REAL-TIME WEB WHAT BRANDS CAN LEARN FROM STREET MUSICIANS Microblogging and Social Broadcasting Study 2008

A Typical Marketing Meeting Somewhere

Real-Time Web is a big trend – we have to start something! My CEO wants me to be on top of the latest web trend – how can we manage real-time? Everybody is twittering and broadcasting – This must be cool for our brand!

Some facts

Why Real-Time Web? Now? Desire for Asynchronous Communication Real-Time Exchange Social Objects: Writing, Photos, Audio, Video Real-Time Exchange Metadata: Location, personal data, relationships Less Technical Boundaries Low cost Simple integration

Desire for Asynchronous Communication

Real-Time Exchange Social Objects: Writing, Photos, Audio, Video

Real-Time Exchange Metadata: Location, personal data, relationships

Less Technical Boundaries

Low cost

Simple integration

Our Focus

MICROBLOGGING

SOCIAL BROADCASTING

Please adjust your expectations!!!

YOU WILL BE SOMEWHERE IN THE LONG TAIL

BRANDS USING REAL-TIME APPS

MICROBLOGGING= MEDIAS MODERN TELEGRAPH

and the others?

What can brands do with real-time apps?

What can brands do with the Real-time Web? COMMUNICATE! Customer Support Answer questions, give advice or feedback Promote Products and Price Offs Update many customers all at once Building a brand channel of brand and product discovery, Trends and insights & breaking news Give brand a live personality Offer exclusive entry to peers Drive Awareness to something of interest to a larger community

REAL-TIME PANEL STUDY Participants: 1193 Age: 14-49 years Length: 10 weeks Stimuli: 8 different real-time models/14 brands Area: New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Chicago

Main Results

BRANDS GET A LIVE PERSONALITY

REINVENT TRADITIONAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT (PRE- AND AFTER-SALES)

GENERATE EXTRA SALES (E-TAILERS) IMPULSE BUYING

DIRECT (+) EFFECT: SALES/ SERVICE COST DIRECT (+) EFFECT: BRAND/ MEDIA/SERVICE COSTS MICROBLOGGING SOCIAL BROADCASTING Mercedes-Benz Kundenservice

But!!!

BRANDS ARE VULNERABLE IF THEY DON‘T HAVE A STRONG (REAL-TIME) COMMUNITY

Additional Information

ABER! LOW ! DANGER OF PARA-SOCIAL GROUP BEHAVIOR

MICROBLOGGING SOCIAL BROADCASTING Heavy User Light User Heavy User Light User

Learnings from the street musician

FIND OUT WHERE THE CROWD IS! COOPERATE WITH OTHER ENTHUSIASTS DON‘T START SOMETHING ALREADY POPULAR DON‘T COPY – FIND YOUR OWN STYLE DON‘T SEPARATE YOUR FANS 1 2 3 4 5

What does that mean for your brand?

FINISHED!!!

FISH WHERE THE FISH IS…

… AT THE RIGHT TIME!!!

COOPERATE WITH BRAND ENTHUSIASTS

DON‘T START SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY POPULAR

DON‘T SEPARATE YOUR FANS! ?

DON‘T COPY OR EXTEND A CONCEPT OR CAMPAIGN – COMPLIMENT USER EXPERIENCE

Rely on specialists for new arenas: RELY ON SPECIALIST – DUMP AD-AGENCIES

Biggest Challenge

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN!

REAL-TIME = PORN

RESEARCH? MARKETING? ADVERTISING? PR?