More Than Ever…The People are the Brand

Communication guru Shel Israel touches on a compelling idea in a recent post on the relationship between personal brand(s) and corporate brand(s). I was particularly drawn by his comment on how people are becoming a central element of the corporate brand: “Personal brand is changing corporate and product brand in an increasing number of cases. This changes who shapes brand and why and how it is done. It changes how markets perceive brands and this is an area where little thought and conversation has emerged so far.”

Israel argues that traditional marketing messages focusing on “big brand” themes positioned through a corporate and/or homogenous voice are giving way to increasing personalization…and the humanization of corporate brands. This is being fueled by the advent of social media platforms that are based on individual participation and contributions. It’s interesting  to note Israel uses Dell as an example – which I experienced first hand as a member of the Dell social media team. Dell started to turns thing around when it started listening – really listening – to the online conversation but also because individual employees jumped into the conversation. All the platforms – both internal and external – were populated with real people who answered questions, shared ideas and tried to resolve complaints. Some of them – like Direct2Dell moderator Lionel – became key representatives of the Dell brand online.

This trend toward personalization is likely to gain momentum. After all, companies are engaging individual leaders (and sometimes employees) as blog authors, Facebook friends and Twitter voices.  Videos and podcasts feature company experts and guests in informal settings. Discussion boards are hosted by groups of company experts, some with large followings. Even websites are less impersonal, often featuring profiles and individual guides or hosts. As Israel notes, marketers are eager to leverage this movement towards the humanization of brands – since it’s inherently more credible and resonant with customers – but the very notion of diverse, individual voices makes this difficult. And that’s not a bad thing. For better or for worse, company reputations and identities will become more closely identified with the collective actions and voices of their employees, rather than paid advertising or impersonal PR campaigns.

Two More Reasons Companies Need to Pay Attention to Social Media

If companies needed any more reasons to get off the sidelines and start thinking about social media…

Reason #1: Staying Ahead of New FTC Regulations

The recently announced FTC guidelines on testimonials in advertising provide the first specific guidance from government on endorsements and disclosure in social media. Bob Pearson from the WeissComm Group suggests companies will be held more accountable for the behavior of their employees, so they should familiarize themselves with the regulations and ensure they take steps to limit their liability. In effect, companies will no longer be able to skirt (or flaunt) informal Web etiquette and will be held responsible for their online communication activities. Bob suggests all companies – big or small – follow this short checklist:

1. Require truthfulness and disclosure in all social media outreach

2. Monitor the conversation and correct misstatements

3. Create social media policies (with clear transparency and disclosure rules) and training programs

[Full disclosure: Bob is a friend and my former boss at Dell.]

Reason #2: Getting Ready for Real-Time Search

In recent weeks, there’s been plenty of online discussion about the emergence (and importance) of real-time search, which captures live updates on networks like Twitter and Facebook. A recent New York Times article posits that announcements by Google and Microsoft that their search platforms will include Twitter is just the latest evidence of this trend. (FYI: Facebook public updates will soon be available on Microsoft’s Bing.) Though the NYT article focuses on the potential revenue implications of real-time search, companies would do well to also study the PR impact of this trend on their own search results.  BusinessWeek recently posted a good summary on this topic.

What I thought was the most insightful take on this issue came from Charlene Li at Altimeter, who in her post on the topic writes: This trend towards micro media requires companies to pay attention to the real-time and social web for marketing, support, and competitive strategies. Here’s why. First, Google and Bing will filter search results based partly on timing and authority (as well as location.) Li argues this means consumers will more easily be able to influence search results through Twitter content, links and re-tweets. Conversely, companies will no longer be able to rely on their traditional page ranking, fueled by their SEO strategies. So even for companies not active on Twitter, their customers (or critics) can more easily influence search results related to the company in question. Li suggests a recipe to address this shift in search strategy:

• Develop a nimble, comprehensive listening strategy that includes social networks and incorporates internal processes, roles as well as robust analytical tools
• Change the marketing mindset that says generating more positive (self-serving) content will tilt the search balance, since the search filters will leave out irrelevant messages with no authority or following
• Marketers must focus on building relationships with people who have influence and authority on networks like Twitter – which means fostering relevant discussions with consumers and followers/friends

Even for companies with a defensive mindset who hesitate to jump into social media, these and other developments suggest their time as spectators is coming to an end.

Fun Not Dirty Word in Social Media

An article in USA Today yesterday provides a good overview of the popularity of online games on social networks and related Web sites – or “social gaming”. According to the  article, the rapid growth and huge audience numbers of some games and applications is shaking up the gaming industry. Gaming is now the most popular category on Facebook and MySpace. The difference between the new games and perennial online favorites – like World of Warcraft or Sims – is that they are free, widely available and easy to play.

What struck me about this article is not the growth of these virtual games – I’ve been inundated with invites and suggestions on Facebook and Twitter that range from whimsical to ridiculous – but rather the increasing focus on having fun. This trend is repeated in the thousands of apps available for the iPhone and other mobile devices…where bite-sized, novel games or tools (many of them good mostly for a laugh) are a popular download for many users.

For years the communication profession has frowned on fun, inferring that information can’t be credible or understood unless it’s serious and laden with facts. I’ve long believed that fun – injected in the right measure and manner – can make communication more memorable and effective. It’s worked well in advertising for years, but PR has mostly shut the door except for soft product marketing campaigns. Now that social media has further blurred the lines between work and play – and corporate and personal information – the battle rages on. The same debate is happening in training, where some e-learning advocates push for creative, interactive modules that feature plenty of smart humor, and more traditional HR practitioners who continue to promote face-to-face sessions supported by pedantic slides and toolkits. Fun need not be trivial, of course, but rather an attempt to inject some excitement, imagination and intellect into the training exercise. Somebody I worked with in my Dell days, Anders Gronstedt, has been promoting the use of virtual worlds like Second Life and on-demand digital content as a better alternative for training and communication. [Full disclosure, Anders is a good friend of mine and once shared my tent during a two-week climb of Kilimanjaro.]

We’ve all heard the axiom that people absorb  information better through a combination of senses – pictures, sounds, touch and words – than just speakers or words on a slide. I would argue the same logic should apply to adding an element of fun to traditional communication content – whether it be on a website, a memo or even an activity. Clearly, consumers are telling us they value entertaining content and modules, even if they serve a useful purpose. It’s time to pay attention to what our audience is telling us.

Most U.S. Employers Shutout Social Networks

In a recent post, noted communication blogger Shel Holtz highlights the findings of a recent survey of U.S.-based CIOs that found 54% of companies do not allow their employees any access to external social networks, and 19% do so only for limited “business purposes”. Check out a summary of the original research by Robert Half here.

Holtz argues this stance is fueled more by irrational fear than logic, and furthermore that it undercuts the external social media strategy – since in many cases employees are the best ambassadors or advocates for an organization. One of Holtz’s key points is “the presumption of most companies blocking access is that employees are being unproductive, wasting time. In fact, the lines have blurred so much that even an employee spending a few minutes online to take a break from work could wind up having an interaction that benefits the company“.

I would add that a fundamental flaw in the logic of these restrictions is that they focus on the channel, rather than the underlying rules on communications and disclosure – which should theoretically apply to any communication platform. The issue is not Facebook or Twitter – though the immediacy and reach of those platforms is certainly relevant – but rather ensuring employees understand what they can/can’t communicate externally and the policies on online conduct – whether as employees or outside of work.

Add this survey to the pile of empirical data suggesting organizations have decidedly mixed feelings about social media. In this case, the dichotomy is that while more companies are increasingly keen to engage in dialog with external audiences (notably customers) they are still reluctant to allow their own employees to participate in these same conversations. And based on my experience many companies are even hesitant to allow networking and conversation within their organizations. Many employees probably see this as lack of confidence in their ability to do the right (and smart) thing, and a not-so-subtle message from management that they can’t be trusted. Not exactly the message you want to send while simultaneously asking for more productivity and loyalty.

IKEA Backlash Shows Two Sides of Fan Passion

The recent criticism aimed at IKEA in recent weeks – much of it on Twitter – is just the latest reminder that companies change their iconic brands or products at their own peril…particularly when they do so without consulting their most ardent fans. IKEA’s apparent misstep? Switching the font in its catalogs to the more pedestrian (some say ugly) Verdana font, from the original customized Futura. Check out  this account of the debate in Maclean’s magazine, and others in Time and a popular blog.  Keep in mind, folks, that we’re talking about changing the font – not a price or product – and only on the printed catalog, not the web platforms.

This story brought to life a few axioms we like to throw out over discussions on marketing:

• It’s great to have passionate fans, but it’s often the most committed customers that react negatively with “their” favorite brand changes
• Design and visual identity is as much a part of corporate identity as products or advertising – with fonts and logos being the focal point
• Surprising your most ardent fans with important news is rarely a good idea
• Social networks are as effective in spreading bad news as good news
• Everything matters when it comes to brand image – look, font, music, color, tone…etc.

The most important lesson here may be that companies need to consider their fan base – as much as possible – in any decision involving products or the brand. IKEA likely thought they were making a fairly innocuous change – seems very logical when you read their explanation – but they would likely have detected instant and strong opposition had they tested the idea with customers or influential third-parties. If we needed another reminder, customers  really are co-owners of the brand.

Lessons from Companies in the Social Media Trenches

Two recent surveys of leading companies point to the progress and potential – but also the challenges – of engaging in social media. Great context for those wondering  what everybody else is doing.

First up…a new survey of 400 global companies by Deloitte, which focused on the perceived benefits and potential of online communities – or “tribalization of business”. The headline of this study is: good progress and plenty of promise…but it’s tough to find the right formula for maximum success.  As the survey puts it: “While enterprises are effectively using online tools to engage with customers, partners, and employees for brand discussion and idea generation, organizations are continuing to struggle with harnessing social media’s full potential.”

Key takeaways include:

• There are signs that company use of social media is maturing,  with the notable example of a shift to consider online “lurkers” (or observers) rather than just active users in online communities
• Companies still struggle with the main obstacles of building online communities – getting users to join, stay engaged and return – and use participation as the main metric for success (the study suggests there are more useful analytics, such as search engine rank and links/citations on other sites)
• The  top business objectives for online communities are (in order): increasing word-of-mouth, customer loyalty and brand awareness

The Deloitte authors provide an interesting prescription to companies engaged in social media that reflects the need for a new perspective and approach:

• Think tribe – not market segment
• Think network – not channel
• Think customer-centricity – not company-centricity

The folks at McKinsey have also spent a considerable amount of their grey matter studying the implementation and impact of social media. One of their most interesting products is an interactive report on Web 2.0 featuring results from their annual survey of 1,700 business executives. (FYI – You may need to register to access the full report.) The survey provides a great snapshot of where companies are investing, what they’re trying to achieve and what technology they are deploying.

Too many findings to show here, but here are some highlights (I’m sticking to Top 3 for each):

• Most important technologies and tools: Blogs, social networking, wikis
• Technology/tools being used internally for developing products & services: wikis, blogs, social networks
• Technology/tools being used internally for managing knowledge: wikis, blogs, RSS
• Technology/tools being used internally for enhancing company culture: blogs, social networking, podcasts
• Technology/tools being used internally for fostering  collaboration: blogs, social networking, wikis
• Technology/tools being used internally for training: videos, wikis, podcasts
• Technology/tools being used internally for finding and recruiting  talent: social networks, blogs, videos

Not surprisingly, the mix of tools used to interact with partners and customers differs from the internal recipe…as do the objectives. In fact, it’s interesting to look at what McKinsey has categorized as main objectives for each audience:

• Partners: achieving better integration, lowering purchase costs, developing  products, solving problems
• Customers: acquiring new customers, improving customer service, developing products, helping customers interact, marketing
• (Employee objectives are noted above.)

There were a couple of surprises for me in the findings. One is the relatively low ranking for micro-blogging…which belies the hype for Twitter and similar internal applications (e.g. Yammer). The other is the low profile of “prediction markets” – which I take to include crowd-sourcing platforms popularized by Dell and Starbucks. Perhaps the most disappointing  (though not surprising) finding is that senior executives are the lowest users of Web 2.0 technology. Therein lies one of the biggest challenges for communication and marketing professionals – it’s hard to sell Web 2.0 strategies to executives who don’t use or understand the technology.

University Making Good Use of Social Web

Universities are typically on the cutting edge of progress and many have embraced new digital technologies and social media platforms, but I’m impressed how my Alma Mater Northwestern University is reaching out to its alumni. For example, I recently got an email inviting me to watch a live webcast of the inauguration of the new president – complete with optional viewing of several discussion panels, a chat room for alumni, a 360-degree tour of the campus and various online, interactive games and  activities. Nothing revolutionary, but combine this with the fact the email serves as a de-facto portal to other relevant platforms – such as the NU Facebook page, LinkedIn group, YouTube channel, student podcasts and various websites – and you have a user-friendly digital entry to all things Northwestern.

By coincidence, I received a fundraising letter last week which pointed me to these same platforms. Similarly, direct outreach to me via email (notably asking me to serve as mentor for new graduate students) is integrated with these platforms. I just joined the local NU chapter, but I suspect it will also be seamlessly connected to these other efforts. If I have one quibble with all this, it’s that there is no obvious place to engage in online conversation with peers or university officials on these platforms (excluding Facebook…which is more about students talking to each other.) A leadership blog would be a good mechanism to address this shortcoming (if it exists…I can’t find it.)

This serves as a good example that a social media strategy does not need to be complex or full of dazzling applications – pulling together relevant tools and applications in a relevant, convenient package is a worthy enough objective. Now if we could only beat Michigan the world would be a better place….

Is Google’s Wave the Next Best Thing on the Web?

With the flood of new platforms and tools and oceans of hype, it’s difficult to predict what will be the next “killer app” on the Web – sort of like trying to pick the next breakout rock band from Manchester. But when Google is involved, you need to pay attention.

In that vein, all Web users should pay close attention to the pending introduction of Wave – which is in limited beta (via special invite only.) Wave is a multi-headed tech animal spanning various forms of real-time digital communication and collaboration.  Here’s BusinessWeek’s definition from a recent article on the platform: “Wave combines e-mail, social networking, instant messaging, video, and collaborative document editing. It lets users create a “wave” around a topic or group of friends, and then invite others to contribute messages, multimedia, and content from around the Web in real time. The application, which is open only for limited testing and has no official release date, could help win Google traffic from popular online social hubs such as Facebook and Twitter.” For Google’s own pitch on Wave check out this site.

What should make Wave interesting – and potentially ubiquitous – is that Google is letting developers design applications that they can pitch, and sell, to support the Wave platform (though they don’t have to be restricted to Wave). The word is that Google hopes Wave replaces not only traditional email and collaboration platforms, but also video/phone services like Skype and WebEx and social networks like Facebook. Lack of ambition is clearly not a problem for Google. Users will ultimately decide if Wave takes off, but at first glance this should provide a worthwhile suite of options for Web users.

FTC Adds Muscle to Web Ethos of Authenticity

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has introduced new rules that add muscle to the prevailing etiquette of social media that frowns on questionable endorsements or testimonies. For reports and commentary, check this article in AdAge and this post in Mashable. Going  forward, bloggers and others using social media platforms will have to clearly disclose any “material connection” to an advertiser – including payments or free products. Fines will run up to $11,000 per incident. [Clarification: This claim was apparently incorrect. See explanation from FTC here.] This issue has been a heated discussion on the Web in recent years, as marketers have stretched the limits of acceptable practice while trying to present individual testimonies, reviews or comments as authentic. (For one example, see the recent tussle on the bloggers driving Ford Fiesta cars.)

Most of the comments on this move are positive, welcoming  the new clarity and expecting the rules to make it harder for unscrupulous marketers pushing fake “word of mouth” to ignore the previously informal rules. Although the regulations focus on blogging, celebrity endorsements and advertising, social networks like Twitter will be impacted by the new rules.

Though transparency and authenticity ultimately drive credibility on the Web, these rules should reduce egregious abuses and help users make informed judgments on content. Another step in the evolution of social media.

Crisis Fosters Innovation at Ford

Sometimes a crisis fosters greater innovation and risk-taking in organizations…and that’s a good thing. As exhibit A check out the latest developments at Ford, which is making some impressive strides in social media.

Ford’s comprehensive efforts include posting content and commentaries on sites ranging  from YouTube and Facebook to Twitter and Flickr. Nothing revolutionary there, but they’re apparently also allowing unusual freedom on how their content is used – notably allowing folks to share and adapt photos and videos. And they’ve recruited a number of consumer bloggers to drive their cars and provide updates – with no apparent restrictions on content. Perhaps the  smartest thing they’ve done is to develop a social media hub – The Ford Story – which acts as an online clearing house for the various platforms and features links to relevant third-party sites and content. Ford is also working to enlist employees in the online outreach, hoping most of them will act as advocates for the company and its products.

Though some critics say Ford’s recent efforts are not perfect (can they be?) you can’t argue with the strong effort and intent. In fact, Ford’s digital communication manager himself answers some of these criticisms on various blogs. Nice touch. Implicit in this campaign is an understanding that consumers ultimately own the reputation of a company…no matter how much a company would wish otherwise. Ford may become a great case study of rehabilitating a brand through dialog and crowd-sourcing rather than  just traditional marketing and advertising.