SXSW London... content stays king.

8 June 2026

Social media platforms, algorithms, and online trends may continue to evolve, but one thing has consistently remained true: high-quality content always wins.

The panel featured After Party Studios co-founders Ben Doyle - better known as film director RVBBERDUCK - and Callum McGinley, aka Callux, one of YouTube’s OG creators.

Doyle, who previously worked at BBH, comes with an advertising pedigree, making it particularly interesting to hear which traditional advertising principles he has carried forward and which he has left behind. In today’s social-first landscape, where anyone can be a creator and content can be turned around within hours, many of the old rules no longer apply.

As audience behaviours and expectations have evolved, so has the meaning of quality content. Once defined by high-end production and studio-grade execution, nowadays, quality is now measured by the strength of an idea and its perceived authenticity.

Yet amid all this change, one thing remains constant: great storytelling is still at the heart of great content.

As seasoned social media operators, Doyle and McGinley offered a range of tips for navigating the ever-powerful algorithms and ensuring content actually reaches an audience.

Among Doyle’s key takeaways was the importance of engagement over follower numbers. He suggested that if a brand has hundreds of thousands of followers but sees only minimal interaction on its posts, it may be worth wiping the slate clean and starting again.

Why? Algorithms are increasingly favouring fresh content, prioritised by subject relevance rather than accounts with large followings. Audiences aren’t often invested in the brand itself, so it’s essential to focus on creating entertaining content that aligns with what your audience genuinely cares about.

The performance of the content in its first thousand views is most critical, as this is when the algorithm largely decides how widely it will be distributed.

McGinley went on to highlight a 'king' piece of content: Red Bull’s documentary series following Neymar’s journey to the World Cup. Seven episodes into the series, the results have been extraordinary, with Neymar’s Instagram following already increasing by 2.5 million.

One episode in particular, capturing Neymar’s emotional reaction on learning he had been selected for the squad, has amassed a staggering 250 million views. To maximise relevance, the production team turned the episode around within 24 hours of the announcement.

The success of the series demonstrates the power of timely, authentic storytelling. It is exactly the kind of content audiences want to see, and both the athlete and the brand have benefited enormously as a result.

Doyle ended on a cautionary note, introducing the audience to the concept of 'Internet Landfill' - the figurative online graveyard where poor-quality content disappears without making an impact.

He emphasised the importance of asking fundamental questions, such as: “Is this content genuinely entertaining?” He also challenged creators and agencies to trust their expertise and engage clients constructively, rather than simply producing whatever has been requested. The goal, he argued, should be to create the content that will serve the client best.

In some cases, that may mean recommending a two-minute TikTok video capable of reaching millions rather than investing in a 15-minute short film destined to sit largely unwatched on a brand’s YouTube channel. It was a thought-provoking reminder that successful content is not defined by its scale or production value, but by its ability to connect with an audience.