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Follow Attention (It’s Really That Simple)

Stop overthinking platforms and trends. Whether it’s long-form video, short-form clips, TikTok, Instagram, or even emerging platforms… the key is following where people are paying attention

Our SVP, VaynerConsulting, Meredith Montana says, “I feel like a marketer can just feel like, what are we doing? Where are we going? But really, it’s just about understanding where consumer attention is and why that’s happening.”

For brands, this means don’t get stuck chasing what worked last year. Start by mapping where your audience actually spends time, see what’s resonating, and go from there. 

And like Gary keeps saying 🥁 …test with your organic content THEN scale what works. 

Experiment Like a Scientist

Content is data, and every post is an experiment. Nick, Meredith, and Raghav (yes! The guy who helped write the book!) shared tons of examples of how second chances, third chances, and the tiniest of tweaks can turn an underperforming piece of content into an overperforming one.

Take Gary’s content strategy… he’ll post the same video with slightly different hooks, captions, or formats to see what resonates. With these subtle changes, we get rapid insights that guide bigger creative bets.

For brands, that means:

🔁Don’t be precious about your assets. Repost, remix, and reformat.

📊Track the data: what hook, caption, or format drives the best engagement?

🧑‍💻Test across channels. TikTok version vs. Instagram vs. YouTube Shorts? See what sticks and scale.

Volume + Variety = MASSIVE Opportunity

Meredith and Raghav stressed that more content means more chances for your team to learn. One shoot can become ten pieces of content and each can be tested in a slightly different way.

A real world #client 😉 example is Jimmy John’s. A viral pickle sandwich trend started from social chatter and became their top-performing limited-time offer. They even partnered with Snooki for a Halloween “Pickle Witch” campaign, all informed by social insights.

Our Chief Content Officer, Nick Miaritis, (Omelette King as we like to call him)had a great reminder for brands and creators in session 3: “Make sure the idea engine of what you do is constantly revving and don’t give up too early. I posted fifty or sixty times, getting a few thousand views, and then one post blew up with fifteen million views. That changed my creative life forever. One post can change everything, so keep experimenting.” 🍳😉IYKYK.

Look at every piece of content not as a one-off, but as a starting point.

Good Ideas Can Come From Anywhere

Ideation is a team sport. Meredith explained how the collaborative environment at Vayner leads to unexpected hits. 

Everyone from junior team members to executives shares creative ideas and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Some of the most effective campaigns started from comments, DMs, or small fan interactions.

Make the Long Game Your Strategy

Attention is a marathon, not a sprint. Raghav said it best: “Building a brand, or even a personal brand, is about consistent investment over time.”

For brands, this means:

🤳Commit to always-on, organic social.

🧠Keep learning from the content you post.

🚀Scale what works, and don’t fear volume.

It’s NOT about chasing virality. You need to be building a system that moves at the speed of attention.

Made It To the End and Want 5 Actionable Steps for Your Brand?

Write these down! Copy & paste to your SMM in Slack! 👇

1. Follow Attention: Map where your audience spends time and what content they engage with. Treat it like your compass. 
2. Test Everything: Just like rewearing your favorite shirt to the office, don’t be afraid to recycle content and make it new. Repurpose, remix, and reformat content across platforms to see what resonates. 
3. Think in Volume: One content shoot = multiple pieces of creative. Maximize your content by creating variations and testing them across platforms. 
4. Open Ideation: Encourage ideas from all corners of your team and even from your audience. Some of your biggest wins might come from unexpected places.

Commit for the Long Game: Attention isn’t instant. It’s earned. Stay consistent, keep experimenting, and invest in learning from every post.

Are you a marketer who wants to collaborate with us? Our Chief Business Officer, Kaylen McNamara hosts some pretty epic Capes as Consulting sessions  🤝 Connect With Us

Are you chronically online and want to work for us? 💡 Apply here

Shoptalk confirmed what we already know: attention thrives where culture lives.

I just got back to NYC after an energizing few days in Chicago where I attended my first Shoptalk. We hosted brand marketers on a Chez Vayner Chicago River Cruise, listened to brilliant minds from MCo Beauty, Papa Johns, Coach, Fabletics, and SoulCycle on panels, and watched our CEO, Gary Vaynerchuk, drop all the insights in his keynote speech.

One thing was clear: consumer behavior is evolving faster than ever!

Here are the 4 biggest takeaways that every marketer needs to have on their radar:

The Multi-Screen Shopping Sensation Is Here 📱📺

Ever sit down to watch TV and catch yourself scrolling your phone at the same time? You and a whopping 95% of consumers are multitasking while watching TV, and nearly a third are actively shopping on their phones while doing it.

During the panel with Wayne Purboo (VP, Amazon Shopping Video, Amazon Ads), Tony Marlow (CMO, LG Ad Solutions), and Jordan Rost (Head of Ad Marketing, Roku), the consensus was clear: brands need to embrace this dual-screen mindset with shoppable TV, interactive overlays, and content that feels less like an interruption and more like an invitation.

The brands winning right now? They’re creating frictionless experiences that meet consumers exactly where they are and across every screen. 👏

Community-First Marketing Is the New Flex 🤝

Consumer favorited brands are the ones engaging with their audiences, vs speaking to them; creating fun and innovative ways to show up in culture and in feed. They understand that marketing isn’t about pushing messages, but rather, creating experiences that people want to be part of.

Some 👏applaudable👏 examples:

• Papa Johns gifted free pizza to anyone named Taylor and Travis on engagement day.
• SharkNinja fans have turned protein ice cream hacks into TikTok communities.
• MCoBeauty has flipped “dupe culture” into “dupé culture” with smart collabs with folks like Bethenny Frankel and Campbell (“Pookie”) Puckett – who we had the pleasure of hosting at Chez Vayner in Cannes, ICYMI (!)

Coach has shown up courtside with the WNBA IRL, and in a URL format with digital presences through Coach x Roblox, WNBA 2K, and even on Bitmoji (where you can get your hands on a highly coveted Tabby bag 👜!)

During the panel, Kimberly Wallengren (VP Marketing, North America, Coach), Kari Cook (VP Strategy & Planning, Americas, MCoBeauty), Jenna Bromberg (CMO, Papa John’s), and Kaitlyn Beauchemin (Global CMO, Ninja, SharkNinja) shared how tapping into community and showing up in fun, unexpected ways, consumers don’t just notice, they actively participate and become brand advocates.

Organic First…Always ✨

Our CEO of VaynerMedia, Gary Vaynerchuk, brought the house down and heads nodding with one simple truth in his keynote speech: organic social is your testing ground. 

Please stop wasting GOOD media dollars on unproven BAD creative ideas. 

Test with your organic content in the wild first, and then scale what works. 

Owned → earned → paid. That’s the model.

The Unsung Heroes: Your Frontline Employees 🛍️

Turns out, some of the best insights are coming from the sales floor (and communities on organic social, ofc) Retailers like Coach (#Client:)) and Fabletics are tapping frontline employees for feedback that informs their innovation and customer experience strategy.

As Meera Bhatia (President and COO, Fabletics) and Leigh Manheim (President, North America, Coach) highlighted on the panel, the most valuable data often lives in real conversations.

Our POV🔎:

One scroll through TikTok and you’ll see consumers actively shaping how brands reinvent themselves both digitally / URL, and IRL. It’s a thrilling time to be in marketing, where authenticity meets innovation and community drives growth.

Want to partner with us? 👉 Drop us a line!