May 2024

It’s May, can you believe it? Warm weather is here in Sacramento, so hit the patio with a cold beverage (our recommendation, Palomas) and enjoy our latest musings: 

On our Minds Lately…

This article on Ad Age by Jamie Falkowski , The Social Playbook Is Dead. Long Live the Social Philosophy, got us thinking. It discusses how rigid social playbooks (or strategies) don't align with the fast-changing nature of social media, and how they can’t keep up with culture. Falkowski recommends instead, develop a social philosophy and says, “The most successful philosophies will be concise and inspiring, edited down to the rules that give us what is needed most: Space to play.”

Space to play - yes! We love that, and as marketers and designers, we need it. But how is this achieved in a brand / agency relationship which, let’s face it, requires a lot of process and strategy approvals to make sure we’re aligned?

Ways that we make it happen: 

• Discovery - a key tenant of our work, we must fully immerse ourselves in our clients’ work, products, and processes to make sure we not only understand them but why it’s interesting to consumers.
• Trust - like with any relationship, it’s nothing without trust. We back up all creative with strategy and research, allowing for our clients to rest assured that their brand is in good hands. 
• Content Creators - our production partners in crime. Collaborating with content creators to make brand content (think UGC style) not only leads to uber-relevant content but allows the team to work quickly to jump on trends that make sense for the brand. We’ve found that to make these partnerships successful, you must let the creators integrate your product or service into their content style in a way that feels natural for them. Strong, strategic brand briefing meets authentic content style = successful content. Want to talk to us more about partnerships? Reach out hello@workbyhoney.com. 

Speaking of trends though, brands need to have a discerning eye when determining what trends are right for them (hint, they’re not all right). A new mantra we’re throwing around: 

Meaning that understanding your audience, what they want to hear from you, what they need, etc. needs to take precedence over hopping on every trending sound. How are you (brands) listening to your audience? Use these insights to help determine the trends that make sense for your brand. It’ll give your audience the feeling of being with them, that you’re in on it. We like how Fresh Beauty uses Threads as a way to casually connect with their community and how more brands are using SMS to provide approachable customer service, like Warby Parker.

Our Corners of the Internet… 

• Recently learned about Hwachae, a traditional Korean punch, and while this one is a creative take, we need to taste what strawberry milk and Sprite tastes like together.
• Unsexy favorites aka all of the products that hit but don’t have beautiful branding (hey brands, hit us up 😉). Some of our team’s favorites: Aquaphor (duh), Arnica Gel, Boiron Calendula Ointment, Barbasol Shaving Cream, Rubber Jar Openers
• We’re seriously crushing on Nectar Hard Seltzer’s content strategy. Their founder-driven content is relatable and affinity-building, getting viewers personally invested in the hard work their team puts in! It’s so successful because it just feels like you’re watching a friend, not a brand. They also capitalize on their retailer demo tastings by capturing content at the same time, giving real testimonials in entertaining way. Gold star ⭐️

Recently at Honey…

We are growwwwwinnngggggg! We recently welcomed a ton of new team members and we’re buzzing with creative spirit. We also have two new leaders: Angela Bode joined our team as our Senior Art Director, bringing with her years of strategic creative experience to oversee our design team while Meghan Leno goes on her 6th year at Honey and takes on her next role as Marketing Director, overseeing our marketing team and guiding the strategic work of our team.

Say hi to us! Head to our profile to connect with our team or reach out at hello@workbyhoney.com.