Your questions answered
The Impact
and Influence
of Social Media:
Why brands
need to become
better at generating
conversations
Your questions
answered
July 2011
Your questions answered
THE INSIDER
The Insider is MediaCom’s external communications
programme designed to address the issues that matter for
marketers. It is comprised of several elements including a
newsletter, Blink – a magazine that covers trends and
influences, a webcast housed at www.mediacom.com and a
follow-up white paper.
This quarter, our focus turned to social media and the impact
and influence that it has had on marketing strategies. In our
introductory newsletter, MediaCom's insight leaders explained
how social can provide value for advertisers and demystified
the opportunities that it presents.
Expanding on these themes in The Insider webcast, Carolyn
Everson, Vice President, Global Marketing Solutions at
Facebook, joined us to discuss her company's continuing
growth and development and explain how they can help
advertisers. Carolyn was joined by Sara Devine, Manager of
Digital Integration Marketing for Volkswagen Group of
America, who explained how her company has already
enjoyed social media success.
Offering a media agency perspective, Sloan Broderick,
Director of Innovation, MediaCom Interaction USA, was on
hand to share advice and explain how the correct social
media strategy can provide ROI. The session was moderated
by leading business strategist and Chairman and CEO of
MediaLink LLC, Michael Kassan.
In this Q&A paper, MediaCom’s Sloan Broderick answers some
of your questions. n
THE INSIDER Q&A
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JULY 2011
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Your questions answered
WHAT MAKES A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
SUCCESSFUL?
Brands need to encourage internal employees and external
agencies to them help figure out the value of social to their
company/image. There’s no simple answer, but more contributions from partners will add perspective. Media agencies
need to allow brands to find a voice and a purpose, encourage
their company to find the appropriate connection with consumers
(is it customer service? promotions? creative conversations?
fun?), and push teams to articulate and drive against values/
measurements that make sense for their business. n
WHAT ALCOHOL BRANDS DO YOU THINK MAKE
THE BEST USE OF FACEBOOK?
I think Captain Morgan, Budweiser/Bud light, Jim Beam,
Johnnie Walker all do a nice job with Facebook. n
THE INSIDER Q&A
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JULY 2011
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Your questions answered
WHAT'S THE ONE THING THAT A SMALL-MEDIUM
SIZED COMPANY WANTING TO MAKE AN IMPACT
WITH SOCIAL MEDIA SHOULD DO?
Have an honest conversation with the community, figure out
what value you will deliver to them for being a fan, and have
some fun. Be brave! n
DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES OF HOW SMALL
BUSINESSES ARE USING FACEBOOK PAGES
SUCCESSFULLY?
Amex Open is by far the largest and best example. n
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Your questions answered
DOES THE PANEL AGREE THAT AD SPEND
(WITHIN FACEBOOK) IS THE PRIMARY WAY TO
DRIVE SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNITY GROWTH?
Media spend on Facebook is the largest, most predictable and
manageable way to drive fans/likes, but smart cross-channel
campaigns also should be a primary consideration: is your TV
commercial social? Is there a social call to action? Are the
events you are sponsoring including social connection as part
of the platform? n
HOW CAN NETFLIX TURN THE CONVERSATION
AROUND AND APPEASE CUSTOMERS ANGERED
BY ITS RECENT PRICE HIKE?
Netflix was caught off-guard just like so many other brands are in
social media, and there are two things they should consider:
1. Have a crisis management/PR plan in place to deal with fast
moving topics.
2. Have an honest response to the consumers who deserve to
hear back from you... after all, they pay you! As for what they
should say about the pricing changes, there’s probably not much
that consumers want to hear. Maybe they should say something
along the lines of "we'll listen to everyone’s feedback and
consider new pricing options in the future to accommodate the
many ways all of our customers use Netflix."n
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JULY 2011
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Your questions answered
YES, FACEBOOK IS AN ENGAGEMENT TOOL
FOR BRANDS, BUT WHAT ABOUT ADDING
REACH TO "CLASSICAL" COMMUNICATION
CAMPAIGNS? DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY
INSIGHTS ABOUT THE REACH SYNERGIES OF
SOCIAL (FACEBOOK), "NORMAL ONLINE"
REACH CAMPAIGNS AND TV?
Check out Facebook.com/marketing for lots of examples. n
HOW CAN I BEGIN TO STRUCTURE MY SOCIAL
MEDIA CAMPAIGN?
It is critical to think about your overall communications strategy
and work out exactly where your brand is now, where you'd like
to be in the future (goals), how you'll approach getting there
and how you know when you’ve arrived. Social, just like all
other communications, should have the same level of thinking
put into developing and linking campaigns across channels. n
THE INSIDER Q&A
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JULY 2011
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Your questions answered
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE
MORE INFORMATION ON THE INSIDER,
PLEASE CONTACT:
Fraser Riddell
Chief Global Business Development Officer
498 Seventh Avenue
New York
NY 10018
USA
+1 (212) 912 5106
fraser.riddell@mediacom.com
www.mediacom.com
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JULY 2011
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