It’s been close to 3 years since we saw the evolution of Social Media in India, the growth story accelerated when slowly users came on to the social media platforms and brands followed. The journey has been interesting with brands appreciating the two way conversational platform to leverage it and build a brand. But as we fast forward the picture from then to today, we have altogether a different story at hand, part convincing and part disappointing.
Marketers, Digital Practitioners, and Social Media Evangelists pitched in to deliver unmatched ROI to client and so did the brands wishing to use this platform to communicate, convince and create a clan of users who believe in what the brand preaches. While the aim was to leverage this amazing platform to narrate a brand story, and build this relationship, it really didn’t happen that way. At the mid of this social media revolution story, Brands turned into ATDS (All Time Discount Stores) eager to fuel their online sales, generate Facebook likes, and increase twitter followers. What followed was a classic example of Pavlovian’s Classical Conditioning, just as it was depicted in the experiment the same behavior was enacted on social media, user activity was seen to be increased when there was a discount offer thrown their way. While the online startups were bombarding the scene with their discount offers, the big brands too joined the bandwagon. What once started as an attempt to build a strong brand online with a user clan who could multiply & amplify the brand beliefs, also foster the Word of Mouth Marketing and increase its reach was now a mere attempt to spread a word about which brand is throwing a discount offer. Make it trend, no matter how.
Later in 2011, Facebook tightened its policy against brands throwing discounts to generate likes and 3 big brand Facebook pages got axed. This incident made it to the National Newspaper and what followed then was a series of calculated steps to avoid such incidents again. Mind you, there are still so many brands on Facebook who are violating their cover photo guidelines. This is the part of story which is disappointing. It would have all been worth it, if it would have added to Brand Recall, Recognition & Likeability. I am not really sure if it actually did. Maybe product sales have increased, no doubt about it, but question is do they remember you as a brand? If they somehow walk down the retail aisle, would they pick up your brand amidst other products/brands? Do they really understand what you as a brand stand for? Will a random word concerning your product category activate a whole set of product attributes, features in the minds of consumers and facilitate conversion? Do they as a consumer feel proud to associate with you? Will they make you a part of their life story, narrate it on social media platform & recommend the same to other? I dare to question about brand positioning. So all in all, you have sold your products to consumers offering discounts via social media. Fair Enough. This is our Social Media Story so far.
While for years, Brands have spent billions of rupees to buy a piece of consumer’s mind, to instill a whole set of activation point in the mind of consumers via Television, Billboard & other offline mediums, today when they have such an amazing platform at hand which is not even half expensive the cost of TV ad slots and totally idea/concept/creative logic driven, the approach is totally disappointing.
Amidst all this, we see few young brands innovating their communication strategies on this platform and creating a strong fan following among users on Social Media. References and recommendations have genuinely followed them.
This is the gist of our story and then we are here now, still witnessing the popularity of this amazing platform and planning our next step. And I question your step, should it be the same? Is it time to re-think the communication strategy & leverage this platform to create an immortal brand or should we position Brands as an All Time Discount Store? If you wish to change your approach, what should you do, are there are specific models you should
Marketers, Digital Practitioners, and Social Media Evangelists pitched in to deliver unmatched ROI to client and so did the brands wishing to use this platform to communicate, convince and create a clan of users who believe in what the brand preaches. While the aim was to leverage this amazing platform to narrate a brand story, and build this relationship, it really didn’t happen that way. At the mid of this social media revolution story, Brands turned into ATDS (All Time Discount Stores) eager to fuel their online sales, generate Facebook likes, and increase twitter followers. What followed was a classic example of Pavlovian’s Classical Conditioning, just as it was depicted in the experiment the same behavior was enacted on social media, user activity was seen to be increased when there was a discount offer thrown their way. While the online startups were bombarding the scene with their discount offers, the big brands too joined the bandwagon. What once started as an attempt to build a strong brand online with a user clan who could multiply & amplify the brand beliefs, also foster the Word of Mouth Marketing and increase its reach was now a mere attempt to spread a word about which brand is throwing a discount offer. Make it trend, no matter how.
Later in 2011, Facebook tightened its policy against brands throwing discounts to generate likes and 3 big brand Facebook pages got axed. This incident made it to the National Newspaper and what followed then was a series of calculated steps to avoid such incidents again. Mind you, there are still so many brands on Facebook who are violating their cover photo guidelines. This is the part of story which is disappointing. It would have all been worth it, if it would have added to Brand Recall, Recognition & Likeability. I am not really sure if it actually did. Maybe product sales have increased, no doubt about it, but question is do they remember you as a brand? If they somehow walk down the retail aisle, would they pick up your brand amidst other products/brands? Do they really understand what you as a brand stand for? Will a random word concerning your product category activate a whole set of product attributes, features in the minds of consumers and facilitate conversion? Do they as a consumer feel proud to associate with you? Will they make you a part of their life story, narrate it on social media platform & recommend the same to other? I dare to question about brand positioning. So all in all, you have sold your products to consumers offering discounts via social media. Fair Enough. This is our Social Media Story so far.
While for years, Brands have spent billions of rupees to buy a piece of consumer’s mind, to instill a whole set of activation point in the mind of consumers via Television, Billboard & other offline mediums, today when they have such an amazing platform at hand which is not even half expensive the cost of TV ad slots and totally idea/concept/creative logic driven, the approach is totally disappointing.
Amidst all this, we see few young brands innovating their communication strategies on this platform and creating a strong fan following among users on Social Media. References and recommendations have genuinely followed them.
This is the gist of our story and then we are here now, still witnessing the popularity of this amazing platform and planning our next step. And I question your step, should it be the same? Is it time to re-think the communication strategy & leverage this platform to create an immortal brand or should we position Brands as an All Time Discount Store? If you wish to change your approach, what should you do, are there are specific models you should
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