I come to the interesting realization lately that some people in the 'progressive' industry of advertising are reluctant to admit that social media is a necessary media. It is not an optional addition to an integrated campaign; it is the most needed component. Social media is not for young, technology obsessed people; it is for the masses.
How many of your parents are on Facebook? Sending you tweets? Texting you? Forwarding Youtube videos around their office?
Exactly.
(Think I'm over-exaggerating? There was an 80 year old woman getting her touch, all-purpose phone fixed at Verizon yesterday while I was there. She was rude and felt entitled, yet she still had a better phone for social media than I do. She made the employees program her facebook notices, emails, aims, and speed dial for her. She couldn't fathom living without these notices on the go. And she's 80!)
And why are people social media obsessed? Because in an ever so fragmented society where individualism trumps social gathering (unless it is for the purpose of the self-interested act of networking), people are still people and cannot escape their internal craving for relationship and interaction. Social media not only connects people to their peers, coworkers and friends/family, but also creates relationships between individuals and the brands they support.
In a recent job interview, I was asked why I was so confident that alcohol companies would benefit by participating in social media. If not for the obvious answer that social media is a new media, not an optional one, then it is because people can choose to be a 'friend' or 'fan' of something without much commitment on Facebook, they can choose to 'follow' someone on Twitter with a single click of the mouse, they can watch a 30 second viral video for free while taking a mental break at work. Social media is commitment free, yet for anyone online (and we all are), the single decision of choosing to click on something you like (say gin if that's your thing), enables that brand to send you messages, updates on your homepages and more. You never have to click on them if you don't want but the repetition of that brand name may creep into your mind to help make a decision when the time comes.
A tweet is the modern jingle - repetitive inclusion of the brand's name into your everyday life. What company wouldn't want to be a part of that?
Older clients see social media as something for their grandchildren. It's not. Twitter and facebook can sell golf balls and whiskey just as well as skateboards and video games.
Some also think it's pointless or a risk. As I've been saying, social media is NEW MEDIA. Newspapers and magazines are dying. They have moved online. We don't need tangible things, we need interaction and experience. AKA Social Media.
Don't believe me? Look at this chart comparing advertising in 1980 to 2009:
And just for fun... check out the new social media workout plan - an affirmation that social media is enough a part of our daily lives to be the basis of our health (directions here):
You may not like it. You may think it's silly or petty. BUT, it's here and it's happening. Embrace it before your brand is left behind with the dinosaurs.
**Also, if you don't understand social media, hire someone that does. You can't ignore it. Actively learn it's benefits. Don't buy money scheming books like Social Media Marketing for DUMMIES. The medium changes DAILY and cannot be taught by a book, but only be experience.**
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