Four Big Ideas Influencing Marketing in 2010
At a recent conference where word of mouth and social media marketers gathered, four ideas sure to lead 2010 marketing activities dominated the conversation.
Word of Mouth isn’t always Spoken, Sometimes its Visual
Emanuel Rosen, author of The Anatomy of Buzz Revisited (Doubleday, 2009) talked about the importance of “visual buzz.” Word of mouth can extend beyond conversations between people to objects people see, resulting in visual buzz. “Buzz is not only about telling, but more and more about showing. You see a Nike poster in a friend’s dorm room; perhaps you don’t even talk about it, but you noticed it,” Rosen said.
As people, we observe what our friends are doing and we will imitate their actions. (Conversely, we will not imitate the actions of people we do not identify with.) Visual buzz will trigger conversations and encourage participation. The Lance Armstrong Livestrong bracelet, as Rosen noted, is a prime example of visual buzz in action.
Jonah Berger, assistant professor of Marketing at Wharton, advised marketers at the conference, “By making your brand more observable, you’re increasing the likelihood of people talking about it.”
Clear is the New Clever
It used to be that cheeky advertising was the dominant driver of brand messaging. Not today, according to Rob BonDurant, marketing vice president at Patagonia. In his keynote address, BonDurant talked about how his Patagonia marketing team follows the credo of “clear is the new clever.” He believes brands need to be more transparent in how they do business.
Patagonia is serious about being an environmentally sustainable business; they are also serious about visually showing their commitment to the environment. Their clever Footprint Chronicles Web site allows consumers to track the social and environmental impact of a Patagonia product through all phases of production from design to manufacturing to delivery.
Patagonia displays its clever transparency in other ways. For example, its digital catalogs are created using photos submitted by customers. (Last year, the company received 100,000 unsolicited photos from its customers.)
To create sustainable word of mouth conversations, BonDurant recommends business practice storytelling more than marketing, “At Patagonia, we don’t sell. We tell stories because storytelling creates a tribe of believers, which is more valuable than ‘customers.’ “
Social Media is about Solving more than Selling
A recent study from Burson-Marsteller revealed that 54% of Fortune 100 companies have a presence on Twitter. And, nearly 30% are active on Facebook and maintain a blog. It’s no longer an issue of, should companies use social media, it’s now a matter of how companies should use social media. Pete Blackshaw, executive vice president at Nielsen, says, “[Social Media] is a catalyst for fresh thinking on how companies can improve customer service.”
Twitter is still the shiny new object every marketer is talking about and it’s gaining clout as a customer service channel.
Best Buy recently unleashed an army of 2,300 employees empowered to serve as trusted advisors in solving customer service issues on Twitter. These employees monitor what is being said about products and services purchased from Best Buy on Twitter and respond directly to the each person to best solve any issue they may be experiencing.
Comcast helped pioneer the use of Twitter as customer service channel back in 2008. Frank Eliason, national customer service director for Comcast, said that Twitter isn’t about “pushing marketing messages at consumers” but rather, “having a dialogue with customers.” Frank also shared how Comcast addresses customer service issues faster on Twitter than through their national call center.
Brands will continue using Twitter and other social media Web sites as marketing channels to churn out promotional messages. However, to fully capitalize on the conversational power of social media, the smartest brands are using social media primarily to address customer service opportunities.
Word of Mouth Marketing Begins First by Listening
A lasting theme from the conference, hosted by The Word of Mouth Marketing Association, is how listening is the key to word of mouth and social media marketing success. By first listening to the conversation customers are having about your brand, you’ll be better positioned to design and deliver better products and better services.
If you’re not already listening, it’s easy to start. John Bell, WOMMA president and managing director of Ogilvy’s Digital Influence practice, recommends marketers listen by typing their brand plus the word “wish” into a search engine to reveal the things customers wish the brand was doing. Brilliantly simple and highly actionable advice for any brand to start doing in the New Year.
John Moore was formerly in marketing at Starbucks Coffee and Whole Foods Market. He now works as marketing strategist and chief evangelist for the Word of Mouth Marketing Association. He can be reached at [email protected].
