In 2025, the influence of social-first strategies continues to grow, redefining how brands connect with their audiences. With culture and community taking centre stage, success lies in embracing decentralisation, prioritising social intelligence, and fostering collaboration with creators and communities. Ogilvy Social.Lab’s Social-First Brand Building: Key Shifts for 2025 provides a blueprint for navigating this transformation, equipping brands and agencies with insights to remain culturally relevant, grow sustainably, and lead in the attention economy.

Shaping the social-first era

To thrive in a fragmented and fast-moving digital landscape, brands must evolve. The report identifies five critical shifts that redefine marketing and engagement strategies. Together, they offer a roadmap for building brands that resonate deeply with today’s culture-savvy consumers.

Social-first as the new marketing model

At the heart of this shift is a fundamental change: social platforms are no longer secondary channels – they’re now the starting point. Brands that prioritise social insights can unlock unparalleled opportunities by co-creating with communities and delivering campaigns that feel truly authentic.

Harnessing social intelligence for agility

As the speed of culture accelerates, actionable insights from real-time data are a non-negotiable advantage. Social intelligence enables brands to anticipate trends, understand consumer sentiment, and act with agility to maintain relevance. Leading brands leverage AI-powered tools to unearth emerging cultural currents, guiding everything from product innovation to creator collaborations.

Redefining brand identity in the digital age

In a crowded online environment, distinctiveness is more critical than ever. Social-first brands are building recognisable, consistent identities while adopting a creator mindset – producing original, shareable content that captivates audiences across platforms.

Adapting for cultural agility

A long-term vision is no longer enough. The modern brand strategy demands flexibility, blending always-on planning with the ability to pivot based on live cultural moments. With seamless collaboration and experimentation, brands can strike the perfect balance between structure and spontaneity.

Omnichannel transformation with social at the core

The shift to social-first doesn’t mean abandoning other channels. Instead, it’s about integrating social principles across touchpoints to create cohesive customer experiences that inspire loyalty, from online buzz to offline activations.

Download the full report to gain the actionable insights you need to drive growth, cultural relevance and success in the attention economy.