The document outlines 10 principles for American Express to effectively engage business customers on social media. The principles are: 1) Know your audience via research on what concerns them. 2) Reach customers where they spend time online. 3) Have conversations rooted in insights about customers' challenges. 4) Differentiate content from competitors. 5) Address customers as individuals rather than just businesses. 6) Find and discuss cultural tensions in business. 7) Be honest about obstacles customers face. 8) Use branding across the customer journey to drive demand. 9) Leverage each platform's strengths with tailored content. 10) Continuously test content to optimize engagement. The document advocates an audience-focused, data-driven approach to social media marketing.

1. THOUGH THUMB-STOPPING SOCIAL FIRST CONTENT
ESCAPING THE SEA OF SAMENESS
CHRIS MARINO, AMERICAN EXPRESS
DECEMBER 6 2018

2. 2
OUR STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE
To signal change, we must
show up differently
And let our audience know we are
uniquely poised to meet their needs
We are in a moment of great change

3. 3
SECURITY AND HELPFULNESS ARE TABLE STAKES
CUSTOMERS TELL US THEY NEED MORE
…LIKE TODAY’S MODERN B2B BRANDSMOST IMPORTANT BRAND ATTRIBUTES IN DRIVING CHOICE:
Trustworthy
Friendly
Innovative
Human
Global
Fun

4. 4
NEW SCHOOL B2B HAS CHANGED THE RULES
FROM SUPPLIER TO TRUSTED ADVISOR
PRODUCTS
SOLUTIONS
LENGTH OF RELATIONSHIP
SUPPLIER
VENDOR
TRUSTED
ADVISOR
PARTNER

6. 6
BY THE NUMBERS
Lift in Reappraisal driven
by combined distribution
across Facebook & TV
Of all Digital Site landings driven
by Social.
Conversations started originating
from Comments, Shares, and
original posts.
+7K
116%
+16MM
Total engagements
on social through
out the campaign
50%
Total Campaign Reach
via Social
+50% +500%
Social net sentiment is at +19%
(vs. competitors who hover
around 3% during same period)
19%
Viral Clicks on LinkedIn
4+
Social Innovation firsts for
American Express and B2B

7. 7
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
FISH WHERE THE FISH ARE
HAVE A CONVERSATION
ESCAPE THE SEA OF SAMENESS
TALK TO BUSINESSPEOPLE AS PEOPLE
FIND A CULTURAL TENSION
TELL THE TRUTH
USE BRAND TO DRIVE DEMAND
MAXIMIZE PLATFORM STRENGTHS
BUILD AN OPTIMIZATION ENGINE
DELIVERING ON THIS MISSION - 10 PRINCIPLES

8. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
VIA RESEARCH & SEARCH DATA

9. !
!
Isolated
and
frustrated
Feel a lack
of empathy
Leaders
and impact
people
Doers,
not
talkers
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
VIA RESEARCH & SEARCH DATA
85% SAY INTERNAL BARRIERS ARE PRIMARY OBSTACLES TO GROWTHWE DEFINED OUR AUDIENCE AS “CHANGE DRIVERS”

10. RISK MANAGEMENT
TREND BY YEAR
INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS
TREND BY YEAR
FINANCING
TREND BY YEAR
OPERATING
EFFICIENTLY
TREND BY YEAR
WORKING CAPITAL
TREND BY YEAR
CUSTOMER INTENT MODELING VIA SEARCH REVEALED WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT, WHEN
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
VIA RESEARCH & SEARCH DATA

11. FISH WHERE THE FISH ARE
REACH PEOPLE WHERE THEY SPEND TIME

12. FISH WHERE THE FISH ARE
REACH PEOPLE WHERE THEY SPEND TIME
OTHER CLICK VOLUME
94.8%
AMEX
0.1%
DISRUPTORS
3.9%
TRADITIONAL COMPETITORS
1.2%
TRADITIONAL
COMPETITORS
DISRUPTORS “OTHER”
BUSINESS DECISION MAKERS ARENT GOING TO FINCOS FOR CONTENT SO WE CREATED CONTENT WHERE THEY LOOK FOR IT
Banks and
Financial Brands
New players in the
space

13. HAVE CONVERSATION WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
ENSURE EACH ONE IS ROOTED IN INSIGHT AND PURPOSE

14. 14
HAVE CONVERSATION WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
ENSURE EACH ONE IS ROOTED IN INSIGHT AND PURPOSE
Demonstrate we get Change
Drivers through honest, relatable
internal challenges they face on
regular basis. In order to build
connection with them.!
GOAL
ROLEROLE
Video Views!
CLICKTHROUGH
Brand Landing Page!
Ignite a conversation about
idiosyncrasies of business
communication and
encourage peer to peer
dialogue and social sharing!
GOAL
Comments & Shares !
CLICKTHROUGH
Content Article!
ROLE
Deepen the conversation by
inviting audience to discover
inspirational stories and AXP
products to overcome
obstacles and get business
done.!
GOAL
Traffic!
CLICKTHROUGH
Content/ Product Landing Page!
POWER
OF YES
LANGUAGE OF
BUSINESS
BUSINESS TOOLS &
INSPIRATION
BRAND REAPPRAISAL CONSIDERATIONKPI

15. ESCAPE THE SEA OF SAMENESS
TO STOP THE THUMB IN THE NEWSFEED

16. ESCAPE THE SEA OF SAMENESS
TO STOP THE THUMB IN THE NEWSFEED
SHOW UP DIFFERENTLY FROM THE COMPETITION

17. TALK TO BUSINESSPEOPLE AS PEOPLE
FROM BUSINESS TO BUSINESS, TO BUSINESS TO PERSON

18. TALK TO BUSINESSPEOPLE AS PEOPLE
FROM BUSINESS TO BUSINESS, TO BUSINESS TO PERSON
CALLING MONEY, “MONEY”. NOT “FINANCING” OR “FUNDING

19. FIND A CULTURAL TENSIONBUILD A STORY AROUND IT AND BE BOLD TELLING IT

20. FIND A CULTURAL TENSIONBUILD A STORY AROUND IT AND BE BOLD TELLING IT
QUESTIONING THE ESTABLISHED LANGUAGE OF BUSINESS, AND OWNING THE CONVERSATION
6,460
conversations
0.9%
comment rate
(14,000% lift)
+500%
Viral click
growth
GCS
Owned the Topic of
Jargon
on LinkedIn

21. TELL THE TRUTHYOUR AUDIENCE WILL THANK YOU
FOR EMPATHIZING WITH THEM

22. LinkedIn
Top Sponsored
Posts
3 months running
RECOGNIZE BARRIERS RATHER THAN SUGARCOATING
TELL THE TRUTH
YOUR AUDIENCE WILL THANK YOU FOR
EMPATHIZING WITH THEM

23. USE BRAND TO DRIVE DEMAND
AN E2E SOCIAL CRM APPROACH CREATES BUSINESS VALUE

24. USE BRAND TO DRIVE DEMAND
AN E2E SOCIAL CRM APPROACH CREATES BUSINESS VALUE
CREATE A FULL FUNNEL EXPERIENCE
REAPPRAISAL
CONSIDERATION
CONVERSION
ACTIVE EVALUATION
58%
15%
26%
0.2%
DISCOVER WHERE THE OPPORTUNITY LIES
SEARCHINTENT

25. MAXIMIZE PLATFORM STRENGTHS
BUILD CONTENT THAT LEANS INTO NUANCES AND DIFFERENCES

26. MAXIMIZE PLATFORM STRENGTHS
BUILD CONTENT THAT LEANS INTO NUANCES AND DIFFERENCES
STATIC LINK ADS/
SPS INMAIL
CAROUSEL ADS
CANVAS
IG STORIES
COLLECTION ADS
360 VIDEO
VIDEO ADS
Mid-Funnel Lower Funnel
LEAD GEN ADS &
MESSENGER/CHAT ADS
DYNAMIC ADS
Upper Funnel
4x
Firsts in 2017

27. 27
BUILD AN OPTIMIZATION ENGINE
CREATIVE DIVERSITY IS KING 👑 FOR EFFICIENCY

28. 28
BUILD AN OPTIMIZATION ENGINE
CREATIVE DIVERSITY IS KING 👑 FOR EFFICIENCY

29. 29
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
FISH WHERE THE FISH ARE
HAVE A CONVERSATION
ESCAPE THE SEA OF SAMENESS
TALK TO BUSINESSPEOPLE AS PEOPLE
FIND A CULTURAL TENSION
TELL THE TRUTH
USE BRAND TO DRIVE DEMAND
MAXIMIZE PLATFORM STRENGTHS
BUILD AN OPTIMIZATION ENGINE
RECAP - 10 PRINCIPLES

30. THANK YOU
Q&A