On the blog…
Holiday Campaigns for Ethical Brands
As we roll into the final stretch of the year, it's safe to say that this quarter is the one that truly lights up the sales charts, no matter what goodies a brand has in store. It's the season where shoppers eagerly whip out their credit cards to snag Black Friday bargains, dive into Cyber Monday sales, and savor all the so-called deals that pop up like holiday magic. However, there's a downside to this shopping extravaganza - it contributes to a substantial increase in consumerism, which poses a considerable threat to our beloved planet.
Preserving our environment for future generations will require a fundamental shift in how we produce and consume goods. Thankfully, there are forward-thinking brands out there that not only understand this concern but also have a genuine desire to take action.
Rather than attempting to rank our favorite Ethical Holiday Campaigns, we've decided to showcase three different types that put the spotlight on mindful shopping and giving back. Ready to dive into the holiday spirit with us?
The Do’s and Don'ts of Juneteenth Brand Marketing
June 19th 2023 marks the second year of Juneteenth as an official holiday and personally, I’m still not really happy about that. It feels wrong that people who don’t want to recognize that anti-black racism is still present in the U.S. and who voted for people who won’t allow the teaching of Juneteenth in school, get the day off as a federal holiday, but that’s neither here nor there. I’m already seeing the erasure of Blackness from OUR holiday, so I wanted to offer up some do’s and dont’s for brands who aren’t sure how to honor or celebrate this holiday so you don’t end up on the wrong side of Black Twitter. Trust me…it’s ain't a cookout.
Consumer Trust In Brands Is Low. Here’s How To Build Trust And Avoid “Greenwashing”
We’ve all seen it. Especially this time of year. The dubious marketing claims that exploit our genuine environmental concerns. Which only serve to generate confusion and skepticism toward planet-friendly products. Well, there’s a name for that! It’s called “greenwashing” and it needs to end.
Why? Well for starters because it causes real damage. A recent study showed that ONLY 6.4% of people believe companies are telling the truth when they talk about their climate efforts. Yikes! Undoing the damage done by decades of false and misleading claims by brands and advertisers is clearly going to be an uphill battle.
2022 Social Media Strategy
That’s right, it’s the time of year when all your favorite service providers take out their Magic 8 balls and start making their predictions for the coming year. The problem is that this year, while most of us marketing folks are just trying to wind down and get ready for a little break over the holidays, our favorite social media platforms and tech companies seem hell-bent on changing the game as often as possible!
Now any social media professional will tell you that keeping track of platform update is quite literally a full-time job, so while we could write a whole paper about what to expect in the coming months, we wanted to focus on the larger trends that we believe should propel your Socially Conscious Social Strategy in 2022.
Holding Space for All during Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, a holiday filled with parades, family, football, and food for many. However, for others the day could be difficult. As a country, we are still facing tough times and our celebrations may look quite different than they did pre-pandemic. There’s many who struggle at this time of year. Let’s discuss some of these groups and ways you can support them during this time. Keep in mind that these groups aren’t just at your holidays’ celebration, many of them could be a part of your social media following, especially as a business.
How to Partner with Nonprofits on Giving Tuesday
Do you ever feel like you wish your business could do more for the causes you care about… but you don’t know where to start or how to have an impact?
One of the biggest, and often overlooked, opportunities for socially conscious brands happens just once a year: Giving Tuesday!
Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good.
Maybe you’ve heard of Giving Tuesday or donated to some of your favorite causes each year. One of my favorite things about Giving Tuesday is the charities I learn about for the first time through friends, family, and other brands sharing their stories.
How to appropriately honor 9/11 on social media
This year will mark the 20th anniversary of the tragic 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. As we approach 9/11, a nationally recognized day of remembrance and reverence, I wanted to share with you some thoughts on how to appropriately honor the day on social media.
Finding Truth and Reconciliation as a Social Media Manager
I urge you not to remain silent and defeated after reading this blog post. Instead, I invite you to reflect on how you can invite truth and reconciliation into your own life, your business, and your community. Here are four tips to keep in your back pocket when practicing to be a socially responsible caretaker of your corner of the internet…
The Importance of Authenticity During Pride Month
…When it comes to brands and pride, I have some thoughts…
Pride month has always felt like a weird gratuity to me and when brands do pride posts, that also feels like a gratuity. In 100% honesty, any pride post from a brand that’s selling something feels gross. Gratuities are thrown out like candy in order to get a wider demographic’s money. In a way, it makes more separation. It says “this is your box and we are highlighting it this month because we’ll get in trouble in the comments if we don’t.” It all feels incredibly inauthentic, no matter how much production went into it…
How to Express Solidarity with Cultures Under Attack When Your Brand is Not of That Culture
Can a brand that is not Black-owned or Black-founded advocate for Black Lives Matter? Should a brand that is not Asian or serving the Asian American & Pacific Islander community speak out against speak out against the recent increase in hate crimes? Should a historically cisgender brand with a desire to highlight genderqueer discrimination say something? Yes, yes, and yes.
On and Off Social: Supporting Asian and Pacific Islander Communities
This year, we’ve all watched as hate crimes and racism towards the Asian and Pacific Islander community escalated. And with the increase of these shocking events, social media posts followed, even if the mainstream media largely remained silent. It’s clear which accounts take Socially Conscious Social seriously and those that miss the big picture. Today, we’re taking a look at how brands are speaking out and what to consider when supporting the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community on social media.
The Future is Female
The Future is Female ✨ In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth, today #OnTheBlog, we are celebrating the strength and fortitude that women have shown, especially through the hardships of this past year. We're also sharing some incredible changemakers who have given hope to future generations of women around the world.
How To Make Valentine’s Day More Inclusive
Today, inclusivity is a must while promoting holidays like Valentine’s Day, even though that has not always been a priority for brands. Today #OnTheBlog, we are sharing how you and your purpose-driven brand can make Valentine’s Day inclusive to all.
4 Ways to Upgrade your Black History Month Content
Well, February’s here and with it Black History Month. This means starting today, brands everywhere will be rolling out their Black history content on their social platforms. As an agency focused on helping purpose-driven brands with their Socially Conscious Social, we think it’s our duty...nay our obligation, to help you create a social plan that goes beyond the requisite MLK quote. Because if you’re serious about attracting a more diverse audience it’s essential that you prioritize content that uplifts Black stories, advocates for social change, and educates your audience on REAL American history. And we’re here to help you do just that!
Best Resources for Staying Up To Date on Social Media News in 2021
Ring ring ☎️ Want to hear the deets? We've got you covered! 😘 We know it can be overwhelming for purpose-driven brands to keep up with all of the platform updates on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Tik Tok & now Clubhouse! So today #OnTheBlog we are revealing some of our favorite resources for staying up to date on social media news in 2021. Hint hint: we have some new people for you all to follow 📲 Click the link in our bio for more!
2021 Social Media Strategy
What will the teenagers of tomorrow think of us? Will they wonder how on earth it took so long for us all to recognize that Black Lives Matter? Will be confused when they learn that hundreds of thousands of people died because a large enough percentage of us refused to simply put a piece of fabric over our faces when we left the house? Will they look up from their clean meat burger and marvel that people once ate animals. Personally, I think all of the above! In large part, the shift has already begun. And for that, I think we have 2020 to thank. And of course social media.
Let’s take a look at the top 3 trends that should inform every brand’s social media strategy in 2021…
Social with a Conscience: Alternative Holiday Campaigns
Consumers have gotten used to leveraging their credit cards to take advantage of Black Friday events, Cyber Monday sales, and all the Holiday Specials that pop up this time of year.
Unfortunately, all these sales lead to a huge increase in shopping, and hyper-consumerism is one of the biggest threats to the world we call home. It will require a complete shift in how we produce and consume products to preserve our planet for future generations.
Fortunately, there are forward-thinking brands out there who not only get it, but actually want to do something about it! So many brands in fact, that it was hard for us to pick our favorite Alternative Holiday Campaigns this year.
Totally Conscious 2020 Holiday Gift Guide
While the stress of getting the “perfect gift” for everyone may be mounting, we’re here to say: it doesn’t need to be that way! Presenting our Totally Conscious Holiday Gift Guide, focusing on purpose-driven brands and small businesses that align with our values!
Socially Conscious Social
Coming up with a tagline for your business is no easy feat. But trying to nail one down for a business that feels like an extension of you? Well, I imagine it’s second only to naming a firstborn child in terms of gravitas.
Emily and I came up with almost 30 different tagline options as we geared up for the launch of Totally Taryn Social. I polled friends, mentors, industry experts, and obsessed about how it would look in our chosen font. And in the end, we landed on…
Totally Taryn is Born
At the start of 2020, I was feeling restless. I’d been running my social media consulting business for over six years and had a packed roster of well-paying and (mostly) easy to work with clients. On paper, I was living the professional life I’d always dreamed of, and I felt incredibly grateful for it, something just felt off, and had for a while. To be honest, it had gotten to the point where I felt like I had a case of the Sunday Scaries five nights a week. Then March came…