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But how should brands enter the chat? In the flippant world of social media, something off-hand can resonate. \u201cI think Gen Z is particularly drawn to brands that can participate, react, and be playful. It mimics the tone of a group chat. It\u2019s fast and formal and culturally fluent,\u201d Kesta says. \u201cThey\u2019re naturally more flexible on how they communicate in an informal, playful tone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe comments section is one of our favorite places to be,\u201d says Amy Bi, VP of brand at Deciem (owner of The Ordinary). \u201cWe bring our playful \u2014 and sometimes chaotic \u2014 tone to the conversation, keeping everything authentic to who we are and what we stand for. Our strategy is simple: comment frequently, fuel the banter, and be as funny as possible.\u201d Recently, the \u201cnobody here knows I\u2019m the X admin\u201d trend, which sees brands post videos shot by their social media director in the crowd of a major event, has driven a new era of the Instagram manager not only being the voice of the brand, but also a personality in their own right, building and breaking a fourth wall for comedic effect.<\/p>\n
For luxury brands, though, this irreverent approach isn\u2019t so cut and dry. \u201cLuxury fashion feels more complex. Their value is tied to mystique and a certain level of distance. Stepping into a gossipy discourse can be quite jarring,\u201d says Kesta. As explored recently by Tank<\/em> Magazine<\/a>, a rise in \u201caggressive visibility\u201d and \u201cforced familiarity\u201d is leading to brands entering \u201cthe friend zone\u201d at the expense of the desire and aspiration that\u2019s formed by a sense of separation. Repeatedly appearing in comments sections can lead to overexposure that dents exclusivity.<\/p>\n It also requires a reactivity that fashion houses can\u2019t always afford. \u201cFashion has historically been a media business more so than a social one. The muscle memory is editorial, with their magazine covers, campaign imagery, and runways, which are great broadcast formats. You set it up, and it\u2019s done,\u201d says Le. Too much curation or approval, and the moment may be gone. \u201cThe comments section is the total opposite, because it\u2019s a conversation, and conversations require you to be a person. So you could say it\u2019s more social than media.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s why eponymous creative directors like Marc Jacobs and Simon Porte Jacquemus have found success commenting via their personal Instagram accounts. Other brands are finding ways to engage with the comments without actually chiming in. In 2024, TikTok creator @DrKayla_MD posted a viral video stating that, if it got 50,000 likes and a comment from Prada, her husband would buy her the brand\u2019s Re-Edition Saffiano Leather bag. The likes of Burt\u2019s Bees, Pizza Hut, Ziploc (and a fake Prada account) showed support. In the end, her husband bought her the bag anyway. Interestingly, though, Prada did not comment, but it eventually came through and sent her a raffia shoulder bag<\/a>, demonstrating that it\u2019s both online and in the know, without engaging directly in the comments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n