It’s time for a particular version of the Put up Efficiency Report (PPR), a collection 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 very best manufacturers on social media in 2024, based on members of Staff Sprout. Those that stopped us mid-scroll, that we shared with our buddies, household and colleagues, and have been so good and sudden we couldn’t cease speaking about them.
A few of these manufacturers may 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 decisions for finest manufacturers and campaigns of 2024, listed by business.
Meals & beverage manufacturers making a splash the place it’s least anticipated
If you image meals and beverage advertising, often mouth-watering skilled photos come to thoughts. Perhaps the occasional irreverent or sexually express model voice. However our favourite, most memorable manufacturers this 12 months discovered their stride on rising networks and sudden 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 probably the most uncommon, standout method 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 shocking 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, 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. “Should you and your rivals are all vying for shopper 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 along with your viewers. As a substitute of solely becoming a member of the plenty, be taught extra about how your viewers makes use of different networks, and create house in your technique and in your staff for experimentation.”
The play: Should 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 actual fact, it might probably 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 presents an creative 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 an intensive advertising plan. Quite 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 technique 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 straightforward to do effectively. Primarily as a result of it’s been carried out so many occasions already and with no clear objective. Past Meat discovered the white house on Threads, which helped. However, if you happen to 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 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 large 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 staff. It began when Grimace threw out the primary pitch at a Mets sport that prompted a seven-game successful streak. Since then, the lovable 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 complete Grimace universe.”
The play: Most individuals didn’t predict Grimace turning 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 needs above all else.
Electronics & expertise corporations who let people shine
If you Google “how do tech corporations use social media?,” the primary end result tells social entrepreneurs to put up about merchandise, companies and analysis developments.
Technically sure, that’s true, they need to try this. But it surely’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 impression on whether or not or not they belief that model in comparison with 2023, per the Q1 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey.
Listed below are manufacturers placing the particular person again in private expertise.
Currys: Going all-in on employee-led authentic content material
Currys is the main omnichannel retailer of expertise services 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 significantly previously 140 years.
Currys is a case research in 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 shocking for a legacy British electronics retailer. They go all-in on employee-led content material and do it effectively. 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 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) as an instance 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 a very powerful 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. Be aware: This technique isn’t reserved for Gen Z. You should use humor and inside jokes to achieve Millennials, Gen X and Boomers.
Canva: Their staff brings the hype to product launches
Canva’s design platform presents templates and instruments for creating graphics throughout advertising channels. The Australian model is particularly beloved by entrepreneurs, like those who created this record.
Aside from their product capabilities, Canva understands how to talk about their expertise in a method that conveys worth to their day-to-day customers. As Aisha Quas, Senior Model Communications Strategist at Sprout, says, “I 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 to actually placing staff members within the product, it’s unattainable 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 knowledge on X from November 3-December 3, 2024, mentions of Canva and the Droptober marketing campaign had a formidable 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 stuffed with jargon. As a substitute, 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 each 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 expertise to drive the work he does bringing clear ingesting water to underserved, distant areas in Columbia.
By 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 have to carry a component of human-led storytelling to their content material.
Nothing: The model disrupting the whole lot in regards to the tech business
British expertise model Nothing manufactures and reimagines shopper electronics. For instance, they take well-liked smartphones and redesign them to reinforce the digital camera and aesthetic, and so they re-engineer wi-fi earbuds to be extra snug, have an extended battery life and enhance sound high quality with AI.
The model continues to be in its nascent stage, and far of their advertising 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 discuss on social. Their founder-led content material on YouTube Shorts and TikTok actually stands out. From lovely sludge content material to hilariously risque manufacturing facility checks movies to community-driven product drop bulletins, their model and merchandise provide an alternative choice to 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 be certain that they’ve an ownable, distinct point-of-view.
Authorities organizations having enjoyable on social
Authorities organizations have a essential accountability to satisfy the wants of their constituents, which incorporates displaying up on social. Regardless of the seriousness of their work, their social media content material doesn’t all the time should be. When it’s applicable, humor is one of the simplest ways for presidency organizations to increase the attain of necessary messages. Edutainment content material—content material that educates and entertains—is what customers need to see extra of from organizations, based on a Q2 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey.
Listed below are just a few of our favourite authorities companies rewriting the foundations on social.
AZ DOT: Sharing transportation updates the social-first method
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 all the time name for a buttoned-up put up. As AZ DOT demonstrates, there are occasions when you can also make your level even clearer by utilizing humor and on-line tradition to your benefit.
TSA: Utilizing social to change 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 programs and, most famously, airports.
Their function is an undeniably necessary one. However on social, they’re recognized for being a “princess of puns,” as their Instagram bio declares. Stephanie Nevill, Senior Supervisor of Inner Communications provides, “TSA’s Instagram title is ‘Journey Suggestions and Dad Joke Hits.’ They’ve a robust social sport, regardless of being a authorities company.”
The play: TSA understands transportation compliance isn’t probably 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 shopper suggestions, take into account how one can tackle 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 information about animals to encourage individuals to maintain a protected distance. In addition they characteristic park rangers, picture-perfect moments and normal information 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 probably the most sudden methods. And I 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 method. 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 fall 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey, 89% of customers have been influenced to make a purchase order by model social content material throughout this 12 months’s vacation season.
Whereas social is essential 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 customers are more than likely to purchase once they see a services or products in motion, reinforcing social’s function as the trendy shopping center. But, platforms are reaching some extent of max saturation, pushing retail social entrepreneurs to a degree 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 method.
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 consumer query what they only noticed. It’s like an Easter egg hunt, questioning what bizarre factor you’re going to search 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’ 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 verify in your advertising technique. The manufacturers who breakthrough put social on the heart of the whole lot they do. What occurs on social—together with content material, group engagement and trendspotting—ought to inform the whole lot else.
Away: Turning web traits into model buzz
Premium baggage model Away was a breakout star of 2024. They discovered a option 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 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 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 season video games. And in a callback to their Calvin Klein recreation, the model not too long ago partnered with winners of native celeb lookalike contests, together with Chicago’s personal Jeremy Allen White dupe.
The stylish suitcase market is teeming with rivals. By inserting their model into probably the most talked about moments of the 12 months, Away gained priceless share of voice and staked its declare because the business chief.
The play: Although there’s a number of discourse within the social media business in regards to the significance of authentic content material (see the subsequent part for extra particulars), there are nonetheless methods for manufacturers to hitch 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 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 more durable for entrepreneurs to maintain up with content material manufacturing pressures and discover imaginative methods to chop by the noise. Authentic content material presents an answer to attain attain and relevance. Per The Sprout Social Index™, almost 4 in 10 customers say probably the most memorable manufacturers on social prioritize authentic content material over leaping on traits.
Listed below are just a few 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 fascinating: “I like what the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh is doing on TikTok. They’ve developed just a few authentic collection that do an awesome job of highlighting their skilled workers, just like the “Purple Sofa” collection, and their in depth archival footage featured in “15-Second Fridays.”
The play: When placing collectively your personal authentic collection, use what you have already got to your benefit—whether or not it’s inner consultants, 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 underneath much more strain to search 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 method.”
The play: The perfect authentic content material amplifies your model’s mission or objective. 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 information,” 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 gained 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 might probably 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 varieties, 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, displaying up on sudden platforms and a lot extra.
Within the meantime, bear in mind these key takeaways:
Put up Efficiency Report Takeaways
Hold individuals on the coronary heart of the whole lot you do. Humanize your model by showcasing staff. Study in regards to the subcultures and niches that make your viewers tick. Take note of the conversations trending along with your viewers. Orient your technique round entertaining individuals.
Do one thing sudden. The social media panorama is in a continuing state of evolution. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Discover the white house in your business or on an rising platform. Simply bear in mind to remain true to your model.
Be on the helm of on-line tradition. Making an attempt to recreate each development will burn out your staff and solely result in short-term wins. Create lasting relevance by authentic content material and impactful model partnerships.
And if you happen to see a social put up or marketing campaign that deserves to be highlighted, tag us @sproutsocial and use #PostPerformanceReport to have your concept included in a future article.
