The Sweet Tooth of Social Media

The Sweet Tooth of Social Media

Author: Convince & Convert October 18, 2024 Duration: 35:40

Candy fans unite! This episode is for you. Grab your favorite flavor of Nerds or indulge in some controversial candy corn and tune in to hear Annie Belgrade, Senior Manager of Integrated Content Marketing at Ferrara Candy Company, talk about finding the sweet spot in your social strategy. 

Full Episode Details 

Annie Belgrade joins us in the run-up to Ferrara Candy Company's busiest time of year aka the "Super Bowl" of candy season, Halloween. With months of advance planning to real-time engagement, she reveals how Ferrara keeps its finger on the pulse of candy conversations across social media.

She talks about the challenges of managing multiple brand personalities under Ferrara Candy Company and how her team assigns unique voices to each depending on the audience that favors each brand. Conversations over social media with each brand are the results of tireless manual work, seeking out trending topics and candy talk on each platform. The result? Authentic and relatable content that feels like you're chatting to a friend with a sweet tooth. 

We hear how Ferrara Candy Company manages both organic and paid social, and why "LoFi" content is their preferred style over presenting a "polished façade." As a bonus, Annie also shares a secret recipe that might just convert the candy corn haters. 

In This Episode:

  • 3:41 - An introduction to Annie's role at Ferrara Candy Company
  • 4:39 - How Annie's team manage content during the busy holiday season through social listening and organic engagement
  • 7:22 - The importance of manual work over automation
  • 10:35 - A candy corn combo that might even convert the haters
  • 11:42 - How Annie's team manages accounts for at least 10 different brands
  • 14:22 - How they determine which brands and platforms get more attention
  • 16:27 - Why paid and organic social should complement each other
  • 18:28 - Why "LoFi" content is gaining popularity
  • 19:22 - What bugs vs. excites Annie about working with social media
  • 21:53 - Annie shares her experience of winning a film fest award on TikTok
  • 25:01 - How Ferrara Candy Company works with influencers and got a surprise endorsement from Kylie Jenner
  • 28:58 - The most important social channels for Annie's team
  • 30:12 - Annie's predictions for the future of content and influencer marketing
  • 32:42 - Annie's top tip for those aiming to become a social pro

Resources 

Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.


For years, Social Pros Podcast has served as an essential meeting point for those who do the real work in digital marketing. Created by Convince & Convert, this isn't a theoretical discussion; it's a deep dive into the practical realities of managing social media within larger business ecosystems. The conversations here consistently explore how platforms intersect with brand strategy, content creation, public relations, and paid media, moving beyond hype to examine measurable impact. You'll hear directly from the people behind the profiles at major organizations like Google, Reddit, Uber, and Oracle, gaining insight into their successes and the challenges they navigate daily. The longevity of this podcast is a testament to its value, offering a accumulated wealth of knowledge from hundreds of candid interviews and expert commentaries. Each episode functions like a focused case study, breaking down the "how" and "why" behind decisions that drive genuine business results. If you're looking to understand the evolving role of social media beyond the latest trend, this series provides a grounded, insider perspective that has educated a generation of marketing professionals. Tune in to hear the actual pros discuss the work that rarely makes it into a polished tweet or case study.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Social Pros Podcast
Podcast Episodes
How Mayo Clinic Dominates Social Media [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:42
Lee Aase, Director of the Mayo Clinic Social Media Network, joins the Social Pros Podcast to share his successful approach to maximizing one-to-one customer journeys across all social touchpoints, both internal and exter…
Which People Skills Are Most Important in Social Media [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:00
Dave Kerpen, CEO of Likeable Local, joins the Social Pros Podcast to discuss his new book "The Art of People" and how proper listening can make you a better person, partner, and social pro. Special thanks to our sponsors…
Why Social Media Customer Service Is the New Marketing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:15
Jay Baer, President of Convince & Convert, joins his own Social Pros Podcast to discuss "Hug Your Haters" and why 80 percent of businesses think they are delivering great customer service but only 8 percent of those cust…
How to Use Influencers to Amplify Social Media [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:34
Heidi Sullivan and Todd Cameron, Senior VP at Cision and Head of Content and Strategy at TapInfluence respectively, join the Social Pros Podcast to discuss their brand new Influence Pros Podcast and how influencers are c…
How Publix Loves Their Customers in Social Media [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:22
Kandi Steiner, Senior Social Media Specialist for Publix Super Markets, joins the Social Pros Podcast to reveal how a chain of 1,100 stores maintains close relationships with all their customers through social. Special t…
Social Media Authenticity Lessons From Nicki Minaj [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:14
Matt See, Director of Social Media and Games at HSN, joins the Social Pros Podcast to share his path to social authenticity which begins and ends with the individual customer. Special thanks to our sponsors: Salesforce M…
How to Train 80,000 People to Use Social Video Effectively [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:50
Lindsay Listanski, Senior Manager of Media Engagement for Coldwell Banker, joins the Social Pros Podcast to share her approach to using social video and how it can motivate a business team of 80,000 to success. Special t…
How to Combine Social Media and B2B Marketing Automation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:06
Neil Tolbert, Digital Marketing Manager for Mack Trucks, joins Social Pros to discuss the B2B advantage for using marketing automation to capture leads, drive sales, and enrich client relationships. Special thanks to our…
The Must-Follow Principles of B2B Social Media Success [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:44
Jonathan Wichmann, Co-Founder of Orca Social, joins Social Pros to share his expertise and key insights on creating a successful B2B social presence. Special thanks to our sponsors: Salesforce Marketing Cloud (#Winning a…
Why Agencies Get Fired so Often [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:33
Susan Baier and Drew McLellan, Founders of Audience Audit Inc. and Agency Management Institute respectively, join Jay and Adam on Social Pros to discuss the surprising reasons why companies give agencies their walking pa…