The Finest Manufacturers on Social Media

It’s time for a particular version of the Submit Efficiency Report (PPR), a sequence the place we showcase social media posts and campaigns inspiring us, and discover what makes them so genius. We unpack how your model can use these examples to spark your personal scroll-stopping concepts—whereas maximizing your funds and doing extra with much less.

On this end-of-year lineup, we’re sharing the most effective manufacturers on social media in 2024, in keeping with members of Crew Sprout. Those that stopped us mid-scroll, that we shared with our mates, household and colleagues, and have been so good and sudden we couldn’t cease speaking about them.

A few of these manufacturers would possibly look acquainted, as they’re staples on the Insights weblog. However others are native gems and area of interest treasures. With out additional adieu, listed below are our selections for greatest manufacturers and campaigns of 2024, listed by business.

Meals & beverage manufacturers making a splash the place it’s least anticipated

While you image meals and beverage advertising, often mouth-watering skilled photographs come to thoughts. Possibly the occasional irreverent or sexually specific model voice. However our favourite, most memorable manufacturers this 12 months discovered their stride on rising networks and sudden locations.

Surreal Cereal: The bizarre LinkedIn darling

Surreal Cereal, the excessive protein, low sugar cereal, makes use of LinkedIn to attract consideration to its newest product launches, model partnerships, out-of-home promoting campaigns and to touch upon the eccentricities of workplace tradition.

Cat Anderson, Sprout’s Director of Worldwide Advertising, lays out what makes their content material so eye-catching. “Surreal Cereal makes use of LinkedIn in probably the most uncommon, standout approach I’ve ever seen. They write these meandering 35-slide carousels that dare the viewer to cease studying. They weave within the product by some means, on one of many final slides.”

The stunning nature of each Surreal Cereal’s content material and their platform of selection is extra calculated than it appears. Based on The 2024 Content material Technique Report, virtually half of Gen X and Millennials use LinkedIn—but, there’s just one extremely memorable cereal model on the platform.

Rachael Goulet, Sprout’s Director of Social Media, speaks to the significance of diversifying your community technique to beat oversaturation. “In case you and your rivals are all vying for shopper consideration in the identical place, you make it tougher to safe a following, engagements and conversions. Plus, you’re leaving alternatives on the desk to attach along with your viewers. As an alternative of solely becoming a member of the plenty, study extra about how your viewers makes use of different networks, and create area in your technique and in your staff for experimentation.”

The play: In case you’re getting misplaced within the algorithm, attempt cultivating group on new networks. The important thing to replicating a method like Surreal Cereal’s is sustaining your model voice and aligning along with your viewers’s pursuits. That doesn’t imply strictly following platform norms. In truth, it could possibly imply simply the other.

Past Meat: Spiraling on Threads

Past Meat is thought for being disruptive. As the primary public plant-based meat firm, they’re no stranger to drawing consideration. Whereas we’ve seen many manufacturers construct best-in-class Threads methods the previous few years, Past Meat provides an ingenious tackle the “unhinged” persona.

Unhinged model voices are rampant on platforms like X and TikTok, however many manufacturers take a extra buttoned-up method to Threads. Past Meat’s posts extra carefully resemble a stream of consciousness than a radical advertising plan. Somewhat than promote its merchandise, this method builds camaraderie among the many chronically on-line.

At first look it’s simple to imagine Past Meat’s Threads methodology is simply enjoyable for the sake of enjoyable. But it surely appears to be half of a bigger play to skyrocket the model again into public dialogue. After a historic IPO, the model was assailed by a marketing campaign attacking the healthiness of its merchandise. This 12 months, Past Meat has been recouping constructive sentiment losses and efficiently rebounded its earnings.

The play: Introducing an unhinged social persona isn’t simple to do nicely. Primarily as a result of it’s been performed so many instances already and with out a clear goal. Past Meat discovered the white area on Threads, which helped. However, in the event you look extra carefully, additionally they fastidiously reinserted themselves again into on-line tradition and wove collectively a group of followers—which was half of a bigger, big-picture advertising effort.

McDonald’s x Mets: Grimace, the MLB MVP

McDonald’s took the web by storm the previous few years by bringing again their character Grimace. The enormous purple being grew to become a viral sensation after the Grimace Shake pattern erupted on TikTok in 2023.

In 2024, Grimace (and McDonald’s) partnered with the New York Mets baseball staff. It began when Grimace threw out the primary pitch at a Mets recreation that prompted a seven-game successful streak. Since then, the lovely purple blob grew to become a fixture at Mets video games and now even has an honorary seat of their stadium.

The partnership led to different IRL activations and content material, like a takeover of a 7 Practice and followers dressing like Grimace at video games. As Olivia Jepson, Senior Social Media Strategist at Sprout, says, “The fan tradition surrounding Grimace and the Mets is unmatched. This partnership is even spawning extra partnerships, like with the Metropolitan Transportation Company, creating a complete Grimace universe.”

The play: Most individuals didn’t predict Grimace changing into a sports activities icon and the unofficial mascot of the Mets can be on their 2024 bingo card. Although sudden, the model partnership—like all nice collaborations—was natural and pushed by followers. When forging your subsequent partnership, take heed to what your viewers desires above all else.

Electronics & know-how corporations who let people shine

While you Google “how do tech corporations use social media?,” the primary consequence tells social entrepreneurs to submit about merchandise, providers and analysis developments.

Technically sure, that’s true, they need to do this. But it surely’s simply as (if no more) necessary to showcase how these developments assist people—placing individuals on the middle of the story.

Humanizing a model on social is essential to fostering belief. Virtually 80% of shoppers agree a model’s social presence has a bigger influence on whether or not or not they belief that model in comparison with 2023, per the Q1 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey.

Listed here are manufacturers placing the particular person again in private know-how.

Currys: Going all-in on employee-led authentic content material

Currys is the main omnichannel retailer of know-how services and products within the UK and Eire. The primary Currys retailer opened in 1884 as a bicycle-building enterprise. Like private know-how, the model has grown and advanced vastly prior to now 140 years.

Currys is a case research in tips on how to deliver a longtime model into the social media sphere by interesting to viewers pursuits, humanizing the model and establishing belief with new generations. “Currys is killing it on social—which could appear stunning for a legacy British electronics retailer. They go all-in on employee-led content material and do it nicely. In addition they perceive their viewers. For instance, they know that air fryers are in scorching demand, so that they function them closely of their content material,” says Anderson.

The components goes far past simply showcasing their merchandise and staff. Currys makes use of a particular taste of humor and trending codecs (once they make sense for his or her model) for example their grasp of on-line tradition. However the really legendary a part of their components is their staff—from their supply and comedic timing, to how a lot enjoyable they appear to be having making the content material.

The model boasts 345 million followers on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, the highest platforms for Gen Z. Their distinctive on-line presence could also be translating to elevated model consciousness and income by prompting extra individuals to go to their shops.

The play: Understanding your viewers—their pursuits, humorousness and niches—is an important a part of making a social technique. Take a cue from Currys and embed your content material with nods to cultural touchstones that resonate along with your viewers. Observe: This methodology isn’t reserved for Gen Z. You should utilize humor and inside jokes to succeed in Millennials, Gen X and Boomers.

Canva: Their staff brings the hype to product launches

Canva’s design platform provides templates and instruments for creating graphics throughout advertising channels. The Australian model is very beloved by entrepreneurs, like those who created this checklist.

Aside from their product capabilities, Canva understands how to discuss their know-how in a approach that conveys worth to their day-to-day customers. As Aisha Quas, Senior Model Communications Strategist at Sprout, says, “I really like Canva’s method to product updates. Their Droptober marketing campaign was such a enjoyable method to share function updates with out getting caught within the technical jargon spiral. From the teasers earlier than launch to the pleasant competitors between gross sales and advertising to actually placing staff members within the product, it’s inconceivable to decide on a favourite from the marketing campaign artistic.”

All their campaigns this 12 months have been a runaway success, and Droptober was no exception. Based on Sprout Social Listening information on X from November 3-December 3, 2024, mentions of Canva and the Droptober marketing campaign had a powerful 88% constructive sentiment.

The play: Whether or not you promote clothes or know-how, are B2B or B2C, your finish shoppers are individuals. Resist the temptation to stuff your social posts and campaigns filled with jargon. As an alternative, concentrate on the day-to-day wants of your clients.

Cisco: The faces of #TechTok

Cisco is a software program, community and cybersecurity options supplier. The corporate proves even extremely technical manufacturers can discover their area of interest on TikTok once they share product training content material that’s enjoyable, relatable and approachable, and places individuals on the forefront.

Like this video, the place viewers spend a day with a Communications Supervisor at Cisco in London. She makes use of Cisco’s AI in her every day workflow and references her firm’s newest report about AI adoption. In one other video, a staff member provides a Gen Z-inspired tour of their Glasgow workplace.

On this on-site interview, a buyer explains how he makes use of Cisco know-how to drive the work he does bringing clear consuming water to underserved, distant areas in Columbia.

By means of their people-first content material method, Cisco has amassed almost 121,000 followers and greater than 869,000 likes on TikTok.

The play: There’s a spot on social for manufacturers of all industries, even on networks sometimes dominated by B2C corporations. To succeed, manufacturers must deliver a component of human-led storytelling to their content material.

Nothing: The model disrupting every little thing in regards to the tech business

British know-how model Nothing manufactures and reimagines shopper electronics. For instance, they take common smartphones and redesign them to reinforce the digicam and aesthetic, and so they re-engineer wi-fi earbuds to be extra comfy, have an extended battery life and enhance sound high quality with AI.

The model remains to be in its nascent stage, and far of their advertising revolves round educating shoppers about what they do and why. CEO Carl Pei is the face of a lot of their content material.

Anderson describes, “Nothing is a model I don’t see sufficient individuals discuss on social. Their founder-led content material on YouTube Shorts and TikTok actually stands out. From stunning sludge content material to hilariously risque manufacturing facility checks movies to community-driven product drop bulletins, their model and merchandise supply an alternative choice to mainstream tech.” 

The play: If it’s inside attain on your model, use your C-suite as expertise in your social content material to amplify your organization’s ethos. Particularly in case your model has a disruptive persona. Simply ensure they’ve an ownable, distinct point-of-view.

Authorities organizations having enjoyable on social

Authorities organizations have a vital duty to fulfill the wants of their constituents, which incorporates exhibiting up on social. Regardless of the seriousness of their work, their social media content material doesn’t at all times should be. When it’s acceptable, humor is the easiest way for presidency organizations to increase the attain of necessary messages. Edutainment content material—content material that educates and entertains—is what shoppers wish to see extra of from organizations, in keeping with a Q2 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey.

Listed here are a couple of of our favourite authorities companies rewriting the foundations on social.

AZ DOT: Sharing transportation updates the social-first approach

The Arizona Division of Transportation (AZ DOT) makes use of social to teach residents about transportation security in Arizona.

As Savanna Sargent, Supervisor of Content material at Sprout Social, put it, “AZ DOT’s Instagram content material brings readability to constituents by giving updates on roadway work progress and shares the ‘why’ behind the foundations they implement. The group can also be well-known for placing quippy security messages on the highways. A lot in order that residents submit their very own concepts (which make for laughter-inducing posts).”

AZ DOT additionally makes use of well-known memes to seize consideration for necessary updates, like directions for driving within the excessive nation or vacation weekend street closures.

The play: The gravity of your message doesn’t at all times name for a buttoned-up submit. As AZ DOT demonstrates, there are occasions when you may make your level even clearer through the use of humor and on-line tradition to your benefit.

TSA: Utilizing social to turn out to be good friend, not foe

The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) is a US authorities company devoted to defending all modes of transportation, together with highways, railroads, mass transit methods and, most famously, airports.

Their function is an undeniably necessary one. However on social, they’re identified for being a “princess of puns,” as their Instagram bio declares. Stephanie Nevill, Senior Supervisor of Inside Communications provides,  “TSA’s Instagram identify is ‘Journey Ideas and Dad Joke Hits.’ They’ve a robust social recreation, regardless of being a authorities company.”

The play: TSA understands transportation compliance isn’t probably the most thrilling matter. Many vacationers discover the airport screening course of irksome. By bringing humor to the connection between the company and airline passengers, TSA can extra successfully spotlight guidelines and rules. In case your model is a part of a “severe” business or offers with a excessive quantity of shopper suggestions, take into account how one can deal with widespread complaints or questions with levity.

Nationwide Park Service: Allow us to edutaine you

The Nationwide Park Service (NPS) manages all pure, historic and leisure properties within the US. Meant to guard wildlife, monuments and the individuals who go to them, the company has an enormous job.

On social, the NPS shares details about animals to encourage individuals to maintain a secure distance. In addition they function park rangers, picture-perfect moments and normal details about nature. However they do it with a definite aptitude that’s undeniably entertaining.

Nevill says, “I typically discover myself resharing posts from the NPS with my mates and colleagues who work in communications. The company finds methods of sharing data in probably the most sudden methods. And I really like how self-aware they’re of the thrill their posts create on-line.”

The play: NPS packages academic content material in a humorous, entertaining approach. Utilizing the NPS as inspiration, use edutaining posts to create consciousness and construct a permanent group.

Retail manufacturers creating cultural moments

Based on a This autumn 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey, 89% of shoppers have been influenced to make a purchase order by model social content material throughout this 12 months’s vacation season.

Whereas social is vital to all industries, retail manufacturers see probably the most direct hyperlink between their on-line presence and the underside line. The 2024 Content material Technique Report discovered that buyers are almost definitely to purchase once they see a services or products in motion, reinforcing social’s function as the trendy shopping center. But, platforms are reaching a degree of max saturation, pushing retail social entrepreneurs to some extent of artistic fatigue.

Our favourite manufacturers are blazing their very own path—carving out their very own cultural moments and embedding themselves into traits in an unrepeatable approach.

Jacquemus: Bringing surrealism to social

French label Jacquemus is as well-known for its surrealist content material on social media as it’s for whimsical designs impressed by Parisian trend. Their social presence is a core a part of their model identification, and performs a focal function in sustaining their relevance.

Anderson provides, “Jacquemus’ social content material makes the person query what they only noticed. It’s like an Easter egg hunt, questioning what bizarre factor you’re going to seek out subsequent. Their model of video content material scratches dopamine receptors in viewers’ brains. Whereas different manufacturers have famously succeeded at delivering surrealism, Jacquemus’ take feels recent.”

Jacquemus’ international development—with newly established shops in London and New York Metropolis—factors to the success of their digital-first method. The style label’s meteoric and sustained rise is in stark distinction to different luxurious retailers, because the sector noticed persistent struggles in 2024.

The play: Social shouldn’t be simply one other field to test in your advertising technique. The manufacturers who breakthrough put social on the middle of every little thing they do. What occurs on social—together with content material, group engagement and trendspotting—ought to inform every little thing else.

Away: Turning web traits into model buzz

Premium baggage model Away was a breakout star of 2024. They discovered a method to insert their suitcases (actually) into probably the most talked-about moments of the 12 months. However they didn’t copy and paste traits, an effort that doesn’t sometimes yield long-term wins. They reimagined these moments with their model on the middle, beginning in January with their response to Calvin Klein’s Jeremy Allen White advert.

Whereas different manufacturers posted fireplace emojis and borderline sexually specific reactions, Away took a way more artistic method. They put Calvin Klein underwear on one in every of their suitcases and recreated the advert (full with the skyline within the background). Jepson says, “I’ll by no means recover from the Calvin Klein Away second. It was a masterclass in taking swift motion to capitalize on a social dialog.”

In addition they used their suitcases to reference Beyonce’s newest album launch and the 2024 summer time video games. And in a callback to their Calvin Klein recreation, the model not too long ago partnered with winners of native superstar lookalike contests, together with Chicago’s personal Jeremy Allen White dupe.

The fashionable suitcase market is teeming with rivals. By inserting their model into probably the most talked about moments of the 12 months, Away received priceless share of voice and staked its declare because the business chief.

The play: Although there’s loads of discourse within the social media business in regards to the significance of authentic content material (see the following part for extra particulars), there are nonetheless methods for manufacturers to hitch trending conversations. However there’s a significant distinction between leaping on a pattern and creating your personal cultural second. When deciding to recreate a pattern, ask your self: “Is that this one thing any model might do, or is that this distinctive to our merchandise and persona?”

Native highlight: The artwork of constructing authentic content material

Social media saturation is making it tougher for entrepreneurs to maintain up with content material manufacturing pressures and discover imaginative methods to chop by means of the noise. Unique content material provides an answer to realize attain and relevance. Per The Sprout Social Index™, almost 4 in 10 shoppers say probably the most memorable manufacturers on social prioritize authentic content material over leaping on traits.

Listed here are a couple of of our favourite hometown heroes and small companies lighting the way in which for manufacturers of all sizes.

Andy Warhol Museum: Maximizing what they’ve at their fingertips

The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a tribute to the celebrated artist and his legacy. On social, the museum recounts Warhol’s contributions to artwork, relives his well-known media moments and retells their favourite private anecdotes with the legend himself.

Matilda Schieren, Senior Content material Supervisor at Sprout, provides her tackle what makes their content material so charming: “I really like what the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh is doing on TikTok. They’ve developed a couple of authentic sequence that do a terrific job of highlighting their professional employees, just like the “Pink Sofa” sequence, and their intensive archival footage featured in “15-Second Fridays.”

The play: When placing collectively your personal authentic sequence, use what you have already got to your benefit—whether or not it’s inner specialists, archival footage or your model legacy.

Hamilton Humane: Saving lives, one animal at a time

Hamilton Humane is an animal shelter close to Indianapolis, Indiana, that prides itself on being open admission and no-kill. As a result of they admit so many animals, the shelter is beneath much more strain to seek out every animal a loving house. That’s the place their social presence is available in.

As Veronica Godsey, Content material Supervisor at Sprout, says, “Hamilton Humane does an unimaginable job telling every pet’s story to assist them get adopted.” Of their posts, the shelter introduces animals within the first-person, permitting every pet to “inform” their very own story. To say these images and captions pull on the heartstrings is an understatement.

Godsey provides, “In addition they combine in some information, with adoption updates on the pets who discovered houses, and accomplice with native companies to placed on (and promote) occasions that tie again to their mission in a enjoyable approach.”

The play: The most effective authentic content material amplifies your model’s mission or goal. For nonprofit organizations like Hamilton Humane, it is a nice alternative to introduce the individuals and animals you serve.

The Crab Museum: Contextualizing crabs meme-by-meme

The Crab Museum in Margate, England, is Europe’s #1 crab museum (and the continent’s solely crab museum, per our analysis). As their Instagram bio says, the museum is a “satisfyingly baffling vacationer attraction.”

On social, the model has gained a following by leaning into absurdity and meme tradition. Their posts focus on their ardour for crabs and educating individuals about “crab details,” primarily by crafting their very own distinctive model of memes. In addition they tackle environmental and social causes utilizing the identical recognizable content material format.

The Crab Museum has received awards for his or her on-line presence, been acknowledged for his or her social media efforts by main media publications like The New York Occasions and The Guardian, and noticed 80,000 guests final 12 months.

The play: When contemplating creating your personal authentic content material and franchises, it could possibly appear labor intensive. However leaning into memes and static posts makes it extra accessible.

Search for inspiration throughout manufacturers and industries in 2025

That wraps up our first 12 months of the PPR franchise. What a potent reminder of the inspiration social entrepreneurs can discover throughout industries, group sorts, firm sizes and nations.

Keep tuned for subsequent 12 months and future editions of PPR the place we’ll be specializing in manufacturers who’ve mastered creating authentic content material, exhibiting up on sudden platforms and a lot extra.

Within the meantime, keep in mind these key takeaways:

And in the event you see a social submit or marketing campaign that deserves to be highlighted, tag us @sproutsocial and use #PostPerformanceReport to have your thought included in a future article.