Thomas Pleil / Daniel Kömpel Approaches of Companies in Germany to the Social Web Four Case Studies © h_da – Prof. Dr. Thomas Pleil, Daniel Kömpel Euroblog 2007, March 15th, 2007 Euroblog 2007

Overview The Project: Social Software and Online-PR The Cases BASF Ikea Siemens BMW Interpretation & Learnings

The Project: Social Software and Online-PR

The Cases

BASF

Ikea

Siemens

BMW

Interpretation & Learnings

Social Software and Online-PR The four Case Studies are part of the h_da research project „Social Software and Online-PR“ Presumptions Broad theoretical discussion on chances and risks of Social Software in Corporate Communications Some empirical work like Euroblog 2006 & 2007 Very limited analysis of Social Software projects of Companies and NPOs

The four Case Studies are part of the h_da research project „Social Software and Online-PR“

Presumptions

Broad theoretical discussion on chances and risks of Social Software in Corporate Communications

Some empirical work like Euroblog 2006 & 2007

Very limited analysis of Social Software projects of Companies and NPOs

The aim Analyzing German Web 2.0 PR projects Concepts Experience Appraisal Learn more on the application of Social Software within Public Relations/Market Communications of German companies Lessons learnt Know how for PR practitioners

Analyzing German Web 2.0 PR projects

Concepts

Experience

Appraisal

Learn more on the application of Social Software within Public Relations/Market Communications of German companies

Lessons learnt

Know how for PR practitioners

Output A qualitative approach Case study research 15 Cases investigated by 19 PR students Interviews with responsible PR managers & consultants Interviews with experts A simple content analysis/ statistical reporting > To do: Meta analysis of all cases Symposium at Darmstadt University with 160 attendees General issues on Web 2.0 and PR, cases & ethics

A qualitative approach

Case study research

15 Cases investigated by 19 PR students

Interviews with responsible PR managers & consultants

Interviews with experts

A simple content analysis/ statistical reporting

> To do: Meta analysis of all cases

Symposium at Darmstadt University with 160 attendees

General issues on Web 2.0 and PR, cases & ethics

Cooperation PR Agencies A&B face2net, Berlin Knallgrau, Vienna Edelman, Hamburg Consultants Robert Basic, Frankfurt Martin Röll, Dresden Klaus Eck, Munich ...

PR Agencies

A&B face2net, Berlin

Knallgrau, Vienna

Edelman, Hamburg

Consultants

Robert Basic, Frankfurt

Martin Röll, Dresden

Klaus Eck, Munich

...

Research questions What is the conception of Social Software projects in German companies? What is the intention of these projects? Are they just used like an experiment? Or do practitioners define clear tactical goals like relationship-building with defined stakeholders? How are they integrated into the strategy of Public Relations? What are the effects of the projects?

What is the conception of Social Software projects in German companies?

What is the intention of these projects? Are they just used like an experiment? Or do practitioners define clear tactical goals like relationship-building with defined stakeholders?

How are they integrated into the strategy of Public Relations?

What are the effects of the projects?

Sampling the cases Excluding projects of Marketing & PR Firms Excluding projects of small companies Analysis of three companies with a dedicated strategy on Web 2.0 (and more than 1 project) Analysis of twelve single projects covering different types of Blogs, Audio-/ Videocasts and Wikis

Excluding projects of Marketing & PR Firms

Excluding projects of small companies

Analysis of three companies with a dedicated strategy on Web 2.0 (and more than 1 project)

Analysis of twelve single projects covering different types of Blogs, Audio-/ Videocasts and Wikis

Sample Web 2.0 strategy Siemens Spreadshirt (Social Commerce) BMW Wikis No remarkable PR driven projects found Video-/Audiocasts E-Bay Ikea Podcast Merkel-Podcast (German Chancellor) Jokers (Online Bookstore)

Web 2.0 strategy

Siemens

Spreadshirt (Social Commerce)

BMW

Wikis

No remarkable PR driven projects found

Video-/Audiocasts

E-Bay

Ikea Podcast

Merkel-Podcast (German Chancellor)

Jokers (Online Bookstore)

Sample Business-Weblogs Issues Blog Frosta (Nutrition) Product Blog Espresso International (Online Shop) Customer Relations Blog Juice Producer Walther TeNo-Blog (Manufacturer of Jewellery) Eventblog Frankfurt Book Fair CEO Blog AOL Employee Blog Edelight-Blog (external) BASF (internal)

Business-Weblogs

Issues Blog

Frosta (Nutrition)

Product Blog

Espresso International (Online Shop)

Customer Relations Blog

Juice Producer Walther

TeNo-Blog (Manufacturer of Jewellery)

Eventblog

Frankfurt Book Fair

CEO Blog

AOL

Employee Blog

Edelight-Blog (external)

BASF (internal)

The Cases: BASF InBlog „ If you‘re reacting to change, you‘re too late. You must anticipate change and help to make it happen.“ (Jürgen Hambrecht, CEO BASF, in: NYSE Magazine, 1.2.04)

The Cases: BASF InBlog Internal Concerns: “ Blogging foils our „ One-Voice-Policy ” “ Blogging cannibalizes our communication” “ Blogging is below the level of our communication strategies” “ Blogging is the beginning of the end of our Top-Down- Communication ”

Internal Concerns:

“ Blogging foils our „ One-Voice-Policy ”

“ Blogging cannibalizes our communication”

“ Blogging is below the level of our communication strategies”

“ Blogging is the beginning of the end of our Top-Down- Communication ”

The Cases: BASF InBlog What Internal Employee Blog Goals Introduce Employees in Corp. Communications to Blogs Bundle information from the Intranet Encourage new many-to-many-relationships, reduce e-mail Background Blog monitoring since 2004 Loss of significance of traditional media Blog statements about BASF in U.S. caused high attention among stakeholders Strategy Temporary test Limited group of participants with pre-defined role concept

What

Internal Employee Blog

Goals

Introduce Employees in Corp. Communications to Blogs

Bundle information from the Intranet

Encourage new many-to-many-relationships, reduce e-mail

Background

Blog monitoring since 2004

Loss of significance of traditional media

Blog statements about BASF in U.S. caused high attention among stakeholders

Strategy

Temporary test

Limited group of participants with pre-defined role concept

The Cases: BASF InBlog Conception Limited to four months , starting July 2006 Simple external platform using Typepad 200 invited participants with role concept about 10-20 writers 30 commentators 150 readers Preset topics : Employees PR World Blog-Coaching ComTrends “ RheinneckarWeb“ (Neighborhood-PR) Information and Communication Technologies Reminder via e-mail

Conception

Limited to four months , starting July 2006

Simple external platform using Typepad

200 invited participants with role concept

about 10-20 writers

30 commentators

150 readers

Preset topics :

Employees

PR World

Blog-Coaching

ComTrends

“ RheinneckarWeb“ (Neighborhood-PR)

Information and Communication Technologies

Reminder via e-mail

The Cases: BASF InBlog Effects 45 page-impressions a day 5.256 page-impressions in total 92 articles 160 comments diverse participant ratings Experts’ statements “ The qualitative analysis shows that subjects relevant for work were discussed and collaboration was enforced .” “ The writing style changed slightly to a more authentic-subjective communication“ „ These are small steps but towards the right direction“

Effects

45 page-impressions a day

5.256 page-impressions in total

92 articles

160 comments

diverse participant ratings

Experts’ statements

“ The qualitative analysis shows that subjects relevant for work were discussed and collaboration was enforced .”

“ The writing style changed slightly to a more authentic-subjective communication“

„ These are small steps but towards the right direction“

The Cases: BASF InBlog Conclusion Experimental touch as a key to success External hosting was a security breach, therefore no delicate topics could be discussed The limited number of users, the given topics and pre-arranged role concepts seem ridiculous on first sight – a typical company adaption of web 2.0? Great conflict between One-Voice-Policy and free speech Blogs cannot be domesticated – if you do, they get boring Blogs can be an approach to collaborative Information Management Within internal communications Blogs can be a tool for Buttom Up Communication Employees who are „at home“ in web 2.0 can be of great use for companies

Conclusion

Experimental touch as a key to success

External hosting was a security breach, therefore no delicate topics could be discussed

The limited number of users, the given topics and pre-arranged role concepts seem ridiculous on first sight – a typical company adaption of web 2.0?

Great conflict between One-Voice-Policy and free speech

Blogs cannot be domesticated – if you do, they get boring

Blogs can be an approach to collaborative Information Management

Within internal communications Blogs can be a tool for Buttom Up Communication

Employees who are „at home“ in web 2.0 can be of great use for companies

The Cases: IKEA Podcast „ At IKEA a soap dispenser can easily become a Ketchup-Bottle. What will you become?” (IKEA-recruiting-platform www.deinemoeglichkeiten.de )

The Cases: IKEA Podcast What Podcast Goals Recruiting the i-Pod-generation Introducing profession at IKEA Background: Demand on qualified trainees Boom of e-recruiting Strategy: Integration into the recruiting platform www.deinemoeglichkeiten.de with information, chats, games, application form

What

Podcast

Goals

Recruiting the i-Pod-generation

Introducing profession at IKEA

Background:

Demand on qualified trainees

Boom of e-recruiting

Strategy:

Integration into the recruiting platform www.deinemoeglichkeiten.de with information, chats, games, application form

The Cases: IKEA Podcast Conception Two interviews with trainees on their future profession Interview with personnel officer on working at IKEA Realization with a famous German podcaster (Annik Rubens) One way communication (no feedback) Three episodes within a year Effects More than 100.000 downloads for three episodes No. 1 in i-Tunes for several weeks On the web: Nearly no discussion and links Several articles in print media

Conception

Two interviews with trainees on their future profession

Interview with personnel officer on working at IKEA

Realization with a famous German podcaster (Annik Rubens)

One way communication (no feedback)

Three episodes within a year

Effects

More than 100.000 downloads for three episodes

No. 1 in i-Tunes for several weeks

On the web: Nearly no discussion and links

Several articles in print media

The Cases: IKEA Podcast Experts‘ statements Not exciting and entertaining Too narrow editorial conception Video instead of pure audio Too little authentic. Suggestion: Trainees should podcast themselves Conclusion A first step into Web 2.0 One of the finest examples with well defined stakeholders Not appropriate for relationship building (only 3 episodes, no comments, timeless) Classical Online-PR within a new format

Experts‘ statements

Not exciting and entertaining

Too narrow editorial conception

Video instead of pure audio

Too little authentic. Suggestion: Trainees should podcast themselves

Conclusion

A first step into Web 2.0

One of the finest examples with well defined stakeholders

Not appropriate for relationship building (only 3 episodes, no comments, timeless)

Classical Online-PR within a new format

The Cases: Siemens (strategy) “ 337 blogs in just 100 days”

The Cases: Siemens (strategy) What Internal Blogs CEO Blog Employee Blogs („Blog 100“) External Podcasts Innovations Jobs & Career Job Training News Room: Different RSS-Feeds Goals Prove innovation No dedicated PR goals Experimentation

What

Internal Blogs

CEO Blog

Employee Blogs („Blog 100“)

External Podcasts

Innovations

Jobs & Career

Job Training

News Room: Different RSS-Feeds

Goals

Prove innovation

No dedicated PR goals

Experimentation

The Cases: Siemens (“Blog 100”) Conception Every employee had the possibility to start an internal Weblog Scheduled for 100 days Content: No presettings „ An experiment just to test the possibilities of Blogs and their acceptance“ A platform for all Blogs: Newest entries Voting: Blog of the week Blog Zoo: Linking independent Blogs Blogging guidelines, e.g. No anonymous comments or Blogs Registration for commenting

Conception

Every employee had the possibility to start an internal Weblog

Scheduled for 100 days

Content: No presettings

„ An experiment just to test the possibilities of Blogs and their acceptance“

A platform for all Blogs:

Newest entries

Voting: Blog of the week

Blog Zoo: Linking independent Blogs

Blogging guidelines, e.g.

No anonymous comments or Blogs

Registration for commenting

The Cases: Siemens (“Blog 100”) Effects 337 Employee Blogs 9073 employees registered for commenting Main Topics : Operating Processes, Blogs, News, Management & Business Applications, Trends, Culture, Technology, Siemens Experiment will be continued Siemens is discussing external Blogs of employees Experts’ statements “ An experiment like this can show the involvement of employees and the necessary efforts” “ Successful integration into a portal” “ Internal Blogs of employees can complete communication of innovations” (Klaus Eck, econcon – pr-blogger.de) Conclusion Experimental touch as a key to success Challenge: Motivating to blog (CEO-Blog)

Effects

337 Employee Blogs

9073 employees registered for commenting

Main Topics : Operating Processes, Blogs, News, Management & Business Applications, Trends, Culture, Technology, Siemens

Experiment will be continued

Siemens is discussing external Blogs of employees

Experts’ statements

“ An experiment like this can show the involvement of employees and the necessary efforts”

“ Successful integration into a portal”

“ Internal Blogs of employees can complete communication of innovations” (Klaus Eck, econcon – pr-blogger.de)

Conclusion

Experimental touch as a key to success

Challenge: Motivating to blog (CEO-Blog)

The Cases: BMW (strategy) “ Branded information”

The Cases: BMW (strategy) What Enduring projects BMW Oracle Blog (since 2005) BMW Vodcast (since 1/06) Community Platform (to be started in 2007) Event driven projects IAA Podcast & Blog (Frankfurt Motorshow 2005) Audiobooks (4 short stories with product placement 2006) Mini-Videoblog (Leipzig Motorshow & Mini Challenge 2006) (Real life) discussion with bloggers on the BMW projects during IAA 2005 Goals Brand awareness Customer loyalty Occupy new markets Testing Social Software to support these Goals Marketing driven projects

What

Enduring projects

BMW Oracle Blog (since 2005)

BMW Vodcast (since 1/06)

Community Platform (to be started in 2007)

Event driven projects

IAA Podcast & Blog (Frankfurt Motorshow 2005)

Audiobooks (4 short stories with product placement 2006)

Mini-Videoblog (Leipzig Motorshow & Mini Challenge 2006)

(Real life) discussion with bloggers on the BMW projects during IAA 2005

Goals

Brand awareness

Customer loyalty

Occupy new markets

Testing Social Software to support these Goals

Marketing driven projects

The Cases: BMW (strategy) Background Pull communication instead of waste coverage of advertising Niche-communication (Long Tail) Podcasting: quick & cheap Importance of the Web for BMW Customers i-Tunes-users are twice as much interested in buying an BMW than not-users (JD Power Study Automotive Review 2005) Source: BMW Group, Marketing Innovations

Background

Pull communication instead of waste coverage of advertising

Niche-communication (Long Tail)

Podcasting: quick & cheap

Importance of the Web for BMW Customers

i-Tunes-users are twice as much interested in buying an BMW than not-users (JD Power Study Automotive Review 2005)

The Cases: BMW (strategy) Conception Infotainment Topics Products (event driven, e.g. motorshows) Innovations Sports (sailing, car racing, golfing) Culture Brand values One way communication in Podcasts Open comments in Blogs (Mini, BMW Oracle) All projects published on own microsites

Conception

Infotainment

Topics

Products (event driven, e.g. motorshows)

Innovations

Sports (sailing, car racing, golfing)

Culture

Brand values

One way communication in Podcasts

Open comments in Blogs (Mini, BMW Oracle)

All projects published on own microsites

The Cases: BMW (strategy) Effects IAA Podcast (2005) Rank 43 in iTunes 114.640 visits, 640.102 page impressions, 183.100 downloads within 2 months Downloads: 50 % Germany, 20 % USA, 10 % Japan 50 % of the users downloading a show subscribed to the feed BMW Oracle Blog 343 visits/day 646 page views/day Projects give access to an in BMW interested community

Effects

IAA Podcast (2005)

Rank 43 in iTunes

114.640 visits, 640.102 page impressions, 183.100 downloads within 2 months

Downloads: 50 % Germany, 20 % USA, 10 % Japan

50 % of the users downloading a show subscribed to the feed

BMW Oracle Blog

343 visits/day

646 page views/day

Projects give access to an in BMW interested community

Interpretation & Learnings On the four cases The introduced projects have experimental character Therefore, events & internal projects seem to be very suitable Most visitors download just the newest show / read the newest story SEO and links due to simple and linkable URLs On all 15 cases 10 of 15 Web 2.0 projects are integrated into corporate comms strategy Two medium sized businesses build up their comms strategy on Blogs (Walther, Edelight) Content: A narrow focus may hinder continuity Integration of Pod- and Videocasting into corp. communication seems to be easier than Blogs

On the four cases

The introduced projects have experimental character

Therefore, events & internal projects seem to be very suitable

Most visitors download just the newest show / read the newest story

SEO and links due to simple and linkable URLs

On all 15 cases

10 of 15 Web 2.0 projects are integrated into corporate comms strategy

Two medium sized businesses build up their comms strategy on Blogs (Walther, Edelight)

Content: A narrow focus may hinder continuity

Integration of Pod- and Videocasting into corp. communication seems to be easier than Blogs

Thank you for your ATTENTION! Questions?

Contact Prof. Dr. Thomas Pleil Mail: thomas.pleil@gmail.com Blog: www.das-textdepot.de Daniel Kömpel Mail: daniel@opportunity.de Blog: www.pr-fundsachen.de (Online-Journalism (focus PR) Course Weblog)

Prof. Dr. Thomas Pleil

Mail: thomas.pleil@gmail.com

Blog: www.das-textdepot.de

Daniel Kömpel

Mail: daniel@opportunity.de

Blog: www.pr-fundsachen.de (Online-Journalism (focus PR) Course Weblog)