Is it a surprise that 85% of adults ages 18-34 use at least one Web 2.0 platform? According Universal McCann's "Media in Mind" study, more than half of adults rely on social media as a way to communicate with friends, family, and colleagues. There is no longer a question of “if” or “when”, the new question that brands are asking their agencies and me is - how? How do I get in the game? (call me at Wunderman and we'll talk) And my professional favorite: Is my brand socially ready?
Your brand can be “Socialista” (social ready) with a big idea that will inspire people’s brand love. Brand passion will fuel velocity and volume every time they choose or buy your product or service. But how does that translate into the digital world?
It is pretty much the same, with the one big exception - worldwide access. Pretend your brand is a person. Pretend your brand is a rising talent and your are its advertising and public relations agent, design firm and marketing department with the ability to rapidly respond (in quarters not years) to consumer conversations.
Getting started can be easier than it sounds!
First you have to sing "Who are you? who…who...who...who"
The building blocks for any brand always start with your identity. Who are you? Who do you aspire to be? Who are you today and who do you want to be tomorrow?
Mom always used to say…
“You are what you eat”
“Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are”
“birds of a feather flock together”
“if your friends jump off a bridge will you jump too?”
All of this is true for a brand. If a brand wants to compete in this new digitally focused world you have to carefully build your social media DNA. In order to become a Super brand you have to consider the following when upping the social ante’ by designing your way up he brand status chain.
Who are you? Your brand identity can manifest itself in many ways. This can be your archetype, brand temple or personality. Pick your flavor.
Do we have a relationship? – If a brand never converses with you – how could we possibly have a relationship? Imagine if your husband never spoke to you – likely you would not be married long. A brand’s relationships to the people who consume it will define your future.
When my brand is on the shelf, in the room, online, on a blog or in your presence, how do I look sound and make you feel? This is all about a brand’s presence. If you do not have presence no one knows your there.
Listen Learn and Converse. When I meet your brand, what are you going to talk to me about? Is it funny? Is it relevant? Is the information you give me useful in my life? Conversations are a way for your brand to listen to my needs and desires and your listening will lead to fulfilling both.
Share your brand stuff (content) with me. Make sure the brand stuff (content) you share is interesting to me and not just about what you want to sell me. Its about me - not you! When you figure that out – I will buy you. Share it in a way that makes it easy for me to repeat it, copy and take it with me.
Your causes, your passions and your groups all build communities of interest.
Your reputation is your street cred. If people in groups with passions socially recognize your brand then your big idea should facilitate their conversations, knowledge, entertainment, or public eminence.
When you have built all of that then you are SOCIALISTA
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