Last week at Forum, we were joined by Nadezhda Camperlengo, VP / Head of Social, and Alana Gleason, Planning Director, Social at The Martin Agency. They gave us a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build bold, culturally relevant social work for their clients.
The Power (and Challenge) of Social
They opened with a sharp reminder: “Your biggest threat isn’t another brand—it’s invisibility.”
With 85% of ads on social completely ignored, standing out requires creativity, bravery (especially from clients), and fresh takes rooted in brand truth.
Unlike many agencies, Martin doesn’t silo its social team. Social experts are fully integrated across departments, working alongside creatives, strategists and production on traditional brand campaigns.
Building Resonant Work
Camperlengo and Gleason highlighted how The Martin Agency’s social work for Miracle-Gro has evolved through a series of distinctive, conversation-starting campaigns.
Their “Edible Gardening” campaign leaned into the traditional definition of growing produce, herbs and other edible plants with cannabis culture to reach new, younger audiences. Featuring rapper, chef, and TV host Action Bronson, the campaign blended humor and authenticity to celebrate edible gardening in every sense of the phrase.
The 2025 campaign “Full Bush Summer” took a bolder approach. Using reality TV star Gabby Windey in a funny-as-hell intro to launch the concept, the campaign used social-first storytelling to push Miracle-Gro further into cultural conversation. While cheeky on the surface, its humor built on a deeper conversation around body autonomy and the ways women’s bodies have been policed throughout history. Martin framed it as a reclamation of natural expression and self-ownership, rooted in the brand’s playful, down-to-earth voice.
The team also shared how they’ve tapped into subcultures like goth gardening and cottagecore, showing the flexibility of Miracle-Gro’s brand world. Each campaign connected with audiences through tone and context, rather than relying solely on visuals or seasonal messaging.
As they put it: “Just because something’s resonant doesn’t mean it’s relevant.”They prioritized valuable actions over vanity metrics, and kept co-creation at the core. They involve clients in the creative process, and sometimes feature actual employees in content.
Creative Strategy Meets Cultural Savvy
Their process often starts with Reddit deep dives and TikTok subculture tracking, like the edible gardening trend that inspired one of their biggest 2024 moments.
Martin’s rapid-response culture allows teams to jump on trends fast (“Bush is back in 2025”) and keep the work fresh and timely. One campaign even reached the equivalent of 11 Super Bowl ads—at 1/600th of the cost.
Working with Clients: Bravery and Buy-In
Helping clients “be brave” is part of the job. The team builds confidence through proof points—showing that audiences are already engaging with the conversation.
Their advice: “Chase clients, not brands.” Build trust, start small, and scale up bold ideas. They also emphasized that it’s easier to tone down than tone up, so start big and adjust if needed.
Leadership support is key. As a creative director, Camperlengo hosts “vibe check” sessions and creative office hours to encourage experimentation, vulnerability, and feedback.
AI, Authenticity & Subculture Fluency
Camperlengo and Gleason see AI as an amplifier, not a replacement. “AI isn’t new. It’s a tool. We use it to test, not to trick.”
Rather than generating full content with AI, Martin uses it to enhance human creativity. Social strategists also run burner accounts to stay close to niche communities and “get weird in the feeds.”
One guiding principle: “If your work’s for everyone, it’s generic. You’ll inevitably piss someone off—and that’s okay.”
Final Takeaways
- Creatives and Strategists! Be besties. Creative and strategy are inseparable and make each other better.
- Mirror your muses. Learn from the creators your audience already loves.
- Be relevant, not just resonant.
- Make the world something you want to be a part of. It will make your content stand out.
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