Helen Morrison, Chief Marketing Unicorn and fifth-generation owner at family-owned brand Frownies, did more than show face on our Question Everything podcast. Her best-in-class organic social and community management strategies have built a rabid fanbase that rivals the Swifties and Beliebers. Learn how she’s been able to use organic social strategy to grow this DTC brand on a small budget.
Give your brand a face
Let’s be real – brands are here to sell you something. That’s why CMOs have to be aware of how they appear on social feeds. Is your brand only on social to keep the lights on, or are you creating useful, thumb-stopping content? Having a purpose behind every post ensures your content appears less like an ad. And in 2025’s social climate, that’s the key to unlocking huge engagement.
Helen is a master at growing and maintaining consumer relationships on social. As Frownies’ chief brand influencer, she’s not afraid to get vulnerable – showing, not telling, her audience how the products have worked for her. While many companies are comfy with an anonymous social admin running their accounts, Helen’s personalized approach gives Frownies a literal face on social. Adding to the authenticity, she doesn’t shy away from promoting other products in her regimen, emphasizing that she is there to help followers achieve the same results – not just sell product.
Build a community on social
Your follower count is a great indicator of brand awareness but not a great metric for whether your message resonates with your audience. That’s why building a community where engagement and feedback are commonplace can be a game-changer. Social media gives marketers the unique opportunity to listen to their consumers and respond to them in real time. The secret to Frownies’ success? Rallying around a common goal: creating a safe space for people who want to reduce wrinkles naturally. That “we’re all in this together” feeling is an accelerator for real community.
Helen has built a strong community through best-in-class community management, answering followers’ questions and comments personally. She also speaks directly to her community through DM’s – replying to messages with voice notes and sometimes even videos. Helen keeps brand communication genuine by building relationships with influencers who have promoted Frownies organically. She makes it a point not to seek partnerships with influencers who do not regularly use the product. The worst thing a brand can do on social is be inauthentic. To turn your followers into fans, be yourself and invest in one-on-one relationships – the hustle pays off.
Own your point of difference
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s how it’s been for Frownies since its invention in the 1800s. We asked Helen how the family-owned brand has sustained its success throughout the generations. The answer was simple and surprising: Frownies has been around so long because they actually work. There’s no substitute for high product efficacy.
When it comes to competitors, Helen’s strong organic social strategy and community management chops help squash competitors before they become threats. If you build a loyal fanbase connected to something bigger than getting product cheaper, they’ll stick around.
Use engagement to your advantage – even the haters
Your content calendar may be holding space for “going viral,” but sometimes, truly taking off happens when you least expect it. Frownies unexpectedly hit viral status in 2020 on TikTok. She had recorded a phone call with Pilar Wayne, thanking her for her love for the product. After the call, she hopped on TikTok to say, “I just chatted with the famous Pilar Wayne,” – and her mispronunciation of the iconic actor’s wife broke the internet.
Helen joked that every person named Pilar in the world went after her in the comments section for butchering the name. The video got so much engagement, the amount of views skyrocketed and sales of Frownies followed. Although it wasn’t the product that made the post go viral, it boosted the brand’s awareness and reach, expanding Frownies’ audience.
Make an outsized impact on a small budget
If your marketing ambitions have a champagne taste with a Bud Light budget, organic social can be your secret weapon. Focus your content on being educational, entertaining, and inspiring. Just be consistent with messaging across all your platforms, so wherever your audience encounters your brand, they know what you’re all about. TikTok is great for casual, trendy, and often funny videos, while Instagram is more about honing your brand image with higher quality photos and reels. Helen boils it down to TikTok = strong reach and Instagram = strong community.
Posting content is only half the job, though. Helen stresses the importance of engaging in conversation about your brand. If there’s conversation happening about your brand, especially a negative one, you should be the first to chime in. Consumers want to hear from you, and your response can drive more engagement, fans, and sales.
But wait there’s more…
Want to hear more from Helen? Like the perks and oddities of being a part of a family-owned brand? Or Frownies’ plans for tackling the male skincare market? Catch the full episode on YouTube, and don’t miss the end where Helen reveals if she’d rather work with her husband or her mom. As always, drop your favorite takeaways on our social posts and leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. See you next month.👋
ABOUT THE QUESTION EVERYTHING PODCAST
Part interview, part therapy, part Price Is Right, the Question Everything podcast puts your favorite CMOs and thought leaders in the hot seat. That means while they're facing off against our game board, you'll learn from the successes and failures of the best in the biz who were daring enough to be curious..
