I predict an end to mass media. For years, I've had the honor of spending millions on television, advertising, door-to-door newspapers, radio and online campaigns. Since 2000 however, many mass media results have begun to display cracks in their armor. We're reading fewer newspapers and magazines, we're watching less television. We spend more time watching and reading what others are doing and writing, we're deciding what
we do and don't want to see, and we've come to trust what other people tell us about brands, products and services. In fact, their opinions have become so important to us, we often base our purchasing decisions on what others say. It's the rise of the social consumers' organisation, placing the power in the hands of consumers. We now have to create a dialogue with each individual consumer: we have to put an effort into building a relationship and we have to become an honest, transparent partner. The client has to believe our brand is accessible, co-operative and listening. The brand and client have to become friends. Afterall, friends are popular: friends are people you'd gladly introduce to your neighbours, family and friends or colleagues. And that's exactly where we want to be.
The structure of 'social branding' submits there must first be a connection between the brand/product and the client. Then, it's up to us to facilitate the relationship between the client and his own network: we provide the tools that allow him to socially share our product or service with the people around him.
Thirdly, we ensure that the network our clients have created can also carry our own 'buzz', such as through virals, communities or consumer generated content.
Fourth, we develop the right tools to allow news and information to spread through the network. Basically, what I describe here is the process of old-fashioned word of mouth advertising. Only now it's automated, optimally using the speed of new media.
Popular tools here are viral concepts based on video or games, but there are more interactive ways to reach large crowds when we also use the loyalty among customers, prospects and fans. Research shows that conversion is a lot higher in these cases, as the sender is now a trusted familiar person. 'Social branding' and 'social marketing' are growing phenomena with impressive results. Kentucky Fried Chicken's first viral, five years ago, reached 193 million viewers and pushed turnover by 6%. Dutch political party SP sent comical videos to 40.000 of its members; a year later, close to the national elections, more than one million people had seen the political videos.
The marketing organisation's DNA will have to be tuned to these important new developments. If over the next five to ten years mass media is virtually replaced by consumers' personal 'content channels', we'll need new techniques and new methods to reach out and touch consumers. Right now, 'social marketing' can already give us excellent results, so long as you keep your clients and fans happy.
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