Social media moves fast.  Tweets, updates, status… they are there for a moment and then pushed down the list as others post their messages. As marketers, your goal is to keep your message in front of potential customers.  So how do you prolong the life of a social media message?

Cross-pollination.  By “cross-pollinating” or leveraging the different marketing tools available and using them to work together, you can develop a campaign that creates lasting buzz and extends the life of social media messages.

I came across a set of on-line commercials for the Wheat Thins brand called “The Crunch is Calling”, that are a fantastic example of maximizing exposure and prolonging a social media message.  Not only is the idea clever, but the short commercials are fun to watch.  The concept of each on-line commercial is based on a consumers single tweet on Twitter.

Wheat Thins took each tweet to the next level, by actually physically tracking down the consumer, responding to their tweet in person in creative ways and filming the response.  These recordings were then turned into short on-line commercials and YouTube videos.

Below is a clip of one of the videos.  You can see all of the videos here.

Wheat Thins was able to extend the life of single tweets, adding a personal touch through in person follow up and incorporating on-line video.  One tweet that was viewed by hundreds will now be seen by hundreds of thousands.

Take your social media messages to the next level by tying them in to a variety of other marketing avenues.  Social media moves quickly, but your marketing message can live a long life.

Or should I say, what’s your social media sign?  Are you an avid Tweeter or a more dedicated Facebook Friend?

Research suggests that Twitter and Facebook users differ based more on psychographic characteristics rather than simple demographics.

Two-thirds of daily Facebook users are fans of a brand, and about four in 10 daily Twitter users follow a company or brand.  So as marketers, it’s important to know why and how consumers are using these social networks in order to develop marketing messages better tailored to each specific audience.

A recent report from eMarketer shows that users that have the greatest focus on becoming fans of brands are motivated by trendy topics, entertainment and like the ability to publicly show support for brands.  Using Facebook to promote messages that are informational as well as entertaining can be greatly effective.

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Unless you’ve been hiding away on a deserted tropical island, you have probably heard some talk recently about the “new” Old Spice Man.  The nightly television newscasters are talking about him, women are calling in to their local radio stations to find out how to meet him and he has been the topic of the day across many internet sites.  Why all this buzz about a brand, that until recently was, well… old?

Talk about the power of utilizing social media to drive word of mouth and help reinvent a brand.

Acting on an off-the-wall idea of creating instant buzz by responding in real time to consumers questions/comments with short videos, Procter & Gamble produced funny YouTube videos about Old Spice.  The team leveraged Twitter, Facebook, Reddit and blogs sending out invitations to ask questions of The Old Spice Man.

As people responded, their comments were pulled in and tracked and those who had interesting questions or were high-profile users on social networks were responded to directly in real time with a personalized short video featuring the dashing shirtless actor and former football player Isaiah Mustafa.  Over 200 videos were posted to YouTube over the course of two days and featured everything from a marriage proposal to messages to celebrities.

Check out this one which includes the real-life marriage proposal:

You can see all of the videos here.

It turned out to be a huge success.  Old Spice received over 83 million YouTube video views and grew their Facebook fan base by 616K all in the the course of two days.

I love it when a campaign goes viral.   But what, besides a touch of good luck, makes a campaign like this so successful?  When a campaign becomes an overnight sensation, it’s always beneficial to look back at what worked and why.  Here are a few take-aways and tips from this campaign that can be applied in making other social media campaigns a success:

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If you’re lucky enough to be a friend of mine on Facebook, keep an eye out, I just might buy you a drink!  I’m not talking about a virtual drink, but one that you can sip (or chug) and enjoy.

Most of you, I’m sure, are familiar with the Facebook Gift Shop where you can purchase and send virtual gifts to your friends for their birthday’s or… just because.  And although the idea of sending a virtual gift is pretty silly in itself,  it was great fun and who didn’t feel special and cared about when receiving one?

Well, times are a-changin’.  Facebook is ready to move on and recently announced that on August 1st they are closing the doors to the virtual gift shop.  The question is… why?  Although there have been no official announcements, it could quite possibly be to open the door to a new era of e-commerce.  Where instead of purchasing and sending virtual gifts, you will be able to send bigger and better real-life items.

There has already been some movement in that direction as a few companies are developing e-gift apps which let’s users purchase real-life items for friends.  Cold Stone Creamery’s e-gift app sends a code for an actual product to one or more friends, which can then be redeemed at one of the chain’s 1,300 locations.  And Webtab’s Bartab app, which uses both Facebook Connect and mobile technology let’s users buy tickets for drinks to send to friends.  Then he or she goes to the bar, which must be part of the network, and redeems the digital ticket.

With the number of Facebook users topping 250+ million, as marketers, this opens up a whole new avenue for placing products or services in front of one of the largest communities on the web.  If you’re not already, now is the time to start thinking and planning for the development of an app for your company.  New opportunities are on the way and by planning for them now you will be fully prepared to take advantage of them when they arise.

So let’s bid farewell to all those virtual bears and cupcakes and say HELLO to new opportunities.

Cheers!

Imagine walking into a restaurant, creating and naming your own meal using an online application, ordering it on an iPad and then sharing it with your entire social network.  I came across this story in the Wall Street Journal about a new restaurant chain that plans to do just that and had to share.

On July 6th, the New York City burger chain, 4food, will open its first of 11 planned locations where they will leverage the use of social media and web-based technologies to engage customers on a whole new level.  The restaurant describes themselves as the new socially networked counter culture.  And I think the idea is ingenious!

Customers have the option to receive personalized meal recommendations based on lifestyle and health goals entered into an online application. Or they can create custom meals, name and brand their creation and market it to their friends on Facebook and Twitter, right from the restaurant. When ordering from home, customers can create commercials on YouTube as well.

The custom meal creations and commercials will then be featured on a 240-square-foot media wall at the restaurant that will also stream Foursquare check-ins and tweets.  Every time someone else orders one of the custom made creations, the creator receives a 25-cent store credit in their 4food account to be use toward future purchases.

The restaurant itself looks quite a bit like an Apple store and seating resembles bleachers and communal tables, emphasizing the idea of social networks and staff will take orders on iPads. Below are a couple of renderings to give you a look inside:

4Food is banking on the idea that by engaging customers through social media and getting them involved in the product development process, they will be inclined to spread positive word of mouth about the restaurant and about their own creations as they market them to friends in their social networks.  The concept is a great one and if their food tastes as good, I believe they will have a winning combination.

Can you measure the value of a Facebook fan?  More and more companies are developing Facebook “fan” pages and encouraging customers or potential customers to connect and become part of their community, but what are those fans actually worth?

The value of a fan can mean many things, but just recently a social media measurement firm called Syncapse took a stab at determining an actual dollar amount.  In a study conducted with market research firm Hotspex they identified and calculated several areas that make a Facebook fan a valuable consumer in the eyes of a marketer. These include product spending, loyalty to the brand, tendency to recommend it, and the emotional connection or affinity to the brand.

Syncapse asked 4,000 fans of 20 of the top brands on Facebook why they were fans of those companies or brands, and about their past and future purchasing behavior and feeling regarding the product. They then tried to estimate what the value of each fan’s spending would be to a company, as well as the value of continuing to have that fan as a customer over time.

So just what exactly is a Facebook fan worth?  Well, according to this study… $136.38.

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I am on a mission.  A mission to become the mayor of my neighborhood Starbucks!  The mayor?  Yep, that’s right.

I recently downloaded an up-and-coming mobile application on my phone called Foursquare.  Although you may not have heard of Foursquare yet (they are an early stage start-up), you are sure to soon. They are growing at a tremendous rate, so much so, they just hired a number of staffers to keep up with the landslide of inquiries from marketers interested in participating.  And for good reason, it’s a unique and exciting application, with many potential marketing opportunities.

Foursquare defines their mobile application as a cross between a friend-finder, a social city-guide, and a game that encourages users to explore their neighborhoods and rewards them for doing so.   Users can search for nearby businesses, earn points for checking in (telling Foursquare where they are) when they visit each location, win mayorships, unlock badges and access specials for trying new places and revisiting their favorites.

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Every month I receive an email from one of my favorite local deli’s introducing their latest sandwich or salad. In each of these emails they include a link to their Facebook page, with the statement “Join us on Facebook”. Although I receive this email monthly and read it in its entirety, I’ve never clicked through to their Facebook page… until today. Why now?  Because this time next to their Facebook link was the statement “Join us on Facebook, the first 500 people to become a fan and post a comment will receive a free cookie”.  I love their cookies, how can I resist!?

I clicked through, signed up and made a comment about their wonderful wheat germ chocolate chip cookies and minutes later received a message with a certificate for a free cookie on my next visit.  Can’t wait! Not only am I a happy camper, but the deli gained a new Facebook fan (along with at least 499 others today) and another way to stay in touch and build a relationship with their customers.

The greatest reason by far that people friend a company on Facebook is to receive special offers and promotions, I am certainly one of those people.  According to eMarketer, almost two-thirds of those friending a brand are looking for promotions and special offers. Coupons remain a leading driver of brand interactions in social networks and learning about sales and new products is also a strong motivator for people to interact with companies in social media.

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Think back to the last time someone did something nice for you.  How did it make you feel?  Maybe it brightened your day, made you want to return the favor, tell someone about it, or pay it forward and do something nice for someone else.  When we reach out and make an effort to help another, we leave our mark, set a great example and can truly make an impact.

The same can be said in business and developing a positive brand image.  Goodwill is an invaluable asset that can define a company’s reputation and market position.  Statistics show that today’s consumers would much rather associate themselves and do business with companies whose values match their own and those that are truly looking out for the common good.

Of course, as consumers, we all know that companies are in business to make money.  But it’s those that go the extra mile, take that extra step to connect with their customers values that we are drawn to.  Customers are attracted to companies that can demonstrate that they are in it for more than just meeting monthly sales goals.  They want to align themselves with companies that stand for something they believe in and feel good about.

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Last night I went to the store to buy a new blow dryer (yes, it’s a bit girly, I know).  As I scanned the aisle of blow dryers, I knew in 2 seconds which one I wanted.  Why? Because it was shiny and orange.  To me orange says “fun”, “lively” and “full of life”.  And the idea of having fun blow drying my hair was enticing!

When creating a brand identity, color is one of the most important components to consider.  It can have a significant affect on people’s perception of your product or brand. Research shows that color actually has an affect on a person’s emotional state and their ability to concentrate or learn.

The CCICOLOR - Institute for Color Research reveals that people make a subconscious judgment about a person, environment, or product within 90 seconds of initial viewing and that between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on color alone.

The proper use of color is vital in creating a memorable and positive image.  It should set you apart, work with your industry and image and tie to the promise of your brand.

Colors can have different meanings depending on culture or various industry, but in the US studies show some universal meaning when it comes to advertising and branding.  I love the following list of colors and definitions provided by Entrepreneur.  As you read through them, take some time to think about how they might apply to your brand.

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