Social media has revolutionized the marketing industry.

It has leveled out the playing field and made it easier for brands reach target demographics at a faster pace for a lower price — it works.

With 71% of consumers referring brands to their own network after having a good social media service experience with a business, it’s safe to say social media marketing is word-of-mouth with wings.

And the industry has come a long way.

There are over 60 million active business pages on Facebook alone.

And of course, the social sphere is a melting pot for the good, the bad, and the ugly. Naturally, some brands do a better job at social media marketing than others.

Today, we’ll stay positive.

Below we highlight 10 Toronto brands with great social media marketing strategies.

Scroll down and see if your favourite Toronto brand made our list.

October’s Very Own

When you build a brand bigger than life offline, you get a highly-engaged community like what you see with October’s Very Own.

You can post just about any promo piece and get shares. Drake launched OVO Clothing back in 2014, making his official announcement on Twitter.

And at first glance, OVO’s social media account is a visually fetching. It’s an interactive lookbook filled with a nice blend of vintage imagery and contemporary graphics featuring OVO merch, events, and milestones.

OVO Toronto has also collaborated with reputable brands like that of Roots Canada, Toronto Raptors, Canada Goose, and Air Jordan.

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Peace Collective

Peace Collective has emerged as one of Toronto’s most recognized local brands. Their Toronto Vs Everybody collection hit the scene at the perfect time; right when the Blue Jays made their first World Series run since 1993, whilst the Raptors were trying to topple King James in their first-ever Eastern Conference Final.

Founded in 2014 by Yanal Dhailieh, Peace Collection has successfully re-imagined Canadian apparel.

It has turned away from Canada’s conventional palette and created an alternative identity for the modern Canadian.

Their social media profiles act as real-time windows into Peace Collective culture, featuring striking images of models wearing Peace Collective threads on local backdrops.

And to top it off, a percentage of every sale goes to help feed children in need through the Peace Foundation — you really can’t go wrong with that.

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WayHome Music & Arts Festival

WayHome Music & Arts Festival and their social media marketing staff do an excellent job with consistency with their brand voice across all channels, differentiating their identity from all the other cookie-cutter music festivals out there.

They have successfully captured that ‘feeling’, that voice inside every festival lover’s gut which cries for summer getaways, live music, art, and peaceful good times.

Their endearing pen-paylish updates float into our feeds throughout the year reminding us of the true meaning of ‘home’.

The WayHome Music & Arts Festival was founded in 2015 and won Major Music Festival of the Year during the 2017 Canadian Music Week Industry Awards.

Their social media channels are filled with user-generated content, special prize giveaways, and great one-liners.

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Yo Sox

Because who says socks have to be boring? And it’s true. The Yo Sox social media network has just as much personality as their products.

You’ll find seductive promos and social engagement with other local influencers who in turn snap photos and share Yo Socks imagery across their social media network, it’s a beautiful thing.

Just like how founder Trever Cohen successfully made socks great again, pushing creative socks into the local mainstream.

From loud to quirky designs, there’s no shortage of unique pairs for any outing.

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ShirtPunch

In 7 months time Toronto-bred t-shirt brand, ShirtPunch nearly grossed $1-million. The site was founded by Russ Montague, who took a $10, 000 loan from his parents to start a t-shirt business.

His business model was brilliant and soon reached viral fame on social media. He sold one-of-a-kind $10 dollar shirts focused on geek and nerd culture.

Customers have a 24-hour window to purchase, which prompts a sense of urgency and exclusivity.

Their creative element to their business model also helps develop an engaging international community of artists as well.

Russ networks with independent artists from all over the world, who in turn create new designs for his t-shirts. All ShirtPunch artists are compensated $1 for every t-shirt sold on the site, which also gives artists an incentive to share ShirtPunch material with their network.

When you visit their social media profile, you’ll notice how Russ pushes out his posts with persuasive copywriting while integrating pop culture — winning!

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The Drake Hotel

Want West Queen West on a silver platter? Just tune into the Drake Hotel’s social media network.

Here, you’ll find mouth-watering local flavours, phenomenal musical acts, and must-attend creative events throughout the year.

Its network aesthetic is the vision of Drake’s owner Jeff Strober who wanted the Drake Hotel to be a place for creatives to work and live.

Ever since he took control he’s done just that; successfully creating a hotbed of culture, being a magnet for classy cool.

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Canada Goose

Arguably one of the most prized Canadian apparel brands on the planet, Canada Goose was founded in 1957 by Sam Tick under Metro Sportswear Ltd.; currently headquartered in Toronto, ON.

Their luxury jackets come with hoods made from coyote fur which are also often filled with duck down for most models.

They officially own the bragging rights to being the most popular jacket in the women’s sector; retailing for $745 a pop.

Their social media network is as high-quality and popular as their jackets; filled with captivating imagery, fascinating storytelling while integrating candid shots of influencers spotted wearing Canada Goose.

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Indie88

Indie88 is the best source online for all things indie music in Toronto. Think of their social media profile as BlogTO’s cooler and younger brother.

Their content strategy is aggressive, exactly what you want from a go-to local publisher.

You’ll find coverage on the hottest indie acts along with tailor-made content featuring festival headliners, local stories about hot topics in Toronto.

Their channel also features the latest and greatest indie tracks, which are hard to ignore while you scroll through your feed.

And let’s not forget about their routine free giveaways. You’re not going to find another account that successfully fuses both indie music and Toronto-culture like Indie88 online.

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Nuvango

Where art, fashion, and sustainability meet, you’ll find Nuvango, a Toronto-based apparel lifestyle brand founded in 2005.

Their social media network is a magnet for creativity, forging partnerships with international artists who in turn have helped design their unique products and vibrant community.

You’ll find one-of-a-kind options for both men and women and also encounter interesting art pieces as well.

Their social media profiles brilliantly tell the Nuvango story, showcasing fashionable models next to thought-provoking art galleries, connecting the two worlds, which in turn creates a uniquely engaging community.

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CN Tower

Image by Nick Didlick

When you think of Toronto, you think of the CN Tower, the city’s most recognizable icon. The Toronto skyline and the city’s digital pulse wouldn’t be the same without it.

Whether you’re looking from within its 553.3-meter high tower or at a distance on a wholesome balcony, the views of the CN Tower alone pull in shutterbugs and Instagrammers from all over the world.

Their featured hashtag campaign #mycntower curates a collection of user-generated social media content which beautifully supports their existing social media accounts and marketing strategies.

They also use their social media account to work and engage with other reputable local brands in the city, coming up with attractive seasonal ideas throughout the year.

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Summary

And there you have it friends, 10 Toronto brands with killer social media marketing strategies. Let’s remember: For every minute that passes by online, there are 3.3-million Facebook posts, 3.8-million Google searches, 65, 972 Instagram updates, 448, 800 tweets, and 500 hours worth of YouTube videos uploaded on the internet. Social media is a marketing gold mine. When used properly, it can drive hundreds of thousands of dollars worth impressions, clicks, and overall conversions at 3-times the fraction when compared to traditional media. If we missed out on your favourite Toronto brand, let us know. Feel free to drop a few names and links in our comments section below. Until next post!

Ricky Lee