As platforms evolve and consumer expectations rise, brands are under more pressure than ever to show up strategically, creatively and consistently, and what better way to do that than through social media! In honor of Social Media Week 2025, we asked our team to share the social media work they’re most proud of. These campaigns demonstrate how intentional, insight-led social strategy fuels growth and strengthens brand relevance.

Here’s what fuels us: 

Beth Thompson, VP, Director of PR/Social

Campaign: 20th Anniversary Rebrand and Social Strategy

Why It Stands Out: To commemorate its 20th anniversary, GDI undertook a comprehensive rebranding initiative to reaffirm its commitment to promoting equity in media representation. The refreshed brand identity aimed to resonate with contemporary audiences while honoring the Institute's legacy of advocacy. This milestone provided an opportunity to spotlight GDI's extensive research and influence in the entertainment industry.

How Social Made a Difference: Gatesman developed a strategic social media plan centered around newly defined content pillars that reflected GDI's mission and values. The campaign featured vibrant visuals and digestible graphics to convey research findings effectively.An Instagram grid takeover and coordinated press release amplified the rebrand's launch, resulting in over 113,000 social impressions, 5,900+ engagements, and significant follower growth across platforms.

‍Melissa Mader, Account Director

Campaign: PowerSchool’s Power of Impact Awards Campaign

Why It Stands Out: With PowerSchool’s Power of Impact awards being brand new in 2025, we faced the challenge of building awareness from the ground up and needed a strategy that would resonate authentically with a niche audience of teachers. Our #PSPowerOfImpact campaign leveraged influencers in a creative approach to reach this highly targeted audience authentically. We had a tight timeline to work with, which made social a natural tactic to consider for speed.

How Social Made a Difference: We partnered with four trusted teacher influencers on Instagram, whose curated content and strong educator followings helped us break through the noise. Their posts drove solid engagement, with the total clicks associated with their posts amounting to over half of all award nominations submitted. It proved just how effective the right influencers can be for helping a brand build visibility and credibility. Plus, it was a great reminder of how well social media equips comms pros to move quickly and effectively!

‍Courtney McCrimmon, Account Supervisor

Campaign: Dream Fields Do Come True 

Why It Stands Out: Gatesman launched Dream Fields Do Come True on behalf of CNX Foundation during the spring and summer of 2023. The campaign’s goal was to drive applications to the Dream Fields program while raising awareness for the CNX Foundation. The campaign stood out because it reminded people of the importance that playing sports holds for them (no matter what your age!) while emphasizing the need to ensure kids have safe, clean playing surfaces for both organized and pick-up games. The campaign was launched in conjunction with the Pony League World Series, for which CNX was a presenting sponsor. 

How Social Made a Difference: We used the CNX Foundation Facebook and Instagram accounts to promote the campaign, incorporating portions of the Dream Fields commercial. Over the course of the series (August 11-26) and in the days following, the Dream Fields grant applications increased ten-fold. Audiences across both platforms grew by 425 percent and Dream Fields social media posts performed over 1,000 percent higher than traditional content. The following summer, we built on 2023’s success and incorporated interviews with Pony League players, their parents, and even a Pittsburgh Pirates announcer. This work led to two silver ADDY awards at AAF Pittsburgh’s ADDY awards show.

Therese Burke, Account Supervisor

Campaign: National Vision x Vontélle

Why It Stands Out: Launched during Black History Month, the National Vision x Vontélle campaign marked the debut of Official by Vontélle–an exclusive collection with the Black-women-owned eyewear brand–in over 900 America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses stores.  Gatesman's strategic approach combined vibrant creative elements with a robust influencer campaign, #TheOfficialUnboxing, to introduce the collection inspired by African, Caribbean, and Latin heritage.  Beyond contracted influencers, social coverage was also achieved through organic outreach, including Academy Award-winner Ariana Debose, who excitedly showcased a frame design that perfectly matched the branding of her latest film, “Argylle.” 

How Social Made a Difference: Coupled with a multimedia news release and earned media coverage, our efforts helped make this collection one of the most successful launches America’s Best has had in recent years. The campaign's impact was undeniable–over 211 million impressions and rapid sell-outs both online and in-store. Beyond metrics, it amplified the voice of a Black-women-owned brand during Black History Month and beyond. 

Stephanie Rizzo, Senior Account Executive

Campaign: SHOP ‘n SAVE Influencer Program

Why It Stands Out: We introduced SHOP ‘n SAVE’s influencer program in 2022, set out to build authentic connections between the brand and its community. We identified creators who genuinely aligned with SHOP ‘n SAVE’s values and gave them the space to tell their own stories. What started as a pilot quickly turned into one of our most consistent, high-performing programs.

‍How Social Made a Difference: Since launching the program in 2022, we’ve executed up to five influencer collaborations each month, growing a network of passionate brand advocates. Our influencers regularly drive more than 20,000 views per post and contribute to a steady 5% follower increase with each campaign. Their content helped fuel the launch of SHOP ‘n SAVE’s new Instagram account, generating over 500,000 page views and 1,700 interactions in the very first month. This program continues to deliver both engagement and impact, month after month.

Brady Warmbein, Account Executive

Campaign: USG’s DIY Activation

Why It Stands Out: This campaign was such a fun challenge. USG wanted to break out of the typical contractor mold and speak to a whole new audience: DIYers and artists. We partnered with a sculptural artist who already loved using USG’s product, and together we proved that joint compound isn’t just for construction sites—it can be a creative tool, too. It felt like we were genuinely expanding what the brand could be, and the audience response was incredible.

‍How Social Made a Difference: We used a short-form Instagram Reel to showcase the artist’s process and creativity, which made the product feel both approachable and inspiring. By leveraging Instagram’s collaborative post and Stories features, we maximized visibility and saw the content go “viral:” over 4.4 million views! Engagement, reach and followers all skyrocketed, showing that authentic creator content can open up entirely new conversations around a brand.

Leading with Impact

Every post, story, reel and strategy we create is backed by a team that cares deeply about making moments that matter. We don’t just follow trends—we forecast them. We’ve built a team that doesn’t just check boxes, we light them on fire. We’re proud to be a Top 100 PR Agency by O'Dwyer’s, proud to be a team that shatters expectations, and proud to build work that lives where culture, creativity and credibility collide. During Social Media Week and beyond, we’re proud to use social as a force for connection and impact—for our clients and their audiences.