WORKWEEK

Timeless social media lessons from a $400,000+ car

I fell down a rabbit hole over the weekend…

After a few weekends downtown I (aka my struggling body) decided it was time to hibernate for a minimum of 48 hours.

So:

• I got tons of sleep
• I spent wayyyy too much time on TikTok and YouTube

And apparently my YouTube algorithm thinks I’m a lot wealthier than I actually am because it took me deep down a luxury car + fashion rabbit hole LOL.

One video that stood out to me was titled Why Rolls-Royce Cars Are So Expensive.

So… why are Rolls Royce cars so expensive?

Why is the base price for it’s ‘cheapest’ model somewhere in the $300-400K range?

One word:

Bespoke.

By definition, bespoke means “made for a particular customer or user.”

So no two Rolls Royce cars are the same.

Yes. The frame is of two Phantoms is similar. But once you factor in the absurd customizations requested by patrons… the cars are unique as can be.

• One patron requested 1000 diamonds be infused into the coating
• One patron made the dashboard into a bespoke art gallery
• One patron (Drake) replaced the usual “Spirit of Ecstasy” model with a custom OVO crest which brought the car’s total to over one million dollars

And you know what’s even crazier??

There’s ONE person in the entire company who’s qualified to add a custom pinstripe to the side of a Rolls — Mark Court.

If a patron in Dubai requests for the pinstripe to be added to their car, well, Mark’s flying to Dubai to make it happen (and probably paid handsomely to do so).

What a G.

The elite level of customization is what makes a Rolls Royce so special — and also what makes them so expensive.

It’s why a Wraith is so prestigious compared to a stock BMW 3-series that someone with poor financial literacy gets just to flex on Instagram when come into a small sum of money (oops 😬).

Now that we’ve established that, you still have a pressing question:

What on earth does this have to do with social media??

Simple.

The most effective social media strategies are also bespoke.

The most effective social media strategies — and the most respected social media strategies — are also “made for a particular customer or user.”

Sure. There are general frameworks that work across brands.

Just like there’s a Rolls Royce:

• Phantom
• Wraith
• Cullinan

There are also proven formats that work in social media:

• Entertainment + humor
• Education
• Inspiration

(Not an exhaustive list… but you get the point)

Templates will only get you so far.

Each brand has a unique brand voice.

Each brand has a unique set of content series that draw you to it.

When you revert to templates and try to just ‘copy what works’ — you blend into the crowd.

Sure. You might gain some traction by trend-hopping with no original thought.

Someone flexing in a 3-series also turns a few heads.

But wouldn’t you rather build a best-in-class social presence?

One that nobody — competitor or not — can replicate?

Yes. It takes longer. It takes more effort. And if I’m being honest…

There’s probably a higher chance that a content idea fails if you’re trying something new.

That’s all fine.

Because in the long run you’ll be better off.

Your brand will have a real community of customers — not bots or superficially inflated metrics.

And you’ll free yourself from the constant, ever-exhausting cycle of trend chasing.

Oh — and one more thing — you’ll be far more valuable as a social media manager.

Anyone can replicate cheap tactics like clickbait and engagement pods to ‘blow up’ an account.

Only a select group of people can create an engaging, effective, well respected social media strategy from scratch.

So… the takeaway?

Treat your social media strategy like a Rolls Royce — and put yourself in the position to be the ‘Mark Court’ of whatever brand you’re working with.

Better results. Higher pay. It’s a no brainer.

That’s all I’ve got for you today.