Mastering Threads: 5 Brands with Winning Strategies for the Newest Social Platform

Learn how some of the biggest brands are winning on the new social platform, Threads.

Just when you thought you were starting to get a hang of balancing running and promoting your business on the standard platforms, Meta goes and hits you out of nowhere with a new platform to add into the mix.

(We won’t even get into the new G4 yet…)

You’re probably exhausted enough already from all the things you need to keep up with and adding ANOTHER thing into the mix seems impossible.

We’ll admit, a new platform to create a strategy on was NOT on our 2023 bingo card, but if we’ve learned nothing about marketing in the 20+ years of combined knowledge, it is that it is ALWAYS changing.

The truth of that matter is, you don’t HAVE to be on every single platform. We do, however, always recommend presence. So download the app and explore how other business similar to you are utilizing the Internet’s new toy.

Mudflower is here to support YOU and your brand, so we want to share with you how some of the big dogs are tackling Threads and to, hopefully, inspire and encourage you.

FROM STREET FIGHT MAG: Less than one week after its public debut, Threads has already become the fastest-growing mobile app in history. More than 100 million users signed up for Meta’s new social platform in just the first five days — and now brand marketers are ready to get in on the action.

While Threads looks nearly identical to Twitter, the vibe is noticeably different. Brand marketers on Threads seem to be looser in what they post, and they’re all about experimentation for the time being. Nine of the top 10 retailers have already activated their accounts on Threads, according to the National Retail Federation. These early adopters are working to create an organic presence by sharing behind-the-scenes content, telling stories, and running giveaways, even before Meta adds its advertising capabilities.

Some of the world’s largest brands and agencies are watching how people use Threads, and keeping a close eye on metrics, to determine which types of content get the most traction. Companies like Williams Sonoma and Gymshark, and publishers like Vogue, Vice, and Rolling Stone, are applying many of the same strategies they used on Twitter — with a twist.

Here are some of the creative ways top brand marketers are taking advantage of Threads to generate traction on the internet’s newest social media platform.

1. Ulta Beauty

A number of makeup companies were quick to activate their accounts, including Clinique, E.l.f. Beauty, Maybelline, Tarte, and Ulta Beauty. Of those, Ulta Beauty has come out as an early leader. In an interview, Ulta’s senior director of social media and content Christine White compared joining Threads to entering a party full of people you already know, and said her company is more focused on ROV — Return on Vibes — than ROI in these early days. Ulta has also been using Threads to forge connections with other companies outside the cosmetics space, reposting content from Crumbl and Dunkin, and replying to everyday users on Threads in a fun, casual way.

2. Nike

Always a leader in the social marketing space, Nike is taking a noticeably conservative approach on Threads. Although Nike was one of the first major brands to activate its account, the company’s social media team has at this point posted just a few times — far less than competitors. Thus far, Nike appears to be taking the same approach to Threads as it has to Twitter. Its posts on Threads are written in the same voice as the company’s posts on Twitter. In this early discovery phase, Nike is using Threads as a place to ask fans questions and learn what they’re interested in, and to generate interaction by reposting popular sports videos and GIFs.

3. Wendy’s

Like Nike, Wendy’s is known for having a specific brand voice on Twitter. The fast food giant seems to be taking the same approach on Threads, poking fun at the feud between Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Elon Musk and reposting memes at a regular clip. In its first five days on the platform, Wendy’s has already posted hundreds of times, making it one of the most prolific brands on Threads. That effort appears to be working. As of Monday morning, Wendy’s had 240,000 followers on Threads, compared to Burger King’s 100,000 and Taco Bell’s 84,000.

4. Urban Skin RX

The skincare brand Urban Skin RX has taken a riskier approach on Threads. Rather than doubling up on content from Twitter, Urban Skin RX’s founder has been using Threads as a place to have frank, honest conversations with her company’s customers. She’s also interjecting humor into her posts, asking followers questions that might not seem appropriate on Instagram or Twitter, like “would you rather have face acne or butt acne?” That humorous, slightly cheeky  approach could be a hallmark of how many brands handle marketing on Threads in the coming weeks and months.

5. Free People

While Free People is clearly having success on Threads — as evident by having amassed 132,000 followers as of Monday — the retailer’s approach is more traditional than some others on this list. Like Nike, Free People is using the same tone on Threads as it has on Twitter. The company’s feed is a combination of behind-the-scenes content, reposts of influencers wearing Free People products, and cheeky one-liners meant to reflect the brand’s cool-girl aesthetic. Free People’s social media team has also been busy interacting with other retail brands as a way to drum up engagement and grow the company’s following on the platform.

Meghan Holder

Director of Operations

Meghan is our Director of Operations, and has a degree in marine & environmental sciences, visual arts with a background in financial services as well. She currently serves as Chair of the Agriculture and Environmental Council for the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce and has been recently named the “Most Charitable Young Professional under 40” in St. Johns County for 2021. She has a passion to help her community through volunteering, educational programs, and philanthropic efforts such as Clean Sweep STA. Wherever she may roam, you won’t find her too far from her pups or the ocean.

Megan Robinson

Illustrator

Megan, a mom of two and a fisherwoman of all, has always been a passionate artist. That creative influence has been cultivated in myriad forms, including freelance graphic design, painting and photography. She came to Mudflower as an Illustrator, but she works designing a multitude of other styles, mediums and projects as well. In Megan’s free time, she enjoys anything outdoorsy or adventurous, dabbling in her entrepreneurial ventures and spending time with family and friends.
Maranda Heykens

GRAPHIC ARTIST

Maranda is a graphic designer that specializes in hand-lettering, typography, illustration, and publication, with her bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and Digital Media from the University of North Florida and has experience in visual art, creative problem solving, event coordination, and management. When she is not working, she can be found playing sudoku, watching the latest new show, or relaxing somewhere by the beach.

Dara S.

CLIENT SERVICES

Dara is an experienced Marketing Specialist with a demonstrated history working in the marketing and advertising industry, specializing in promotions via Social Media. She received her Bachelor’s degree focused in Broadcast Journalism from University of Florida and has experience in radio production and sales, event coordination, graphic and web design, and social media programming. Dara loves Jesus, real country music, the ocean, and her pup Bella.
Geoffrey Grider

FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR

I started with the beginning of the Internet in 1994, and never quit. I have been blessed to work with some of the largest companies in the world, and on some of the coolest projects you could ever imagine. Mudflower is my child, and I wouldn’t want to be anyplace else.

 

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJV)

SPECIALTIES:

CREATIVE | DESIGN | BRANDING