Meet the Social Misfits Squad — Erin Niimi Longhurst

“Meet the Social Misfits Squad” is our ongoing interview series where we sit down with members of the Misfits family to chat about their work, passions and backgrounds.

This week, we caught up with one of SMM’s originals, Erin Niimi Longhurst. Erin is our Director based in the USA, meaning she’s responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of our agency on the other side of the pond. Erin has been working in the comms industry for just under 7 years, and is a published author, writing books about Japanese culture.

What’s a typical day at SMM for you?

Since moving stateside to head up US operations for Social Misfits Media, one of the biggest changes has to be the way my days are structured now, so I’m in the loop with everything in coordination with the London team!

My mornings are mostly spent on calls — catching up with Natalie and Carlos, the senior management team, around business development (what proposals and pitches we are working on, that kind of thing). I spend my afternoons either on client work (if it’s a global client, having the baton passed onto me for trainings and strategy, for example) or having business development meetings and calls that are US-based.

That being said, having been with SMM for almost five years there’s not really a typical day! The clients can be very varied, and the landscape has changed a lot in that time.

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve found from working at SMM?

Currently, it’s just how big the team is now! I was the first hire, so for the first year or so it was just me and Carlos, before Hannah joined the team. It’s a testament to how much the landscape has shifted since the company began, and how many organisations are looking to social media as a way to keep connected with those important to them.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give our clients?

Always know your audience. It seems silly, but it’s so important that you keep the end user in mind when you do anything on social. Sometimes I see branded content on a social platform that is out of place. You shouldn’t be sharing your annual report on Instagram — and that meme should not be shared on LinkedIn! You need to think about where your audiences are, what platforms they might be on, and focus your efforts there. It’s easy to get swayed by focusing on pleasing the wrong stakeholders, like senior leaders within your organisation, for example, so you end up creating content that isn’t as effective.

When I do workshops, I like to tell clients to think about each social platform like a different party. If you’re a sixteen-year old throwing a house party when your parents are out of town, having your dad walk in halfway through totally kills the vibe! That’s essentially what you’re doing when you share that annual report on Instagram — killing the vibe, not reading the room. Think about who you are targeting, narrow this down, and then focus on that platform. If you don’t have anyone on your team that understands them, bring them into the creation process, or better yet — hire them, or hire experts.

What purpose-led campaign in recent years has resonated with you most?

Not so much a campaign, but I think Snapchat are doing really interesting things online at the moment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I think their new lenses, which encourage social distancing, is a really neat and innovative way to use the app, and they are doing some interesting campaigns to raise money for the WHO.

Personally, what’s your favourite social media platform & why?

My favourite platforms personally and professionally are very different. I prefer Facebook and Twitter from a professional standpoint, when we design campaigns, but personally I’m always on Instagram — it’s where I spend most of my time, mostly connecting with people who have read my book.

My other favourite platform is Pinterest! I was a nominated last year at their Pinterest Awards in the Food and Drink category, but I love using it to plan things — holidays, my flat décor, recipes. It’s great to get inspiration.

What’s the last TV show you’ve binged?

Tiger King, but just so I could keep up with the memes, I wouldn’t say I necessarily enjoyed it! My favourite show to binge is Terrace House which is a Japanese reality show on Netflix.

What 4 pieces of pop culture would you take with you to a desert island? (1 x film, 1 x tv series, 1 x album, 1 x book)

My favourite film is Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a documentary about a Japanese sushi maker. I watch it on repeat, it’s beautifully shot and it’s so soothing. The soundtrack is what I listen to when I’m working.

My favourite TV series would have to be a three-way tie between Terrace House, Fleabag, and the American version of the Office. I need all three for different things.

I seldom listen to albums all the way through, I’m much more of a playlist person (and Carlos has several playlists that are on my heavy rotation)! The last album I listened to all the way through is Beyonce’s Lemonade album, so let’s go with that for now.

If I’m stuck on a desert island, then I’m taking my copy of Leith’s How to Cook. It’s covered in notes from when I went to culinary school, and I love flicking through it to get inspiration — and I might need to get creative in order to survive, so I think I’ll take that!

We’d like to thank Erin for her time. Please feel free to connect with Erin on her LinkedIn and Twitter profiles.