Social Butterflies: The Creativity Spectrum With Eliza Florendo

Eliza Florendo is a strategic storyteller with 10+ years of experience in editorial, social, and digital. She’s a writer, content creator, culture expert, and a bridge between creative and strategy—so she can think big, then make it happen. Eliza has worked with brands across fashion and beauty, auto, and food and beverage—from Refinery29, to Nike, Converse, Maserati, Basil Hayden, and more.

LBB> What’s the most significant development or trend shaping the social space right now?

Eliza> We’ve seen AI and deepfakes play a trend in social for a little while now—starting with Maybelline’s larger-than-life mascara application on the London tube to Jacquemus’ oversized bags driving down the street. As consumers, and marketers, these had us turning our heads and asking, “Wait, is this real?” Over a year later, we’re still seeing this trend develop and continue. 

Every platform functions so differently–and the way they function evolves over time and there’s a lot of fun to be had on social, from shoppable livestreams to AI filters–so where are you finding the most satisfying or exciting creative opportunities right now (and can you give an example of a campaign that demonstrates that)?

I’m absolutely in love with Jacquemus’ latest campaigns on social. They’ve recently done a whole series on Rube Goldberg machines, which I thought was genius. I love how the brand plays on whimsy, playing with size, scale, and also incorporating social media darlings: Alex Consani on a row machine, oversized handbag in tow, scarf flying? Incredible. It’s the sort of content that actually stops users in their scroll. It’s somehow nothing and everything about the product at the same time.

LBB> Social media is a space for brands to be a bit more human–but how do you walk the line between personable and twee?

Eliza> I think it all comes down to authenticity. Warning: Marketing buzzword, hah! But it’s true, there are certain brands that can get away with being more human and personable, even sometimes unhinged, and others that can’t.

I think brands need to be very strategic with how they peel the curtain back, and make sure those tactics align with their overall brand and strategy. Some brands can get away with the raw, real. Other brands make more sense in the polished, curated world. But always be true to who you are as a brand. People can smell a mile away if you’re not being authentic.

One example of GALE doing this really well is our work with Tequila Don Julio for Día de Muertos. To honour and celebrate this deeply meaningful holiday, we created Celebración, a five-episode docuseries that beautifully showcased the brand’s authentic Mexican heritage. The series highlighted the heart and soul of Día de Muertos through the stories of four Mexican creators sharing their ofrendas, offering a genuine reflection of tradition while aligning Don Julio with its cultural roots. 

LBB> What does ‘craft’ mean to you in a social context?

Eliza> Creative exists in a spectrum, and the pendulum always swings. A few years ago, as a response to the perfectly curated Instagram aesthetic, we saw the rise of people posting memes that were purposefully ironic and visually unappealing imagery and design. Users pushed social to be more real, unhinged, “in it.”

We’ve seen it work successfully for brands like Slim Jim, McDonald’s, Nutter Butter. They gained so much love from audiences that were looking for something new, the antithesis to the perfection influencers served up.

Now, we’ve almost gone the other way—we’re back to polished, but with a more thoughtful approach. We’ve truly gone high-low, and we’re seeing a huge rise in single creators that are making these almost mini films.

A great example of how to mix craft and social is SSENSE. Their feed is elevated, simple, clean, yet their content remains social-first, as they take trending subjects, lingo, and cultural niches and marry them into their design. The result is a brand that “gets it,” but still feels true to their aesthetic.

LBB> Organic, paid, influencers, social search–how do you approach figuring out the best way to reach audiences?

Eliza> At GALE, we have a social-first marketing team. Social-first doesn’t mean social media alone– nor is it confined to social platforms; it requires a synchronized team of experts across PR, social, influencer, content, creator, social, community management, and paid media that operates both in feed and in real life.

The idea is that organic, paid, and earned aren’t in silos, but, in fact, operate together—in concert with a holistic strategy—to get the best possible reach - both in platform and in real life. The key is creating content tailored for each channel that drives community, conversation and culture based on . real audience insight. Things people really care about.

Our approach is a mix of science: data, plus a team with their finger on the pulse of culture. That insight drives a creative idea which lives across all the channels you mentioned, but, again, tailored for each platform.

This unique approach fosters connection and community by meeting our audience where they already gather, designing new hubs that cater to their shared interests, and encouraging dialogue with the very voices driving trends forward.

LBB> Social media can be brutal–on a personal level, how do you deal with that aspect of the role and helping your teams on the front line?

Eliza> Working in social can be really difficult—you’re chronically online, 24/7, you see the good, the bad, the really ugly. It’s by far the most visible department to work in. As soon as you hit publish, your work can so quickly be seen, reviewed, nit-picked. And because the nature of social is meant to be agile, there are some things that need to be sacrificed. 

As someone working in social, people sometimes assume you’re a strategist, content creator, photographer, editor, community manager, and analyst. We’re expected to wear many hats! So on a personal level, I try to advocate for my team to dismantle that assumption, and try to get support where we can. And just try to bring the fun back to social where we can.

We also try to come together in a monthly forum and ongoing group message to support in areas we need help in–from knowledge sharing to just dropping our favourite social campaigns.

LBB> What are the biggest missteps you see brands making most regularly on social media?

Eliza> I have been guilty of doing this, so no shade to brands that do this—but, for me, a big misstep is blindly following trends without first thinking back to the brand strategy and brand image. The internet can be such a fun place, and when we see a trending audio, format, or video, we want to jump in. And, for some brands, that’s the right strategy. But it’s not for every single brand. I love a test-and-learn, but content should always tie back to who the brand is.

LBB> How are you applying AI in your day-to-day role, and what have been your key insights/observations about the best way to approach it in the campaigns you’ve worked on?

Eliza> At GALE, we have a proprietary culture-sensing tool, which enables us to see real-time culture opportunities for our brands. It’s an incredibly powerful tool to see which types of conversations are happening that we could possibly tap into. I love using it to brainstorm opportunities, but the buck doesn’t stop there. The next step is asking, “So what?” 

LBB> Thinking longer term, where do you see the biggest risks and opportunities when it comes to AI in social?

Eliza> I worry the younger generation will be unable to tell what’s real versus what’s AI. I also worry about the loss of real creative. Opportunities are endless–again, from an inspiration standpoint. But, with limits.

LBB> When you’re not working, what social platforms and content do you  personally enjoy engaging with and why? What creators, influencers and social communities do you really love?

Eliza> Like most folks working in social, I love TikTok. I think it’s such a powerful tool for democratised learning. I absolutely love long-from analysis on fashion trends and marketing trends. I watched a video the other day about art versus content that kinda blew my mind. I also love it for learning spreadsheet and presentation hacks.

LBB> What advice would you give to people who are looking to get into social, whether as creatives, strategists or producers?

Eliza> Early on in your career, learn about social from a holistic point of view—how all the levers come together (influencer, organic, paid). In every piece of content, think audience-first: What is this asset telling me? What context do I need to understand what I’m looking at? What kind of creative do people care about?

Surround yourself with people with different talents (creatives, strategists, producers, etc.). Learn what they do, and how it plays into what you do. Exchange ideas. Brainstorm together. 

I have not quite figured this out yet: learn how to use social in your professional sense, but also learn how to separate from it when you need to. 

Lastly, have fun.