101: Social Media & Digital Content event attendees actively engaged with leading digital brand leaders as they participated in unique BOF “Birds Of A Feather” interactive group discussions. Each group was presented with a real-life situation that relates to social media and digital media to collectively discuss challenges and find solutions. The results will ultimately be critiqued by our presenters and shared here.
GROUP 1
Leader: Annie Fast – Network A
SCENARIO Your brand is premiering a highly anticipated exclusive video on YouTube & Facebook. Create a plan to bring social media buzz within the first 24 hours to get it trending, but also throughout the following week.
We chose Stance Santigold video with her new socks figuring prominently. The goal is brand awareness for Stance socks brand. We ended up talking more about Youtube than Facebook as the upload platform.
VIDEO:
-Identify timing of the release (do we tie the release to an existing event?)
-Package release with end card pointing back to Stance socks website and Stance logo to release on Santigold’s Vevo channel. Any other annotations?
-Decide on smart cross promotions (is there a behind the scenes video, making of that is released concurrently on another channel pointing back to this video release?)
PRIOR TO RELEASE:
-Identify the target audience (18-24 females)
-Identify potential influencers beyond Sanitgold to help promote the release (YouTubers, Instagrammers, celebrities)
-Reach out to media with opportunity for “exclusive” interview with Santigold about video and potential first access to video link
-Identify hashtag around release of video (#mygoldenlife “Tell us what your idea of a golden life is. Is this your golden life?)
-Create a giveaway to encourage viewers to promote the release (Same or different hashtag, giveaway/challenge with colleges/sororities with rewards to tweeting about video. Win tickets to her concert or socks.)
-Prepare all suggested social media massaging and assets (photos, video clips)
-Prep emails/text messages to influencers and Santi in advance.
-Set aside marketing budget for paid media buy (Outbrain, Taboola)
GROUP 2
Leader: Anthony Valentino – TBWA/Designory
SCENARIO How do you generate viral awareness around a Non-Profit community based organization that leads to donations?
GROUP 3
Leader: Bart Reitano – 530medialab
SCENARIO Your gaming company is planning to prepare the launch of their new title at E3 Tradeshow, going up against big names like Call of Duty & Halo. How do you stay “top-of-mind” & not lost among the social chatter by activating digital channels, content and social media with attendees on-site and gaming community off-site?
Employing YouTubers As Video Game Ambassadors
Heros of CosPlay – SciFi Culture / Promo VIdeo / Walk Convention who is dressed as character
Interactive with audience #with character name
Incorporation of sponsored props (vehicles, etc) #unique hashtag draw in new audience
Tease / release content of game / Gamify the audience with # / Winners come to E3 to play
Brand Ambassadors / Gamify actions before event / Bracelet activations / online competition of who finished game first
Novelty item that can be used to encourage to sharing / Unique #
Connectivity of social media interlinking
Empowerment of audience via benchmark / encourage sharing to gain pieces of content / trailers / tweets /shares /posts / purchases /
Launch survey to encourage reviews / gamify /
Retailers excitement / empower sales associates to excite audience using unique #
Sticker guerilla campaign
Hello Kitty Passport idea to check in to multiple locations
Build hype around game via product collaboration and unique #
Create a demand for something does not exist / limited editions of game
Post game parties / gaming parties unique #
Empower gamers to do something non game like but related to game / unique#
Select stardom of gamers / empowerment
Google Glass collaboration – uh no
GROUP 4
Leader: Cameron Partridge – Roadtrip Nation
SCENARIO Through research and analytics you uncover that your social followers on various networks have very different demographics and levels of engagement or participation. How do you go about producing content that engages and/or activates fans across these networks on a day to day or large scale marketing campaign basis?
First, it’s important to identify which platform and target is most valuable to your business. This will let you know where to prioritize resources and help you align to the business objectives that the company has.
Knowing which audience is most valuable and then aligning it with your brand value (which should be defined) will help decide where to start on creating the content. From there, it is important that you find the lowest common denominator between the different audiences. For example, there might be an emotional connection that your brand offers across multiple demographics, You might find that it’s not as big as challenge as you might think, but that’s rarely the case.
After you’ve been sending out content to the various channels, it’s important to know what content is working best for those audiences. The key to this whole process is testing content types that align with your brand value is vital to creating optimal engagement.
Another tactic that a brand can do is to use influencers to help leverage that content to see what content types/messages are receiving the most engagement. Along the same lines is finding relevant companies and brands that align with those audiences to help cross promote content and to see what works best.
The short and condensed version is to find which audience brings most value to your business and create content that aligns with your brand value and that is responding well. And PLEASE don’t forget to test and optimize.
Lastly, it is very important to understand that you can’t be everything to everybody. Wise advice: 100% effort to the 5% will serve you better than putting a 5% effort to the 100%.
GROUP 5
Leader: Cody Cheshier – Nitro Circus
SCENARIO Brands working in niche markets have the constant challenge of staying true to the core fans while finding effective ways to reach a larger audience. How do you maintain your voice, deliver value to your existing userbase and wrangle in new eyeballs without a substantial marketing budget?
STRATEGY
We’ll beat a dead horse and say that content is key, but it’s all about how you use it, analyze it and modify it based on your analysis. There is no reason to try to broaden the messaging or voice to reach a broader audience. You create content for your core audience and let them and the distribution channels do the work for you. Social media platforms don’t want to hinder you from reaching an audience – they want to challenge you to create better content that will resonate with your fans. Once you create that emotional attachment with your fans, they will share it through their own affiliate channels bringing your messaging to the next ring of potential fans/customers.
Your content strategy is most important. It’s as simple as answering the question: “What works where?” Each platform comes with it’s own playbook. At a base level, without having to spend money, if you simply follow best practices you’re giving yourself the best chance to succeed. It’s important to know what each platform is focused on as their priorities often shift so you must be able to shift with them.
REAL WORLD EXAMPLE
Facebook started hindering the reach of brand pages but also started putting an emphasis on video. Knowing that Facebook will look positively on channels that are utilizing it’s video player, regular native video uploads to Facebook will give you a much further reach than sharing or posting non-video content. Step 1 is getting that content out and Step 2 is adjusting the format based on the trends you see in insights. Do people share videos that are :30 more than videos that are 1:00? Then create compelling content based on the viewing trends you’re seeing.
SUMMARY
There is no reason to stray from your central voice when looking to grow your audience. Create compelling content that speaks to your biggest fans, follow best practices across all your existing platforms, and customize your delivery based on what works. Using the tools at your disposal and the ancillary reach of your core fanbase, you’ll be able to reach a new set of eyeballs.
GROUP 6
Leader: Denise Garciano Nafarrete – Buzzsmith
SCENARIO A toy company has encountered a serious reputation incident involving one of their products. Parents have gone to social media complaining and it’s gone viral. How do you crisis manage this is situation and gain control?
Step 1: Determine issue and come up with an analysis process
Step 2: In this analysis process, determine if physical injuries or life threatening situation and what the full scope of the situation is
Step 3: Pull in the right stakeholders to determine the best approach
Step 4: Resolve in a timely manner especially if its life threatening
Step 5: Field the communications and look the data & direct customers in the right arenas
Step 6: Once they’ve been directed, have the customer service & management teams trained & educated on how to best respond and resolve issue
GROUP 7
Leader: Eric Morley – Blue C
SCENARIO Your company had a product collaboration with a well-known musician who is lending his name and likeness to a product collaboration. Create a digital strategy to generate awareness of the collaboration with the musicians several million Facebook, email and social media fan base
KEY OBJECTIVE: Generate awareness of the collaboration with the musicians several million Facebook, email and social media fan base.
DELIVERABLE: Digital Strategy
INITIAL THINKING
1. The objective is to educate and create awareness of the product with the musicians FB, email and SM fan base
2. Do not “sell” the product
3. Build the brand and create a relationship between the product and the musician
4. Integrate the musician with the product to create a introduction that the product exists and is in collaboration with the musician
PHASE ONE STRATEGY: Introduction of the product and the musicians collaboration
VISUAL INTEGRATION: Introduce the product line with a series of visuals to show the alignment of the product with the musician for Social Media Channels
OUTBOUND EMAIL: Utilize the outbound email to introduce the product line with the artist while utilizing an Inbound Marketing process. Strategy will be to drive to ecommerce for immediate sale and include an “Insider” code
KEY SHOWS: Promote specific shows as “Launch parties” for a selected winner and use the shows to introduce and motivate key distributors to carry the line and key retailers to purchase the products
PHASE TWO STRATEGY: Integration of the product into the musicians lifestyle and performances
(Ongoing integrated content for SM)
RADIO PROMOTION EXPEREINCE: For each show, contact the radio stations in the show area and run a content with a prize for backstage passes, a meet and greet and a X product prize pack. Must use # to be entered. Winners will be selected and will go to the show and organically take pictures with the artist and post showing prize pack
SPECIAL VIDEOS: Create a series of DJ sessions as a behind the scenes and relevant targeted content that are less than one long
PODCAST: Create a music podcast of the music presented by this product
• Create local area meet up the day before each show to encourage a meet and greet with other fans. This event will be sponsored by the brand with signage and an audio station
DIGITAL TOOLBOX: Create a digital toolbox for fans and friends of the brand to use in their SM
INBOUND MARKETING: Utilize inbound marketing program for outbound email system while driving fans to a Microsite to increase email list. Create ongoing way to increase email list of musician’s fans
SOCIAL MEDIA KIOSK: Integrate the product branding in all of the musician shows by having some sort of social media kiosk to activate the fans experience at the event
SM CELEBRITY BEHIND THE SCENES: Utilize a top producing SM fan to be the behind the scenes interviewer of the musician at each show and create a Youtube clip and photo opps integrating the product
OUTBOUND MARKETING PROGRAM: Create a outbound automated marketing program where all new fans on FB and IN receive a special code to purchase the product at a discount and become a member of the musicians fan club and receive specific content
GROUP 8
Leader: Gabrielle Windsor – Rhythm
SCENARIO Your company is launching a new product line that is a collaboration with a new major motion picture. How do you best get the message out to the right constituents and maintain your own brand message so as to not get overshadowed by the motion picture?
3-phase pre during and post movie
– Start with brand values, be real
– Dissect the story line
– Identify the movie archetype that best aligns with the product and our brand
– Leverage celebrity tie ins and social
– Product sampling
– Encourage user generated content and incentive with prizing
– Surprise and reward UGC with tickets and viewing parties especially small markets with no theatres
– Key market rollout – ensure high visibility via guerrilla, film and post
– Unique content generation
– Collaborate with movie house for strong product relevance to the story line
Influencers
– Listen and engage via social
– Target lookalikes with paid media
– Partner with the theatre distribution partners for cross promotion
– Post release highlight key/best fans & content
– Continue to build fandom
– Create and involve brand in conversations
GROUP 9
Leader: James Sullivan – Mammoth Mountain
SCENARIO Create a social media campaign that can effectively target multiple demographic age-group segments (families, singles & couples, teens, and empty nesters) that will tap into their existing loyalty to your brand while also encourage viral sharing and the acquisition of new customers/ guests/followers.
Discussion group involved brainstorming concepts on the following question: how to market a brand that has a cross segment audience specifically related to a ski resort. A.k.a. Mammoth Mountain.
Establish a combination of initiatives that target the multi segment audience in the following ways:
1. Acquisition campaign targeting young singles and couples and families.
2. In resort campaign that target young singles and couples and families.
3. Aviral social media campaign that communicates to and calls to action young singles and couples and families.
Acquisition campaign ideas:
Create an incentive to spend your weekends in Mammoth Mountain by providing discounts related to coming early and staying late which included 50% off lift tickets on day of arrival, and fourth night and fourth day’s day free and ski free. Support via email, web and CPC digital marketing efforts as well as billboard promotions and market in Los Angeles, orange county and San Diego.
In resort campaign:
In resort activity with a goal to expand marginal F&B revenue. Create a scheme that included a punchcard enabling users to get free meals and discount on meals and beverages if they dined at Mammoth owned food and beverage restaurants and eateries (versus independently owned establishments).
Viral campaign:
Generate a social media awareness campaign that focused on the travel to the destination vis-à-vis up the 395 freeway and including scavenger hunt milestones that consumers could photograph, #, and distribute via Facebook Twitter and Instagram.
GROUP 10
Leader: John Ward – AWRC
SCENARIO Your company is looking to grow Instagram following and engagement after seeing a decline in growth week over week. Content previously posted was product shots exclusively. What should be done to grow the following and how do you transition to new types of content?
First we need to clarify the customer
– Ensure we are on point
– What’s the value they’re seeking
• Review what’s been done and how it worked or didn’t
• Begin to post less product shots
• Show the brand on customers
• Find ambassadors with whom to connect, create content and amplify the reach
— Extend reach by extending to artists and athletes
• Engage in two way conversations
• Respond to followers and hashtags
• Surprise and delight followers with random gifts
• Is there a trend to identify and uncover
• Photo of the week contest
• Identify key partners to develop content – like minded brands and share each others followers
• Instagram takeover by ambassadors
• Customization contest – design your own
• Contests – fly aways, tickets, shopping sprees
Keep Listening
GROUP 11
Leader: Lea Kozin – Nema
SCENARIO The fiscal year is coming to an end and management is deciding how to allocate their marketing budget. As Social Media lead, what key metrics will you focus on, and what specific elements should be included in your next year plan to ensure your efforts can be measured and noticed?
1) Convince management to allocate part of the marketing budget to analytics and measurement.
2) Make friends with someone in eCommerce, IT, or whoever manages the analytics.
3) Have said friend make custom reports that include the following key metrics, BUT before you do, make sure you have thought of specific questions that you’re trying to find an answer to (i.e. when is the best time for us to host a live video chat with a hero athlete to ensure the highest engagement and value?)
a – Traffic Sources, and hopefully the report will tell you where customers came from higher up the funnel than just the last site before they converted.
b – Reach (audience #’s)
c – Engagement (likes, shares, comments)
4) Take the time to understand those reports by looking at: weaknesses, strengths, trends, and actionable insights/opportunities
5) Remember to communicate those findings and test and re-test often!
GROUP 12
Leader: Nancy Maxwell – VANS
SCENARIO Your company is launching a new product line that is a collaboration with a new major motion picture. How do you best get the message out to the right constituents and maintain your own brand message so as to not get overshadowed by the motion picture?
INITIAL STEPS
• Research / product relevancy for new Onnix timepiece w/features: accuracy / rugged
• Partner with Studio for audience analytics
• Define available budget
• Determine Seeding program for actors / stunt crew / influencers / bloggers
6 MONTHS TO 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO PRODUCT/MOVIE RELEASE
• Onnix Time (product) / The Social Heist (movie) PR release
• Landing page goes live / countdown clock starts
• Platform Focus: Instragram / YouTube / Twitter / Tumblr
• Create Visual Assets that coincide with #RightOnTime hashtag (consider play on words, too):
— Use content from stunt team / actors
— 30 sec spots for Instagram / teaser spots for YouTube
— 3 min spots for YouTube
— GIFs & photos for Twitter / Instagram / Tumblr
• Announce details for giveaway – offering special advance screening
• Posting schedule: start slow and ramp up to event and beyond
3 MONTHS AND ON
• “Leaked” spots from actors / stuntmen
— timing in daily life vs. lift on set
• Grassroots parties / events to continue timeline (toward countdown)
• Giveaway continues and concludes
— Best UGC content curated from all platforms
— Create spots using split screen (ie. Time relevance to “big name actor” vs “regular joe”)
— Announce winners
• Coverage of pre-screening & premiere
• Post release
— Focus on life moments where time plays a part / involve film actors / stunt crew / fans
GROUP 13
Leader: Nguyen Duong – Innocean USA
SCENARIO How do you respond to negative sentiment around paid social posts? You posted a piece of content on social and put some paid support behind it to gain reach and engagement. However, a few negative comments are coming in from the post. Some of the users are taking the caption in a negative way, and are stirring up some controversy. What do you do?
There’s no one simple rule or guideline to follow when these things happen. They all need to be evaluated on an individual bases depending on the implications to the brand. Most on our team felt that creative and self-aware approach to responding to negative comments on social was the best way to handle these situations. Some of the comments made: “just own up to it and try to have some fun with it”, “don’t come off as being defensive”, “definitely don’t be a jerk about it.”
We all agreed that we respected brands that approach negative comments head-on by finding the humor and wit in social faux pas committed by brands.
Our group suggested that there’s always going to be people who troll on brands to get a response. Most of the group agreed that brands should ignore the trolls. “They’ll move on [to someone else].”
GROUP 14
Leader: Robert Brink
SCENARIO Your brand is launching a new “Hero” product into a competitive market space. What strategies might you employ to build “buzz” around the product leveraging your social media fan base and/or content?
Put simply, our, because one member works for the organization, our group decided that Surfrider would be the “brand” and we would be pushing a petition that needed to be signed to help preserve public beach access for citizens.Based on trials that would be occurring to shut down this beach access, the strategy was to start education and awareness about 3 months prior to trial. This way the public would have plenty of time to become educated regarding the initiative and help fight these beaches from being closed off
We would start with information about the beaches, who is trying to shut down the beaches and why, specifics about what would be closed off to the public forever should beach access be lost and what people can do to help. As well as where to sign the petitions, where to meet for events and so on.Video content would be produced to support all of the above. Posted to Surfrider’s blogs and social media. Email marketing sent to the surfrider database.
A hashtag campaign will be created to also help raise awareness and aid in the aggregation of content, posts, information and supporters.
Because Surfrider’s social media, like any brand, is limited, there’s a strategy to also utilize the social currency of famous surfers and industry ambassadors.
This would be achieved by of course, tagging them in our posts, but also sharing the video and blog content through Surfrider’s personal and industry connections, as well as the surf media and local media and influencers where public beach access is threatened.
Also looking into the quickest and easiest way to have people sign the petition via web and mobile devices … including linking from all social media, utilizing possible web and mobile petition apps and so on.
Obviously these efforts will repeat and intensify as the trial draws closer.
Apart from raising awareness and educating the public through Surfrider’s channels the main goal would actually be to be able to gain support from celebrities and surf industry people who would spread the word even further and faster than we could
GROUP 15
Leader: Scott DeYager – Toyota
SCENARIO Come up with some content series/ideas/strategies to address the Millennials who desire unique expression through their automobiles. Think about the appropriate social network platforms and content types.
Develop a video series on Youtube that focuses on the in-car technology (listed as “must have” features) and how it enhances young drivers’ connected lifestyles without causing unwanted disruptions or safety issues.
Video series working title: My Car, My Life
Supporting hashtags: #MyCarMyLife #ToyotaGotMeHere #LetsGoPlaces
Video format: Each video will focus on a specific app that integrates through Toyota’s Entune system and how it is seamlessly used to enhance the life of that driver. An example would be the integration of Pandora through Entune. We would show the young driver leaving his/her home as mom’s out of touch music blares in the kitchen. The driver gets in the car and their Pandora playlist instantly picks up and plays throughout the vehicle.
We’d show this with a host of the other apps as well. Including…
• Bing (search), MovieTickets.com, Yelp, Open Table, Facebook Places, Fuel Guide, Sports, etc.
The call to action at the conclusion of each video would include an IRL (in real life) interaction with Toyota and the featured app.
Example: Enter here to join Toyota at an upcoming Pandora concert series in your area.
Influencers: We’d leverage young influential in the categories of music, sports, dining, etc. to help extend the reach of the videos and host the real life events. Leveraging their social presence would provide a more authentic approach.
