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 Priceline Uses Instagram to Build Fan Engagement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:41
Karianne Stinson, a third-generation travel agent that has become the social voice for Priceline.com, shares her secret of successfully using Instagram to re-imagine Priceline's relationship with their community while qu…
Why Failing Fast Is Stupid in Social Media [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:07
Jeffrey Hayzlett, global business celebrity and Chairman of C-Suite Network, joins the Social Pros Podcast to share his successful approach to corporate level social media community building and how cleaning bathrooms ca…
Which Makes Social Work: Inspiration or Perspiration? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:53
Scott Stratten, President of UnMarketing, joins the Social Pros Podcast this week to discuss the balance of quality and quantity in content marketing, as well as the ways he uses platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Perisco…
How HP Balances Social Marketing With Social Customer Service [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:59
Kriti Kapoor, Global Director of Social Customer Care at HP Inc., joins the Social Pros Podcast to discuss the myriad ways customer service has had to adapt to social media, which platforms are best for solving which typ…
How Qantas Uses Employees to Tell the Brand Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:42
Jo Boundy, Head of Digital and Entertainment, joins the Social Pros Podcast this week to discuss employee advocacy on social media and the shift toward lo-fi content quality as marketing is expected to be more authentic…
How to Sell on Social When You're Not Trying to Sell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:23
Richard Margetic, Former Director of Global Business at Intuit, joins the Social Pros Podcast this week to discuss social media's role at different stages of the sales funnel and throughout every department of an organiz…
How to Give the Best Presentations of Your Life, Onstage and Off [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:04
Michael Port, Owner of Book Yourself Solid, joins the Social Pros Podcast this week to discuss the key elements of stellar performances, whether they are speeches onstage or presentations offstage. Special thanks to our…
A Mathematical Model to Pick the Right Marketing Tactics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:38
Gabriel Weinberg, CEO & Founder of DuckDuckGo, joins the Social Pros Podcast this week to discuss the 19 ways your startup can get traction with your marketing, outlined in his co-authored book "Traction." Special thanks…
How to Use Social Media to Delight Current Employees [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:00
Chris Ebbeler, Senior Manager of Workplace Community at Brinker International, joins the Social Pros Podcast this week to discuss how to use social media to engage current and potential employees and how to collaborate b…