1. BY BRENT SHAHI , MA NG DIRECTO AQUAO
M NAGI R, NLINE
HowSocial Mediahas Shared the
way Brands Speak to Consumers
B
ack in 2001 the thought of contacting a brand to query hip, and age-appropriate to a younger demographic. How’d they
or complain about a service was a challenge for the do this? Simply by launching a novel TV commercial which aired
average consumer. It required a lengthy wait on the over the American Superbowl week. They then followed up with
phone, reminders that the call would be answered soon and a Youtube channel, producing 186 personalised videos targeting
that the caller is a valued client - rinse, wash, repeat. Fast existing social media fans, popular Twitter users, bloggers and
forward just ten short years, and every man with a mobile celebrities in what they called their Response Campaign. The
phone or computer and Internet access is a wealth of opinion online response sparked a social media sensation with the fastest-
and comes with a built-in soap box. Enter Facebook, Youtube, growing interactive campaign in Internet history with over 30 million
Twitter and bloggers. views on YouTube.
It’s not just that consumers are voicing their opinions now that Talk show hosts such as Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey
gets us marketers excited, it’s that consumers can now interact hosted the Old Spice teams on air, hundreds of spoofs and
with brands on a one-to-one basis, in an informal, personal parodies cropped up within days, and many other brands hopped
way that is on their terms. More importantly, brands can speak on the bandwagon by using this concept of advertising directly to
to their consumers, gain market research and insight and hear their consumers on a first-name basis in the hopes of upping sales.
feedback on their products and services. Facebook and Twitter And it worked. Within just three months Old Spice sales were up
have revolutionised digital marketing in such a way that has by 60%; 75% of the talk around the brand’s category was earned,
not only changed consumers’ daily interactions, but they’ve owned and bought by Old Spice, and sentiment around the brand
transformed the way brands are advertised and marketed. was at an all-time high.
No longer is a marketing campaign leveraged above, through Research shows that 90% of consumers would trust a friend’s
or even below the line without keeping Facebook and Twitter recommendation over that of a brand. Social media has given
in mind. It’s also exciting to see how the industry has (finally) consumers the platform to broadcast their recommendations.
embraced social media, and it’s even more exciting to see how Messages pushed by the brand no longer have the same impact that
consumers have welcomed brands online. consumer-led dialogue about a brand has. It’s been proved now
The Old Spice campaign is testimony to this point. An age-old that we can no longer deny the value of social media: consumers
brand associated with our fathers and grandfathers alike used want it, your marketing strategists should insist on it. Social media
social media to completely overhaul any preconceptions we might is relevant and recommended hand in hand with any marketing plan
have had, and instead portrayed the Old Spice brand to be young, for any brand.
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