filter by tag: Facebook

By now, you've no doubt heard about the questionable practices PR firm Burson-Marsteller engaged in on behalf of Facebook to "raise awareness of" and "focus attention" on Google's Social Search functionality. Certainly, the actions of B-M do not conform to any reasonable definition of public relations ethics and only serve to perpetuate negative perceptions of our industry as a whole.

The real losers in the battle: everyone.

For those not aware of the background, Google now shows searchers information on how people within their online social graph have interacted with pages that are returned as a part of search results, including tweets, Facebook interactions and various other socially enabled actions. All of this information is being pulled from publicly available data that Google crawls by following links in a user's Google Profile. This is all perfectly legal and in the name of providing a better and more relevant web experience.

If that all sounds pretty familiar, it should. Through Facebook's Open Graph, you are probably used to seeing how your friends are interacting with the websites they visit – including stories they "liked" or "recommended" and commented on. You may even know they like a brand in general, despite never even having visited that brand's website. This is Facebook's way of showing you – wait for it – a better and more relevant web experience.

Both companies have taken some lumps for the liberal use of consumer information without proactively informing users that they are doing so. This is despite the fact that most would argue, in the end, both techniques actually do provide a better web experience, facilitating better information exchange and deepening both interpersonal connections and brand-to-consumer connections.

What's sad about this entire kerfuffle is that it's not really about shoddy data privacy or better web experiences. In the end, it's all about advertising revenue and gaining a competitive edge to attract more eyeballs and ad dollars. Both products are great and have improved the world we live in considerably. But, by slinging mud and focusing on the supposed weaknesses of their competitors instead of their own strengths, they have effectively weakened consumer confidence in the industry and given consumers another reason to doubt that online communications even serve their interests.

For those keeping score: doubt - 1; progress - 0.

--Mike Hollywood, Director of New Media, @mikehollywood

When I finally found the time to order “The Social Network” on demand, what struck me most about Facebook mastermind Mark Zuckerberg was both his portrayed arrogance and his genius. But in spite of his undeniable intelligence, I don’t think he could ever have imagined how invaluable his creation would become to marketers.

Facebook is an increasingly important tool we use on a daily basis to connect and engage with consumers. I think it’s reasonable to say you’re way behind the eight ball if Facebook isn’t a consideration in your marketing strategy. But, just having a presence isn’t enough; in fact, recent research has clearly shown that all content is not created equal.

Consider the following when engaging with “fans” on your brand’s Facebook page:

• Your page is important to your consumer. Our 2010 Consumer New Media Study found traditional online tools, such as websites and email, lead the way, but social networks are the next most common channels Americans use to interact with companies and brands online.
• Timing is everything. Consumers are more likely to read your posts after work (good news for their employers). According to Buddy Media, companies that post content on their Facebook pages outside normal business hours see engagement rates that are 20 percent higher than average – Thursdays and Fridays see especially high traffic.
• Keep it brief. If the wild success of Twitter tells us anything, it’s that people like short and sweet, and the same is true for Facebook. The Buddy Media study also found posts with 80 characters or fewer have a 27 percent higher engagement rate.
• Some things in life are free…and everyone loves free stuff! According to our Cone study, incentives, such as free products or services, coupons, etc., are the biggest reason (77%) consumers choose to engage with brands via social media. Other things consumers are looking for include problem solving (e.g., customer service), the ability to provide feedback, and of course, entertainment.

When I started my first blog years back the best advice I was given was to keep it fresh, dynamic and interesting for my readers (albeit there were not many). The same practices can be applied to a Facebook page. As a marketer, I’ve learned the importance of posting often and with purpose. Facebook allows us to consistently engage with people that really care about a product, service or company, so we should use this unmatched tool to provide information that is meaningful, timely and relevant to our consumers and not just post for the sake of posting.

Simply put, since you took the time to “like” me, I want to make it worth your while.

--Lindsay Harrington, Account Supervisor, @LindsHar15

“Move fast and break things.”

This is much more than a mantra at Facebook. In fact, the social network seems to introduce changes before it has even finalized its previous modifications. Although Facebook is getting better at letting users decide if they want to accept updates and is generally more cognizant of how those updates can affect users’ privacy, the largest network on the planet doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

On cue, the latest change comes to Facebook Fan Pages. And with so many brands using their Fan Pages as hubs for online marketing efforts, this update can have serious implications. Below is a look at what brand marketers can expect:

Tabs No More: Confusion Abounds
Those clunky, browser-esque tabs from Facebook Pages have disappeared, replaced by a slicker side navigation that is much more subtle. Taking advantage of the new-found space, Facebook uses the top of the page to feature recently posted pictures. Creative brands took advantage of this quickly, but marketers need to be aware that the new user interface may cause some confusion.

Use Facebook as Your Fan Page: Improve Engagement
In addition to the visual facelift, Facebook tweaked its functionality to provide a very interesting tool for community managers and brand marketers. Page admins can now switch back and forth from their personal profiles to that of their Pages’. This means admins can use Facebook as their brand page. When logged in as a Page, users won’t have all of Facebook’s functionality – they can only engage with other Fan Pages – but the update is a great tool as it allows for easier monitoring. No longer do community managers need to “hover” around their pages waiting for activity before engaging with consumers. With the new rollout, admins receive a Facebook notification and an email notification of any activity, including wall posts, comments and shared photos. For some, this is going to mean a huge improvement in speed of response and a perception of deeper community involvement. For others, it’s going to mean a flooded inbox, particularly if you manage multiple pages with vibrant communities. Luckily, each admin can modify his or her email preferences both at the individual Page level and globally.

It seems hard to believe a website created in 2004 to help college students at Harvard share social information would have the power to help fuel political movements around the world. Wasn’t the idea to let students post their photos online and find out someone’s relationship status?

As the Facebook movie, “The Social Network,” wins Golden Globes and Academy Awards, the site is also receiving notoriety for helping assemble young political activists in Tahrir Square, Egypt. Social media, in particular Facebook, were prime vehicles for amassing young, pro-democracy supporters for rigorous political debate online and disseminating information on meetings and rally locations.

Today, the “April 6 Youth Movement” group on Facebook – which launched its page back in 2008 to help raise awareness for striking workers in Mahalla al-Kobra – has more than 86,000 members and it’s likely the Mubarak regime would not have toppled this month if Egyptian students and young professionals hadn’t leveraged the power of Facebook. Even a government-forced Internet shutdown couldn’t dilute the strength of the community offline.

As the pro-democracy wave spreads to other areas of the Middle East, this may likely serve as one of the earliest case studies of social media’s impacts on political movements. The brilliance of Facebook, with its 500 million users, is its ability not only to share and communicate but to literally create offline movements.

I wonder if this was Mark Zuckerberg’s vision as he programmed the site from his Harvard dorm room.

--Heather Breslau, Vice President

As any 21^st century PR practitioner will tell you, social media communications has taken on a role of greater importance when developing a comprehensive communications plan for your organization. But remember, establishing a social media presence means opening yourself up to potential attacks, warranted or not, from consumers who want their voices to be heard. To prepare yourself for this eventuality, you must develop a sound social media strategy comprising a careful mix of fact finding, message creation and strategic communication.

The new reality of an always-online, hyper-connected world is that there has been a major shift in how we help companies communicate with consumers. Blogger engagement and Facebook and Twitter strategies are no longer “nice to haves.” They’re absolutes! Three years ago, our proactive efforts primarily involved developing comprehensive communications programs that helped clients demonstrate their business actions to a core group of loyal consumers. We were able to create focused programs and engagement tactics that could be shared with stakeholders and media by following a planned schedule. Although that process still underlies the foundation of any solid communications platform, today it is critical to supplement it with a strategic and deliberate social media communications plan with a broader consumer focus.

It is important to take your time when crafting your online and social media plan. The best communications plans are structured to be implemented in a moment’s notice. And when done poorly, they can seriously damage your reputation almost overnight. Years of solid thinking and reams of messaging can easily be overtaken by scrambled, reactive efforts - often against attacks waged by just a few individuals with limited knowledge on the topic they’re vilifying.

So, what to do, and what not to do? There are a few critical things that must happen, especially when dealing with a consumer crisis:

Do:

• Monitor, monitor, monitor. It’s not enough just to be there. You must know what’s happening in your social media space.
• Respond, respond, respond - and quickly. The vast majority of online attackers can be easily educated and quickly appeased, and in some cases, might even become surprising allies. Ignoring commentary is the quickest way to start a firestorm, and responding fast can literally stop it in its tracks.
• Have a few clear key messages to reference. Keep messages factual and as objective as possible. Engaging in an online attack is not the time to “market” to the attacker.
  

Don’t:

• Ignore the comments. You don’t have to respond to everything, but when you see an opportunity to set the record straight, do so, and fast.
• Respond with the same message over and over again. Online communication should be authentic and come from a personalized “voice.”
• Patronize or antagonize. Be polite and respectful, but remain strong and confident.
• Shut down your Facebook page or Twitter handle. That will move the conversation into forums you can’t easily control.
  

Online engagement is an exciting opportunity to have a person-to-person dialogue in real time. With a solid online and social media communications strategy in place, you will be prepared for anything that comes your way, and more often than not, will come out on top.

--Lisen Syp, Senior Account Supervisor

One-in-five Americans will be tuning in to this Sunday’s Super Bowl just to watch the commercials. While this may not be good news for Manning and Brees, Madison Avenue couldn’t be happier. You might say the Super Bowl is the Super Bowl of advertising, and brands lucky enough to afford 30 seconds of our time know there is a lot on the line this year, as always.

Viewers’ expectations will be just as high for the Budweisers and the Coca-Colas as they will be for the Colts and the Saints. So the big question is, what can we expect from the commercials? Will advertisers go for the easy laugh? The warm, fuzzy feeling? The sex appeal? We’ll have to wait a little longer to find out, but in the meantime, some early buzz provides some clues.

1. Through the roof: At least the costs will. A 30-second commercial in Super Bowl I cost around $40,000. Forty-four years later, advertisers are shelling out $2.6 million.
2. Social: If you don’t have a social media presence this year, you don’t have a commercial. Brands are leveraging the hype around the big game to preview commercials on their Web sites and Facebook pages to engage consumers via multiple touch points. Look for online/on-air synergies from Budweiser, Coca-Cola and Monster.com.
3. Old school: What’s old is new again. This year we’ll see some old favorites with a modern twist. LeBron James and Dwight Howard take the reigns from Jordan and Bird in McDonald’s “Nothin’ but net” commercial, and Boost Mobile brings back the 1986 Super Bowl Shuffle featuring some of the original Chicago Bears rappers.
4. Controversial: Whether it’s CBS’ much maligned Super Bowl PSA or risqué ads banned from the game, this year’s commercials aren’t shying away from controversy. Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow will star in a pro-life PSA for Focus on the Family, but GoDaddy.com got its “Lola” ad nixed. Gay dating Web site ManCrunch.com was turned away because ads were sold out, but site reps are alleging discrimination.
5. Consumer-generated: Why pay an ad agency when your consumers can do it for you? Doritos and CareerBuilder.com are hosting contests to find the best consumer-generated commercials. The winner gets the most coveted ad space on earth.
6. Au naturel: Although not completely nude, it’s certainly close enough. Dockers, CareerBuilder.com and Bud Light will get as close to naked as possible with a barrage of underdressed advertisements.
7. For a drive: Toyota might be mired in a recall crisis, but that’s not stopping the rest of the auto industry from getting in the game. One-in-six commercials this year will be car commercials. Expect to see Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, Honda, Dodge and Audi.
8. At each other: Indianapolis and New Orleans aren’t the only rivals facing off this Sunday. It’s the battle of the online job-search sites, too. Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com go up against each other, along with Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper, Denny’s and Taco Bell and Doritos and Pop Secret.
9. To Hollywood: It will feel like the Academy Awards are being hosted in your living room. Celebrities will be all over this Sunday’s commercials pitching everything from real estate to chocolate bars. Will.i.am, Chevy Chase, Gene Simmons and Abe Vigoda will walk the red carpet.
10. Away: Long-time advertiser Pepsi will forego the $2.6 million spot this year to focus its resources on its new cause marketing campaign, the Pepsi Refresh Project. Now that’s money well spent.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and every year shelves turn pink to remind us that one-in-eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer within her lifetime. Even though there are still no cures for this disease, there’s a lot we can do to help further the cause.

Raising awareness about early detection is key to conquering breast cancer. What is so important for women to understand is that when breast cancer is caught early (stage 0-1), the five-year relative survival rate is 98 percent. Different campaigns emerge every year encouraging women and men to take control of their breast health through early detection. Our client Yoplait’s Know Your Girls is one that truly captures our attention. It speaks to young women, who don’t know about breast cancer or think it’s not an issue for them. Unfortunately, statistics reveal that thousands of young women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the next year. Know Your Girls is a way to make young women aware they can, and do, get breast cancer and provide tools to help them educate themselves and their friends.

This fun, female-focused campaign asks young women to pledge to get to know their bodies by getting to know their "girls,"or breasts.For every pledge received by October 31, 2009, Yoplait will donate 10 cents to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, up to $100,000. Money will go to breast cancer research specifically related to young women. The campaign is all Facebook-based – and it has almost 40,000 fans, proving that young women do care about breast cancer and are committed to doing something about it.

Knowing the appeal celebrities have among young women, Yoplait also worked with Audrina Patridge, from MTV’s “The Hills,” to promote the campaign with a one-of-a-kind Know Your Girls T-shirt. Audrina’s photo has appeared on TMZ.con, Perezhilton.com and OK! Magazine Online, helping spread the word about the importance of early detection.

If you do one thing this October, make sure you get to know your “girls.” Not all breasts are the same – you need to know what is normal for you.

-- Irma Koopersmith, Senior Account Supervisor

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime. Offer him free fish, and hoards of people will overrun your restaurant so fast you’ll risk food shortages and riots. Or something like that…

It seems there’s no end to restaurants and food brands offering coupons for free meals and products. What’s surprising, however, is just how little the participating companies understand the power of the word “free.” In this economy – or any economy, really – you’ll find people hard-pressed to pass on free food, as any parents visiting their child at college can tell you. Offer to take the roommates to dinner, and suddenly you’re staring at a two-hour wait for a table for 10.

So, why do marketers continue to underestimate the demand? Didn’t the Oprah-KFC incident teach us anything? Apparently, we’re still waiting for the lesson to sink in. Just last week, restaurant chain TGI Friday’s had to face the ire of Facebookers everywhere when coupons for a free Jack Daniel’s burger or chicken sandwich ran out 24 days sooner than expected. To stem the groundswell of negative comments, TGIF hastily extended the promotion. What was initially an offer of free burgers for the first 500,000 Facebook followers of TGIF “fan” Woody, has been opened up to the first million. At the time of this post, Woody is closing in with 970,739 followers.

In a similar incident, Smucker’s launched a promotion offering 20,000 coupons for free packages of Uncrustables Sandwiches. Within hours of going live online, the coupons were gone. The program was slated to run through October, and it didn’t even make it out of September. According to a Smucker’s PR executive, it doesn’t look like the company will make any more coupons available. This hardly seems like a good move, especially as Smucker’s tries to drive moms to its Web site to submit tips on giving their kids and the whole family “a wholesome, satisfying and convenient snack.” Moms can still provide tips, but they shouldn’t expect free sandwiches.

The lesson here? Take a cue from the Oprah-KFC effect. Coupons for free food will inevitably run out – and faster than you think. So, take the time to prepare a contingency that won’t leave consumers feeling cheated. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

dth49avz8c

Your weekly glimpse into the world of new media

Mobile: Starbucks launches an iPhone app and outmaneuvers Dunkin’ by letting you actually pay for coffee with your phone. Mobile barcodes may be the next big marketing trend, as other retailers continue to experiment with them.

Experiential: To promote its Black Pepper Jack and Smoking Cheddar BBQ flavors, Doritos is brining back the Hotel 626 online fright fest – this time as Asylum 626 – to resurrect the retired flavors from the dead.

Social: Fast-casual TGI Friday’s new spokesperson is a lot more likeable than the chain expected. Its new Facebook campaign resulted in 500,000 friends in only six days.

Research: A new report from the e-Tailing Group finds five out of 10 social media tools have been adopted by more than 50 percent of brands and retailers.

Misstep: Google Gmail users were without access to their contacts while the search giant’s email platform suffered another outage.

Our favorite: The Starbucks iPhone app. Some day we’ll be able to run the whole world from our phones.

Congratulations to Facebook for reaching the 300-million-user milestone (and for turning a profit)! Its power and reach are undeniable, and as a community it would rank as the world's fourth-largest country. None of us needs convincing of its historic growth, influence and vast potential for marketers. But, in a virtual world where nothing should surprise: When and how did Face book turn our parents into social media mavens? When my own mother recently called and said, "You will not believe who sent me a friend request," I went from Facebook believer to certified apostle.

Image Credit: TIME

Mom is not the exception – Baby Boomers are connecting to Facebook in droves. A TIME magazine article earlier this year looked at the evolution of the site from virtual college hangout to an online Boomer party – during the first half of 2009, the number of people in their 50s on the site more than doubled. Older Facebook users now represent about 10 percent of the total 77.7 million registered U.S. members according to iStrategyLabs data. Forrester Research released a report earlier this year revealing the percentage of older Boomers consuming social media has reach 60 percent!

The numbers do not lie – AARP, an organization driven to “enhance the quality of life as we age,” has both national- and state-based Facebook fan pages with thousands of members interacting and posting comments and photos. While more traditional marketing efforts still have a place in reaching mature audiences, consumer programs should, and now must, integrate social media vehicles as a key driver to connect with and create a two-way dialogue with Boomers.

-- Byron Calamese, Director