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Meet Jack — the semi-pro basketballer strategizing the future of social media in NYC

Author

Brett Dashevsky
January 25, 2024

Hey! Welcome to the Creator Economy NYC newsletter — the premier place for all things creator economy in the Big Apple.

Quick update: You should now expect this newsletter to land in your inbox every Thursday afternoon!

This week, I’m spotlighting Jack Appleby — the creator of Future Social and a social media expert in our community. In the fast-paced world of social media and influencer marketing, few stories are as compelling as that of Jack.

I hope you enjoy and walk away with some learnings!

Other stops along the way:

  • Upcoming events

  • Cool stuff from the community

  • News bits

  • Personal picks

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CITY SPOTLIGHT

Meet Jack — the semi-pro basketballer strategizing the future of social media in NYC

Jack's journey into the creator economy began with a deep love for storytelling and connecting people, which initially drew him toward the dream of being a music journalist.

However, realizing the limitations of this path, he swiftly pivoted to marketing and social media, intrigued by the potential to connect people with products online.

Shortly after college, Jack joined a social media marketing agency and quickly made his mark. He was there for five years, working social strategy for major brands like Electronic Arts, DC Comics, Microsoft, and Minecraft.

Inspired by Casey Neistat's philosophy of "I’m making movies," Jack began to view his client work, and personal content through a cinematic lens. He wasn't just crafting content; he was telling stories, rich and engaging narratives that resonated with audiences.

This unique blend of long-form and educational material with a distinctive personality didn't go unnoticed. It ultimately led him to work with giants like Beats By Dre, Twitch, and Morning Brew, until he went off on his own…

The birth of Future Social and personal creative pursuits

Jack's journey to creating Future Social started with simple tweets about advertising and social media during his agency days, aiming to network and share insights.

This strategy led to an unexpected breakthrough when his first social media case study went viral, gaining attention from major outlets like BuzzFeed, Cosmopolitan, and Fox News.

Recognizing the industry's need for more in-depth case studies and how-to content, Jack transitioned into full-time content creation. He launched Future Social, initially in collaboration with Morning Brew, and later took it independent. Now, he connects with over 60,000 marketers weekly, sharing his expertise on social media and content strategy.

Future Social aims to empower marketers at all levels to create content that's not just effective but also entertaining and educational, driving real business results.

There’s a whole lot of social out there that’s doing a whole lot of nothing—I really believe great content can go viral and generate dollars, and I want to help marketers get there.

Oh, and get this…

Alongside Future Social, Jack launched a unique basketball content project. He humorously calls it his comeback as a 'washed-up 35-year-old ex-college player.' In just three months, his engaging short-form videos gained 50,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok, leading to a semi-pro basketball career and travels around the country.

Expert Insights: A Q&A with Jack

Having explored Jack's journey and the story of Future Social, it's clear that his expertise in social media and content creation is both deep and wide-ranging.

Below are five key questions where Jack shares his thoughts on social media and influencer marketing, giving us a peek into what’s next in this ever-evolving industry.

1. How have you seen the role of social media and influencer marketing evolve over the past decade?

Brands weren’t sure what to do with social back in 2010. My first job was to manage a group of community managers during the graveyard shift — I worked from midnight to 8am so our team could reply to every tweet and Facebook comment during the European hours. Now, social is much more focused on the actual content, as it should be — content is what drives businesses. Influencers have come even further, shifting from entertainers to entire media (and even product) businesses.

2. Looking forward, what are your predictions for social media trends and influencer marketing in 2024?

Watch for B2B and “professional subject matter” creators to become bigger and bigger. I’ve watched interest in my own platform increase significantly as B2B companies get curious to play in influencer marketing.

LinkedIn is gonna get a whole lot bigger, and anyone could win there. LinkedIn has the widest gap between creators and overall number of users. Surely you’ve heard people complain, calling LinkedIn content “cringy?” Yeah, that’s the opportunity—anyone who wants to write could win there.

3. Do you foresee any significant shifts in the type of content that will be most effective on social media in 2024?

As the current wave of content creators get older, watch for less haha-giggle-ridiculous content, more thoughtful, wholesome content. Not everyone watches YouTube for lulz.

4. In your opinion, what is the next big thing in the creator economy, and how should creators and brands prepare for it?

Brands are going to ask creators to make content for the brands — as in not just as influencers on their own channels, but for content to live on the actual brand channel. Sometimes it’ll be collabs, sometimes it’ll be whitelisted, but it’s happening and it’s very effective. Brand creatives better get good at content or they’re gonna be displaced overnight

5. What advice would you give to someone aspiring to enter the creative strategy field, especially in the realms of social media and influencer marketing?

Get really great at understanding the brands, and more importantly, what people like about the brand. Far too much brand creative shows a complete disinterest in making ownable content for the brand.

The Big Apple Influence

Jack was born and raised in Southern California and worked in LA proper for 10 years before heading to the East Coast in early 2020.

This move, coinciding with the onset of the pandemic, proved to be more than just a change of scenery — it accelerated his personal and professional growth.

Jack finds NYCs concentration of business-minded individuals unparalleled. The ease of hopping on the subway for multiple meetings or events, a stark contrast to LA's notorious traffic, has opened more doors and opportunities.

Even though my business could be accomplished anywhere in the world, I have a hard time imagining I’d be as close to the money or the talent if I left New York.

What stands out for Jack in New York is the unmistakable drive of its creator economy community. The city's 'New York or Nowhere' energy fuels a culture of action and innovation, setting it apart from other creative hubs.

Beyond the professional aspect, Jack shared some of his personal favorites in the city like the collaborative atmosphere at NeueHouse for work or strolling in Park Slope with his girlfriend’s black lab. And when the sun sets, he’s likely at a venue enjoying some live, emo-adjacent music, living up to the city's never-sleep reputation.

Jack's journey in the creator economy is nothing short of inspiring. His insights and creativity are a game-changer in how we think about social media and brand collaborations.

If you aren't already following Jack or subscribed to his insightful newsletter, Future Social, now's the time to do so: LI, X, IG & TikTok.

We're also super excited to have him share more of his insights at our upcoming panel event on creator and brand partnerships next week!

CITY HAPPENINGS

Featured Event

We’re joining forces with Passionfroot and Notion to bring together our city's leading creators, influencer marketers and founders to discuss how to craft successful creator<>brand partnerships.

Space is limited, so registration will be subject to approval!

We’re planning an event with Captions App in February focused on 2024 trends and predictions in the creator economy. More details to come soon, RSVP to save the date.

We’re also planning to organize an epic event during SXSW in Austin, TX in March. Do you plan to attend? Let us know below 👇

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Subscribe to the events calendar here.

FROM THE COMMUNITY

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THE NEWSSTAND

BRETT’S BITES

STAND CLEAR OF THE CLOSING DOORS PLEASE

Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you thought by replying back to this email.

See you next week,

Brett

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