What you need to know about social media strategy as a legacy brand in India

Social media has been a playground for many new brands to get drafted into the leagues and eventually become household names, Zomato, Swiggy, Duolingo, Ryanair, and even newer ones like The Whole Truth Foods. These brands have utilized the social space for all its worth, creating fanfare, viral moments, and, of course, mental availability - something all brands die to achieve (I hope they do).

But an interesting trend post-COVID was the advent of legacy brands on social media. A lot of new-age brands may be inspired by legacy brands’ business models and innovations, but it's the other way around on social. Legacy brands have been inspired by the new-age ones, summoned their teams to send out RFPs, shortlisted their favorite agency, and started their social media footprint in the hopes of achieving what the new-age ones have achieved.

Have they gotten out of social media what they hoped for? Absolutely not

Barring a few, legacy brands in India have very little idea what they’re doing online. Redundant KPIs and skewed ways to report them, thanks to top management, have made their accounts a dull place to visit for audiences online, who are seeking one thing and one thing only from social media: value. In the form of entertainment or knowledge.  

If you’re a legacy brand that India already knows about, here’s how you should be strategizing on social media.  

Know Your Strengths  

You already have a great deal of familiarity  

You have the biggest gift a marketer could ask for: familiarity. Your brand is known, the audience has nostalgic memories with it, and it has a lower perceived risk. They want to know what you have to say, and that in itself will lead to higher engagement.  

You have so much more to talk about  

You’ve existed for a long time. You have a lot more stories in your kitty. You can create content by the dozen thanks to the sheer volume of assets you’ve built over the years.  

You have user-generated content in abundance  

When my firm won the mandate for Anupam Stationery, one of India’s legacy stationery brands, our social listening team discovered and uncovered tremendous UGC already created for the brand over the years, thanks to the love art enthusiasts have for it. This works as a big advantage for legacy brands, as newer ones struggle to create UGC. They even go to the extent of hiring agencies that specialize in UGC. However, it should be the first resort for a legacy brand, as you are already miles ahead in this domain.  

Know Your Weaknesses  

You’re too serious for social

India loves your brand. They’ve been using it for years. Your products have kept up with the times. But let’s face it. Your brand may be cool, but your social media presence? Not so much Legacy brands fail to loosen up online. Social media needs brand teams to be a lot more 'chill' about things, trends, language, jokes, and relatability. There is a lot of resistance among senior management at legacy brands when it comes to creating relatable content. In some cases, it’s correct, you can’t be frivolous. But in many cases, you end up losing out by choosing safer options.  

You’re slow. Too slow 

Social media is a lot about trends. It’s about what’s happening now. Your team thinks of something fun (or serious) but relevant. There are multiple levels of approvals. More often than not, someone in the corner office wants to understand it better, so the entire concept presentation gets pushed to their next available slot, which may be a week away. What happens then? The concept is loved and approved, only it’s not relevant anymore. Social media moves quickly, and it deserves quick approvals (and rejections) in return.  

You need to know: External audiences > Internal audiences  

Legacy brands have a lot of stakeholders who have been extremely loyal to the brand. However, you can’t create content keeping them in mind. It may sound obvious, but many legacy brands create content that they think the internal team likes, rather than focusing on what actually works on social media.  

Final Thoughts  

All in all, create content that adds value to your audience. As we say at Admatazz, the biggest and first question you need to ask is, Why will your audience follow your account? Answer this honestly, and then invest in content accordingly. Hub content brings great reach organically if done correctly. You have the familiarity, you have the users already, you just need your content to reach them and add value to their lives, in a fun or educational way.

You don’t have to be the 'next Zomato' on social. Just be yourself, and you’ll see that it’s a lot more impactful.

Remember, Legacy brands aren’t just about heritage, they're about shaping the future. Done right, your social media strategy won’t just preserve your legacy; it will leave one behind for generations to come.

This article is penned by Yash Chandiramani, Founder and Chief Strategist, Admatazz

Disclaimer: The article features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of the publication.