More than eight in 10 Gen Zers say that social media influences their purchasing decisions, making a social-first approach more critical than ever (source). Social-first marketing is no longer just about using social media as a promotional tool—it has become a core driver of brand building, product development, and customer engagement. The OSL Social Media Trends Report 2025 outlines key shifts brands must embrace to stay relevant in today’s fragmented digital landscape.

Here’s what’s changing and how brands can adapt.

1. Social-First as the New Marketing Model

Traditional marketing playbooks—where social media is just a supporting element—are outdated. In today’s world, more cultural moments unfold online than in the physical space. In 2025, successful brands will flip the script, using social insights to shape brand identity and marketing direction from the ground up.

Social media enables brands to engage in real-time conversations with their audiences, fostering a sense of community and excitement around brand developments. Companies that prioritize audience input and interaction can cultivate deeper connections and authentic enthusiasm.

Examples:

• When Taylor Swift was spotted eating a snack with “Seemingly Ranch,” Heinz capitalized on the viral moment by releasing a limited-edition product with the same name within 48 hours. The product sold out instantly, proving the power of real-time cultural relevance (source).
• After Danielle Lettering’s car went up in flames, she shared a video showing that her Stanley cup, despite sitting in the fire’s aftermath, was still full of ice. Once Stanley caught wind of the viral story, they not only sent her new cups but also bought her a new car (source).

Takeaway for Brands:

• Listen to online communities and let their conversations guide product development and marketing strategies.
• Create moments that feel authentic and participatory.
• Avoid forcing involvement in trends—audiences can tell when a brand is trying too hard.

2. Social Intelligence as a Business-Critical Driver

Brands must move beyond basic social listening and embrace social intelligence to make informed decisions. This means integrating AI-powered tools to analyze trends, audience sentiment, and emerging cultural shifts in real time.

By effectively utilizing these tools, brands can stay ahead of their competition. However, data alone is not enough—brands must understand how to translate insights into meaningful action.

Social intelligence helps brands determine:

• Which trends are worth capitalizing on and which will fade quickly.
• How their audience perceives their brand and initiatives.
• How shifting cultural attitudes may require strategic adaptation.

Examples:

• e.l.f. Cosmetics has achieved 38% CAGR growth over the past four years by leveraging community-driven social strategies (source). By collaborating with both micro (52%) and macro (35%) influencers, the brand has been able to rapidly tap into trends (source).
• Spotify uses Predictive CX (customer experience) to analyze listening habits and generate personalized playlists, keeping users engaged (source).

Takeaway for Brands:

• Invest in AI-powered social analytics to identify new opportunities ahead of competitors.
• Use real-time insights to pivot quickly and engage with cultural moments.
• Transform data into action by understanding what audiences truly want.

3. Reinventing Brand Identity for the Social-First Era

A brand’s social presence must strike a balance—consistent enough to reinforce its identity, yet adaptable enough to stay culturally relevant. Too rigid, and it risks losing audience interest; too experimental, and it becomes unrecognizable.

Memes and user-generated content (UGC) alone won’t set a brand apart. While many brands attempt to ride social trends, few succeed without appearing inauthentic. Instead, companies should develop digital-first strategies that align with their core identity while embracing platform-specific content.

Each brand’s approach will vary—what works for one may not work for another. To find the right balance, brands must conduct research, evaluate core values, and test strategies that resonate with their audiences without compromising authenticity.

Examples:

• The Michael CeraVe Super Bowl campaign blended humor, social relevance, and brand DNA seamlessly. It went viral while reinforcing CeraVe’s dermatologist-backed positioning in a fresh and engaging way (source).
• The Google Pixel successfully integrated itself into younger audiences’ lifestyles by aligning with fashion and sports communities. By actively engaging with these interests on social media, the brand became a trusted presence (source).

Takeaway for Brands:

• Maintain brand consistency while experimenting with new, social-native formats.
• Leverage recurring brand elements (characters, content franchises) to stay top-of-mind.
• Determine whether engaging with specific cultural conversations aligns with brand identity.

4. Adapting Brand Planning Cycles to Culture’s New Speed

Long-term marketing plans are no longer feasible in a world where trends shift overnight. Instead of mapping out rigid 12+ month strategies, brands must embrace a more dynamic content approach that allows them to respond quickly to cultural moments.

In 2025, brands should incorporate three tiers of content:

• Evergreen content: Ongoing community-building efforts.
• Entertainment content: Big cultural plays with viral potential.
• Agile responsive content: Quick-turn activations around trending moments.

Using all three ensures a balance between long-term brand building and real-time engagement.

Examples:

• Absolut Vodka’s Born to Mix platform successfully balances all three content types, ensuring ongoing brand engagement (source). By sharing not just content directly related to the various Born to Mix events they’re holding across the world, but as well as smaller posts meant to highlight their new flavors, they’re covering the spectrum of content (source).
• Across major social media platforms like TikTok and Youtube, Shelby’s Canada not only posts content that directly advertises its own products and the various shawarmas and wraps available, but also comedy sketches that feature the brand’s spokesperson (simply named “Shawarma Man”) (source). On a few occasions, the character or his voice would be edited into recent trending clips and would promote the brand (source). 

Takeaway for Brands:

• Plan for flexibility, allocating resources to respond to unexpected opportunities.
• Encourage collaboration between departments to speed up content production.
• Stay authentic and strategic in content creation.

5. Social-First Thinking Extends Beyond Social Media

Being social-first doesn’t mean being social-only. In 2025, brands will integrate social-driven strategies across retail, partnerships, and experiential marketing. Merging digital engagement with real-world activations enhances audience connection and brand recall.

Examples:

• McDonald’s launched WcDonald’s, a limited-time anime-inspired campaign that tapped into an existing fan community. The campaign seamlessly linked social media buzz to in-store activations and digital engagement (source).
• To advertise the second season of its hit new show, Severance, Apple TV arranged a pop-up in Grand Central Terminal where actors from the show would pretend to work in an enclosed glass cube (source). The event successfully went viral and helped the show generate over $200 million (source).

Takeaway for Brands:

• Bridge digital and physical experiences to deepen audience engagement.
• Use social insights to inform broader marketing and partnership strategies.
• Give audiences new ways to interact with the brand beyond traditional advertising.

The Future of Social-First Marketing

As we continue into 2025, social-first transformation is no longer optional—it’s essential.  Brands that embrace agility, data-driven decisions, and cultural fluency will build deeper audience connections and achieve sustained growth.

Are you ready to evolve your brand’s marketing playbook? As an award-winning social media advertising agency, evok’s team has been instrumental in transforming businesses into digital powerhouses and helping brands become social-first. Our expert social media strategists craft data-driven campaigns that capture attention and drive real results. Contact us, and let’s talk!