By now, we’re all familiar with his viral orange peeling videos, however the lead up to Vic Mensa’s new Instagram style was strategic, intentional, and a little genius. Consistency and planning, this is the advice marketing queen Jacolyn Carrasco (@juicyjackieee) gave the rapper and activist making his social performance a success story this year.
Vic has always been active, but a few months ago I noticed him posting more frequently and experimenting with new content styles and ways of shooting video. “The difference in production style has me learning to use a cinema camera” he shared with me, adding that his Instagram follower count has increased by 400K since April!
Jacolyn shared with us that initially, Vic was hesitant to produce more formal content and was weary of being perceived as an influencer. She reassured him that he’s been influential since before influencing was a thing, and likened social content as another tool to help promote his work. After that they brainstormed a number of different ideas, and began using a content calendar to better plan when to post.
Some of their most successful early ideas were his throwback videos, a collaboration with the 93 boys, and simply posting videos of Vic doing regular activities like chilling in the car or at the gym. Another idea Jackie had was for him to consider alternate channels, adding streaming as a new way to get his ideas out there.
The effort to improve Vic’s social has payed off. According to infludata, since September alone he’s gained 52K followers, that’s a 5% increase over the last 2 months. On average he receives 11,000 likes and 253 comments per post, according to hypeauditor. which are solid numbers for an artist with 1M+ followers. The numbers are especially remarkable considering the fact that Vic’s an Indy artist with a lean team, often shooting and editing content himself.
While Vic has tightened up his strategy with regard to planning and content style, we must emphasize how his content thematically resonates with his followers. His commitment to social activism and the way in which he allows himself to be vulnerable deeply resonate with millennials and gen Z. It’s obvious he’s authentic, and not simply trying to sell something. His strategy leans heavily on authenticity, control of content, consistent output, and connecting with fans on a deeper level beyond just music.
