influencer marketing. If you are a small or medium-sized business owner — think about how you can create memorable experiences with your most loyal customers.

Highlighting USP

You might be thinking: what is so special about pickles? Why them? Well, they tell us why… Not only is the packaging cute, but they also market  unusual flavours, but they also prioritise  sustainability and use organic good ingredients — incentivising customers to pick them over other brands in the supermarket.

Good Girl Snacks proves that you don’t need a massive budget to build a brand that people love — you just need a little creativity! By leaning into founder-led storytelling, lifestyle-driven content, and trends, they’ve managed to turn a simple snack into a must-have.

Just 5 years since the launch, SKIMS was valued at $4 billion this year and founder, Kim Kardashian’s marketing strategy explains why her brand (that started with shapewear for women) has become so successful. Here’s why I am obsessed with Kim Kardashian’s tactics for marketing Skims and the lessons that you can apply to your social media strategy:

Collaborate with other brands

In the five years since its launch, Kim Kardashian’s connections in what seems like every industry have led her to partner with a broad range of brands. Partnering with the likes of Dolce and Gabbana, Swarovski, Fendi, Team USA, the NBA and the North Face plays an important role in introducing Skims to new markets and demographics. While most businesses don’t have Kim K at the helm to muscle in a partnership with huge household brands, small businesses should consider possible collaborations with other businesses in your area that will be mutually beneficial and expand your reach.

Celebrity endorsements

Kim Kardashian is the CEO of networking and she uses the friends that she has in high places to partner with huge celebrity names such as Usher, Paris Hilton, Naomi Osaka, Candice Swanepoel, Snoop Dogg, Nicola Coughlan, Lana Del Rey, Jude Bellingham, Sabrina Carpenter and more. This celebrity marketing is strategic; SKIMS is a lesson in reactive marketing and that collaborating with these high-profile celebrities and influencers comes with a purpose.

Kim partners with celebrities ‘de jour’, who are trending or even soon to be trending: for example, Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan at the time of the new series release, Sabrina Carpenter before Coachella, Jude Bellingham before the 2024 euros and Usher during the 2024 Super Bowl. Using well-known celebrities who are prominent in the news cycle to endorse SKIMS makes the brand seem desirable and credible, incentivising consumers to buy the product.

UGC & influencer partnerships

SKIMS leverages influencer and user-generated content (UGC) — known for working with micro-creators with a small, yet engaged, following. SKIMS sends products to influencers and creators that align with the brand’s target demographic, thus expanding their reach to these creators’ following. UGC adds authenticity to their marketing and influencer content situates skims’ clothing in the context of an aspirational lifestyle — influencing their audience to purchase from the brand. SKIMS also uses UGC and influencer marketing through their paid marketing efforts, including meta ads and promoting content on Tiktok through social media whitelisting (when an influencer grants a brand permission to advertise through their social media accounts).

Kim k-coded

SKIMS is not just a brand with a celebrity as the face. Kim Kardashian’s personal brand can explain SKIMS’ success. The brand makes sense. Kim has been known for her signature figure-hugging outfits and has shared her love of shapewear to enhance her figure, so the brand makes sense. She has shared the problems she faced finding the right shapewear. This personal story is the reason behind SKIMS – making the brand more relatable and authentic.

Kim also leverages inside jokes with her audience, creating an ‘ifykyk’ feeling. For example, featuring Kourtney in the Dolce and Gabbana promotion images, following their infamous feud over the brand, and recreating Y2K paparazzi photos of her and her ex-boss, Paris Hilton. This is a great example of how interactive marketing…

Inclusive representation

SKIMS tagline is ‘solutions for every body’ and size-inclusive shapewear is the cornerstone of SKIMS brand philosophy. With sizes ranging from XXS to 4X and a diverse range of skin shades, their marketing also reflects their position as champions of diversity, accessibility and inclusivity. The brand partners with celebrities and influencers of all ethnicities, ages and sizes to showcase how their garments look on different body types. Seeing is believing, and SKIMS realises its increased likelihood of converting customers if they see their body type reflected in the marketing.

While Kim Kardashian’s influence undoubtedly plays a role in the brand’s reach, SKIMS’ success goes beyond star power. By leveraging UGC, influencer partnerships and demonstrating authentic inclusivity, the brand has built a cult community online.

There’s a new trend of influencers and content creators being hired by brands to work for them full time as in-house content creators. This is something that has worked exceptionally well for activewear brand, Set Active. I’ve personally been loving their TikTok strategy recently! Here are the lessons that you can take from Set Active:

In-house content creators

This is a growing trend that we are seeing where brands are hiring content creators and influencers to work in-house and run their socials. TikTok influencer Sam Vicchiollo (with 2m+ followers), who is known for funny and relatable content, transformed Set Active’s socials during the 7 months he worked there – giving us all the BTS. Social media is a full time job. Bigger brands looking to grow their socials need someone fully dedicated to content creation who is ready to pick up the camera at all times!

Sharing the BTS

I love brands that employ a ‘fly on the wall’ style content that makes us feel like we are in the meeting room or on set with them. TikTok is the perfect platform for BTS content. It doesn’t need to be perfectly aesthetic – the more messy and raw the better. The difference between Instagram vs TikTok content is clear in the middle photo: you can see the final shot on their instagram, but TikTok shows what goes into achieving  that shot.

Founder & employee-generated content (EGC)

Set Active’s founder, Lindsay Carter is not afraid to show up on camera and show you what she gets up to as a founder. Lindsay has built up her personal brand and this founder-led content shows us exactly who we are buying from. Similarly, 95% of their TikTok content shows the people behind the brand (as opposed to models/influencers). In-office content is super popular right now: not only is it relatable to those with office jobs, it also satisfies our natural nosiness that likes to see what their office and team culture is like.

Trend-driven content

Set Active jump on relevant trends to maximise reach and chances at virality. Since their content is very casual and informal, this gives them the flexibility to incorporate trendy content. Brands that incorporate trends into their content strategy have more appeal to their audience and show that they don’t take themselves too seriously.

To conclude, ​​Set Active’s use of in-house creators and employee-generated content adds an authentic, unfiltered edge that resonates with their audience. Social media thrives on personality, relatability and a little bit of chaos. Whether you’re a startup or an established brand, showing up, getting creative and embracing the messiness of content creation can set you apart, just like Set Active.

Strawberry Milk Mob‘s marketing strategy needs to be studied in textbooks… it is SO clever. Strawberry Milk Mob is a Canadian online bikini and swimwear brand, founded in 2018 by Georgia Costello, aka ‘Strawberry’. Georgia began using TikTok in 2022 to promote her swimwear. However, after failing to see success in using the platform to make sales, she pivoted her marketing strategy to post lifestyle content that was relatable and entertaining to grow her audience. Georgia has used TikTok to catapult her brand into success, and has built an engaged community of 2.3 million followers on TikTok. The brand is now run with her two younger sisters, Sydney (aka Coconut Milk Mob) and Sabrina (aka Blueberry Milk Mob).

Personal branding

What sets the brand apart is Georgia. When you go to the official business page, it looks unlike any other swimwear brand’s TikTok account. All the videos are of Georgia, talking to the camera – so much so that you’d think this was her personal account. That is what makes this strategy so clever. She isn’t pushing her products, but she draws you into her life by sharing casual and fun videos about what she is doing, wearing, cooking, etc. Georgia effortlessly blurs the boundaries between being a business and creator.

Subtly selling

This leads on to my next point. When you see her videos or her profile, it isn’t obvious that this is a business. The TikTok videos are not about her products. Almost all of the videos are entertaining snapshots into her life. For example, she goes on holidays and creates content cooking or chatting by the pool, wearing her bikinis. In fact, only 5-10% of the videos are about the swimwear or business itself. This makes the page feel authentic – she’s making videos for fun and just so happens to have a business as well. People are tired of constantly being sold to, they want to feel connected to a brand and feel as though they know the person behind the products they are purchasing.

Knowing your audience

The audience for her brand is women aged 18-34, so she has made content specifically for that demographic. She knows what they’re thinking about, what they care about, the challenges they face and purposefully makes content around those things. By posting content that her audience can relate to e.g., fashion content, funny videos and dating advice, she has been able to grow a community and make her brand feel relatable. Georgia was able to build her audience and, subsequently, her consumer base by creating this ‘bestie’ feel, so people keep coming back to ‘hang out’ with her.

Familiarity

Strawberry Milk Mob achieves this in two ways. On their Instagram page, Georgia and her sisters are the only models for the clothing. Her boyfriend, Brad, models all the menswear. They are the faces of the brand. Georgia has repeat content styles, creating a sense of familiarity with her audience. for example, her signature “let’s make a drink” and “reason number x why I love men” series. She has made recurring characters in her posts (mostly, her sisters and her boyfriend, ‘Brad’) and has created inside jokes within her content that encourages viewers to keep coming back and tuning in. 

Ditching formality

Strawberry Milk Mob is a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Their instagram retains an informal feel, repurposing some TikTok video content with images. The photos are unedited and shot in the moment, rarely in a studio — allowing you to see what the swimwear truly looks like. As previously mentioned, Georgia has also created a cult following through the use of personal nicknames, lingo and inside jokes. The brand’s tone of voice is playful and girly, and this carries over from their social media to their website. This personable feel has become the brand identity and is what makes the brand so loveable.

Consistency

Georgia is the queen of consistency. She started off posting around 10 TikToks a day, and still keeps a regular cadence of multiple a day! Her sisters also regularly share similar, relatable lifestyle content on their own accounts, all while (subtly) promoting the business. Posting this much isn’t attainable (or recommended) for 99% of business owners. However, what we can take from this is that the more you are consistent with your content (and this takes time), eventually something will land.

Strawberry Milk Mob is proof that social media success isn’t just about selling — it’s about storytelling, connection, and consistency. People don’t just buy products; they buy into personalities and lifestyles. By blending personal branding with subtle product promotion, Georgia has built a loyal community that feels more like a friendship than a customer base. Her informal, relatable approach makes the brand feel authentic, while her dedication to consistency keeps her audience engaged. 

SheerLuxe is an online fashion and lifestyle publisher whose in-office content has gone viral on TikTok. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would have seen SheerLuxe’s signature Q&A style in-office content pop up on your ForYouPage on TikTok. SheerLuxe is a lesson in the power of the rising phenomenon of employee-generated content (EGC). Their TikTok content has inspired businesses of all stripes to create lighthearted videos in their offices for social media. 

Here are the lessons that businesses can apply to their content strategy:

Employee-generated content

Their Tiktok shows a fun office culture, where the SheerLuxe team are the star of the show. Like characters on TV, followers warm to different personalities they like to watch. They have a familiar Q&A format style, so you can easily spot a SheerLuxe video! In tandem, many of the SheerLuxe team have built their personal brand and obtained a following on their own pages. This has made SheerLuxe job applications competitive, because the workplace is seen as attractive – a lesson to businesses who want to recruit the best talent!

Timely & trendy content

Creating content around topical and timely events such as Halloween, London/Paris Fashion Week, Wimbledon, Ascot, Met Gala etc is a great way to increase visibility. SheerLuxe continually stays relevant by generating  trend-driven content, keeping them in the limelight and maximising potential for virality.

Aspirational lifestyle

The team are known for their high-end, elevated style that combines high street with luxury and designer fashion. SheerLuxe regularly shares what their team is wearing and they are now seen as authorities within the fashion world. This inspirational and aspirational content is highly saveable.

Content that encourages engagement

SheerLuxe posts value-driven content that is saveable, including advice and recommendations in different areas. They also post content that will spark controversy and drive conversation in the comments, boosting engagement rate.

Influencer collaborations

SheerLuxe collaborates with influencers & celebrity guests such as Molly Mae, Olivia Attwood, Abbey Clancey & Sophie Habboo to boost their reach and add variety to their content. Content that includes famous names will always get reach, as you will gain attention from their networks, as well as yours!

SheerLuxe has mastered the art of blending entertainment, aspiration, and engagement to create a social media presence that feels both exclusive and approachable. Their success proves that employee-generated content isn’t just a trend – it’s a powerful tool for brand building, recruitment and community engagement. By leaning into timely content, leveraging personal branding, and creating aspirational yet relatable moments, SheerLuxe has set the gold standard for in-office social media. 

The takeaway? If you want your brand to stand out, don’t just showcase your products – showcase your people.

One of my favourite accounts to follow is the Rhode Island coffee shop, The Nitro Bar. Their Instagram and TikTok pages are a masterclass in social media strategy. Whether your business is in the hospitality space or not, here are the lessons that any brand should apply to their content strategy:

Hooks hooks hooks 

The Nitro Bar has mastered the art of engaging content and provides a lesson in great hooks. By consistently starting videos with intriguing ‘what’-based questions, The Nitro Bar hooks viewers’ attention at the start. This keeps audiences curious and more likely to watch the full video, increasing the engagement rate.

Creating their own trends/signature series

The Nitro Bar strikes the perfect balance between jumping on relevant trends, but also creating their own ones and having several ‘signature series’. For example, “recent slays”, where they post a carousel of photos of recent fun drinks they made. Their signature interview-style content with staff members is instantly recognisable, creating familiarity with their audience.

Using shock factor

They use the shock factor to engage their audience, by making videos like “what’s the weirdest drink order you’ve gotten recently?”, they cleverly play on people’s strong opinions on coffee/drink choices, using it to encourage comments. Showing peculiar, unusual or unique items sparks interest and invites people to share with friends and comment opinions, boosting engagement. They regularly show fun and unusual drink combinations – creating a sense of novelty that differentiates them from competitors.

Using humour & sarcasm

People come to social media to be entertained and The Nitro Bar creates content that is guaranteed to make you smile. Their tone of voice is cheeky, playful and sarcastic – this ‘funny’ experience adds to the allure of the brand.

Showing the faces behind the business

The Nitro Bar involves their staff in all of their videos, showing off their personalities. Now, they have become almost like characters in a show. Revealing the faces behind the business makes you feel as though  you know them and allows  followers to feel connected to the brand.

Consistency

The Nitro Bar posts every single day, ensuring that they are constantly showing up on the feeds of their audience and retaining their spot at the forefront of their viewers’ minds.

The Nitro Bar proves that a local coffee shop can build a global community and repeatedly go viral with the right strategy. From the catchy hooks that pull you in, to their unique trends and signature series, they’ve created an engaging experience that keeps their audience coming back for more. The blend of humour, shock value and a personal connection with their staff gives The Nitro Bar a distinct, authentic style that’s impossible to ignore.

Odd Muse is a British mid-luxury slow fashion brand, founded by Aimee Smale, that has taken social media by storm. The brand is a masterclass in social media strategy and the ways you can leverage the unique benefits of Instagram and TikTok to broaden your reach, build a cult community and convert views/ followers into sales. There are so many lessons within their strategy for not just fashion brands, but businesses across all industries… so take note!

Multi-platform marketing

Odd Muse’s social media strategy leverages the unique benefits of TikTok and Instagram. It capitalises on TikTok to reach a broad and highly engaged audience, whereas Instagram allows  them to convert views and followers into paying customers. Above all, they give people a reason to follow both platforms by posting content that is native to each app.

Aimee credits Instagram for directly influencing sales. While TikTok shows the light-hearted side of the business, Instagram is their carefully-curated shop window. As a mid-luxury fashion brand, their visual identity, branding and messaging echoes this on Instagram. Products are showcased through different content styles, depicting an aspirational lifestyle that people believe they will also achieve if they buy into the brand.

On TikTok, Odd Muse jumps on the right trends to achieve virality and brand awareness. They create their own trends to build a cult community that recognise and crave this signature style of content. Alongside this, they also generate ‘behind-the-scenes’ content while engaging directly with the community. Odd Muse also leverages employee-generated content (EGC) with the social media manager, Sophie Milham, sharing the BTS of her role. 

Personal branding & owner-generated content (OGC)

Aimee is the face of the brand and her story as a Gen Z female fashion founder is a central part of Odd Muse’s narrative. Aimee has shared her journey from leaving her role at ASOS as a fashion buyer to starting her own brand. She candidly shares the ups and downs of being a founder and business owner. Showing up regularly on camera humanises the brand and builds a deeper connection with her audience. She’s not one to gatekeep and positions herself as an expert (and open book!) on being a young business owner, specifically within the fashion space. Fellow business owners or female founders look up to her and follow for educational and aspirational content.

Engaging

Odd Muse regularly engages with their community, going beyond just responding to comments. They embrace negative feedback. For example, Aimee once addressed negative reviews about a dress and shared how she is improving it through a ‘you asked, we listened’ style-strategy). Their Instagram broadcast channel involves the community in the design process – showing they value their insight on designs and colour-ways. Additionally, ‘accidental oversharing’ has become part of the strategy. This is where Aimee shares ‘unauthorised’ sneak peeks into new collections, which has become a personality trait and a funny ‘ifykyk’ inside joke with her audience. This transparency and engagement is essential to building a cult community.

Sharing the BTS

Aimee shares BTS content, including the design and product development process, travelling, photoshoots, in-office content and general operations. Aimee vlogs these moments in entertaining and fun ‘warts and all’ videos on TikTok (and YouTube). By sharing milestones and documenting product development, the audience is invested and involved in the creative process. Taking their audience on the journey means that customers feel as though they are participating in the brand’s evolution and are thus more incentivised to buy.

Building hype

Odd Muse is a masterclass in generating hype around product launches. New releases are teased on social media to build anticipation. Odd Muse shares how many people are on the waitlist for new launches to illustrate demand and generate ‘fomo’. This reinforces the brand’s image as exclusive. Odd Muse uses the ‘soft launch’ week to engage with their audience and answer its questions, priming them to click ‘add to cart’ on launch day.

Leveraging user-generated content (UGC)

Odd Muse also leverages UGC to demonstrate social proof. They encourage customers to share their experiences and styling tips, which they reshare. Since customers resonate with content created by other users, this increases the likelihood of conversions. Odd Muse collaborates with  influencers and celebrities ‘de jour’ that are known for their style – providing influencer or celebrity endorsement.

Highlighting point of difference

Odd Muse wants to be known for quiet luxury through their timeless and quality pieces. The brand’s online messaging heavily emphasises their USP and they have made videos about brands knocking off their styles – displaying the difference in quality between the original version and the knock off. Odd Muse is a great example of how to leverage a negative situation in a marketing strategy. Highlighting this unique selling point is what will result in loyal and returning customers.

Consistency is key

Last but not least, the brand consistently posts daily and Aimee herself also posts everyday (or even multiple times a day). This ensures Odd Muse and Aimee are continually showing up on your feeds and staying front of mind.

All in all, Odd Muse is absolutely nailing social media. Aimee’s approach is a perfect example of how to balance authenticity, exclusivity and consistent engagement to build a dedicated following that’s genuinely invested in the brand. By mixing Instagram’s polished, aspirational vibe with TikTok’s raw, behind-the-scenes moments, they’ve created a community that feels like they’re part of the brand’s journey.