THE SOCIAL COUNCIL PRESENTS
2023 BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA
AWARDS
this program was a labor of love. love for this industry. love for organic social and love for brands who are changing theIR AUDIENCES through social MEDIA.
and Nobody knows GREAT social media more than social media professionals. congratulations to the teams and agencies working behind the scenes day in and day out to engage with their customers in innovative ways.
Nathan Jun Poekert, Founder of The Social Council
"Morning Brew consistently delivers a strong balance of content, which is hard because a lot of companies are known for a specific thing—all about video, all memes, all products. I think they’ve found their balance and it can clearly relate to an eclectic type of audience."
Christina Le, Social Media Manager @ Open Phone
“Morning Brew never misses. Not only are they more news oriented, but they tailor each vertical for the respective platforms.”
Andrew Bowers, Social Media Manager @ Beam Suntory
IT’S WORTH MENTIONING…
"Chipotle seems to bring in a lot of inputs to the channel between brand, “product”, customer, employee, and more, but consistently communicates as one voice that vividly comes through in all of their content. They lead with truly delighting their audience, which is what I believe social is all about. They’ve singlehandedly elevated the Chipotle brand, and continue to resonate deeply with their target audience segment."
Bri Reynolds, Social Media Manager @ Lyft
“Merriam-Webster does a phenomenal job of entertaining AND educating their audience in pretty much every post. It’s difficult to make a dictionary relevant, but they’ve found a way to infuse humor with learning that makes their content sticky.”
Josh Rangel, SVP Social Media @ Golin
“Across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, the National Parks Service knows how to combine fun facts, sharp wit, and natural beauty in every post. Seeing them on your feed is LIKE a timeline cleanse.”
Maya Wesby, Social Media Manager @ Harvard Graduate School of Education
"Love how Chipotle brings you behind the counter but doesn’t make it all about ordering food. The content is very relatable and relevant to their audience, grabs your attention, and makes you want to engage/follow."
Anthony Yepez | Associate Director of Social Media @ Orangetheory
IT’S WORTH MENTIONING…
“You would never expect insurance brands to land on TikTok, but AARP has not only carved a lane for itself and others but also built a strategy that has earned it nearly 350K followers that spans generations. AARP is relatable, nostalgic, and (simultaneously) entertaining and informative as hell.”
N’Yaisha J Aziz, Global Social Media Lead @ Uber
“Over the last year, the Empire State Building has become an iconic TikTok personality. they’ve risen to be a top-tier brand for creativity, relatability, and trend-forward content.”
Mariya Spektor, Director of Content @ SocialChain
“scrub Daddy IS ONE OF THE MOST ENGAGED TIKTOK BRANDS ON THE PLATFORM. NOT ONLY DO THEY PARTICIPATE IN TRENDS THAT REMAIN RELEVANT TO THE AVERAGE TIKTOK USER, BUT THEY HAVE TAPPED INTO SPECIFIC MARKETS, SUCH AS #CLEANTOK AND THE INFLUENCERS THAT CREATE CONTENT FOR THAT NICHE TO REMAIN RELEVANT AND DISPLAY ACTIVE AND EVERYDAY USE OF THEIR PRODUCTS.”
Tameka Bazile, Manager of Social Strategy @ TIME
“Simply put, McDonalds is one of those brands that have mastered making the art of TikToks. No one wants to actually follow other brands on their social - especially marketers. McDonald’s is one of those exceptions. They are funny, down to earth, and most important, self aware.”
Gabriel Gomez, Social Strategy Lead @ Verizon
We’re Not Really Strangers won by the largest margin of any other category and received 2x’s as many votes as second place Jacquemus.
“Ultimately the thing that drives people back to social over and over is connection–friendship, relationships, love. We’re Not Really Strangers is both a great showcase for the brand, but more than that, it’s kind of a fascinating cultural document of this moment in dating and connecting. I feel like we could look back on THEM in 20 years and it would be like listening to an old mix CD in terms of capturing the moment.”
Kate Winick, VP Social Media & Brand Marketing
“WNRS has some of the most original content on the platform. The way they’re able to tell stories through a variety of different mediums, whether it’s a sign on the freeway, a notes app note, a mirror on the street, an artist spray painting on a hoodie, this account has been able to connect with people in a very unique, creative and meaningful way, just like how their game does that for people.”
Kelsey Dempsey, Social Media Coordinator
IT’S WORTH MENTIONING…
“From Hotel Beis to the big blowout warehouse sale to all their giveaways and unlikely (but fitting) brand partnerships throughout the year - Beis is doing IG right. Not only does the feed aesthetics flow naturally, but product shots are woven equally with UGC/influencer highlights.”
Dejaih Smith, Social Media Manager @ Sequence of Sociale
“Jacquemus IS generating hype and fostering conversations withIN their community IN THE LUXURY REALM — SOMETHING NOT EASY TO DO.”
Vivian Huang, Social Media Coordinator @ Canada Goose
“WWE is putting on an absolute master-class at social media on instagram. they maximize all of their flagship programs through a superior Instagram strategy. The lead up, in-the-moment, and post match social content capture is next-level and they will create and distribute content at scale.”
Sam Wells, Director of Social Media @ C4 Energy, Cellucor & XTEND
*This was the tightest race in any category with only one voting point separating Barbie from Stanley and two points from McDonalds Grimace Shake.
“This was the toughest category with the closest results but ultimately barbie took the top prize for two reasons: a meticulously thoughtful approach to social partnerships and an all out blitz that almost felt like social harassment. there was no place to hide from barbie on social and, ultimately, i think it heavily contributed to their record box office.”
Nathan Jun Poekert, Founder of The Social Council
IT’S WORTH MENTIONING…
“Spotify Wrapped has become immensely successful for several reasons but The success lies in its ability to blend personalization, social sharing, and entertainment, turning a routine data-driven feature into a cultural moment that resonates with a global audience.”
MJ Perkins, Sr. Social Media Director @ Stride
“Best in class example of community engagement and social listening. When you think about a ‘humanizing a brand’ Stanley should come to mind! This moment from Stanley showed the power of connecting with your audience authentically.”
Byron Stewart, Sr. Manager of Social Media & Influencer @ Foot Locker
“Viewers wanted thIS show to be real. And playing upon an already-popular television show (Love Island) was smart! Ultimately, Duolingo’s ability to insert themselves into pop culture is incomparable – and even morE commendable when remembering that they’re a learning software.”
Kelsey McLoughlin, Social Media Strategist @ CAVA
CATEGORY WINNERS
Your 2023 / 2024 social council
Nathan Jun Poekert
Andrew Bowers
BRI REYNOLDS
KATE WINICK
MAYA WESBY
JOSH RANGEL
VIVIAN HUANG
MARIYA SPEKTOR
ANTHONY YEPEZ
GABRIEL GOMEZ
N’YAISHA J AZIZ
DEJAIH SMITH
KELSEY MCLOUGHLIN
TAMEKA BAZILE
CHRISTINA LE
SAM WELLS
MJ PERKINS
KELSEY DEMPSEY
BYRON STEWART
Participating council members do not represent an endorsement or affiliation with JUN Social consulting practice. We are all just social media professionals wanting to celebrate the work of our peers.
