Forget snappy captions and fleeting trends: the social media landscape is shifting, and old rules no longer apply. While a flood of endless doom-scrolling and ‘brain rot’ content is seeing audiences gradually zone out, a new era is dawning. Brands are now trading in quick-hit content for something more meaningful, intentional, and genuinely engaging.

Take the dating app Hinge. In an industry characterised by fleeting and disposable relationships, the company has thrown a curveball by purposely turning to long-form and thoughtful marketing using blogging platform Substack. 

The social platform describes itself as ‘a new economic engine for culture’ with a subscription-based model that enables users to share videos, podcasts and writing (as well as my personal favourite, the literary essay). Substack users have skyrocketed since its inception. It now has over 20 million monthly active subscribers and more than 17,000 earning writers. 

So where does Hinge fit in?

Earlier this year it launched a series of stories on Substack called No Ordinary Love. The anthology series featured a foreword by Roxane Gay, author of bestselling essay collection Bad Feminist, accompanied by short stories from authors including Upasna Barath, Tomasz Jedrowski, William Rayfet Hunter, Hunter Harris and Jen Wiston. 

This rollout was accompanied by OOH advertising in New York and London, pop-up book clubs and strategic partnerships with #BookTok influencers. 

Hinge’s parent company Match Group reported that the app saw a year-on-year increase of 23% at a time when the group as a whole is struggling, with a 4% drop in revenue. Tinder, by comparison, saw a 7% dip in paying users. 

By analysing data patterns in user behaviour and directly reaching out to consumers, Hinge’s shift in approach was informed with users in mind. President and CMO Jackie Jantos told Forbes that “we bring people into the process”. Clearly spotlighting human stories first and foremost is central to appealing to consumers in an algorithm induced stasis.

There is now a growing adverse reaction against short-form, ‘low-value’ content, which has informed consumers’ view of social media marketing tactics. The declaration of a “brain rot summer” in Business Insider is a timely reminder of “the growing frustration with the massive amounts of content we now have to choose from [...] in our world where short-form video and algorithms dictate who sees what”. 

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Book club

Interestingly, it is in this climate that the luxury fashion brand chose to debut its Miu Miu Literary Club. Over the course of two days at an in-person event in Milan, an array of panellists and brand partners gathered to discuss Sibilla Aleramo’s Una donna and Alba De Céspedes’ Quaderno Proibito. 

In line with the brand’s Italian heritage and Miuccia Prada’s own long-running political activism, famously donning Yves Saint Laurent at demonstrations, the choice to spotlight these two landmark feminist texts was incredibly apt. 

The literary club’s second edition spotlighted Simone de Beauvoir’s The Inseparables and Fumiko Enchi’s The Waiting Years with British Vogue’s Liam Hess announcing “Challenging, cerebral, but without taking itself too seriously? It couldn’t be more Miu Miu if it tried”. 

This annual gathering effectively fuses feminist values, intellectual curiosity and, of course, high fashion to reinforce a brand identity that feels less like a campaign and more like a community. 

Ultimately, book clubs create a space for connection. Shifting brand perception from a seller of products to a curator of culture, giving consumers a reason to engage beyond purchases. Unlike a seasonal campaign, gatherings, such as book clubs, foster long-term conversations, building loyalty that extends beyond a single transaction. 

It doesn’t need to stop at book clubs, either. How about wine clubs for drinks brands, yoga retreats for wellness companies, or cookery classes for food businesses? APOC Store’s dinner party celebrating the opening of its newest retail space, hosted in a former industrial building in East London, and Athene Club’s hike, in partnership with Keen, are stellar examples.

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Set the intention

The key takeaway from Miu Miu and Hinge’s literary marketing strategy is less about the reading list and more a reflection of the importance of intention. The idea that consumption needs to be thoughtless and social media campaigns must be fast-paced is a fallacy. This slow, considered and curated approach to brand identity and marketing output resonates with consumers and creates a sense of community. 

Perhaps this is a sign to take inspiration from your local library’s book club: what they might lack in Miu Miu loafers, they more than make up for in community spirit.

If you’re looking to get started on some long-form content for your brand, think about these three Cs…

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CURATE a vibe that aligns with your brand. Long-form content that doesn’t fit with your brand positioning or consumers will do more harm than good.

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COLLABORATE with external voices. Think artists, chefs, filmmakers, writers and individuals that can act as ambassadors; these can all legitimise a brand’s long-form approach.

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CONTRIBUTE to ongoing discussions. Creating high-quality content that becomes an organic part of cultural discussions results in longevity and more meaningful brand interactions.

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‍If you’re interested in developing a cutting edge social media strategy, or long-form content for your brand, drop us an email: hello@battenhall.com.

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