How Steven Bartlett’s Social Chain Revolutionized Digital Marketing: The Untold Story

The History of Social Chain
Social Chain is a social media marketing and e-commerce company that gained global recognition for its innovative and disruptive approach to digital marketing. Founded by Steven Bartlett and Dominic McGregor, Social Chain became one of the fastest-growing social-first marketing agencies. Here is a detailed history of the company:

1. Foundation and Early Vision (2014)
Steven Bartlett and Dominic McGregor founded Social Chain in 2014, based in Manchester, UK. Bartlett, a university dropout, had a vision to revolutionize the way brands engaged with audiences through social media. The concept behind Social Chain was based on leveraging social media communities to create viral content and effective marketing strategies.

The duo started by building and acquiring influential social media pages and communities across platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. This included meme pages, interest-based communities, and viral content platforms with millions of followers.

Key Vision: Social Chain’s main value proposition was to tap into the power of youth culture and trends, utilizing its vast network of pages to launch viral marketing campaigns quickly and with great reach. They aimed to be leaders in social media influence.

2. Growth and Expansion (2015-2017)
In its early years, Social Chain rapidly expanded, gaining clients from some of the biggest brands worldwide. They helped businesses connect with the younger generation by creating viral marketing campaigns, often using memes, influencers, and shareable content. Social Chain was recognized for its bold and unorthodox approach to marketing, tapping into trends before they went viral and creating interactive, audience-driven campaigns.

By 2015, Social Chain had built a network with over 200 million followers across its platforms, allowing it to generate millions of impressions for brands within minutes. They became known for making content “go viral” by tapping into social moments and online culture.

3. International Presence and Major Clients
As Social Chain grew, it expanded globally. The company opened offices in London, New York, Berlin, and Munich, making it a global force in the social media marketing space.

Social Chain worked with major global brands such as:

Apple Music
McDonald's
Spotify
Amazon
Nike
The campaigns Social Chain executed for these brands often involved a combination of influencer marketing, viral content, and large-scale social media activation. By 2016, the company was handling multi-million dollar marketing campaigns and was known for its innovative approach to social storytelling and brand engagement.

4. Mergers and Going Public (2019)
In 2019, Social Chain merged with Lumaland AG, a German e-commerce company. The merger allowed Social Chain to expand its business model beyond just marketing and into e-commerce. Following the merger, the newly formed company was named The Social Chain AG and became publicly traded on the Dusseldorf Stock Exchange. This move solidified Social Chain’s position as a major player in both digital marketing and e-commerce.

The company's revenue grew significantly as it expanded its offerings to include online retail alongside social media marketing. Social Chain's e-commerce division sold products ranging from fitness gear to health products, leveraging the company's social media networks to promote these products directly to consumers.

5. Steven Bartlett’s Departure (2020)
In 2020, Steven Bartlett announced his departure from Social Chain. By this time, the company had grown into a multi-million dollar global enterprise. Bartlett had transitioned into a personal brand, focusing on other ventures, including his podcast, The Diary of a CEO. His departure was seen as part of his broader mission to focus on new projects, including investment and public speaking.

Even after leaving Social Chain, Bartlett maintained a close connection to the company and continued to speak publicly about its growth and the lessons he learned during his time as CEO.

6. Post-Bartlett Era and Continued Growth
Following Bartlett's departure, Social Chain continued to thrive under the leadership of the remaining management team. The company remained publicly listed and continued expanding both its marketing services and its e-commerce operations.

Key Developments:

Social Chain continued to acquire businesses and expand its portfolio of e-commerce brands.
The company's influence in the social media space remained strong, helping brands stay relevant in an ever-changing digital landscape.
7. The Present Day
Today, The Social Chain AG operates as both a social-first marketing agency and an e-commerce company. It is known for its ability to shape online conversations and drive consumer behavior through social platforms. The company continues to grow, with revenue increasing from both its marketing and retail operations.