Social storytelling these days is less about telling a story but creating an impression - the âvibeâ as we describe in item two below. As creators, we think in assets and outputs but we should think of our output as a flow (a feed). The feed is the story and your posts are beats. When the posts beat in time to the vibe you create a world that is uniquely you. This is a critical distinction for brands who need to understand the idea of a flowing brand story within the feed. Forget the individual post and think about the impressions all your posts create over time. Happy Thursday, Simon.
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Investing in creator generated content
There was a time when brands favoured user-generated content (UGC) as an authentic way to reach a potential audience. These days the buzz is around creator-generated content (CGC); basically content commissioned by a brand to live on its brand channels. The aim is to get lo-fi, authentic-feeling content that resembles influencer content, but it's not posted to the creatorâs audience. What brands are paying for is a creatorâs creative skills, not their reach. For creators, this could mean a bigger payday - essentially theyâre selling ownership of the content.
Capturing the brand vibe
Thanks to the algorithmic world we live in today brands have no choice but to lean on creators. With a social-first fragmented media, the story-first content is increasingly getting lost in the mix. The audience simply doesnât have the time to follow a single story, instead theyâre following a brand mosaic or vibe. Brands need to take this into consideration, especially if theyâre embracing CGC. An ad is just another part of a userâs feed. For creators it means creating favourable brand associations in commissioned content. Itâs old school brand recognition for the digital age.
Spam in your feed
As more content is needed for brands to become recognised in an endless feed many are turning to AI to boost creation. Using AI as a content amplifier though poses its own risk, with spam moving from email to social feeds. Everyone is seeing AI slop in their feeds (even if they donât realise it). So while more content is needed, using AI in a smart way can give this content a creative point of view. Whatâs a smart way? Experiment with AI in different settings and if possible get audience feedback - find out what resonates. A little research and clarity of purpose can help you avoid the generic.
Cool Tools
This might be the camera that finally breaks my habit of reviewing every shot immediately. It looks like a vintage Super 8 but captures digital video without any way to play it back. No screen, no previews, just the pure experience of filming and discovering what you made later. That sounds terrifying and amazing at the same time.
Hot Tips
I never thought I'd be jealous of someone's workflow until I saw a creator 3D scan a cake she baked from scratch. Most people would grab something random to test 3D scanning, but she made her own cake specifically for scanning. The logic makes perfect sense - when you control every variable from the mixing bowl to the final model, you get scans that capture every detail exactly as intended.
Viral Hits
Nothing makes me feel older than watching young people turn self-awareness into a spectator sport. The performative male contest started as a clever bit in Seattle - guys competing to be the most authentically inauthentic, holding feminist theory upside-down while sipping oat milk lattes. But then everyone showed up to film everyone else, and suddenly it wasn't about the contestants anymore. It was about proving you were smart enough to get the joke, which turned the whole thing into exactly what it was supposedly mocking.
Stuff from us
We spent two days in Dubai with three founders who reminded us why we love this job. What started as a Visa project became something more personal - watching people who built something from nothing, over incredible meals and honest conversations. The videos are live across their social channels, but the real takeaway was simpler: behind every transaction is someone trying to make their dream work.