Social media: A storm in a DD cup?

May 16, 2009
by Latitude

This week has been interesting for pro-social media types and alarming for some major international brands. M&S, Chelsea Football Club and the Prime Minister all forgot about the ability social has to damage a brand or reputation.

Case 1, YouTube
Even by the usual inept PR standards of No 10, the PMs cringeworthy performance on YouTube demonstrates that just because everyone’s on the new media bandwagon you shouldn’t climb on just for the sake of it. The acres of print and TV commentary it generated were not those intended.

Case 2, Facebook
M&S learnt not to ignore the power of an audience endowed (in many ways) with the ability to shame your pricing policy ‘boob’ via a global channel. I signed up to this group with 13,000 other mammary blessed ladies that M&S forgot.

Case 3, Twitter
Frankly, until yesterday I didn’t know who Drogba was (not a footy fan) but now I do. I know who he plays for and how he brought his club (a commercial brand with huge global sponsorship deals) into disrepute. Worryingly so do a bunch of people, who call it soccer or fooseball, that the club’s sponsors call customers. A few hash tags and it’s all around the world.

Then of course all these media cross fertilise each other- Drogba clip on YouTube, LinkedIn advice for Mr Brown on finding a new PR team and the M&S climb down – see BBC news - linked on Twitter. Then traditional (TV & print) media amplify this people power by multiplying exposure and increasing the damage.

So if you’re contemplating a first expedition into social space there are some simple, common sense principals you should follow:

Even if you’re not using social, monitor what’s being said about your brand; at least you’d know what people are saying before its front page news- you may learn a great deal plus it’s cheaper than focus groups.
If you want to directly utilise the undoubted power of the medium be sure to choose the right channel for the right message. Apply the same checks and balances you would for any marketing or PR activity in terms of target audience.

Finally don’t think it’s just a bunch of geeks or teenagers lurking in the social media space, even if this week’s events have not shown you otherwise. Consider, does your Mum (44FF with 100+ friends and relations around the world) have a Facebook page, are your soon to be voting teens on YouTube and has your Twitter addicted sales team spread Chelsea stories as far as Easter Island?

So, if your taciturn CFO is wanting a “one of the lads” YouTube video, you’ve got an angry Facebook mob of DD+ ladies on your virtual doorstep or one of you main brand ambassadors has put your global sponsorship deal in jeopardy - via Twitter, we’re here to help.