Observed Signal · Sep 23, 2026 · Market Signal · Source: Refine Labs · Impact: 2/5
Where Organic Social Lives in Brand, Demand, and Expand
Organic social plays a different role at every stage of the funnel. Here's how to match format, voice, and production style to Brand, Demand, and Expand.
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Shopper Marketing Strategies Need Distinctiveness for Social Media
Marcus Foley of Tommy argues that shopper marketing strategies often lose their distinctiveness when translated into social media, leading to homogenized brand expression. He contends that social algorithms favor proven patterns, causing brands to converge on similar formats, which undermines brand equity. Foley proposes adding a 'distinctiveness' layer between proposition and activation and introduces Tommy's 'Anti-Algorithm Formula' to help brands build recognizable, ownable social behaviors. Examples like the 'Gonna Need Milk' campaign and the wellness brand Undo's pre-hangover ritual illustrate creating content that is recognizably the brand's own. The article emphasizes that content performance metrics don't guarantee brand memory, and shopper marketers must ensure their social expression is as distinctive as their strategy. Foley suggests three questions: Is it recognizably ours? What got remembered? Who got value?
Building Brands in a Social-First Landscape
Adweek covered an ADWEEK House Cannes Lions group chat co-hosted with Creatively Squared that examined how brands can build mental availability on social platforms. Panelists from Creatively Squared, Audible, Zoom, Yoobi, Livewire and Bask & Lather Co. argued that social remains a viable place for brand building if creative is native to each platform, emotionally resonant, and tailored rather than repurposed from long-form spots. Speakers recommended leveraging creators and outside storytellers with authentic voices, giving creators freedom rather than heavy direction, and using affiliates where trust and everyday relatability are important. The session highlighted that consistency and big ideas still matter, but the playbook for executing brand work must adapt to fast, scroll-driven social environments.
Evan Hughes Named Chief Operating Officer of Refine Labs
Refine Labs names Evan Hughes Chief Operating Officer, effective Oct. 1, 2026, as the agency expands its brand, demand, and expand services.
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