Photoshop Express

SOCIAL STRATEGY & CONTENT
MY JOB: ECD
PLATFORMS: Instagram, In-App
TLDR: We helped Photoshop Express attract a younger audience on social and, in turn, drive more usage of the app.

The longer version: Adobe’s Photoshop Express is a photo editing app for social that needed help with its own social presence. Their ask to us was clear: How can Photoshop Express become the go-to editing mobile editing app for next gen creators on Instagram? To do this, we needed to show up like a creator on Instagram. We needed to think like a creator, adopt the voice and tone of a creator, post like a creator and engage like a creator. We needed to become a creator for creators. 

First, we aimed to think like a creator by assembling a braintrust of expert next gen creators to mine for culturally relevant and trend-driven content that would inspire meaningful engagement with our audience – an ongoing process that we return to regularly. We conducted focus groups and partnered with native creators outside of the United States to better understand next gen creators and their needs worldwide.

Next, we began posting like a creator – curating a diverse and global range of content tailored to our audience's aspirations and values, tapping into cultural moments like Holi, Golden Week Japan, Lunar New Year and Diwali. We implemented an approach that prioritized culture-driving media, leveraging the platform's evolving focus on video content while ensuring a mix of both reels and static posts to accommodate different user preferences. We embraced a creator and influencer-first content approach, with both always-on newsroom content and quarterly influencer series with influential Gen-Z voices for deeper explorations of inspirational topics and cultural moments.

We were succeeding at creating content on social that resonated with our younger audience, but we noticed a disconnect with the content they saw once they were in app. Working directly with the developers, we were able to update photography examples, create new stickers and edit recipes, and update push notification language, all to speak to the Gen Z audience.

RESULTS: In on year we saw an 80% increase in followers, an engagement rate that was 185% over benchmark, and (most importantly) 6 million more app downloads. As Adobe Photoshop Express continues to emerge as a leading force for creativity amongst Gen Z and Gen Alpha (gasp!), we showcased that with the right strategy and implementation, Instagram can still serve as a launchpad for community and connection for younger generations.