There are tons of thoughts on leveraging Social Media, from different perspectives. But very few of them are from professionals who have made the transition from the age of Print.
Having made the transition, I just want to point out 2 aspects of Social Media which can give symptoms of ED to a traditional advertising person. (My woman says "Don't blame social media")
Fear No:1
For the first time information is coming in the opposite direction - towards the company.
Having always been used to play the consumers' psyche like a keyboard, we are now quivering at this onslaught of unbridled opinions.
In the golden age, if faced with negative consumer opinion we commented with a shrug “Opinion is like an ass-hole. Everybody has one", and asked our PR guys to do damage control and concentrate on our job of Sell, Sell.
In fact, we took pride in a rising sales graph against a flagging consumer confidence. "Give a freebie to the consumer or Increase Dealer margins with attractive schemes" Hmm.. Life was simple!
Today, a cheeky spoof on my advertisement gets more views on YouTube than my uninteresting me-too TV commercial.
A Facebook group against a Dove or British Petroleum is much talked about and leaves a trail of information which the companies cannot erase. Every time someone googles my brand, I cringe.
Net take - My brand is no longer dictated by me. My consumers dictate my Brand.
Fear No: 2
The business can no longer talk about ‘Us or Our Product’.
It took some time to realise that the Consumer switches off if I start my pompous communication. From the age of 'rub-in', we are waking up kicking and screaming in the age of 'rub-off'.
Instead of directly talking of 'Me and my Brand', I am forced to learn the language of 'Brand association'. As an advertiser, I am today forced to be in sync with my consumers' aspirations. I have to please him, so that he sees my Brand not as a persistent salesman but as a well-wisher interested in him.
I have to entertain him, titillate him and educate him; at the same time being relevant to my core offering.
Net Take - Give the consumer associated value useful to him and be generous in giving that. Dont hold back.
The Viagra for the ad pro
From the Fore-play of Communication to the Consummation of Purchase, the tango is now being led by the Consumer.
And it’s going to be more acutely felt as we move into integrated communication era; where the defined lines between Information, Communication and Entertainment start eroding.
Remember, ED is cured by 2 ways -
Short term Medication and Long term life-style Changes.
As advertising professionals we emulate that in our professional life too. Let’s see how it’s done and we can resume our frisky romp with the Consumer, in the next part. SreeRam is a Chennai based marcom professional.
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