In Conversation with Alyssa Bronander From Rent the Runway

If you're anything like us, which we're guessing you are, then you love smart individuals who are really good at what they do, and who are spreading good vibes into the world.

Enter Alyssa Bronander from Rent the Runway: she's at the helm of the brand's killer social content, and we got a hold of her to learn more about the dress rental company's Instagram account. And also maybe about her Instagram guilty pleasure (you know, the important stuff 🤓).

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The womenswear industry is not one to be disrupted very often, but that's precisely what designer rental startup Rent the Runway did when they launched amidst the economic meltdown almost a decade ago. The idea was so revolutionary that it quickly gained traction with fashionistas on a budget and industry vets alike. They filled a gap in the market that now allows every woman a chance to have their dream closet in rotation, sans commitment. Runway fashion without the high end price tag. I meannnn.

The rent-a-dress concept was fresh and just what girls everywhere needed. As Rent the Runway's business evolved and their brand took shape, so did their social media strategy; the company's Instagram account is populated with a healthy mix of aspirational user-generated content, fun videos, informative snippets of news-worthy announcements, and real-life relatable scenarios.

And the brains behind that winning Instagram content strategy is holding court today in our In Conversation series, where we chat with a different social manager in every installment. Alyssa Bronander is the lovely senior content strategist at the social-savvy, dream-conjuring, lust-inducing, frock-leasing brand, and we're picking her brain below.

Read on to learn what college major landed her in the social media industry, what Rent the Runway considers to be killer on Insta, and, for good measure, where we can find her on a Friday night.

Name and occupation:

Alyssa Bronander, Senior Content Strategist at Rent the Runway

1. What was your college major, and why did you choose it?

I was a PR and Communication Studies Major. I was lucky enough to have a PR professor who was obsessed with Social Media and pushed his students to get experience in the industry before it really blew up, especially because traditional PR and branding was dying, and social was going to be the future of media. I made the decision to focus on social content in my last two years at school, searching for on-campus internships and projects where I could get firsthand brand-building experience while still studying full time.

2. Favorite part of the job?

The constantly changing platform offerings and cultural trends create constant shifts in user behaviors. I love problem-solving around these shifts, identifying micro trends and making sure the brand is pivoting in step with the users.

3. Favorite social media platform and why?

I find myself on Instagram constantly throughout the day. The addition of Stories has made the platform feel more personal again – it was losing that edge as users and brands began to be more curated and careful with their feed posts. Stories has brought back the more raw and in-the-moment feel that the platform had when it first gained popularity. I love seeing both brands and users be creative in their Story production.

4. What makes a great Instagram post for Rent the Runway?

I think our best posts feature our customers looking and feeling their best. We're so lucky to have a service that has such a positive effect on how our customers feel, and it's magically captured in the photos they post. Check out the #myRTR tag and you'll see what I mean...

5. What is your Instagram guilty pleasure?

I am a huge fan of the illustrator @butlikemaybe (also known as @ariannabonana). Her stuff is so spot-on for millennial women in New York that it often makes me laugh out loud. I am constantly sending her posts to friends.

6. Three things you can’t live without?

Wifi, The Infatuation Text Rex, sneakers

7. What’s on your travel bucket list?

I'm dying to see Croatia, New Zealand, Iceland and France.

8. Who’s your style icon?

My style changes from day to day (especially because I am a Rent the Runway Unlimited subscription addict) but my insta-crush is probably Jacey Duprie of Damsel in Dior. Whenever I’m feeling uninspired with my wardrobe I’ll scroll through her feed to find something to replicate.

9. Biggest vice? (be honest)

French fries or cheese plates. Once I get started, it’s game over.

10. Where can we find you on a Friday night?

Unplugging in some way. I live in New York and there is always a new restaurant or bar to try — mostly that I find through blogs and Instagram — so I’ll head out with friends to try a spot I’ve never been to. The other option is the polar opposite — I’ll snuggle up in bed with a cup of tea and dive into my long Netflix cue. But, regardless of the activity I always try to keep my phone on silent and out of reach to help unwind from a week of constant connectivity.

Now go give Rent the Runway some Instagram love and see what we mean for yourself.