What do you get when you combine razor-sharp humour, social-first instincts, and a refusal to play by the rules?

An equal-parts entertaining, and practical, deep dive into brand building on social today.

This week, Verity sits down with Gabriel Gomez (Head of Social & Community @ MCoBeauty (US), Creator & Speaker) to explore how one of Australia’s most-followed beauty brands is winning the US market. Spoiler alert: it’s by moving fast, listening closely, and making the right kind of noise online.

Turn this episode on and up to learn how to:

• Spot and Scale the Right Cultural Moments, Without 10 Approvals & a Deck: Gabe shares how MCoBeauty gets from idea to action in minutes, thanks to lean teams, shared instincts, and a refusal to overthink the feed.
  

• Build Campaigns with Cross-Functional Input (Without Slowing Things Down): Gabe’s approach flips the usual script: involve people early, keep ideas fluid, and trust that great strategy can come from any level of the org.
  

• Choose Creators Based on Connection, Not Clout: Whether it's scouting emerging talent or inviting creators into the concepting process, Gabe breaks down how MCoBeauty treats creators like consultants, not content machines.
  

• Balance Viral Chaos with Brand Clarity (and Still Forget the Playbook): Social’s a sprint, but that doesn’t mean strategy gets lost. Learn how MCo blends brand consistency with bold, off-script moves that actually land.
  

• Build a Fast-Moving, Emoji-Powered Social Culture that Thrives Under Pressure: From skipping the decks to celebrating team wins with emphasis, Gabe shows how to lead a social team that runs on energy and impact.
  

• Decide What’s a Green Flag (and What’s a Giant Red One): In a rapid-fire game, Gabe shares exactly how he filters pitches, rates brand behaviour, and why he’s definitely deleting your “$50 and a lipstick” offer.
  

Plus: you’ll hear why TikTok is their #1 Advocacy driver, how Gabe spots red-flag creators, and the surprising platform he opens first every day.

His advice is fast, fresh, and unapologetically honest – just like the brands that win on social now.

Chapters

00:00 – Gabe Gomez & the MCoBeauty Mindset

03:00 – Why Dupes, Not Decks, Drive Beauty Culture Now

07:00 – Crashing Trends & Creating Chaos: Moving at the Speed of Social

12:00 – F*** the Playbook: Balancing Strategy with Spontaneity

17:00 – Creators as Consultants: Rethinking Influence & Partnerships

22:00 – The Green Flag / Red Flag Game: What Brands Get Wrong (and Right)

32:00 – Why TikTok’s Driving Advocacy, And Instagram Isn’t

36:00 – The Platform Breakdown: What’s Working, What’s Next

41:00 – How to Really Build Brand Advocacy (It’s Not a Coupon Code)

Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy:

Apple Podcasts

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Connect with Gabe:

On LinkedIn

On MCoBeauty’s Instagram (US)

Can you build Brand Advocacy in punchlines?

John Thornton thinks so. Kind of.

Verity sits down with Surreal's Senior Creative (and ex-Innocent wordsmith) to break down how brand voice becomes a business asset, how humour fuels loyalty, and why you should definitely check your QR codes before a campaign launch.

This isn’t another chat about tone of voice. It’s a behind-the-scenes on…

The truth about "funny" copy that drives action.

What most brands misunderstand about distinctiveness.

The forgotten value of comments, not campaigns.

Why authenticity is less about saying the right thing, and more about knowing your place (and being flexible on your fonts).

John shares the good, the bad, and the copy & collaborations that helped Surreal drive major awareness. Innocent, too.

Whether you’re a brand builder, copywriter or just here for the laughs, there’s no fluff; just real talk from someone who knows how to make cereal & smoothies go viral.

Turn it up to learn:

• How to Create Copy that Converts, Sans-Corporate Feel: When the tone’s too polished, people scroll past. When it’s too offbeat, they don’t trust you. John shares how to strike the balance – writing copy that’s confident, irreverent, and still converts when it counts.
  

• The One Test John Uses to Decide if a Risky Idea is Actually Risky: If you want to get bold work signed off, use John’s litmus test: “What would the Daily Mail headline be?” If it’s not scandal-worthy, it’s probably just brave. Let’s break down how to push boundaries without blowing up trust, or approval chains.
  

• Why People Love Brands that Hire the “Idiot on Twitter”: It’s not about polish, it’s about presence. John explains why fast, scrappy, weirdly human replies build more loyalty than a year’s worth of branded templates. And why the best moments don’t need strategy decks; just someone funny with a login.
  

• The Difference Between Going Viral and Building Something That Lasts: Viral posts spike and fade. Advocacy sticks around. Together, John & Verity unpack how to turn attention into affinity, using humour and product to build content people choose to share – long after the algorithm moves on.
  

Listen. Laugh a bit. Rethink your brand copy.

Chapters:

03:10 – Meet John Thornton

07:00 – Why Self-Awareness Beats Tone Guidelines

09:10 – Innocent’s Process (and Freedom to Fail)

11:00 – Writing to Stand Out, Not Just Be Funny

12:50 – A Star Wars CV & Other Power Moves

14:10 – The Best Campaigns Are Barely Planned

15:40 – Defending ‘Vanity’ Metrics

16:30 – The Baked Bean Smoothie ft. Heinz

18:50 – Fonts, Risk & The Daily Mail Test

22:20 – Why Surreal Hides Its Humans

29:50 – Product Posts That Actually Get Shared

31:50 – Advocacy Is a Long Game

36:00 – Turning a Fail Into a Fan Moment

39:00 – The LoveHoney Collab Explained

Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Connect with John:

On John's LinkedIn

On Surreal’s LinkedIn

Via Surreal’s Website