We need to talk about your social content.
Because those beautifully organised, colour co-ordinated, quarterly social content plans – they’re already outdated.
I know, social media used to be about planning ahead. Build out your perfect grid, brief in the assets, get everything signed off weeks in advance – job done.
But not anymore.
The landscape has shifted. The feed moves faster than ever, and the brands leading the conversation aren’t the ones sticking rigidly to their content calendars. They’re those that are responding in real-time – embracing reactivity as a core part of their social approach.
If you’re a brand that wants to stay culturally relevant, it’s time to rethink how you approach your content.
Strategy Still Matters
To be clear, your social strategy isn’t dead – you still need a clear voice, purpose and visual identity. But the old school tactic that you can build a 30-day content plan, schedule it all in, and leave it to run its course? That just doesn’t work anymore – sorry.
Social moves fast. The feed is unpredictable. And if your brand can’t flex with it, you’ll be invisible when the moments that matter actually hit.
We see this constantly with UK brands that get it right. Think Specsavers. Their quick-witted takes on cultural moments – like that viral VAR blunder they called out – weren’t planned out in a brainstorm weeks before. They were real-time, culturally aware, and deeply on-brand. That’s what cuts through now.
Another example is Innocent Drinks. Their feed is far from pre-planned – it’s a real-time conversation. From jumping on heatwaves with tongue-in-cheek smoothie jokes to reacting to biscuit-based political scandals (yes, those exist), their posts feel immediate, human and alive.
It’s not luck, it’s structure and freedom which is exactly what reactivity looks like in practice.
The Power of the Right Now
Every scroll is a new opportunity for your brand to earn attention, but attention is fragile and timing is everything.
Imagine you’re a food brand. You’ve planned a slick post promoting your new vegan offering – it’s been approved, signed off, and scheduled. But then, M&S drops a surprise new plant-based Colin the Caterpillar. The internet loses it (of course).
If your brand can’t respond quickly, playfully, meaningfully, you’re not just missing a huge opportunity but you’re massively falling behind.
The Brands Who Are Winning (and why)
Reactivity isn’t random. It’s cultural fluency. It’s building a social team that can confidently act in the moment without losing brand integrity – and yes, without a 10-level approval chain to slow them down.
Take Natural History Museum London’s TikTok presence – yep, a museum. Their social team jumped into trending audio, playful edits, and self-aware humour to bring ancient artefacts into modern scroll culture. It’s a reactive move that repositions the brand with younger audiences, and it works precisely because it’s unexpected.
REFY, on the other hand, proves that reactivity can be sleek, minimal, and still impactful. Their response to viral GRWM trends or influencer mentions is always fast and always executed in their signature stripped back aesthetic. They don’t chase the moment; they elevate it in a way that’s distinctly REFY. When Hailey Bieber or Sofia Richie drops a new beauty routine? REFY’s already in the comments, in the feed, and firmly in the conversation – subtly, smartly, and completely on brand.
“But what if it goes wrong?”
This is the biggest hesitation we hear from brands, and it’s totally valid. Reactivity does come with some risk, but when you work with the right agency partner, that risk becomes manageable – even smart.
We help brands define guidelines, not scripts. Everything from your tone of voice to your boundaries and non-negotiables. Then we build reactive workflows that let you respond to the moment without going off-brand.
Silence isn’t safe anymore because it’s a missed opportunity. And when brands ignore the cultural context, they don’t just look out of touch… they look irrelevant. And no one wants to be irrelevant.
Where You Go From Here
If your brand wants to be seen, it’s time to stop the fixation on monthly and quarterly social content plans.
This means:
- Building in flexibility, not just sticking to a rigid schedule
- Briefing for reactivity as well as your big tentpole moments
- Trusting your agency partner to help you pivot – not panic – when the internet moves faster than your sign-off process
In a world where every brand is posting, the ones that win are those who show up – it doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does need to be present.
Ready to move faster? Get in touch.
