Talia Datt on The Social CliQ, The Content CliQ – and how brands can thrive on social media

For anyone new to The Social CliQ and The Content CliQ, how would you describe the agencies and their focus?
At The Social CliQ, we offer a full suite of social media services designed to help brands grow and connect meaningfully with their audiences. Our work spans strategy and management, ensuring every post is planned, executed and optimised for impact, through to social advertising that drives measurable results. We create platform-first content that resonates, from polished graphics and videos to copy that tells your story authentically.

Through our sister agency, The Content CliQ, we also tap into a network of over 3,000 creators to produce on-brand UGC and manage influencer partnerships end-to-end. This holistic approach ensures brands not only show up on social but thrive with sustainable, results-driven digital marketing.

What led you to launch these agencies?
I noticed that many small businesses were struggling to keep up with the fast pace of digital and often treated social media as an afterthought. I launched The Social CliQ by literally knocking on doors, offering businesses a solution to their social media needs. Fast forward to today, we’ve partnered with over 300 brands – from start-ups to Fortune 500s.

During COVID, when lockdowns made it impossible to shoot traditional content, I launched The Content CliQ. We began working with micro-influencers to create content for brands to post on their channels, and what started as a workaround has since grown into a fully-fledged service offering: user-generated content.

What were some of the agencies’ early success stories?
One of my very first clients was a local boutique. At the time, I offered my services for free to help get them started. They had just received a new chair in stock, so I styled it, took a photo and posted it on the Instagram account I had set up for them… By the end of the day, they had sold 12 chairs. That moment showed me the real power of social media in driving tangible business results and was a defining early success for the agency.

“Brands that stay consistent with their voice, values and storytelling build stronger communities.”

Lovely! And are there any ‘north stars’ that brands should bear in mind if they want to thrive on socials?
The north star is always authenticity. Social audiences are quick to disengage if they sense content is forced or purely transactional. Brands that stay consistent with their voice, values and storytelling build stronger communities.

And are there any common pitfalls?
The most common pitfall is seeing social purely as a sales channel. Socials should be about creating meaningful conversations and connections – building a community. Sales follow naturally once a brand has earned trust and built relevance.

On The Content CliQ side of things, what is the key to pairing up a brand with the right creator or influencer?
It’s about alignment, not just numbers. We look at whether a creator’s tone, content style and audience naturally complement the brand’s values and goals. Engagement is more important than reach, and authenticity is non-negotiable. The best partnerships are the ones that don’t feel like ads – they feel like stories a creator would genuinely share.

How has joining the Merchantwise Group evolved or altered the scope of the businesses?
Becoming part of the Merchantwise Group has allowed us to scale while staying boutique in our approach. It has also provided us with the opportunity to work closely with fellow business units, including Asembl on its FMCG and lifestyle portfolios, and Merchantwise on its gaming and entertainment brand slate. As a result, it has given us access to broader brand-building expertise across licensing, partnerships and strategy, which we can now integrate into our client work. It’s expanded our scope beyond social and content to become part of a much larger brand ecosystem, while still keeping our creativity and agility front and centre.

Last question! What fuels your creativity?
Curiosity is my biggest driver. I’m always watching culture from TikTok trends to shifts in consumer behaviour and pulling inspiration from unexpected places like art, travel and conversations. The key is connecting dots others might not see, then translating those into digital strategies and content that feel both fresh and authentic for brands.