From Food Porn to Full Personality: What Your Brand Can Steal from Billy Sushi

In early 2023, Billy Sushi switched up their social strategy—from straight-up food porn (gasp) to a character-driven, vibe-led approach.

"Brit, WTF does that even mean?"

It means that instead of just posting gorgeous shots of sushi and cocktails (which they still do, but sparingly), their content now revolves around a core cast: Billy (duh), the staff, the community, and the food/drinks acting as the setting, not the star.

Billy himself has a big, loud, lovable personality—he’s the guy at the bar hyping up the room and handing out sake bombs. That energy? It is the brand. Which is exactly how it should be when the face of the business is the business.

Service-based brands that thrive on personality need to lead with it.

And when I say the food and drinks are the “setting,” I mean you won’t catch a lonely roll just sitting in a box with a lo-fi filter. You’ll see it tossed into a trending audio clip, paired with a running gag, or supporting a fast-paced bit. It’s storytelling, not just showcasing.

I love when local businesses use social to build a brand that answers the “Why us?” question with confidence and clarity—and Billy’s team does it with flair.

So here's to building brand with personality, not just product.
Well done... or well raw?! (Sorry. Had to.)

Want help making your social strategy less “look at this thing we sell” and more “here’s who we are”? Let’s talk. That’s kind of our thing at Candorly.

Photo Credit: Mpls St. Paul Magazine