“We don’t have a choice on whether we DO social media, the question is how well we do it” – Erik Qualman.
When my 71 year old father-in-law brought up ‘social media’ as the topic for an after dinner discussion, it drummed home yet again just how MASSIVE a deal it is.
Anyone in our industry knows how much of an impact social media has had on our day-to-day work. Now, I’m old enough that the arrival of email saved me getting paper cuts from stuffing press releases into envelopes and I thought that was a pretty epic step forward…nope, small fry! The advent of social media is more comparable to the industrial revolution and has been such a huge force on the PR and marketing industry, everyone in it has had to sit up, take note and in some cases train-up quick!
We’ve all seen a decline in the number of print consumer lifestyle mags and papers we can target as PRs and a shift to more and more of them existing solely online. Erik Qualman says that consumers no longer search out news, it finds them and we will no longer search out products and services, they will find us via social media. Now, I’m not sure that the ‘searching’ element will ever disappear, as we all need to go shopping now and then, whether high street or online, but the point has merit. Clever companies will be using social media to (subtly) push products to a community they consider their target market. Those that are really clever can sometimes use the impetus of a social media ‘groundswell’ to dictate what the traditional media report – we constantly see the media’s news agenda reporting on something that’s been such an online phenomenon, they simply can’t ignore it. Those of us that can figure out how to do this in a positive light will strike gold.
Another nugget of info from Qualman was that 50% of mobile internet traffic in the UK is for Facebook and we should all think about what that would mean for bad customer experiences? There are apparently 200,000,000 blogs out there – 85% of the UK population now online and 60% of those actually read and trust what’s written. A whopping 78% of us trust peer recommendations and, perhaps unsurprisingly, only 14 % of us trust advertising.
So, the big question on everyone’s lips in our industry now is “which discipline, if any, should ‘drive’ social media?” – is it the PRs, media buyers, marketing agencies, ad agencies, digital agencies? WHO? Clearly, if I had to, I’d opt for PR as it has always been about creating stories and eliciting a response. Therefore the conversational, dialogue and third party endorsement elements of social media are closer to public relations than any other discipline. And we’ve also been doing it for so much longer than many. Either way, it’s clear that the days of advertising leading and channel-based communications following are numbered. It’s evident that a cross-fertilisation of disciplines is paramount to make this work for our clients. What I know we’re really enjoying now is being more involved in the development stages of a client’s communications plan, so that we can ensure from the outset that PR has a relevant fit and role alongside any ad creative or company ethos, rather than the old days where we’re given a pre-determined theme to a brief and told to run with it.
To end with a final Qualman quote: “Social media is not a fad, it’s a fundamental shift in the way we communicate.” Now, the hard part for all those brands and agencies out there – getting it right…!
For those who haven’t seen it, watch Qualman's YouTube video here
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You know a trend has gone mainstream when someone dedicates a film or event to it – and Vintage at Goodwood (VAG), a new festival launched last week is one of these.
While vintage-themed events are nothing new to the Chichester site – Goodwood Revival, a celebration of classic cars has been running since 1998. VAG, curated by Wayne Hemingway of Red or Dead fame (apparently investing a 7 figure sum of his own money), has positioned itself as ‘a celebration of five decades British cool from the 1940s-1980s,’ incorporating everything from food, film, music, design and fashion.
The recession has certainly fuelled popularity for what used to be known as second hand clothing. You only have to look at the emergence of vintage-themed businesses and websites to see that this really is a way of life for some people – and a great money spinner. And we can’t underestimate the influence TV series like Mad Men have on us.
So with my hair backcombed within and inch of its life and donning the compulsory vintage dress and sunnies, my friends and I descended on Goodwood- and we loved every second of it.
This really is good old fashioned fun. We entered the site via a fairy lit forest, through a kitsch looking entrance and straight into the Vintage High Street which had the same attention to detail you would find on a film set, complete with vintage cars ‘parked up’ beside shops.
There was a beauty salon to help you complete your look and while we made our way down the clean, wood chipped lanes, a line of ladies dressed in vintage bathing costumes strutted past. To achieve glamour in the middle of a field could be a challenge, but everything came across with style. I didn’t see one piece of litter all day – perhaps punters had more respect for this well thought out environment and took on the manners of a bygone era. However, there was a rumour circulating that Hemingway employed a stealth team of collectors to keep everything looking pristine.
The format provided the perfect opportunity for brands to get involved. Retailers whose executions were most effective were those with a clear link to their heritage. Most impressive was John Lewis who recreated their 1950s haberdashery where you could learn to stitch and pick up a vintage dress pattern. Others included Dr Martens, IWC, Fortnum and Mason and Kenwood. Hemmingway predicts that the high street area with double in size next year as brands clamber to get involved and showcase their take on the vintage trend to consumers. With the hype following this year’s event I don’t doubt his predictions, particularly as many brands may have been a bit cautious to invest in a new festival this year.
The organiser’s online interaction with attendees was well thought out. A free app was available to download via their website featuring the full line-up and a lovely map so we didn’t miss a thing. The Facebook profile was also really well managed with regular updates and the community provided real supported, particularly when we wanted to know vital information such as whether to bring wellies or not.
Entertainment was also true to the theme - we had an absolute blast at the Tanqueray Torch Club. Manned by a maître d’ in a white tuxedo we were escorted to a table where we enjoyed gin cocktails as we watched the various tea dances, while Roller Disco and a top line-up including Motown legends Martha and the Vandellas completed the night.
This is my kind of festival and I can’t WAIT for next year!
Filed under: Brando, Brando World, festival, festivals, Goodwood, Tanqueray Torch Club, VAG, Vintage, Vintage at Goodwood, Wayne Hemingway
Mobile network Three has chosen Brando as its retained agency to lead its social media presence and engagement strategy within the UK.
The agency, which will report into Three’s newly formed internal Social Media team, will be responsible for ongoing consultancy and campaign work.
They’ll work in conjunction with the Social Media team to manage Three’s social media presences, create new and engaging content, and build upon Three’s existing blogger relations programme.
Brando won the account following a five-way pitch and will start work immediately, replacing Three’s incumbent Word of Mouth agency, 1000heads.
Margaret Burke, Director of Brand & Integrated Comms said: “Social media has become much more of a focus for Three this year, something that’s been reflected in the creation of a four-strong internal team. The timing was right for us to re-focus our priorities for social media, and we took the opportunity to evaluate the external support that was available in the marketplace.
“Brando’s strategic thinking impressed us right from the creds meeting and we’re confident that they’ll give us the right level of direction to take us forward in leaps and bounds in the social media space.
“1000heads’ commitment and dedication to our account over the years has been hugely commendable, and we wish them all the best.”
Shelley Morrell, Brando Managing Partner who will be heading the account, said: “Three is a visionary brand with a real appetite to make a mark in social media. We are thrilled to be appointed as their partner to help turn all these exciting plans into reality.”
Three is currently recruiting to fill two of its remaining internal social media vacancies. The team, which sits within Three’s Sales & Marketing department, is responsible for the management of, and strategy behind, Three’s social media presences to deliver a meaningful customer experience.
Brando will join Three’s existing rosta of marketing agencies, including 3 Monkeys Communications and Glue Isobar.
Filed under: 3, Brando, Brando World, Digital, Digital PR, mobile, mobile phone, PR, Social Media, Three mobile, threemobile.co.uk
Brando launches the world's first Google street view Zombie game on behalf of Virgin Trains. Launch has received widespread online, print and broadcast coverage from The Sunday Times In Gear to Capital radio!
Hosted at www.dontgozombie.com, the game celebrates Virgin Trains’ new ‘Don’t Go Zombie’ campaign that urges commuters ‘zombified’ by the monotony of motoring to swap their cars for the freedom of travel on a Virgin train.
Brave zombie-rescuers will be catapulted onto any UK street, armed with nothing more than a Virgin Trains ticket machine. To prevent them ‘going zombie’, players can save mindless motorists wandering the streets by issuing them with train tickets. Successfully ‘ticketed’ targets are humanised, transported onto a Virgin train and rescued from wasted time behind the wheel. Each month, the highest scoring players will enter a draw to win First Class travel with Virgin Trains*.
If caught, the player’s Facebook profile picture will be zombified creating a zombie avatar that’s launched into the game. The player then has the option to galvanise support from friends by posting a ‘rescue me’ message on their wall.
And if that isn't enough frenzied fun, later this summer Sir Richard Branson himself will be appear in the game as a zombie. The public are invited to seek out the Virgin founder and transport him to the safety of a Virgin train using their expertise in targeted ticketing.
Sir Richard Branson said: “At Virgin Trains, we aim to make your journey as quick and stress-free as possible. Anyone who has ever experienced the M6, knows very well that long motorway journeys can suck the life right out of us, turning us into zombies! So we are urging people to ditch their cars, and hop onboard. Over the years I’ve appeared in many fun guises but never as a zombie –at least I’ll know what I’ll look like if I ever come back as one of the undead!”
