Procter & Gamble’s
Social Media Lab
collaborate, learn, deploy
CM Summit 2008, SF
Deborah Schultz
Strategic Advisor, P&G Social Media &
Emerging Technology
www.deborahschultz.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedjap/156414455/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theparadigmshifter/470341923/

What is it about?
‣ Developing new brand
building models
‣ Accelerate learning
‣ Broad, focused active
experimentation
‣ Multi-functional
collaboration

The Forces at Work
Live Web - 24/7
Decentralized lives
Global reach & effects
Transparency & authenticity
Democratization of tools
Velocity of information
Media fragmentation
Empowered individuals
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44799719@N00/330191406/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wyoming_1/169390155/
Structure silos, physical goods, transactions, earnings

People Organic & social

This is a fundamental culture shift
...not about the tech bling
[or even about marketing]

OK, so where’s the
manual
umm, there isn’t one

But here’s a good initial framework
But here’s a good initial framework
Objective Example
-Develop a sounding board - private community
Listening -Monitor buzz for ongoing assessment of trends and perceptions
[buzzmetrics]
-Enable fans to spread message [widgets, embeds]
Talking -Continually communicate directly with consumers & monitor feedback
[blogs]
-Designate fans to lead others - brand ambassadors
Energizing -Enable reviews, ratings to harness fans as sales
-Enable customers to help each other [wikis, community]
Supporting -Enable customers to build solutions together
-Harvest customer ideas in public setting
Embracing -Engage in co-creation of products & services
© Groundswell 2008

What makes a good
experiment?
‣ Addresses Critical Issue
‣ Starts from clear Hypotheses
‣ Doable, measurable
‣ Wide Applicability
‣ Leads to Action
http://www.flickr.com/photos/statusfrustration/134382292/

Social Media Lab Guiding Principles
‣ Social Media is NOT about technology or traditional
advertising, it is about facilitating interactions between
people.
‣ The “love you give is equal to the love you get” – in other
words – the more you put into the Lab the more you will get
out of it.

The Social Media Lab Pledge
Our promise to you Your promise to us
‣ We pledge to create a culture that ‣ You pledge to join the Lab without any
encourages original thinking, inventive preconceived notions on specific brands or
problem solving and transparent customers
knowledge sharing.
‣ You promise to engage openly and
‣ We will put the customer front and center enthusiastically on the opportunities and
of all of our decisions potential of social media to facilitate
interactions between people
‣ We will use social media tools in inventive
ways to facilitate learning amongst ‣ We have chosen innovation partners for
members of the Lab their creativity and character, therefore you
pledge to share your knowledge and
‣ We will work to proactively address any
insight amongst members of the Lab
potential conflicts or miscommunication.
‣ We will facilitate interaction between
partners and brands
‣ No idea is too “out there” if it supports the
business and customers needs

The future
Pause for a reality check and a
request

Thanks
[on behalf of myself and the P&G
SML Lab Team]
Social Media Lab
Deborah Schultz
www.deborahschultz.com