Every brand has a certain energy. Some hit like a lightning bolt and others simmer quietly in the background. Some show up when they’ve got something to say, others never seem to leave your feed (you know the ones we mean).
For us the best brands don’t operate in just one mode though. They move between different kinds of energy with intention, knowing when to sprint, when to jog and just as importantly when to rest. That movement is rarely discussed. But once you start to see it, you realise energy is everything.
In a landscape where content never stops and audiences can scroll past in a heartbeat, managing your brand’s energy is one of the most underrated forms of strategy.
Let’s call it your Brand Energy Mix. There are five core energies, each with their own tempo, purpose, and place in a marketing cycle. Let’s break them down.
1. Drop Energy
Short. Sharp. High-impact.
Drop energy is the loudest and the most fleeting. It’s used to create urgency, spark interest, and drive action in a defined window. Think product releases, capsule collections, or timed exclusives. This is your launch day moment or your countdown graphic.
But the real art of drop energy is what comes before it. If you’re not building anticipation in the days or weeks prior, you’re shouting into the void. Brands like Palace have mastered the mechanics of drop energy, not because they post loud graphics, but because they prime their audience really well.
You feel the energy shift before anything even launches. Football clubs are great at this. Generally.
Use this energy sparingly, but with intent. Too much and you exhaust your audience. Too little and your product drops flat.
2. Build Energy
Consistent. Focused. Foundation-first.
Build energy is the backbone of brand growth. It’s slower and way more deliberate. This is the behind-the-scenes content, founder storytelling, archive reveals, manufacturing walkthroughs, and slow brand world development that shows people there’s something real under the surface.
It’s what you do when you’re not launching something and it’s actually how you earn trust.
This energy is especially important for new brands. Don’t try to drop before you’ve built. It’s the equivalent of running a sprint without warming up. Start by laying the foundation.
3. Cult Energy
Rare. Unexplainable.
This is the hardest energy to engineer, but the easiest to feel. Cult energy happens when a brand has created such a specific world that people ‘want in’, even if they don’t fully know what they are actually getting into.
You can’t fake this either. But you can shape it. It starts by being unapologetically specific. Like, really specific.
These aren’t mass appeal brands. Actually far far from it. But they’ve carved out cult status by speaking in their own language, using their own visual ID, and leaning into their own mood.
Cult energy is about emotional affinity. People don’t just like the product, they want to be part of the actual story.
This energy grows in the background and often shows up after several seasons of build ‘Drop energy’.
4. Campaign Energy
Thematic. Timed. Message-led.
Campaign energy is used when you want to put weight behind a message. It’s often tied to a creative idea or narrative. It may centre on a seasonal collection, a new product story, or a brand initiative but it’s always framed with intention.
Unlike Drop energy, which is short and sharp, campaign energy can stretch over a few days, weeks or even months. It creates a clear beginning, middle, and end. Like a story.
Some of the most compelling recent examples come from Jacquemus, whose seasonal campaigns feel like mini art films.
Campaign energy lets you flex your storytelling and creative feelings. It brings clarity to a moment in time and gives your audience something to rally around.
But don’t overuse it. Please don’t. Not every post needs to be a campaign moment. Let this energy come and go, or it’ll lose its impact.
5. Evergreen Energy
Calm. Present. Always on.
This is your always-on energy. The one we see most founders get the most lost with. The stuff that keeps your brand alive in the feed without asking for anything in return. Evergreen energy doesn’t sell, it reminds. It’s your ambient brand presence.
We’re talking studio shots, lifestyle stills, cultural references, or mood-led content. You’ll find this energy pulsing through brands like Museum of Peace & Quiet, Café du Cycliste, or Malbon Golf. Very consistent in it’s cadence which builds recognition
over time.
Evergreen content is your safety net and it keeps your channels active between launches and big moments. It keeps your voice alive without exhausting your team! You need this energy more than you think.
Balancing the Mix
Most brands default to one type of energy. Very common. They go heavy on drops or stay safe in evergreen. But true wins comes from knowing how to blend these.
So how do you do it? We got you.
Start by mapping your year ahead and ask yourself these questions:
- What are the key moments you want to own?
- Where are the quieter periods to build equity?
- Where does cult or campaign energy naturally emerge?
Then work backwards from there.
Shot of the good stuff
