Social media
deliver and deliver.com
I have been receiving the magazine called deliver a magazine for marketers, and I really enjoy it. The magazine offers marketing insights and tips on how we can really hit it home when it comes to our client/customers’ needs. It has articles that talk about different topics like, social media, direct mail and even the latest technology – all from the marketing point of view. Each issue touches upon different topics. As I started reading the current issue, I came across a line that really hits home for me personally, it stated “No matter what you choose to read, you’ll see that print is definitely not a goner. It’s evolving as new technologies emerge.” I highly recommend subscribing to either the printed magazine or the online version.
Old Spice’s Rapid Response Video Campaign
An old brand is leading the way in using new media…Old Spice extended their TV commercial campaign with an innovative tactic. Fans used social networks to ask questions of the actor in the TV ads. And Old Spice rapidly responded to 186 of these questions via short videos. Each video was produced in just minutes, and reportedly resulted in YouTube traffic that exceeded 34 million views in less than a week. Check out the story on NPR.
Viral Gets Nestle … The Palm Oil “Incident”
Yes, it’s great when viral advertising takes hold, isn’t it? Nestle Amsterdam achieved “viral advertising icon status” with its fake Jesus commercial (see previous blog posting). Nestle corporate achieved “viral advertising wrath”, big-time, by attempting to remove a viral Greenpeace ad linking Kit Kat bars to climate change from YouTube . “This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.”
What chaos! What a backlash!
Activists, outraged consumers and digital geeks all united in the thrashing of Nestle throughout social media outlets. Many were incensed by Nestle’s use of palm oil, purchased through Sinar Mas—a company with one of the worst environmental records and linked to illegal deforestation. Others were angry that a corporation would violate the basic tenets of social media by banning someone else’s video.
Nestle’s rather benign and rarely visited Facebook page was barraged with comments ranging from generally to aggressively nasty comments and other creative expressions of the Kit Kat and Nestle logos. Nestle further dug themselves into a hole by threatening action against copyright violators.
As the online frenzy moved to the terrestrial world through protests and events, Nestle finally took it seriously and on May 17, issued a statement that Sinar Mas is no longer part of their supply chain. However, Nestle does still purchase palm oil from Cargill, which is supplied in part by Sinar Mas. So, the online discussion continues and the anti-Nestle throng continues to multiply.
I like to talk with our clients about emerging consumer demands for transparency … and provide a gentle warning that the days of the passive consumer are over. This trend has steadily grown over the past couple of years, as consumers started scrutinizing company practices in addition to the nutrition labels.
Sustainability is also a huge topic on the minds of consumers, increasing considerablyly as purchase criteria for both foods and supplements. And companies can’t disrespect this; consumers have ways of peeking behind the curtain and are not shy about voicing their findings loudly, clearly and globally.
For those who haven’t seen it, here’s a link to the Greenpeace video as well as info on Nestle’s announcement to discontinue with Sinar Mas.
Nestle Gets Viral … The Kit Kat “Hoax”
The chocolate bar in question
Have you seen the Kit Kat “commercial” starring none other than Jesus himself? Well, not really himself, but something in his image.
It seems that Nestle Amsterdam made a viral “commercial” of an “anonymous Dutch Guy” who took a bite of a Kit Kat bar and an image of Jesus mysteriously appeared in his teeth marks. They produced this on the heels of a week’s worth of media coverage of multiple Jesus-icon discoveries and sent it to two media outlets in the Netherlands. Look, another Jesus in an inanimate object!
Well, the two media outlets ran it, and subsequently the video was picked up all over the world in a matter of days. This was a year ago on Good Friday, and the hits on YouTube continue, as do comments via Twitter, Facebook and in the media. People are still laughing … still insulted … but still talking.
The success of coverage obtained, the viewership and the online dialog generated by this fake commercial is part of the “digital media will kill traditional” onslaught. Yet for world-wide viral appeal, there must be an edge, and typically corporate-America is too frightened to produce something this provocative. Making fun of Jesus on Good Friday? I don’t think so! Poking fun of religious icons in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands is a big nothing. In the US, it’s taboo. Yes, the web is worldwide … but is it a cultural leveler? And if not, what is the ultimate fate of US creative?
Interestingly, most of the online discussion isn’t ripping on the sacrilege, but rather voicing offense over faking the image for purposes of marketing (which never happens in the traditional world, right?) and hoaxing the public with a fake news story.
The case study is fascinating. View, and use your own judgment.
Growing Peer Influence at the Retail Level?
While I don’t shop a whole lot, I have noted that my retail experiences lately have been unusual…not because of the stores or the brands I’m buying…but because of the behavior of my fellow shoppers.
On a visit to a home improvement center, I was stopped in the parking lot by a puzzled looking lady who had a cart full of cabinet and tile samples. “What do you think,?” she asked me. This question turned into a quarter hour conversation as we compared our remodeling experiences and design preferences. Apparently just talking things through eased her mind and she left more confident of her choices.
Then there was the group of ladies I saw huddled around the yogurt at the grocery store yesterday. Pretending to consider which egg brand was worthy of a trip home with me, I eavesdropped on their discussion. They covered probiotic vs. Greek vs. store brand yogurts…concluding with one woman’s endorsement of a yogurt available at Trader Joe’s. To my amusement, the advice of one shopper had two of the ladies decide to forego their yogurt purchase entirely.
Later that day at the mall, a fellow shopper conspiratorially advised me that, if I wasn’t in a hurry, the book I was considering was available from Amazon for a fraction of the cost.
Peer influence can make or break the sale, and most of this influence happens offline. Interactions with fellow retail shoppers seems to be happening much more frequently for me, lately. It has got me wondering…what has changed? Could it be that our fluency with online social networks is reshaping our offline shopping behavior in a significant way? Is the ease with which we solicit peer opinions at the retail level growing? If so, how should savvy retailers harness this at the store level?
88-minutes late
Metra really should bill itself as a form of social networking.
Chicago’s fabulous commuter train service, well-known for its friendly conductors (we love you, Bob), is really one of my very favorite things about this town. Even though our area is constantly under a weather siege of one type or another, trains are seldom late. So as I was sitting on the tracks for nearly an hour and a half yesterday waiting out a thunderstorm, I couldn’t really complain.
On Metra, regular commuters form social groups. Groups sit in the same car and same seat day after day chatting away. We think nothing of engaging our seat mates. By and large we relate to one another, bonded by our commuter commonality.
As we were sitting on the train last night, there was bonding aplenty. We all seemed to be conserving our cell phone charges, and got tired of our iPods. We got up and stretched our legs and some of us got into some interesting conversations. I saw at least two business card exchanges. Riders rallied around a first-time passenger to soothe her anxiety. We all giggled after we were collectively startled by a lightning strike that hit mere yards from our windows.
So today, I am even more thankful for Metra. And for the social networking and community building role it plays. Depending on how you choose to use the time, 88 minutes late can be a very rewarding experience.
