If you’re new here, we talk all things social. From being social in person to social in media. Showcasing creators that are crushing it on social media and how brands can be doing better with their social strategies.

Our Last Event: Social4TheWin x Vue Collection

We hosted a private event for roughly 30-40 individuals in our network, in partnership with Vue Collection, a luxury members-only booking platform hosts a curated selection of exclusive and luxury island resorts in the Maldives.

We had an incredible night where we shared never-before-discussed insights into the travel space.

As a special gift to our attendees, we gave away three free trips to the Maldives (excluding international flights).

Here are our winners!

• Megha Singh won a 5-night stay at the Heritance Aarah with unlimited dining and drinks with seaplane transfers.

• Hailey Omello won a 3-night stay at the Lux South Ari with 3 nights daily breakfast and dinner with seaplane transfers.

• Savannah Crowley won a 5-night stay at the Seaside Finolhu with daily breakfast and dinner as well as a seaplane transfer.

We hope to be able to provide exclusive opportunities like this and more to our audience of established creators as we continue to build our events platform.

Insights From The Night:

We also provided in-depth insights into how creators can effectively monetize their travels. If you're interested in learning more, here’s the one-sheet we shared at the end of the night. I believe that if you're a creator—whether focused on travel, lifestyle, photography, dance, finance, or any other niche—you have the potential to make hundreds of thousands of dollars on your journeys.

Partners From The Night: 

Thank you to our incredible partners. If you would like to see the brands that provided products for the night please see below.

Hotel Partners:

• Heritance Aarah 

• Lux South Ari

• Seaside Finolhu

Brand Partners:

• Anais: Superfood beauty supplement that you drink.

• Saturday Skin: K-Beauty clean skincare.

• Dashing Diva: At-home gel nail strips.

• Factor Form: Nutrition powder supplement.

• More Labs: Morning recovery drink.

Beverage Partner:

Zakuska Vodka: premium unfiltered vodka made for shooting.

Photos From The Night:

If you’d like to catch up on highlights from the night or view photos from the event, whether you were able to join us or not, please take a look below.

Special thanks to our amazing photographer, Leonard Okpor (@mindsetter_), for capturing the night beautifully.

And, of course, a huge thank you to our wonderful partners at Vue Collection, Sue and David Kang, for making it all possible. We hope to bring more exciting opportunities to our Social4TheWin community to win trips to other incredible destinations!

Our Next Event:

We have one more event to round out the year coming up on December 3rd. We're also planning our 2025 event schedule, focusing on bringing in partners, hosting co-branded events like our recent collaboration with NY Swim Week, and ultimately creating an environment where creators can thrive and meaningful partnerships can flourish.

December 3rd: Social4TheWin x Dunkyard

Join us for From Field to Feed, an exclusive event exploring the evolving landscape of athlete branding, the rise of athlete-led media companies, and the powerful synergy between creators and the sports industry. In today’s world, athletes must build personal brands that resonate far beyond their athletic accomplishments, while brands are increasingly eager to develop meaningful, long-term collaborations. We’ll discuss how athletes, much like influencers, use social platforms to build impactful media businesses, cultivate long-term brand partnerships, and expand their influence beyond the field.

This event is tailored for the sports industry, gathering sports marketers, athletes, and creators who have positioned themselves close to the world of sports. If this is you, RSVP below. Managers if you would like to attend we ask that you bring your talent.

THE INDUSTRY:

The airline industry stands out in the social media space for one big reason: the passengers do the marketing for them—often unintentionally. Unlike other industries, where brands push narratives, airlines are subjected to a flood of unfiltered, real-time content created by their customers. Every passenger with a smartphone and a grievance feels like an unofficial brand ambassador… or critic. Social media gets flooded with posts about:

• Delayed or canceled flights: Is there anything more viral than a stranded traveler’s misery?

• Issues with airline staff: One bad interaction, and your customer service rep becomes a trending topic.

• Turbulence: Nothing says "viral video" like a plane jostling in mid-air while everyone clutches their armrests in terror.

• Crazy passengers: The mile-high circus is alive and well, from mid-flight arguments to TikToks of bizarre behavior in row 24.

• Mishandled situations: Whether it's oversold flights or luggage heading to the wrong continent, these stories become memes faster than you can say “gate change.”

As someone who already white-knuckles every takeoff because dying in the sky sounds like the world’s worst Yelp review, let me just say that none of these posts makes flying more appealing. Let me know when we have instant teleportation pads.

For airlines, social media represents a constant uphill battle. The sheer amount of negative press from passengers means that no matter how much content a brand pushes out, it will always be drowned out by the lived experiences of consumers. But here’s the thing: airlines rarely seem to rise to the occasion. Damage control is often clumsy or nonexistent. Transparency feels like a rarity. And leaning in to connect with audiences? Almost unheard of.

There’s a massive opportunity for airlines to use social media differently—not just as a megaphone for promotions, but as a genuine tool for connection and communication. Imagine the goodwill they could build by responding to criticism with empathy, owning their mistakes, or even joining the humor of the internet when the skies get turbulent. Because if they don’t take the narrative into their own hands, passengers will always be ready and waiting to do it for them.

The skies may not always be friendly, but the timeline never is.

CREATIVE CONCEPTS:

1. Inside the Cockpit

A snappy, short-form podcast series directly answering the burning questions everyone has about the airline industry. Think 2-3 minute episodes, shot casually in the cockpit or with pilots holding a phone and recording voice notes during downtime. Cover everything from, “How often do pilots nap?” to “What really happens during turbulence?” The goal is to demystify aviation with humor, personality, and insider insight.

2. The Secret Life of Pilots

What do pilots and flight attendants really do on layovers? "The Secret Life of Pilots" explores the off-duty adventures of Delta’s crew members in destinations around the globe. Whether it’s finding the best coffee in Paris, surfing in Honolulu, or visiting hidden gems in Tokyo, this series humanizes the Delta team and inspires wanderlust.

Numerous stewardesses and pilots are already posting on social media. Employee Generated Content (EGC) is becoming more popular and few companies have armies of young people not behind a compute screen, this army is traveling the world. If an airline leveraged their employees, taught them social media, explained what was appropriate and not, and built an internal team to create content across the globe they would be successful.

3. The Young & The Delta

A tongue-in-cheek, low-production series documenting dramatic romances (and near misses) between pilots, flight attendants, and even passengers. Think of it as The Office meets The Bachelor, set entirely in the world of air travel. Shot casually with dramatic close-ups, exaggerated acting, and funny dialogue, this series dives into the hilarious, awkward, and sweet moments happening in-flight.

United literally did this concept, but they did it once and it was highly produced.

Each concept offers a unique way to highlight Delta’s personality and engage audiences. From informative podcasts to inspiring travel adventures and binge-worthy drama, these ideas are designed to soar across platforms and reach a variety of audiences.

INFLUENCER PARTNER:

Delta teamed up with Jack’s Dining Room to highlight the luxurious new Delta One Experience at JFK.

@jacksdiningroom

This is what it’s like to fly the brand new Delta One experience at JFK

#travel #delta #firstclass #airport #airportlounge #firstclasstra... See more

The content showcases the standout amenities:

• Gourmet dining options

• Private shower suite

• Wellness center

• Exclusive bar with complimentary drinks.

• Premium in-flight experience, featuring first-class seating and the full suite of high-end perks.

The video closes with a compelling question:

“Would you pay $2,000 for this?” 

While it may seem like an obvious addition, this conversational hook sets it apart, encouraging engagement in a way many ads fail to achieve. Integrating a product into content seamlessly is no small feat.

The collaboration feels like a natural fit.

Jack’s Dining Room focuses on food reviews and travel, making him an ideal partner to spotlight Delta’s culinary and luxury offerings. The video performed impressively, with:

• 900k views

• 74k likes

• ~700 comments

• 5,500 saves

• 12.5k shares.

Most commenters were stunned by the price, expressing their willingness to pay $2,000 for such an experience.

That said, I’m curious if Delta will partner with him again. While the video is informative and aligns with Jack’s brand, a follow-up activation would need to take a fresh approach, at least from my perspective. It’s also unclear how Delta measured the ROI or any direct impact on bookings from this campaign.

Since Jack does fly across the country for food content it seems like a natural fit for Delta to continuously be brought into his content, even if they’re just comping his flights. With Jack’s upcoming foofd festival, Yes Chef Food Fest, launching summer of 2025 in Williamsburg, I think there’s just another reason for Delta to partner with him.

UGC SPOTLIGHT: Delta x Shake Shack

This video probably isn’t making Delta pop champagne—it hilariously roasts the new Shake Shack partnership in a way only TikTok can. The creator captures the excitement of scoring Shake Shack on a flight but takes a sharp comedic turn, pointing out the inevitable consequences of serving burgers and fries at 35,000 feet. His ultimate takeaway? He has zero interest in joining the “Mile High Pooping Club.” Honestly, fair.

And let’s not ignore the real issue here: airplane bathrooms. As someone over six feet tall and 200 pounds, every trip to one feels like playing a game of Twister inside a shoebox. Delta, we appreciate the effort, but if Shake Shack is on the menu, might we suggest expanding those lavatories—or at least installing a fan with the power of a jet engine?

@slamminsammyswank

If your confused Delta Airlines just announced they are gonna be serving shake shack 🍔 in fight #deltaairlines #shakeshack #airplane