On a typical day, scrolling through TikTok, a video pops up that instantly catches attention; it’s witty, on-trend, and feels like it was curated right out of the Gen-Z playbook. To everyone’s surprise, it’s from Spinneys, the grocery store.
Spinneys consistent social media presence on both TikTok and Instagram Reels has garnered a lot of attention; their content is regularly finding its way into office discussions, group chats, and direct messages.
A reoccurring comment sums it up best: “I am chronically online enough to work at Spinneys; please hire me.” A sentiment that captures the relatable tone that Spinneys has achieved through its content. But what’s the strategy behind this success? How does Spinneys manage to create content that is so aligned with internet culture and Gen-Z humour while staying true to its brand messaging and overall marketing goals?
Spinney’s Digital Marketing Manager Ankiet Gulabani answers all the burning questions.
When selecting content, according to Gulabani, one factor is consistent across all platforms.
“Right at the top we have our brand guidelines, which help us with a clear tone of voice. This is always top of mind for us for all channels – it’s very Spinneys – it’s friendly, approachable, and always keeping communit y first – exactly the kind of experience you get when you walk into our stores,” says Gulabani.
This tone comes to life through diverse content: memes, in-store activations, product highlights, seasonal themes, and collaborations. Each post reflects the in-store brand experience, offering a consistent and familiar feel. Whether you’re a regular customer, a new one, or someone who has never been, Spinneys’ social media content adapts the brand’s essence for each platform while maintaining its core identity.
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Different platforms, different content
Gulabani says, “Our objective with Instagram is to have meaningful conversations, talk up our new launches, and get people excited about our quality proposition.
He continues, “For each month’s social pieces, especially Instagram, we identify themes that we can slot our content pieces into – pieces from content creators, product posts in store, employee-generated content, etc.”
Instagram adopts a more refined approach compared to TikTok, focusing on showcasing promotional activities, new products, recipes featuring Spinneys items, and collaborations. A recent example is their partnership with Emirates Dubai 7s and the rugby team.
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When asked about Spinneys collaboration with influencers or other brands, Gulabani mentions that it is an important aspect of their strategy, especially on Instagram.
“Content creators across the region are our brand ambassadors; they are the ones who have embraced the Spinneys brand, helped portray the Spinneys lifestyle, and talk up the ‘Fresher Experience’ proposition to our customers in a way that advertisements cannot. This is fundamental for us for our social authenticity.”
TikTok, on the other hand, has a whole different strategy
“With TikTok, the objective is to be relatable, funny, and get people talking – like OMG, I can’t believe Spinneys posted that,” Gulabani says.
He continues, “We are chronically online, and this has helped the account be more relatable. The team is always sharing ideas with each other over DMs, making little folders on the app, but often we like to throw the rulebook out with this and have a bit of fun. We love our TikTok community.”
Spinneys’ TikTok embraces a playful, Gen-Z-inspired vibe, rebranding popular memes to align with the brand and build a connection with the audience. This approach not only resonates with viewers but also garners significant attention. The team’s ability to quickly pick up on trends and post timely content ensures that their content remains fresh, relevant, and engaging.
Staying consistent across socials
Having different strategies across social media can be tricky; ensuring that brands remain consistent across all platforms while maintaining their brand messaging, standards, and goals is an important aspect to consider.
Gulabani explains how Spinneys ensures a cohesive brand presence across platforms, “We have an in-house creative and brand team working across all our channels, like in-store, digital, social, radio, events, outdoor, and print. We set our communication strategies & objectives together as one team, aligned to our annual marketing plan. This ensures all our creative output blends seamlessly together.”
He adds, “We work in advance with the commercial teams at Spinneys – we meet literally every single week. But more importantly, we’re always moving things around and making little tweaks until we’re happy to hit post.
“Working closely like this has helped us with success stories like jumping on the ‘sometimes you have to eat a whole cucumber’ trend because we launched cucumber shakers in stores very quickly as a response. The videos combined on Instagram and TikTok have over 3 million views and have been shared over 10,000 times.
@spinneysuae Public safety warning: mandolines are super unsafe, pls be safe and buy our organic cucumber shakers to make @Logan ‘s cucumber salad. stitch with @jackson
Spinneys exemplifies how a trend-savvy social media strategy can drive in-store traffic while also providing entertainment. By balancing creativity and responsiveness, they successfully connect digital engagement with tangible customer experiences. In reaction to the viral cucumber meme, they launched cucumber shakers, a practical and trendy solution that would resonate with customers, and drive in-store sales.
Content that resonates with audiences
How they approach Reels on Instagram versus videos on TikTok is factored by the audience. The difference in strategy supports Spinneys’ efforts in curating content that is relatable. Their focus isn’t so much on virality but on engagement.
“Quality engagements matter the most to us. Saves, shares, and genuine comments are currency today. The more people share our content, the more organic visibility we gain, which means more opportunities to connect with our core audience,” comments Gulabani.
Overall, Spinneys’ social media strategy creates an experience of its own, positioning the brand to become part of its audience’s conversations and generating not only attention and brand awareness but also a fan base.
