Posts Tagged‘Social Media’

July 17, 2015

When a PR Campaign Scores a Gooaaaal!

womensworldcup_logoDie hard soccer fanatics and fair weather sports fans alike cheered loudly as the U.S. Women’s Soccer team brought the World Cup down to its final game…and nailed it, making them the first team ever to win three world championships. Names like Wambach, Solo and Lloyd were further etched into sports history, and young athletes everywhere had a reason to keep dreaming of the big time.

Another big winner? U.S. Soccer sponsors, who benefitted not only from being front and center during the most watched soccer game in American television history, but from well cultivated partnerships built around the sport. Some on a large scale, some on a small one, but each with a particular angle.

Sports Gear Powerhouse

Take for example, Nike, a company whose partnership with U.S. Soccer spans back to 1995. Moving far beyond event sponsorship and product promotion, the Nike brand has worked to promote the sport of soccer as a whole. In addition to higher profile national team programs, Nike has also supported initiatives geared toward player cultivation on every level through their U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

In support of the 2015 U.S. Women’s team, the brand backed every promotion with the hashtag #NoMaybes. The result was a huge social media win for Nike, with the biggest push coming during the hours before Sunday’s final, when individual players were the focus of the #NoMaybes campaign on Twitter. The U.S. Women were also the focus of a Nike video series called Pressure Makes Us, which focused on each players drive to the top, as well as the team’s progress toward Germany and the start of the World Cup.

Healthy Fruit Growers

By contrast, another U.S. Soccer sponsor rode the World Cup wave in a simple, almost grass roots manner. The National Mango Board signed on this year as the “official fruit” of the National Women’s Soccer League. On a local level, the Board went market by market, sampling mangoes at soccer matches and inviting fans to enter to win tickets to big market matches through their social media channels. On their website, mango growers posted nutritional information and recipes, urging fans to enjoy the superfood and “eat like a superstar.”

Big or small, it’s about lining up the shot

What we can learn by these two examples is that regardless of its size and scope, a publicity partnership can score for everyone if it’s planned and executed thoughtfully. Basic concepts always apply:

Know your audience – High end video production, celebrity endorsements, massive social media campaigns…all key for a global brand like Nike. We all know the swish mark – putting the drama of competition around it creates the perfect draw for the athletic and sports minded demographic.

For families looking for a healthy snack option and maybe some great tasting summer recipes – more of the soccer parent crowd – sideline food sampling and game day ticket giveaways are the perfect hot button.

Match the mood – Nike’s black and white video spots, rich with sweaty athletes pushing it to the max, is a perfect lure for real and armchair athletes alike. The Mango Board is visually all about color and fun, from its playful font to a Facebook comment that called the final game against Japan “one for all the mangoes – we mean marbles!” For kids and families, the perfect tone.

Today’s publicity efforts are more varied than ever, with countless ways to maximize promotional channels. If you’d like to figure out not only your message, but the best way to target and formulate it, we’re ready to put our team to work for you. Give us a call at (203) 762-8833 to get the ball rolling.

-BML

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June 16, 2015

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!

If your kids are like many, at this point they can tell you how many hours, minutes and seconds are left of the school year. Now it’s time to plan the family vacation – but where to go this year?

Several international tourism groups have been working hard to draw you to their corner of the world, and they’re using social media, in some truly creative ways, to do it.

Kiss Me, I #LoveDublin

Tourism Ireland took the “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” theme and ran with it in a campaign which launched in 2014. The main draw was a video posted on YouTube – and promoted on the organization’s site – which mashed together clips of eight couples kissing in different locations around Southern Ireland’s capital city. The challenge? Try to figure out which were real couples, and which were strangers set up for the shot. As viewers made their guesses, results were made easily sharable with a social media hashtag, #LoveDublin.

A similar campaign ran concurrently to promote Northern Ireland’s capital city of Belfast. The same approach – eight videos – invited viewers to guess whether the images had been shot via traditional photography or high end apps. The conversation was directed around the hashtag #PictureBelfast.

Hand Over the Selfie

Canadian Tourism made waves on the social media circuit earlier this year when they launched their “Selfie Swap” campaign. Tourists and natives were invited to send a selfie to the tourist board as part of a “swap” – for the chance to take an even better one in Montreal, or Quebec City, or any number of Canadian locations. By inviting website visitors to upload their photos, the campaign began a visual conversation about travel in general as people showed off their various adventures.

Gamifiying Switzerland

Another growing audience engagement method is gamification – driving traffic and raising awareness by creating a gaming experience around a marketing campaign. In the case of Geneva Tourism & Conventions, the “Jet Off to Geneva” program was launched last spring. Using both the travel euphemism and the reference to the country’s popular Jet D’Eau landmark, the gamified campaign let potential tourists visit a virtual world microsite where they could power a bike to generate as much power to the Jet D’Eau as possible. Prizes were awarded based on the amount of water “pumped.”

Being social means more than just showing up to the party…

Digital marketing has come a long way from the days of static banners and click-throughs. In the social media arena, it’s more important than ever to not only show up, but to engage in a meaningful way. Following the examples of these tourism campaigns, we see sample concepts in action:

Visuals win. Statistics say we remember 20% of what we read and 80% of what we see or experience. By inviting target customers to watch fun videos, take selfies to post, or enter a virtual gaming world, these campaigns have not only grabbed attention, they’ve brought the viewer right into the action.

Real people relate. By foregoing actors and spokespeople in favor of real folks on the streets of Dublin (even if some weren’t real couples), or soliciting selfies instead of posting professionally staged shots, the Ireland and Canada campaigns became instantly relatable – viewers are more likely to say “they are just like us” or “I can do that too” when the approach is more casual.

Games aren’t just for kids. Gamification is penetrating marketing campaigns in more industries than ever, proving that everyone likes to have a little fun. By Switzerland challenging visitors to their promotional microsite, Geneva Tourism created both a physical and emotional interaction channel. Powering a virtual bike to win prizes? Who wouldn’t give it a spin?

Today’s publicity efforts are more varied than ever, with countless ways to maximize social channels. If you’d like to brainstorm the best ways to not only reach your target customer, but to truly engage them, we’d love to talk to you. Give us a call at (203) 762-8833 and we’ll get our own interaction started!

– BML

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April 15, 2015

Election 2016: Extra! Extra! Tweet All About It!

Despite its reputation for live real time information distribution, Twitter was recently part of the most pre-promoted announcement of the 2016 election.

On Sunday, April 12, Hillary Clinton formally announced that she is officially jumping into the presidential race. The news was released via a video posted on her website, hillaryclinton.com, and spread through social media channels within minutes.

The choice of social media, rather than the traditional news outlets, was not surprising, given Clinton’s presence on Twitter since leaving the state department. The move also demonstrates the growth of the social media approach since 2008, when President Obama took to Twitter to announce his victory. According to a study conducted at the University of North Carolina, the announcement was retweeted just 157 times, while according to the same study, his 2012 victory tweet was retweeted more than 800,000 times.

Democrats aren’t the only ones embracing social news distribution. A January Washington Post article claimed that “2016 may yet be the first ‘Instagram election’,” citing Jeb Bush’s choice to announce his super PAC via a homemade smartphone video released through the popular app. (Of course, he was criticized for shooting the video vertically – rookie mistake – but when Instagram squared it off, it was somewhat of a non-issue.)

On the other end of the spectrum, no politician is going to compete with the mayhem a celebrity can cause on social media. When pop star Beyoncé released a surprise 14-track album online in December of 2013, every social media channel was jammed with fans clamoring to get in on the news – and the downloads. Followers were virtually scolding each other to stop uploading or downloading anything not-Beyoncé to stop the crowding. Think screaming, crying Beatleseque fans…in cyberspace.

Likely Politicians won’t elicit that kind of emotional response, but at least in the case of Hillary Clinton, campaign managers are hoping for another kind: dollar signs. Through the pre-promotional build up and release of Hillary’s announcement video, hopes are high that the ensuing momentum will help to raise as much as $2.5 billion for her campaign, according to an article in the New York Times.

Social media is as much a part of our news cycle today as the Sunday paper was in generations past. To find out the best way to channel your message out to your target market, call us at (203) 762-8833. We’d love to help you to strategize, target, and release – whether your approach is like that of Hillary, Beyoncé, or anyone in between.

-BML

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March 5, 2015

Red Carpet Critique? Not This Year, Ladies

Some call it the movie-lovers’ Super Bowl. Crowds gather and eyeballs are glued as the pre-game, the Red Carpet, precedes the main event: The Academy Awards.

Each year, nominated films are evaluated, actors are rated for their performances, and everyone behind the scenes is up for recognition of one kind or another. This year, we saw the likes of Julianne Moore, Patricia Arquette, and Reese Witherspoon take to the stage as winners and nominees.

We also got an earful about what they were wearing.

It’s become commonplace as another type of judgment has grown in prevalence over the years – that of the attendees’ gowns, body shapes, hairstyles, and every other physical aspect viewable on millions of televisions around the world.

Entire programs are now devoted to watching the celebrities walk the carpet, solely so that their outfits can be critiqued. Pseudo-celebrity hosts of these shows have made a name for themselves by being as cutting as possible, passing it off as humor.

On Oscar night, however, you may have noticed a shift in the tide, at least in the Twittersphere.

In an effort to highlight – and reverse – the negativity which surrounds such flashy events, Dove launched a campaign called #SpeakBeautiful in conjunction with Twitter. Based on a recent Twitter survey which reported that four out of five negative tweets posted about beauty and body image were women putting themselves down, the two companies designed a tool which would identify posts on related topics during Oscar night and immediately respond to them with something positive, written by self-esteem experts who were manning the company’s Twitter account.

In addition, an impactful spot ran, showing a series of white domino tiles, each with an actual negative body image quote. A blue Dove tile, showing the tweet “You are Beautiful,” then hits the first, sending them all falling. A shocking statistic is shared as well: last year alone, women sent over 5 million negative tweets about beauty and body image. The spot ends with the hashtag #SpeakBeautiful.

speakbeautiful

 

By combining a rivetingly simple video with a social media campaign directly targeted at a perfectly matched television event, Dove and Twitter came at their message from all sides, not just conveying it, but insisting that it be heard. Response was remarkable.

When putting a message out into the social media landscape, method and timing are as important as the words you choose. We would love the opportunity to figure out how to best conceptualize, target, and craft your own multichannel social media campaign. Like Dove and Twitter, our partnership could have a very real opportunity to make an impact in an otherwise noisy landscape. Let’s talk!

– BML

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January 16, 2015

Federal First: A State of the Union Trailer

It’s a page right out of the Marketing 101 playbook: Find out where your target audience is, and go there.

When President Obama unveiled his proposal last week for making community college partially free for students, he did so where those prospective students can be found – on social media. By creating a video wherein he explains the basics of the program, the President was able to send out his message in one swoop across The White House’s Facebook, Twitter, and Vine accounts.

In no time at all, #FreeCommunityCollege was trending. The White House reported 6.6 million views of the Facebook video within 21 hours of the announcement, while Obama’s Vine video scored nearly 35,000 shares on Twitter.

Arguably the proposal would have gotten its fair share of mileage following the President’s State of the Union address on January 20, but not necessarily where it needs to be. While the talking heads and loud debaters would no doubt have been hashing it out in late January, the program’s key demographic may have missed the message altogether. By introducing the concept where its potential beneficiaries are found, The White House ensured the conversation was sparked by the group they wanted to hear it first.

Of course the topic was then fair game for Obama fans and haters, those who thought the program was a great idea and those who were incredulous. Again, the social media launch may have brought engagement full circle, generating interest in the State of the Union by a demographic who may not have otherwise tuned in. Maybe. Ultimately, only the ratings numbers will tell.

For the record, the Free Community College proposal calls for applicants to enroll in school at least half-time, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and make steady progress toward completing a degree in three years. Participating colleges would be required to offer academic programs that fully transfer to four-year colleges or occupational programs in high demand fields. The federal government would provide three-quarters of what is determined to be the average cost of community college.

Using social media to spread a message isn’t something new for President Obama. His 2008 campaign was the first presidential run to effectively use social channels as a tool to, among other things, draw in younger voters. Today, @BarackObama boasts tweets which are favorited over one million times. Michelle Obama may be even more comfortable in the social arena, readily using videos to promote everything from her healthy kids initiatives to support for military families.

By the time the gavel drops to mark the opening of President Obama’s State of the Union address on January 20, his Free Community College program will almost be old news. Almost. And that’s the point; the discussion is already fully underway.

Who knows? Maybe there will even be a live Twitter feed scrolling at the bottom of our screens.

Social media is more powerful than ever in spreading a message and engaging your target audience in real-time discussion. To find out how you can best utilize the many channels available, let’s talk. Defining strategy, audience definition, targeted communications – it’s what we’re about. Give us a call at 203.762.8833.

– BML

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January 2, 2015

A Day of Giving = A Lesson in Building A Movement

It started in 2012 as an effort incubated at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, launched in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation. We already had Black Friday and Cyber Saturday, the thinking went; why not shift the direction of all that consumerism toward philanthropy? #GivingTuesday was born.

On December 2, 2014, in its third year, #GivingTuesday is estimated to have generated $45.7 million in charitable donations, a 63 percent increase over last year according to a study released by the Case Foundation, an agency focused on driving social change through supporting philanthropy, entrepreneurism and civic engagement. Donations were driven by a #GivingTuesday effort involving 20,000 non-profits in over 65 countries.

How did a grassroots campaign become a bonafide movement in three years?

In a recent interview with Bulldog Reporter, Havas PR North America CEO Marian Salzman, whose team developed this year’s campaign, says the key was collaboration, creativity, engagement and a clear call to action. In that sense, #GivingTuesday makes for a beneficial study, standing as a model of how these elements can blend successfully for any effort.

Matching Needs with Answers

It was already clear, Salzman says, that social media was the place to create the biggest buzz around #GivingTuesday; it was where organizations in need of help could find those willing to donate – and vice versa – wherever they were. The next step was to identify the best partners to generate that buzz.

Building Partnerships

During the summer, Havas set out to find media partners and even other PR agencies to drive #GivingTuesday communications, ultimately rolling out a media plan two months in advance of the holiday shopping season. These partners and a group of hand-picked “social media ambassadors” kicked off the chatter.

Inviting Participation

Next, the #GivingTuesday team introduced the “UNselfie,” inviting people to post photos of themselves helping out organizations or making donations to charity. Not left to chance, the UNselfie program was supported by PR toolkits provided to #GivingTuesday campaign partners and social media ambassadors.

The gangbuster results of this year’s #GivingTuesday campaign were both financial and emotional. In the true spirit of engagement, the program raised awareness, gave everyone involved – from the strategic partner to the casual consumer – something to do in the name of goodwill, which in turn helped someone else and became a win-win for all involved. With that sort of positive momentum, there is nowhere to go but even farther in 2015.

We at Kovak Likly are looking forward to a wonderful 2015 as well. We hope to help you build your next successful campaign this year!

– BML

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December 8, 2014

Effective PR from Start to Finish: Building the Sizzle Around the Perfect Steak

There is an old adage in marketing: Sell the Sizzle, Not the Steak. But as PR professionals, we know that all the sizzle in the world isn’t going to sell mass market corn-fed beef. The steak has to be cooked to perfection and presented not just as a product but as an experience.

Today’s Special: Steak

Within PR, that steak is the foundation of traditional public relations activities; strategizing cohesive campaigns which incorporate the creation and distribution of news releases, liaising with the media to facilitate interviews and article placement, opening opportunities for presence at events and speaking engagements. All remain critical to a successful PR campaign, yet with such longstanding presence in the publicity world, some of these standards can be detrimentally treated as a reflex action rather than a precision tool.

Let’s take press releases. An oversimplified headline (think: XYZ Company Announces…) will have editors and writers snoozing in the first five seconds. An undercrafted headline will miss valuable SEO opportunities. The body of the release also needs to address the shrinking attention span and rushed pace of its recipient; numbers are old hat, while infographics make statistics pop off the page.

Directing a release properly is also a different game today than it once was. The old cropdusting approach – spread the word everywhere and hope someone picks it up – is a gamble at best. Pitching by the masses doesn’t fit today’s marketplace. In PR it used to be called “smile and dial” – the obligatory phonecall following the mass market release. Despite the seemingly endless number of media outlets today – the majority digital – content is still king. We need to know the editors well – not to mention the beat reporters, writers and bloggers – and tailor the pitch to best capture their attention and make their job easier. They need content; giving them the best fit possible puts yours ahead of the pack.

Creating the best quality steak also means sending it out of the kitchen in the best way possible. Just as it’s crucial to create press releases tailored to varied targets, the spokespeople who will back those releases up must be prepped in a similar fashion. For example, an interviewer writing for NPR will need answers to background questions to educate and inform their audience; a reporter for a trade magazine will most likely be able to surpass or minimize the background and jump further into the details for a B2B audience. Preparing a spokesperson for each individual interview will ensure the best presentation.

Sizzling Social

Now that you’ve crafted the highest quality steak possible, let’s get back to that sizzle.

The sizzle today is social media. At lightening fast speed, messages are posted, tweeted, retweeted and pinned…all in the name of drawing attention to that steak. As PR professionals, we need to be both masters and students of social media. Trends are constantly changing, and tracking them well means staying on top of the ways in which social media can be used, presented and leveraged.

Social media has also transformed publicity into a two-way street; one in which as much as traditional means can push a message out, the recipients of that message can respond directly and out loud. Relationship marketing has become crucial; knowing not only what a target customer buys, for example, but what they do for fun, where they live, what their priorities are – these are the keys to connecting. The opposite is a true danger zone as well; all the sizzle in the world is great, but if in the end you are serving up a lackluster steak, you will hear about it. Most likely at the same time everyone in the social media sphere is hearing it.

The Perfect Combo

We’ve defined the steak and the sizzle. The question now is:

How is social media integrated with the foundational components of PR so as to deliver the ideal campaign?

  • Be compelling – don’t just push generic content. Create searchable press releases with no fluff and quickly digestible information.
  • Be visual – Numbers in a press release make people yawn…infographics catch the eye, and make for much more viewable social media posts, tweets, and retweets.
  • Know who you’re talking to every time.  Via every channel and in every instance, know your editors, writers, freelancers, bloggers…and tailor information for them that they can truly use.
  • Engage in multiple ways; presenting information through a twitter feed and through a LinkedIn post, for example, will draw different factions into the conversation.
  • Stay in school. Continue to be both a master and a student of social media and of journalism so that your two-way communications remain relevant in the long run.

When the sizzle around your steak is crafted for not only the best presentation, but is introducing the most delicious meal on the menu, you’ve created a successful campaign. To find out how to do both for your product or service, let’s talk. Call 203.762.8833 to start making your steak.

– BML

 

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September 17, 2014

A Social Media Makeover for Used Car Sales

If you’ve gone through the process of selling a used car in recent years, you’ve more than likely taken the traditional steps. Check the value on Kelly Blue Book, post on Craigslist, maybe run a classified ad in the paper (does anyone look at those anymore?) then hope for a response. If you’ve been the buyer, you’ve probably followed the same channels.

What you may not know is that Kelly Blue Book has taken used car sales beyond the traditional reach by putting multichannel marketing tools in the hands of sellers. With an advantage normally reserved for those with marketing savvy, both sellers and buyers can interact in a fast and informative way which speeds the sales process.

By using the KBB Seller’s Toolkit, users can post available vehicles across multiple social media channels and blogs in one step. According to a report in Social Media Today, posts can also include a direct link to KBB’s pre-configured pricing report, giving buyers real time access to Blue Book Values from KBB.com. In conjunction with the system’s smartphone app, quick access to key buying and selling information is instantly available to those on either side of the negotiating table.

In creating a useful, integrated tool, Kelly Blue Book has not only maximized their social media presence but also addressed a genuine consumer need. For a non-traditional company (not pushing a new product, for example) it represents smart, strategic thinking.

Get in the Game

Marketers know they need to be on social media, including those in the second hand product arena. By finding a way to incorporate all major social media channels, Kelly Blue Book is in keeping with the trend and staying at the forefront in a competitive digital space.

Address A Need

Once there, KBB could have easily gone the content route, posting handy tips on buying or selling, or re-posting reports on the car market. Yet they took it one step further by thinking about what their target customer needs. Do they need information on the used car market or sales trends as a whole? Maybe. Do they need access to information that can help them execute a successful sale quickly or to act as an informed buyer? Absolutely.

Promote Interaction

By creating a Sales Toolkit which combines social media channels and easy access to competitive value information, Kelly Blue Book has insured that not only will they be present in the social media sphere, they will be consistently interacting with their target customers. Researchers about to sell or buy, as well as active buyers and sellers, can use the KBB resources on the fly to gather and share information anywhere. By providing what their customers genuinely need, KBB has built a productive relationship with lasting power.

Simply showing up on social media is not enough. To determine the best presence for your company, the experts at Kovak-Likly can work with you to build a comprehensive PR plan which defines your niche, engages your target customer base and solidifies your role as a true resource. To get started, give us a call at 203.762.8833 or visit www.klcpr.com.

– BML

 

 

 

 

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July 7, 2014

Big Score in the Social Media World

fifaWhether you were following the World Cup minute-by-minute or only knew it was happening from the whooping and hollering of your neighbors, there was no getting around the top sporting event last week. The most vocal fans out there? Facebook fans, it would seem.

The social media company announced last week that the World Cup was the largest event ever – sports or otherwise – in their history, generating more than one billion interactions on the site. The likes, comments, and posts came from 220 million Facebook fans, representing 17% of their total user base.

Participation came in many forms, including posts from soccer fans around the globe and from many of the players themselves. Looked at from the big picture, the experience demonstrates what social media can create – enthusiastic and sustained synergy between a product (in this case an event) and its ambassadors (fans).

Before social media, a large-scale event like the World Cup would be watched on television, a one way interaction. High five-ing after goals and commiserating over disappointments would be left to those sharing a living room or a sports bar. Many small ripples, no overlap.

By enabling fans around the world to interact with both the event and each other through social media, however, that ripple has no bounds. Even those with very little interest in soccer (or fútbol) were drawn into the action last week, curiosity sparked by endless posts and photos populating their Facebook feeds.  Some of the most popular, most shared contributions, in fact, were those from the star players themselves. A photo posted by Brazil’s “Neymar” with his teammate Hulk, for example, drew almost 2.5 million likes.

Your business can cause a ripple, too, if social media is engaged correctly. Meaning, in a way that both promotes the brand, invites interaction, and provides compelling content. By keeping those three elements in play, the conversation knows no end.

Promote the Brand

Obviously this is the goal. But it’s important to go about it in a mindful way. One-way communication is for traditional media, best left to print and broadcast. First, it’s critical to know why your brand should be important to your target audience. What are their hot buttons? For example, the right angle to promote might be the product itself, or what it represents, or what causes the business supports.

Dove is a perfect example of this concept. They are selling soap, yes. But via video campaigns shared on social media, their brand is about positive body image in women. Would you share a post about how great their soap is? Probably not. But a lesson in helping women feel better about themselves? You bet.

Invite Interaction

It’s what social media is all about. Everyone is on the guest list; the playing field is leveled when your target customers feel like their opinions matter and that their feedback is truly being heard. In a case like the World Cup, fans were able to post in direct response to their favorite players. With consumer goods and services, the celebrity factor may not be there, but the feeling of inclusion is just as powerful.

Provide Compelling Content

Soccer fans wanted minute-by-minute updates. Non-fans wanted just enough to speak knowledgeably at the water cooler. And let’s face it, some fans (mainly female, just guessing) were most interested in photos of the athletes. In any case, there was something for everyone. This is achievable with just about any brand. While one contingent from your target audience may be most interested in your actual product, others may feel more drawn to your overall message. By keeping content fresh and compelling, you can serve all with what influences each the most.

Social media is the most flexible of all PR channels. To find out how you can best utilize this incredible tool, let’s have a conversation. Give us a call at 203.762.8833 or visit www.klcpr.com.

– BML

 

 

 

 

 

 

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June 25, 2014

Raise A Glass to Social Media This Summer

This Fourth of July, as we celebrate our independence from Great Britain amid a sea of patriotism, you might just reach for a British beer. That is, if a Facebook campaign planned by Newcastle Brown Ale does its job.

A recent Adweek article dissected Newcastle’s use of social media to outpace traditional advertising at carefully selected times of the year, highlighting the Heineken-owned brand’s core platform, Facebook.

Newcastle’s Fourth of July campaign, entitled If We Won, will feature videos presenting what our world would look like if the British had won the American Revolution. The humorous twist will follow on the heels of the company’s Super Bowl 2014 campaign, If We Made It, which poked fun by showing what Newcastle would have done with the time, had they bought an actual television spot during the big game.

According to the article, that campaign resulted in a triple digit increase in beer sales, as well as marked increases in brand awareness and purchase consideration. The company is hoping for a similar success as the beer of choice on America’s birthday.

The idea of harnessing the power of social media to outpace traditional advertising is one which has gathered momentum in the national marketplace.

Also targeting the predominantly male sports fan demographic, Red Stripe lager ran a social media campaign around the 2013 Super Bowl which garnered significant attention. It was created spontaneously in response to media conversation around a leaked Volkswagen ad centered on drivers speaking with Jamaican accents. When a media conversation grew, calling the ads offensive, Red Stripe responded by posting videos through social media channels. The hook was a Jamaican referees making on-field calls, including the VW ad controversy – which he declared not offensive, as “happiness was always in play.”

By the end of the big game, Red Stripe held a top spot in the social media rankings for the Super Bowl without ever placing an ad.

Big or small, it’s about changing the conversation.

Newcastle and Red Stripe are large brands with large agencies. But regardless of a company’s resources, the concept is the same: change the conversation.

While traditional marketing channels hold a powerful position, especially in the areas of reinforcing an overall brand, social media allows for immediate interaction. To spark a topic, one need only post it. No need to wait weeks or longer to check response rates; they will be right in front of you.

If you’re going to change the conversation, however, you also need to steer it.

A random post here and there won’t set the right ball in motion. With the ability to respond immediately to what you have posted, people will do so – positively or negatively – and it’s important to be ready.

To make sure you guide the conversation, it’s important to cover some bases:

  • Word your post in a way that solicits response. Ask a question, take a poll – anything to make your recipient pause and think of how they might contribute.
  • Be ready to chat. You wouldn’t start a conversation at the dinner table and then walk out of the room. Posting and moving on is the same concept. If you successfully engage your audience, let them know you are listening.
  • Address concerns. Even online, the customer is always right. If you receive negative feedback, address it right away with an offer to help correct the situation. People appreciate good customer response – the quicker the better.

Planned strategically, social media marketing can supplement or even surpass the ROI of traditional advertising. If you need help developing the right content for your social media audience, and to make a splash in a creative and impactful way, we would love to help. Visit us at www.klcpr.com or give us a call  at 203.762.8833.

– BML

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