Social Studies, founded by former magazine editor Brandon Perlman, has evolved from a simple Instagram curation newsletter into a respected independent force in influencer marketing. The company builds impactful creator partnerships while preserving its founder-led approach in an industry dominated by large holding companies.

Brandon, drawing from his experience with prestigious publications like InStyle, W Magazine, WWD, and Departures, recognized the potential of digital influence early on. His editorial instinct for identifying emerging trends inspired him to create a curated email newsletter showcasing promising Instagram accounts.

“I created an editorial board of trusted people, and brands started paying me for these lists,” he explains. “After purchasing a list, brands often needed guidance on how to use it, so I developed agency-style services to help them activate partnerships with influencers for branded content. It was ahead of its time.”

Social Studies, initially launched in August 2015 as “The Gramlist,” has made a significant impact on the creator economy by emphasizing micro and nano-influencer marketing. Rather than spending large budgets on single posts from major influencers, the company engages multiple smaller creators.

“Almost overnight, we were generating hundreds of posts for our brand partners and exposing them to compelling new voices, which was novel at the time,” Brandon recalls.

Brandon articulates the company’s core mission: “We exist to make our clients famous for being first, not followers—whether that’s being ahead of trends, their category competitors, or what’s expected.”

Social Studies channels this mission into community-driven social strategies, selecting influencers based on “their authenticity, influence, and appeal within communities relevant to the brand’s target audiences.”

The Community Clustering™ Approach

Social Studies developed a proprietary talent identification methodology called Community Clustering™. This human-driven, data-enhanced framework analyzes a brand’s audience and social media communities.

“If the strategy focuses on how the audience lives online and their interests, if influencers are evaluated based on relevance within those communities, and if engagement is genuine and aligns with their content style rather than an overly scripted ad, you’re well on the way to ensuring authenticity,” Brandon explains. “We’ve also done a lot to ensure the content will be interesting and engaging on its own.”

Social Studies combines data analytics with human expertise, collaborating with tech and data partners to develop proprietary strategies and align with clients’ data teams. “This can include pre/post lift studies, new AI tools for competitor analysis and trend forecasting, and more,” Brandon says, excited about AI innovations advancing in the creator economy.

The company offers comprehensive campaign management. “We handle ongoing Influencer AOR business, shorter campaigns for product launches, and support for brands with strong internal teams,” Brandon notes.

Measuring Success in the Creator Economy

Social Studies’ success is evident in its seven-year partnership with Jack in the Box.

“We’ve seen influencer marketing grow within their strategy, becoming one of the most effective components,” Brandon shares. “We manage their brand ambassadors, run local activations with local talent, collaborate closely with other agency teams to maximize efficiency, and drive social and cultural relevance they can measure and report on.”

The partnership’s impact was highlighted when “their media buying agency reported that our 2023 influencer creative outperformed every other channel—including branded content and celebrity—by 3x.”

Industry Challenges and Solutions

Social Studies has faced challenges along the way.

“Sometimes the biggest challenge is in the nuances,” Brandon reflects. “Are we creating clear standards that distinguish between influencers and creators? Do we agree on what ‘influence’ means and the impact we want?”

On maintaining authenticity, Brandon applies his editorial experience: “You can spot an inauthentic brand deal the second you scroll by it. It’s up to agencies to build authenticity into every stage of the influencer process, from strategy and identification to content creation.”

Future Opportunities

As social media integrates more shopping features, Brandon sees potential in commerce innovations.

“The social commerce market is growing, changing our buying behavior to consolidate personalities, conversations, and products into a one-tap experience,” he says.

“In a world where everyone’s connected by social media, even a small but engaged audience can serve as a customer base. More people will create content, manage a social brand, cultivate a community, and live creatively,” he explains.

Social Studies continues to prioritize innovation while staying true to its core values. Reflecting on his journey, Brandon says, “Every setback is a setup for a bigger comeback.”