Pause for a moment and ask yourself, “Who could my man smell like?” Might sound ridiculous, but this question can lead you to a prime example of a campaign starting virally and becoming social; the current Old Spice video campaign. This series of videos feature former NFL wide receiver Isaiah Mustafa, known in these commercials as “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” Haven’t seen the video, watch it and other now!
A recent Ad Age article released the available results (so far) of this campaign and how it has not only raised the sales volume of Old Spice, but how it has gained success for other Proctor & Gamble brands as well. The popularity of these videos skyrocketed in just a matter of days.
This campaign is clearly a success, but it might be surprising to know that these results don’t take into account the recent social push of videos with customized messages. That addition would blow up these statistics even more.
Caroline Melberg, Marketing Maverick of the Social Media Incubator, has a theory about these results. “While the viral video was great by starting as a TV commercial and as a video on YouTube with people sharing, the social phenomenon began once they tapped into social media with the customized messages and the engagement factor,” said Melberg. “Yes, Mustafa is an attractive man wearing few items of clothing – so he would most likely attract attention anyway – but the point is that the social engagement is what really catapulted the success of this campaign.”
How can you tap into this type of engagement with your potential customers? Social media allows you to have one-on-one conversations with your audience, which means that the days of “set-it-and-forget-it” marketing are a thing of the past. With social media, you can create relationships with many people, one at a time, and that’s incredibly powerful for building your brand and growing your business.
In regards to last week’s Part 1 of “Social Goes Mobile,” it’s evident that having an unlimited amount of news and information at your fingertips has dramatically changed both social behaviors and business practices.
But why should a business owner care? Caroline Melberg explains more of exactly what mobile social media offers.
“For a location-based business, these services allow you to offer specials and promotions targeted at your ideal clients (see, Foursquare business). When I log into Foursquare, I see specials that are offered at locations near me, giving your business added promotion. When I check in at your place of business, I can leave tips for my friends. Now all of my friends see where I’m checking in and what my “tip” is about your business. In effect, I’m promoting your business – for free!” said Melberg.
Melberg sees this as a great tool for businesses. “As a business owner, you’ll have access to specific information about who is checking in at your business, what they like and don’t like, and other places they visit, which gives you the ability to tailor your marketing to your ideal audience in an unprecedented manner,” said Melberg.
Using social media as a business-marketing tool is one thing, but what else do individuals have to gain from supporting these businesses via mobile? Melberg explains, “When I use Foursquare, I can earn “badges” for checking-in and other activities. If I check-in at the same place often enough, I can become the “mayor” of that location. Many businesses offer special discounts for the mayor of their business, and they promote these specials throughout all of their marketing. This encourages my friends to try to “unseat” me as mayor – but to do that, they need to come visit your business.”
Just FYI, these services aren’t just for location-based businesses. The Wall Street Journal has created custom badges you can earn on Foursquare by checking-in to specific locations around New York. Also, Twitter has recently launched location-based tweets, and rumors are plentiful that Facebook will launch it’s own version of a location-based service in conjunction with your personal profile on the Facebook site.
So what do you think about social going mobile? Do you use it just to help you make plans with friends? Or do you see it as a valuable business tool?
If you’re making plans for a night out, why not let the plans come to you? It’s becoming quite evident that mobile is the new social, and location-based services are the bridge business owners are crossing to get there. Location-based services include sites like Foursquare, Gowalla and Loopt. As an article in Friday’s Star Tribune [...]
Putting an ad on a billboard, on TV, or in print media can give your brand great exposure to a large market. But how much does that market actually trust your ad and its message? Yes, it matters how you’re getting your message across, but it also matters who is communicating to others about your [...]
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This presentation was given by Caroline Melberg of Small Business Mavericks during a session of seminars on social media put on by the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce to help local businesses in Wayzata, MN increase their knowledge of social media sites.
Twitter for Business
View more presentations from CEL Public Relations.
This presentation was given by Caroline Melberg of Small Business Mavericks during a session of seminars on social media put on by the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce to help local businesses in Wayzata, MN increase their knowledge of social media [...]
Introduction to Facebook
View more presentations from CEL Public Relations.
This presentation was given by Caroline Melberg of Small Business Mavericks during a session of seminars on social media put on by the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce to help local businesses in Wayzata, MN increase their knowledge of social media sites.
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I heard a news story on KARE 11 (NBC affiliate Minneapolis) this morning that made my ears perk up! Reporter Jeff Olsen talked with University of Minnesota law professor William McGeveran who said Facebook users should continue to be cautious about what they put online and how they control who sees it. He said that [...]
Follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the yellow brick road to Google, Kansas?
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If you opened your gmail today you were surprised with a new feature to your account – Google Buzz. Google developed an app that was automatically added to everyone’s gmail accounts that is a lot like Twitter but will, in our opinion, have mixed reviews. No setup is needed as it automatically followed [...]
