Why Unleashed Brands tapped VaynerX to pump up social media marketing

"A year ago, I would say we were 98%, probably actually 100%, in the lower funnel with very conversion-heavy tactics—search, some paid social. We weren't building the brands and we're weren't really showing up in a way that resonated with moms, who are the decision makers on our brands."

"It's very creative-heavy and gets at some of the tensions that we have and some of the positioning that we have. You put it out in social and see what resonates with the consumers. You take the ideas and you build upon them, you put paid media behind what's working."

Unleashed Brands, a youth-enrichment company operating 210 locations including Urban Air Adventure Park, appointed Pat O'Toole as chief marketer in February 2025 to transform its marketing approach. Previously, the company relied almost entirely on lower-funnel conversion tactics like search and paid social, failing to resonate with moms who drive purchasing decisions. Urban Air launched a new social media strategy across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook featuring creative, relatable content depicting family scenarios. Developed with agency VaynerX, the content uses familiar social media tropes to highlight brand positioning and family tensions. This mid-funnel approach tests creative concepts organically, then scales successful ideas with paid media support, representing a significant departure from the company's previous conversion-heavy tactics.

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