"Social media" is a recently-coined term for a collection of Internet-based programs and tools that promote
sharing and discussing information among Internet users.
Social media activities integrate technology and social interaction, mainly in the form of text, pictures,
videos and audio.
The most prominent social media include:
Blogs
The word "blog" is actually a contraction of the term "web log." It's a website that features news, commentary,
or any information the "blogger" wishes to place on it.
Blogging originally began as a means of writing an online diary, but soon grew into thousands (and then
millions) of sites that featured opinion--especially on political and consumer topics.
Blogs are also interactive in the sense that readers can leave comments for other blog visitors to read. Some
bloggers have developed a wide following, and a single negative comment by a widely-read and influential blogger
can have a huge impact on a company's reputation and image--and therefore its bottom line.
Discussion forums
An Internet forum, also called a discussion forum, bulletin board, or message board, is simply a website that
allows visitors to post and discuss information or offer opinions.
The main difference between blogs and discussion forums is the way they are organized. Members can submit topics
for discussion. These are known as threads. Other members "post" a response, which is visible to all members of the
forum.
Medical topics are especially popular as discussion forums, although a forum can be created centered around any
subject.
Wikis
A "wiki" is a page of a group of pages that allow users to post and modify content. The collaborative
encyclopedia Wikipedia is one of the best-known wikis.
Wikis, like blogs and discussion forums, can be used to influence readers. Some companies have used wikis to
attack their competition by posting misleading or incorrect information about them.
Online Games
Many companies are now offering online video games to engage visitors who come to their websites. See
Example 5 below.
Podcasts
Audio programs that reside on a server. They can be downloaded onto your computer, where you can listen to them
through its speakers, or transfer them to a listening device like an iPod.
Video streaming
In the last few years, computer memory capacity and speeds have increased to the point that it's now possible
for vidieo to be viewed on computers and even tiny portable electronic devices, including cellphones.
This makes it possible for users to not only view, but also to create video to upload on the Internet for others
to watch.
In 2005, this capability led to the creation of YouTube, a video sharing website where users can upload, view
and share video clips. Although YouTube began by offering home video creators to share their own productions,
Internet-savvy companies soon realized that YouTube offered some unique public relations and promotion
opportunities (see Ritz Carlton and Cartier examples, below).
Traditional media go social
The social media have become increasingly inportant to public relations professionals, and are now
the focus of marketing and promotion activities in throughout the business world.
Media such as MSNBC, Men’s Wealth and Marie Claire are tying their brand to non- traditional
partners like
Coffee shops
Marathons and festivals
Reality show of reporters
News-based online games
A recent article in PR Week Magazine highlighted this trend.
Below are a number of examples showing how such well known companies as Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Cartier, and others
are taking advantage of opportunities in the social media to enhance brand awareness, build brand equity, and create brand extensions.
Example 1:
The Ritz-Carlton Short Films
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company recently created some buzz by producing a series of "short story"
videos designed to promote their brand on their website via a unique URL: ritzcarltonfilms.com. In addition the
hotel company built out a page on YouTube which features all three of their films which were produced in tandem
with American Express and Anonymous Content, a leading film production house out of Los Angeles. Watch the video
below as an example.
Example 2:
Cartier
The renowned French jeweler Cartier has also employed YouTube and other social media to promote its
brand. Do a search for "Cartier" on and you'll find, for example, a music video featuring 12 different artists
connected to the debut of Cartier's "Love Day" campaign.
In conjunction with The Women's Forum, McKinsey and Company and Insead Business School, Cartier
also sponsors The Cartier Women's Initiative Awards. Cartier, known as one of the world's premier luxury brands,
offers the award to encourage women entrepreneurs.
Cartier's website draws in visitors with innovative interactive content like comic strip narratives
and animated films highlighting the company's history and products.
Example 3:
Campaign 2008
Founded 20 years ago in response to attacks on freedom of speech and artistic expression
Target audience: young people between 18 and 24
First organization to introduce telephone registration as well as online voter registration
Goals are on web siteStarted in 2004
Target audience: young people between 18 and 29
Uses power of strategic partnerships, celebrity spokespersons, the sports arena
Utilizes mobile and internet technology
Example 4:
TripAdvisor's "More Than Footprints" Campaign
The "More Than Footprints" campaign engages customers by asking them to vote for a travel-related charity they
believe is most worthy of a $1,000,000 award. Here's how it works.
Customers vote for 1 of 5 non-profits
Each non-profit will win a fraction of the donation based on the portion of vote received.
Media activities and blogs are part of the campaign
Campaign activity is global.
$10M in advertising is part of the campaign.
"More Than Footprints" was launched two months before holiday season, and generated 160,000 votes in the first
week.
Example 5
Chef Boyardee's Club Chef and
"Tame the Beast" Online Game
Invites visitors to play an online game called "Tame the Beast" that features (and therefore
promotes) certain Chef Boyardee products. Visitors can also register for an electronic newsletter or join "Club
Chef," which features games, information and special offers.
Example 6:
Walmart Crisis Communications "War Room"
To combat a negative image created by influential bloggers and stories in the traditional media, Walmart
launched a "War Room."
Took a page from politics, where "war rooms" (sometimes called "truth squards and similar names) are
done frequently.
They monitor traditional and non-traditional media, and when anything that might be damaging to Walmart's brand
appears, they have a "rapid fire response readiness plan" ready to initiate.
Walmart hired senior-level communications executives to oversee opposition research and mobilize resources when
needed.
Walmart now also produces videos in response to negative publicity that might arise in an unflattering
documentary (similar to Michael Moore’s “Roger & Me”) and commentary on Cable programs like Jim Cramer's "Mad
Money" on MSNBC.
