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 price range and doing extra with much less.

On this end-of-year lineup, we’re sharing the most effective manufacturers on social media in 2024, based on members of Workforce Sprout. Those that stopped us mid-scroll, that we shared with our buddies, household and colleagues, and have been so good and surprising 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 finest manufacturers and campaigns of 2024, listed by business.

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

Once you image meals and beverage advertising and marketing, normally mouth-watering skilled photographs come to thoughts. Possibly the occasional irreverent or sexually express model voice. However our favourite, most memorable manufacturers this yr discovered their stride on rising networks and surprising locations.

Surreal Cereal: The weird 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 and marketing, lays out what makes their content material so eye-catching. “Surreal Cereal makes use of LinkedIn in essentially the most uncommon, standout means I’ve ever seen. They write these meandering 35-slide carousels that dare the viewer to cease studying. They weave within the product one way or the other, 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. In keeping with The 2024 Content material Technique Report, nearly 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. “If you happen to and your opponents are all vying for client consideration in the identical place, you make it more durable to safe a following, engagements and conversions. Plus, you’re leaving alternatives on the desk to attach together 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 house in your technique and in your workforce for experimentation.”

The play: If you happen to’re getting misplaced within the algorithm, strive cultivating group on new networks. The important thing to replicating a technique like Surreal Cereal’s is sustaining your model voice and aligning together with your viewers’s pursuits. That doesn’t imply strictly following platform norms. In truth, it will possibly imply simply the alternative.

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 intently resemble a stream of consciousness than a radical advertising and marketing plan. Somewhat than promote its merchandise, this method builds camaraderie among the many chronically on-line.

At first look it’s straightforward to imagine Past Meat’s Threads methodology is simply enjoyable for the sake of enjoyable. However it 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 yr, Past Meat has been recouping constructive sentiment losses and efficiently rebounded its earnings.

The play: Introducing an unhinged social persona isn’t straightforward to do properly. Primarily as a result of it’s been accomplished so many occasions already and with out a clear function. Past Meat discovered the white house on Threads, which helped. However, for those who look extra intently, in addition 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 and marketing 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 development erupted on TikTok in 2023.

In 2024, Grimace (and McDonald’s) partnered with the New York Mets baseball workforce. It began when Grimace threw out the primary pitch at a Mets recreation that prompted a seven-game successful streak. Since then, the cute 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 Prepare 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 whole 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 surprising, the model partnership—like all nice collaborations—was natural and pushed by followers. When forging your subsequent partnership, take heed to what your viewers needs above all else.

Electronics & expertise corporations who let people shine

Once you Google “how do tech corporations use social media?,” the primary end result tells social entrepreneurs to publish about merchandise, providers and analysis developments.

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

Humanizing a model on social is vital to fostering belief. Virtually 80% of customers agree a model’s social presence has a bigger affect 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 individual again in private expertise.

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

Currys is the main omnichannel retailer of expertise services and products within the UK and Eire. The primary Currys retailer opened in 1884 as a bicycle-building enterprise. Like private expertise, the model has grown and advanced enormously previously 140 years.

Currys is a case examine in how you can carry 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 properly. In addition they perceive their viewers. For instance, they know that air fryers are in sizzling demand, in order that they characteristic them closely of their content material,” says Anderson.

The system goes far past simply showcasing their merchandise and workers. 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 system is their workers—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 crucial a part of making a social technique. Take a cue from Currys and embed your content material with nods to cultural touchstones that resonate together with your viewers. Be aware: 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 workforce brings the hype to product launches

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

Other than their product capabilities, Canva understands how to discuss their expertise in a means 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 option to share characteristic 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 and marketing to actually placing workforce members within the product, it’s not possible to decide on a favourite from the marketing campaign inventive.”

All their campaigns this yr have been a runaway success, and Droptober was no exception. In keeping with 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 expertise, are B2B or B2C, your finish customers are individuals. Resist the temptation to stuff your social posts and campaigns filled with jargon. As an alternative, give attention to 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 schooling 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 day by day workflow and references her firm’s newest report about AI adoption. In one other video, a workforce 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 expertise 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 practically 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 have to carry a component of human-led storytelling to their content material.

Nothing: The model disrupting all the things in regards to the tech business

British expertise model Nothing manufactures and reimagines client electronics. For instance, they take well-liked smartphones and redesign them to reinforce the digital camera and aesthetic, they usually re-engineer wi-fi earbuds to be extra snug, 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 and marketing revolves round educating customers 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 speak about on social. Their founder-led content material on YouTube Shorts and TikTok actually stands out. From lovely sludge content material to hilariously risque manufacturing unit assessments movies to community-driven product drop bulletins, their model and merchandise provide a substitute for mainstream tech.” 

The play: If it’s inside attain to 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 crucial accountability to satisfy 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 must be. When it’s applicable, 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 customers wish to see extra of from organizations, based on 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 means

The Arizona Division of Transportation (AZ DOT) makes use of social to coach 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 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 publish. As AZ DOT demonstrates, there are occasions when you can also make your level even clearer through the use of humor and on-line tradition to your benefit.

TSA: Utilizing social to turn into buddy, 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 title is ‘Journey Suggestions and Dad Joke Hits.’ They’ve a robust social recreation, regardless of being a authorities company.”

The play: TSA understands transportation compliance isn’t essentially the most thrilling subject. 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 laws. In case your model is a part of a “severe” business or offers with a excessive quantity of client suggestions, take into account how one can handle 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 a giant job.

On social, the NPS shares details about animals to encourage individuals to maintain a protected distance. In addition they characteristic 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 buddies and colleagues who work in communications. The company finds methods of sharing info in essentially the most surprising 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 means. Utilizing the NPS as inspiration, use edutaining posts to create consciousness and construct a permanent group.

Retail manufacturers creating cultural moments

In keeping with a This autumn 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey, 89% of customers have been influenced to make a purchase order by model social content material throughout this yr’s vacation season.

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

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

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 style. Their social presence is a core a part of their model id, and performs a focal function in sustaining their relevance.

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

Jacquemus’ world 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 and marketing technique. The manufacturers who breakthrough put social on the heart of all the things they do. What occurs on social—together with content material, group engagement and trendspotting—ought to inform all the things else.

Away: Turning web developments into model buzz

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

Whereas different manufacturers posted hearth emojis and borderline sexually express reactions, Away took a way more inventive method. They put Calvin Klein underwear on considered one 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 lately partnered with winners of native celeb lookalike contests, together with Chicago’s personal Jeremy Allen White dupe.

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

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

Native highlight: The artwork of constructing unique content material

Social media saturation is making it more durable for entrepreneurs to maintain up with content material manufacturing pressures and discover imaginative methods to chop by the noise. Unique content material provides an answer to realize attain and relevance. Per The Sprout Social Index™, practically 4 in 10 customers say essentially the most memorable manufacturers on social prioritize unique content material over leaping on developments.

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 unique sequence that do an important job of highlighting their skilled workers, just like the “Purple Sofa” sequence, and their intensive archival footage featured in “15-Second Fridays.”

The play: When placing collectively your personal unique 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 stress to search out every animal a loving residence. That’s the place their social presence is available in.

As Veronica Godsey, Content material Supervisor at Sprout, says, “Hamilton Humane does an unbelievable 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 companion with native companies to placed on (and promote) occasions that tie again to their mission in a enjoyable means.”

The play: The perfect unique content material amplifies your model’s mission or function. For nonprofit organizations like Hamilton Humane, this can be 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 Instances and The Guardian, and noticed 80,000 guests final yr.

The play: When contemplating creating your personal unique content material and franchises, it will 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 yr of the PPR franchise. What a potent reminder of the inspiration social entrepreneurs can discover throughout industries, group varieties, firm sizes and international locations.

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

Within the meantime, keep in mind these key takeaways:

And for those who see a social publish or marketing campaign that deserves to be highlighted, tag us @sproutsocial and use #PostPerformanceReport to have your concept included in a future article.