A long time ago social media brand marketing was about presence. AKA have a profile, post sometimes, ride the trends. Today? Well, if your brand still treats social as a checkbox activity, you’ll get drowned in the noise. It’s no longer about presence. It’s about making a presence. At R&T, after developing our strategy we look at what conversations our clients can lead, the ones they can authentically join, and what kind of content people want to see from them. Authentic content that shows who they are, what they stand for and who they’re for. Not just what they sell. From this, we’re constantly testing and evolving. What works one day might not the next but staying authentic matters just as much as staying agile. It’s about learning and adapting without jumping from one idea to another for the sake of it.
You can’t be everywhere and about everything. That leads to mushy, forgettable social media. Instead, it’s about choosing the conversations that fit. Sustainability, creativity, self-care, music, or whatever you stand for. That focus keeps your story clear, while leaving room to evolve as culture and conversations shift. Then, within that space, decide where you join in and where you lead. Join when it makes sense, when a trend or cultural conversation naturally aligns with your brand’s tone and values. Lead when you’ve got something fresh to say. AKA your own ideas, campaigns or perspectives that others will want to follow. The balance between the two is where brands thrive. Grounded in their identity, yet always part of the wider conversation.
Being part of your audience’s lifestyle means your content sits next to their personal posts, not standing completely apart. You want things they scroll past and share with a friend, not think “oh there’s an ad.” Let your brand sound like a human, not a billboard. Try mixing formats and thinking “what do they want to see”. Maybe it’s behind the scenes, humour, questions, even moments of imperfection. At R&T, we’re lucky to work with brands that trust our approach and give us room to experiment. Take Brooklyn Brewery UK, we’ve been managing their social channels for the past three years, and every year, or even month, has felt new with constant evolution and fresh ways to connect. This year, two standout moments were our Glastonbury and Yard Sale Pizza collaborations, both chances to mix up content, tell unique stories, and go big on creators, influencers, and cultural trends. And it paid off. We saw engagement rise an average of 9% during the one-month Yard Sale partnership and a 12% average during our three-month Glastonbury campaign. For Rustlers, we’ve spent the past year redefining their social presence. Developing a distinctive tone of voice that matches their brand personality and testing how different styles perform across platforms. The result? An average engagement rate of 12.4%, plus a surge in community interaction driven by a passionate fanbase. And these were campaigns optimised for reach yet achieving well above industry average (0.12% via Rival HQ).
Yes, social media trends are tempting. A viral sound, a dance, a cheeky audio clip. If you jump too broadly, you’re stepping back to the days of the sea of generic posts saying, “Happy Friday, enjoy your weekend with our product” or the dread day of the year posts, cough cough World Friendship Day anyone… That kind of content kills distinctiveness and doesn’t really say anything. Trends should be used when there’s a clever match to your brand. Twist it, subvert it, inject your voice. Don’t copy it. Otherwise, you contribute to the “everyone looks the same” problem.
We talk about “standing out to fit in” but often brands play it safe instead of testing what might actually work. The truth? Playing safe rarely gets noticed. And that’s not going to help with building a brand on social media. Take Loewe. Most luxury brands assume that showing up on social means clinging tightly to their polished tone of voice and picture-perfect editorial visuals. Loewe flipped that idea on its head. They’ve struck a balance between their signature, high-fashion aesthetic and content that’s unexpected and meme like. They’ll poke fun at themselves, share BTS snippets, or riff on trends. All while keeping their craftsmanship front and centre. The result? Well, Loewe hasn’t lost its premium edge. If anything, they feel more alive, more culturally relevant, and they meet younger audiences where they are without cheapening their identity. And then there’s KFC. The UK channels have made a conscious pivot to win over Gen Z, and they’re definitely not doing it with stylised food shots. Instead, they’ve leaned into partnerships with unexpected creators and embraced the chaotic, tongue-in-cheek “Gen Z brain rot” style that dominates feeds. Sure, some of it looks silly at first glance, but that’s exactly why it works. It mirrors the way younger audiences consume and create content online. By stepping outside their comfort zone, tapping into trends with personality, and letting individuality shine, KFC is pulling in wild engagement rates. More importantly, they’re showing that even a heritage fast-food brand can stay relevant by experimenting boldly and collaborating beyond the food niche. Both brands prove the same point. You don’t need to abandon your brand identity when you loosen up. You evolve it.
Even by the time you finish reading this blog, odds are new formats, aesthetics, sounds are emerging. Although I’ll still forever be stuck on “me as a baby” TikTok… That being said, what worked last week might already have aged. Social media doesn’t wait. At R&T, our approach is simple (but not easy), build your foundational brand strategy, your lane, your voice, your content pillars, but always stay fluid. Test new content alongside your core business as usual style posts. Essentially new formats, new voices, new creators, new styles alongside what’s currently working. And if something lands, that becomes the new “business as usual”. If it doesn’t, well, it’s time to move on and try something else. We don’t just accept that change is constant. We lean into it. Because social media doesn’t reward those who sit still, it rewards those willing to test, tweak, and try again.
A long time ago social media brand marketing was about presence. AKA have a profile, post sometimes, ride the trends. Today? Well, if your brand still treats social as a checkbox activity, you’ll get drowned in the noise. It’s no longer about presence. It’s about making a presence. At R&T,… Read more
If you’re part of the food and drinks universe, you’ll know that there’s been a lot of talk over the past few years about Gen Z turning away from alcohol and the rise of no & low. And for good reason…it’s true. Drinking dropped, and a more mindful, selective culture… Read more
Food and drink marketing is shifting again. From January, new guidelines on ‘less healthy food’ (LHF) promotions will land, with voluntary compliance encouraged from early October. These measures build on the HFSS legislation already in place. The purpose is clear – to limit children’s exposure to high fat, salt and… Read more
Events provide great opportunities for businesses, whether you want to showcase a product, generate content, network with a captive audience, or increase awareness around a new campaign. However, it’s important to stop and ask why you are holding an event – and how turning it into an immersive brand event can truly bring your story to life. The question sounds simple enough, but the answer needs to be specific with a clear goal. The reason why you’re hosting an event will also affect just about every other decision you make – budget, theming, timing, guest list, and food. There are many reasons why an event could be the right platform for your business goals. The four points below should be factored into the initial planning stages before ruling out the value of holding a potential event.
Events provide a captive audience for immersive brand experiences, giving you access to a group of people for a set amount of time where you can weave in key messaging and showcase your brand in the best possible light. Yes, free food and drink will always help attract people, but you need a compelling story. Strong storytelling provides content angles for media and influencers, helping them promote your brand and giving you a competitive edge. This is where working with a PR agency in London can ensure your story is positioned in a way that resonates with press, stakeholders, and consumers.
Face-to-face interaction is far more powerful than an email or social post. We’ve become reliant on technology, often knowing more about family and friends through social updates than through actual conversations. Events allow brands to have meaningful, in-person interactions with consumers, media, and influencers. This creates genuine engagement and builds trust. For media and influencer relationships, these events can strengthen ties, resulting in more consistent coverage and inclusion in future campaigns. This is also an opportunity for brand immersion—giving people a real sense of your brand values and identity. A well-crafted brand immersion experience allows guests to feel part of your world, leaving a more memorable impact than digital touchpoints alone.
You may only have 50 people in the room, but with the right PR your reach goes much further. Events let you showcase and promote to many, which is why it’s crucial to have the right guest list. Don’t just look at who you’re inviting—consider who they influence and whether their audience is the right fit for your campaign. This is where working with a PR agency can make a huge difference. Unlike a traditional events team, a public relations agency brings expertise in media outreach, influencer relations, and storytelling. They can amplify your event coverage far beyond the attendees in the room, ensuring your brand message spreads to a much wider audience.
Events take courage – they put your brand in the spotlight, so preparation is key. To stand out, your event needs to have a competitive edge. This could mean creating immersive brand events that align with current cultural trends, from mindfulness and sustainability to the latest food or lifestyle craze. When done well, these immersive brand activations don’t just engage audiences; they also secure media interest, drive social content, and generate long-term awareness. The result is a more powerful positioning for your brand in a competitive landscape
An example of how Richmond & Towers has brought this philosophy to life was when Beefeater challenged us to create a year-round PR campaign for the Beefeater Distillery. The goal was to cater to different visitor segments, drive awareness, and increase footfall. With the Beefeater London team, we created the London Tonic Series – monthly cultural and creative events at the distillery showcasing the best of London’s arts scene. Leveraging our network of contacts, we secured an exciting mix of London’s leading figures – including spoken word artists, mixologists, and comedians – to host engaging events promoted through London’s lifestyle and listings media. The eight events tapped into wider London trends to secure strong media interest, while ensuring Beefeater Gin remained at the heart of every experience.
831 people attended the distillery across the events 169 pieces of secured coverage A reach of more than 115 million This demonstrates the halo effect that a PR agency in London can deliver when running events
Events are all about strengthening your brand, but promotion doesn’t begin and end at the event. When crafted strategically, events facilitate press engagement, generate ongoing content, and build future relationships. Whether through brand immersion experiences or large-scale activations, the right event can supercharge your PR strategy.
At Richmond & Towers, we specialise in designing immersive brand experiences that deliver real impact. Learn about how we’ve done this for clients here and here, or explore our public relations services to see how we can bring your brand story to life.
A long time ago social media brand marketing was about presence. AKA have a profile, post sometimes, ride the trends. Today? Well, if your brand still treats social as a checkbox activity, you’ll get drowned in the noise. It’s no longer about presence. It’s about making a presence. At R&T,… Read more
If you’re part of the food and drinks universe, you’ll know that there’s been a lot of talk over the past few years about Gen Z turning away from alcohol and the rise of no & low. And for good reason…it’s true. Drinking dropped, and a more mindful, selective culture… Read more
Food and drink marketing is shifting again. From January, new guidelines on ‘less healthy food’ (LHF) promotions will land, with voluntary compliance encouraged from early October. These measures build on the HFSS legislation already in place. The purpose is clear – to limit children’s exposure to high fat, salt and… Read more
Learning about new clients, their goals, objectives and business as we start working with them is one of the most exciting parts of what we do. But the reality of time constraints on the client’s part can often result in the start of a working relationship becoming a crammed session of briefings via internal documents and conference calls. This doesn’t always give an agency a true understanding of a company or brand’s DNA. Fortunately, we have a solution. The best way to work with a PR agency is to treat them as a partner, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in your business. Your PR team needs to be as passionate about your brand as you are – and that’s our approach when working with new clients.
So, what is brand immersion? At its core, brand immersion is about going beyond surface-level information and truly experiencing a brand from the inside out. It’s not just about reading briefing notes or reviewing sales data – it’s about understanding the people, processes, culture and values that shape the business. This brand immersion experience allows a public relations agency to develop more creative, authentic campaigns, because the team can see, feel and live the brand in the same way as its customers and employees.
It’s vital to get under the skin of a new client’s business. Face-to-face interaction is important, but many agencies forget to meet the people outside of the marketing team. To get a full picture, it’s key to meet everyone involved:
• The production teams behind the product
• The experts shaping brand development
• The customers who engage with and buy the product
This is where immersive brand experiences make a difference. They allow a PR team to absorb first-hand insights and translate them into campaigns that feel natural, relevant and impactful.
When we started working with Estrella Damm, a Mediterranean beer brewed at source and influenced by its local culture, we believed it was essential to visit Barcelona. Experiencing where this 140-year-old brand was made gave us invaluable context for its voice and positioning. The full Estrella Damm account team from Richmond & Towers spent two days visiting the brewery, touring the production line and meeting the team who ensure every bottle of Estrella Damm tastes the same as the last – no small feat when ingredients are 100% natural and affected by seasonal weather changes. We also explored the city’s restaurants and bars to see how Estrella Damm was showcased in its home market. Finally, we visited the historic family-run factory Ceramica Cumella, where Estrella’s unique ceramic draught beer fonts are handmade. Designed by world-renowned Catalan artist Martí Guixé and individually crafted by ceramicist Antoni Cumella, each font takes seven days to make. This immersive process gave us a deeper understanding of the brand, its culture and its people. As an agency, we returned fizzing with fresh ideas, equipped to bring the Estrella Damm story to life in authentic ways.
Our experience reinforces that there is nothing more important than understanding a client’s business and what shapes them. Passion for a brand is contagious – and when you fully immerse yourself in it, you learn not only the key messages to communicate but also the most effective way to shape them for the audience. This approach to working with a PR agency ensures better strategic solutions and stronger campaign results. It also strengthens client–agency relationships, building trust and demonstrating genuine commitment to collaboration.
It goes without saying that face-to-face interaction strengthens relationships. But we also believe in going further. Time spent solely focused on a client’s brand, away from the office and computer screens, shows dedication and enthusiasm. Whether through immersive brand events, factory visits or brand immersion activations, this approach builds a positive foundation for long-term success
At Richmond & Towers, we believe the best way to deliver exceptional campaigns is through brand immersion. By investing the time to truly experience and understand a client’s world, we can craft PR strategies that feel authentic, engaging and impactful.
We specialise in creating immersive brand experiences that connect audiences with stories that matter. Explore our public relations services to see how we can help.
A long time ago social media brand marketing was about presence. AKA have a profile, post sometimes, ride the trends. Today? Well, if your brand still treats social as a checkbox activity, you’ll get drowned in the noise. It’s no longer about presence. It’s about making a presence. At R&T,… Read more
If you’re part of the food and drinks universe, you’ll know that there’s been a lot of talk over the past few years about Gen Z turning away from alcohol and the rise of no & low. And for good reason…it’s true. Drinking dropped, and a more mindful, selective culture… Read more
Food and drink marketing is shifting again. From January, new guidelines on ‘less healthy food’ (LHF) promotions will land, with voluntary compliance encouraged from early October. These measures build on the HFSS legislation already in place. The purpose is clear – to limit children’s exposure to high fat, salt and… Read more