Do brands have to get freaky to stand out on social media?

But is loose-cannon meme-mania the only way of breaking through with Gen Z customers? Surely not. We asked leading marketers from The Drum Network for their shining examples of truly unique (and not necessarily mad) social presences.

Joel Newman, associate creative director, The Fifth: Milkmob

“The Milkmob clan is the perfect example of a social-by-nature / born-in-social approach to brand marketing. Putting personality at the forefront of all content, the brands subtly embed their products among content and daily uploads. With each sister (Strawberry, Coconut, and now Blueberry) having its own highly successful TikTok page, the blend of nuanced humor and style creates the perfect foundations to sell product. Each sister has become a brand ambassador / influencer in its own right – acquiring a core following that hangs on its every word. By putting the individual brand, its individuality, and its community’s lifestyles front-and-center, the Milkmob brands are moving away from the usual inauthentic and stuffy fashion content you see on social, towards a group showcase (‘Milk Mobbers’) their audience just has to be a part of.”

Ruby Lloyd, Marketing and PR manager, BrandOpus: Nutter Butter

“Nutter Butter’s TikTok account is a wild ride, proving that heritage brands can reclaim cultural relevance in the most unexpected ways. With over 1.2 million followers and rising, it has fully embraced TikTok’s chaotic, meme-driven style, posting content that’s bizarre, funny, and, well, nuts. From absurd skits featuring a humanized Nutter Butter cookie to unhinged humor that taps into viral trends, the brand has nailed the art of connecting with internet culture. Nutter Butter has shaken off the dust of nostalgia, appealing to a new generation with bold, out-of-the-box content. By pushing boundaries and diving headfirst into viral humor, it has made themselves impossible to ignore, demonstrating that a creative and daring approach can breathe new life into even the most established brands.”

Marcus Foley, co-founder, Tommy: Engine Gin

“In a category full of choice, looking different may not be enough. Take the explosion of the Gin market: how do you stand out? You run your own race. Engine Gin is one brand doing that, with unique recycled aluminum vessels, inspired by oil cans and the world of motor racing. This is where masculinity meets sass with a modern twist on the bygone racing era. The brand has developed an online universe that feels part contemporary art museum, part retro video game, and certainly pushes beyond your regular expectations of a gin brand. When it comes to social, the brand has a sharp, unified sense of itself, tied together in content that fires on many of the senses and copywriting that breaks the rules.”

Will Brittain, head of social, Connective3: Trainline

“What stands out with Trainline’s approach is not only its self-deprecating tone but more noticeably its matching luggage across organic, paid and influencer partnerships to truly back this up. The rain platform has leaned into a playful organic presence, jumping on trends to poke fun at commuter frustrations and the mundanity of the British railway network (shoutout to Bexley station). That playfulness also runs through paid social, repurposing frogs, badgers and the station of the week into ads that disrupt and surprise through short-form video. Skit-based collaborations with the likes of The Devon Maid hit home a connected approach to social. It’s a daunting task to make ticket buying authentically funny, though their consistency across social touchpoints helps go beyond authenticity, making sure it is self-aware and transparent about consumer frustrations.”

Olivia Wedderburn, head of TMW Tomorrow & executive social influence director, TMW Unlimited: Poppi

“I’m all in on Poppi, the ‘healthy soda’ that’s totally redefined prebiotic drinks. It has nailed the blend of culture and commerce, with a social presence that feels as fun as it is smart. Brands like Poppi thrive because they treat comments like a creative brief and focus on what their audience loves. Founder Allison Ellsworth, a posterchild for employee-generated content, talks about moving at the speed of culture, and it shows. But what really sets Poppi apart is that it doesn’t just reflect culture; it puts in the effort to make sure every social moment aligns with its consumers. Its vibrant, unapologetically bold branding was made for social, not retrofitted. Poppi proves healthy doesn’t have to be boring or preachy; it can be a joyride through a neon playground of flavor and fun.”

Derek Goode, senior vice-president of creator, digital & social, 160over90: Chili’s

“Corporate accounts need to have a clear social strategy for how and when to authentically join discussions and hop onto trends; to thrive and ultimately drive cultural relevance. Major brands with cultural cachet can be reactive to relevant larger cultural conversations. Diet Coke has nailed this, becoming a ‘cool girl’ drink that pairs perfectly with a Caesar salad wrap and a side of fries. This strategy reflects an Instagram feed that’s almost entirely crisp, effortlessly-chic user-generated content. Similarly, restaurant chain Chili’s TikTok content directly references the memes and brand love surrounding it on social media. Chili’s and Diet Coke have very different tones, but the DNA of their strategies is the same: building content based on conversations people are already having about them online. The common denominator to any effective social media strategy is understanding who you are, where your people are and, well, being social.”

Helena Taylor, paid social lead, Space & Time: Currys

“Electricals retailer Currys has delivered some of the fastest growing social media accounts over the past 6 months by creating a strategy tailored to the channel, its audience, and the content they love. Its TikTok content is funny and authentic, both jumping on trends and creating trends them to produce unique viral content that stays true to brand identity. On Instagram Currys has learned that reels are just high-performing TikToks, so repurposed TikToks continue to go viral while saving on content production. Its Facebook shows a completely different approach: here, the brand posts nostalgia and throwback content to tap into emotions and build connects. Currys has even managed to generate engagement on X, with sports and politics content. This content diversity is something not many brands could pull off, but Currys has successfully adapted its voice across different platforms, all while staying true to its brand with a unique balance of humour, nostalgia, and relevance.”

Mark Bellamy, strategy director, New Gen: Bratz

“You might think Bratz melted into the backwater with other 2000s brands, but if you’re one of its 3.5 million TikTok followers, you get why it’s still iconic. Every piece of content is dripping with attitude (or ‘Brattitude’ – luckily, this isn’t all about them leaning into Brat summer). Bratz has connected with the deep attitude, rooted in 00s culture from Mean Girls to Clueless, now being remixed into pop culture by the likes of Billie Eilish and Sabrina Carpenter. This shared attitude is not pinned to a single generation or community, allowing them to talk to both OG and new fans. While the former are driven by nostalgia, new fans are drawn to their originality and authenticity. With content production ranging from high spec CGI to AI filters and pixelated 2D, the channel constantly keeps the viewer guessing, always rooted in an attitude that encapsulates a specific corner of pop-culture.”

Jasmine Baldock, 3D Designer, TRO: Crocs

“Breaking free from the ‘ick’ label is challenging for any brand (sometimes near impossible). So, what should you do if it happens to you? If you take a leaf from Crocs’ book, you embrace it. Through its social media POV, Crocs pokes fun at itself while displaying a huge variety of personalities – mainly through their ‘Jibbitz’ range of charms, which is now so vast that they really do have something for everyone (be they McDonalds lover, sports enthusiast, or Bridgerton fan). Its silly and playful TikToks still acknowledge that past ‘ick’ status, while presenting as a fun, self-aware brand. This approach breaks down any ‘ick’ barriers and allows it to be uniquely itself on social media.”

Beki Winchel, senior director, content & engagement, Spiro: State Farm

“It’s not just because it catches your attention; ‘unhinged’ social media content works for brands because they’re tapping into customers’ desire to interact with what’s real. Consumers want authentic brands, true stories, unfiltered leaders, and relatable ambassadors. Especially for gen Z and millennial consumers, this is rooted in trust. In an age of AI deepfakes and fake news, they’re more skeptical than ever, while also craving trust and connection. State Farm’s success shows that you don’t have to be unhinged for your social (or experiential!) marketing strategy to get your brand results. You just have to be real. ‘Jake Social’ puts the insurance company’s famous ambassador within engagement reach of core customers, creating content and experiences that meet their needs and relating to them on a personal level, sans corporate jargon. But Jake still shows the essence of the State Farm brand – being a good neighbor – authentically, to strengthen the brand/customer relationship.”

Teagan Robinson, senior copywriter, Radley Yeldar: Lidl

“Lidl shifted away, long ago from its reputation of cheap-and-swift to ‘Big on quality. Lidl on price’. This idea runs through all its comms, including social. But it’s not about simply reformatting campaign visuals. The supermarket has built its voice through its shoppers, carrying this through to social, that’s on-trend, soaked in pop culture, listens to its audience, and curated for the platform. With a cheeky tone packed with puns and Hun culture, Lidl keeps it light and playful while pulling in various interests and hobbies, thanks its famous ‘middle aisle’, and consistently brings it back to its core message.”