Content Is the Game: Inside the Real State of Social Commerce with Dave Morrissey (ex-TikTok & Meta)

In this episode of Commerce Beyond Borders, we go deep into what actually works in social commerce today — and what doesn’t.

From London, former Meta & TikTok executive Dave Morrissey joins Renee (in Portugal) and Chris (in Shanghai) for a candid conversation about live shopping, the role of creators, why most brands are doing content wrong — and what the smartest brands are already doing next.

🔑 Key Insights

• Live shopping is not the answer for everyone — and most brands are doing it wrong.

• The TikTok Shop winners are founder-led, community-first brands.

• Why 40+ videos a month is becoming the new baseline for e-commerce success.

• AI should power creativity — not replace it.

• The rise of video search and why TikTok is quietly becoming a rival to Google.

• TikTok Shop: do you need affiliates, creators, paid ads… or all three?

• The secret moat now? 👉 Doing the hard things your competitors won’t.

💬 Favorite Quote from Dave

“Content is the game. The algorithms will do the delivery. Your only job is to get great at content.”

🔍 What We Cover

00:00 – Introductions across Portugal, Shanghai & London 04:00 – From music industry → Meta → TikTok Shop 09:45 – Live shopping: what’s working & what isn’t 16:30 – Why discount-led TikTok strategies are dangerous 22:10 – Content at scale: how brands should build it 28:00 – The role of AI — and where it shouldn’t be used 34:20 – Affiliates vs creators: who actually drives sales? 41:10 – TikTok as a search engine 46:30 – What Western brands can learn from China 52:00 – The principle that doesn’t change: be real, be useful

📢 Listen Now

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts 🎧 Subscribe to Commerce Beyond Borders for global perspectives on the future of retail & commerce.