Grace Andrews

Gillette’s digital team work hard, but Estrid’s social team work harder.

A masterclass in social PR, crisis management, taking control of the narrative & entrenching the ‘you v us’ marketing strategy. Brands take note! Very smart move from Estrid 👏


#socialmedia #marketing

This week was a record breaking week for the The Diary Of A CEO with the most downloads in a single day since we started.

And I tried writing out a couple of posts to share the news but kept deleting and trying again.

Something about sharing big numbers didn’t really reflect what really excites me about this team and this podcast.

And then yesterday, this happened - following Chris Kamara’s incredible conversation on the podcast on Monday.

And it really took me aback. For people who know me, you’ll know it takes a lot for me to be truly lost for words 😳

Because for me this beats every graph, every number and sums up why we care so much about what we do.

This is real life impact.

It’s the impact of creating an environment where guests can share their full story without an ulterior motive from the presenter, without a time limit, and without any constraints as in traditional broadcasting formats.

It’s the real life impact of a team who care meticulously about all the small details.

& getting to work across one of the most disruptive media brands telling the most important stories in the country with real life impact beyond the numbers - what an incredible honour that is.

It’s something that’s impossible to sum up in a bullet point in a job description but it’s by far the most rewarding element of this role.

What a moment! Unbelievable Kammy ❤️

This is probably the smallest & quickest but most impactful leadership lesson I’ve learned -

It’s just one simple question that I ask myself when I go to send a message late into the evening on our slack channels - that I caught myself out with just last night:

❓🤨 Can this be a scheduled send?

This question usually has two possible answers:

1. No, it’s urgent: The message is critical, and delaying it could have a significant impact (this is the truth sometimes, urgency can be pivotal in certain situations).

2. Yes, it can wait: The message can be scheduled for the next morning, and its timing won’t affect outcomes (this is the majority of cases).

The reason it’s so small but SO impactful?

It’s made me reflect both on my own mindset & the impact on my team. A double header!

1️⃣ When I pause and ask this question, it forces me to examine my motivations. Being totally honest & candid here: Am I sending this message to genuinely help the team, or am I doing it for my own satisfaction - to either offload thoughts ‘whilst they’re on my mind/ before I forget’ or to try and win some non-existing badge of honour for burning the midnight oil? Is it about necessity or ego?

2️⃣ For my team, the impact is subtle but significant. Even if I don’t expect an immediate response, sending a message late at night can unintentionally set a tone. It signals that being available at all hours might be the norm, even if that’s not my intent. The message, regardless of its urgency, can still linger in their minds, disrupting their rest or personal time. By scheduling it for the morning, I’m not only protecting their time but ensuring an environment of mutual respect.

Sending these messages late at night is a habit that can be more harmful than helpful.

In the end, leadership isn’t just about making big decisions; it’s also in the small, everyday habits we create. Choosing to schedule that late-night message sends a clear message of its own: our well-being matters just as much as our work.

In many ways I fell into leadership & it has become one of the areas of my work I find myself caring about the most. I read about it, I listen to podcasts on it, I reflect on my behaviours and regularly ask for feedback. So it feels like a topic I want to speak about more.

Whether you, like me, are new to leadership and navigating the responsibility in a hyper-connected digital world, or have been a wonderful leader for years and have wisdom to impart, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one below! What am I missing? 👇

Update: I’m going to make this a mini series! So if you enjoyed leadership learnings from a gen z supposed snowflake, feel free to follow for learning 2 coming soon 🤝❤️

In case you missed it: This influencer mailer took over the internet this weekend. Here’s the what, the why and the learning to take into your new week 👇🏼

WHAT -

rhode skin launched their new cleanser this weekend by sending out hundreds of influencer gift boxes - with a twist.

Gone are the days of cluttering a box full of unwanted junk, and instead creating a memorable experience.

The cleanser was hidden within a bath bomb, with the only instructions being ‘dissolve me’.

WHY IT WORKS -

1. A clear instruction + element of surprise + promise of reward = anticipation + compulsion to share.

The campaign virality comes from the unusual aspect, the anticipation & experience, making it highly desirable to capture and share.

Surging public interest from the influencer’s communities for the product ahead of launch this week.

2. The experience is a physical manifestation of the brand values - describing the brand themselves Rhode say ‘Rhode is dedicated to making products based in science and great formulation, simplifying many of the mysteries and complex narratives behind efficacious skincare.’

The gift mailer is simple, clean, and creates a mini science experiment in your own home. The significance of consistency in brand voice across digital & irl marketing = increase brand trust, loyalty & awareness.

THE LEARNING -

Influencer gifting is still a powerful marketing lever. It requires out of the box thinking & reverse engineering the experience from your KPIs. A standard product in a box will not cut through and will not see your ROI. Product comes second.

321 SUMMARY -

1️⃣Experience > stuff. 
2️⃣Brand alignment is important across all channels (influencer included)
3️⃣Start with your campaign goals and reverse engineer from there. Product comes second.


Thoughts? Did you see it? What would you add? This is a new type of post for me! Let me know any thoughts & if you like it. Maybe we make it a weekly thing?

BRANDS DOING THE MOST ON SOCIALS RIGHT NOW 🚨:

Last week I asked my community on Instagram for their favourite brands they’re loving on social at the moment - the ones who are able to stop their scroll.

Over 400 responses later and I compiled the list of the most popular responses below whilst removing any self-nominations (thanks chatGPT)

I then shared it to my stories and I have never had so many replies / responses / engagements / reactions to a story… perhaps ever.

Not only that but daily DMs from people asking for me to re-share as they’d missed screenshotting.

It seems like we’re all looking for some inspiration right now, and these brands seem like a strong place to start.

Maybe this is a list I can compile and update quarterly if people would be interested? Let me know by sharing or commenting.

What brands have you seen at the moment that are killing it on socials? Who would you add? (No self-noms!!!) 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼