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It’s the summer of 2023 and our team is putting the final touches on a 100-page social playbook for a client.
Boom, another social platform launches.
It’s not the first (or last) time this has happened. But at the time, this thought occurred: Why are we spending hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on something that can’t possibly keep up?
Playbooks can’t keep up with the platforms, but more importantly, they can’t keep up with consumers and culture. It made me want to ditch playbooks altogether. A clearly defined philosophy is the path forward toward building a successful brand online.
A playbook inhibits speed
Social media is our most democratic creative medium. It’s where we have the freedom to take the most chances and by giving ourselves a rigid playbook, we’re eliminating the space to play.
Eliminating the space to play means eliminating the potential for making something truly memorable, impactful and scroll-stopping. The best ads from Apple, Nike and Volkswagen broke from tradition; they had a reason for being and they were not born out of a playbook.
The same is true of the social content that breaks through, from brands like Jacquemus, Heaven and Ssense. They ignore what “works” on social in favor of what defines their brand. Social platforms are not a place to chase engagement, but a new world in which to represent our brands.
Build a philosophy instead
The thing that will truly champion creative freedom is a vision statement; a philosophy or a living document to guide the spirit and purpose of brand work across platforms old and new. Create a framework that allows doing more, trying more and saying no to trends that do not align with a brand’s core values. It also enables a brand to move fast and adapt, the only way to be in the center of culture.
A philosophy allows for change without losing sight of the North Star; it’s how we confidently operate in ambiguity while staying firmly rooted in our purpose. The most successful philosophies will be concise and inspiring, edited down to the rules that give us what is needed most: Space to play.