Social Media in 2012
As is routine, the first half of January bring forth predictions from experts in every realm of life. It’s important to know what these experts project for the coming year while maintaining a balanced view fueled by one’s own experiences and perspectives.
Earlier this week, instead of placing myself in the middle of my family members’ various, swirling activities, I chose escape.
I sat in my robe in a quiet corner of my kitchen; reading glasses perched on my nose, and immersed myself in The Economist’s The World in 2012 issue, more specifically the article Sharing the Power of 2012. It went beyond the obvious statement about the future of social media – that information sharing via social media is transforming relationships on every level – with an interesting and alternative view to the common held notion that more time online is leading to alienation from the kind of face-to-face community building of the past.
Instead, the article, (without a byline, or I would credit the author), spoke of a new paradigm of relationships strengthened via social media – a paradigm where “sharing” online via social media supports more involvement, engagement and “in person” community action than ever before. The author credits a recent Pew Institute study that sites Facebook users are more than 2X as likely to participate, in person, in a political meeting or community rally. It’s a dynamic that has been demonstrated through recent social movements like The Arab Spring or the Occupy Movement.
In short, it suggests what starts online does not stay online.
For me and my colleagues, it reinforces our perspective on social media as a communication medium. Information and dialogue through these channels should be integrated with other communication mediums to take someone through a process whereby they express interest, increase their understanding, and are motivated to take personal action, both online and offline. Sometimes that requires an opportunity to express your opinion and the comfort of knowing you are not alone – something that online communities, and dialogue, supports so well.
When individuals find a community of like-minded people united by an issue online, they will feel more empowered to transfer their interest, and their actions, offline and in person, to the opportunity or issue at hand.
So Much Strategy Behind “I’m Sorry”
I have always driven my family nuts by analyzing the strategy behind various marketing communication programs or products.
I can’t watch TV without devoting too much analysis to the commercials. I often say aloud whether or not I think an ad worked or how it was made or what creative technique was used to get my attention. So basically, I don’t watch TV anymore. And I am in good company because stats suggest less and less people are watching TV and more are searching for both information and entertainment online. Which is why I feel compelled to give huge kudos to the marketing minds behind the Johnson & Johnson “Triple Sorry” campaign for O.B. Tampons.
OK fellas, bear with me. Sometimes, I see something that reminds me of why I love this business. And this week, it was the “Triple Sorry”. But as is my folly, instead of just appreciating it, laughing, and wanting to share it with my women-folk, I analyzed the strategy behind it. I have no inside information on the success, but I do have 25 years of thinking about marketing communication strategies and based on that, I think it’s brilliant.
Here’s the short of it. Johnson & Johnson failed to provide adequate stock of O.B. tampons, retailers could not stock the shelves, and loyal customers could not find the product for a period of time. What is clearly a marketing and sales crisis that likely resulted in a decrease in sales, frustration and loss of trust among retailers and customers turning to other products, the “Triple Sorry” addresses crisis management, brand loyalty, incentive marketing and will probably result in increased sales — all through an online, personalized apology.
But its not just an apology. It’s everything many women would want — being serenaded by a handsome fellow (wearing white pants no less), showers of rose pedals, white doves and the expression of commitment tattood on your guy’s bicep. This comes all as a way of expressing an authentic apology directly and personally to each and every customer and offering to earn their trust again through a plea to give “O.B.” another try.
It’s the kind of brilliant that makes me wish I could have been part of the team that went through the strategic planning process of knowing what they needed to accomplish, what the customer needed to respond and how to deliver it in a way that is consistent with the company / brand equity. I know once these key questions had answers, the creative brainstorming would have been both free and intense. And to have a client that put the problem on the table and did not restrict the marketing experts from creating a solution — it’s what all of us in this business dream of every day we come to work.
Visit obtampons.ca/apology — type in your name or that of your favorite gal — and be patient while it gets up the nerve to say “I’m sorry”.
Your attention, please
As a conference presenter, I often speak on the important stages of behaviour-change communication. I’ve shared our approach on getting attention, increasing awareness, supporting engagement and encouraging action, to program and policy planners, health and environment scientists and other communication and outreach professionals in Canada and the US.
The message is basically this – too many social marketing programs start at the end and don’t include enough communication foreplay. And too many get way too detailed way too early.
My focus – especially to highly technical and scientific members of the audience – is a warning, really.
‘Don’t suffer from the curse of knowledge’ – a reference aptly used by Chip and Dan Heath in their book Made to Stick.
The curse leads us to ask people to take action (share info, sign up for something or behave differently) when they haven’t also been given what they need to pay attention in the first place, and better yet, increase their understanding once they are interested.
Imagine a room full of delegates at the Congress of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society. This was one of my speaking gigs earlier this year. They had been debating the future of our oceans and atmosphere. I make my entrance – the lone social science speaker who delivers a presentation on health social marketing with lots of simple visuals, compelling audio clips and illustrative examples. It’s my way of getting people’s attention so they are more interested in my story. I’m working to practice what I preach.
The intent is to compel others to reconsider how they share information – especially if they’re hoping laypeople will pay attention and perhaps someday do something different – like change their behaviour – in a way that protects our air, oceans, land and water.
Behaviour change communication is an approach that starts with the assumption that you have to gain people’s attention before you can ask them to learn or do something in support of a personal or universal benefit.
And it is one that’s entrenched in almost every communication program or initiative our firm leads. We’ve developed a webinar, which you can view above, that speaks to the important elements of behaviour change communication and uses recent examples from some of our social marketing work to illustrate the process.
Tell us about the strategies you’ve employed focusing on the stages of behaviour change communication – especially on that most important step — getting attention.
The Power of 7 (Million)
We are constantly searching for, and evaluating, communication and outreach efforts related to air quality, health and environmental stewardship. And our curiosity has no borders. We are as interested in community consultation about air quality in Beijing, China as we are to our home province of British Columbia.
Pan Shiyi is founder of SOHO China, the largest real estate development company in Beijing. He is one of the most influential business leaders in China. He’s my age (middle?), obviously ambitious and extremely savvy when it comes to using social media. His personal blog is hosted on more than 10 major portals and gets visits in the millions. He’s active on Sina Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter, where he has 7 million followers.
Recently, Pan Shiyi focused some of his corporate citizenship karma on the issue of air quality in Beijing.
Interesting how a few days ago, the Ministry of Environmental Protection in China, responding to increased public pressure, made a commitment to providing improved monitoring and access to information on air pollution. They announced new air quality monitoring standards to include the minute levels of particulate matter known as PM 2.5 as well ozone and C02 levels – by 2016.
Health and environment scientists the globe over concur that PM2.5 is harmful to health. China’s concentrations of PM2.5 are currently several times higher than what the World Health Organization considers safe. It’s also credited as one of the major causes of Beijing haze – haze that is not only harmful to health but to Beijing’s economy as well.
Any surprise the Ministry of Environmental Protection in China announced new commitments not long after someone as influential as Pan Shiyi jumped on the air pollution band wagon – potentially empowering the voices of many millions in China.
Was Pan Shiyi moved to advocate for improved air quality by moral motives, or did he recognize the economic costs associated with air pollution? People don’t want to live and work (or buy expensive condos) where they can’t breathe?
Whatever his motive, we salute him. Active public involvement is driving political change.
Communication Solution’s Kate Stebbings highlights merits of professional accreditation
As strategic marketing and communication professionals, it’s always gratifying to know our expertise and experience is supporting efforts to raise the bar within our industry. This month our Director of Strategy, Kate Stebbings, is featured in the International Association of Business Communicators’ (IABC) publication Communication World, discussing the merits of the IABC Executive Accreditation Seminar (EAS), an intensive week long accreditation option for communicators who have at least a decade’s worth of experience in the field. Kate became accredited through IABC in 2007 and has volunteered her time for the past two years serving as the Director of Business Development for IABC’s Accreditation Council. Read the article.
Rewards of writing “the book”
Sometimes it’s best to not fully know what you’re getting yourself into — and just agree to do it. Sometimes, what you agree to is good for you and you know it. Marriage. Becoming a parent. Teaching your teenager how to drive. It’s just that there are fuzzy edges and you’re just not sure how you will get through.
My most recent “I can do that” commitment was agreeing to write a book chapter – in collaboration with about 20 other authors spread across Canada. Sound chaotic? Truth is this cooperative process has been well organized – from the initial online author guidelines, to viewing chapters in development and direct access to the editors.
The greatest challenge, as you can probably guess, is setting time aside to give the writing undivided attention.
I’ve listened carefully to the advice of two professionals I respect – David Baker and Blair Enns – both published and both with a list of benefits that committing to book writing can bring. I accept their points, hypothetically. But it’s totally different to decide to make it so.
Why then did I agree to do this?
Because writing is one of the best ways for me to express what I know in an area that’s not wholly explored – air quality communication in support of public and environmental health. I’ve allowed myself to pursue answers to questions on this topic others may not have considered. Writing the chapter compels me to plunge into a specific subject, which in turn, provides you some new information and makes me smarter having been forced to dig deep.
And there’s the conversation. The book has spurred discussions with health protection professionals in the UK, with engineering and medical academics in California, with air quality experts in Hong Kong. I may be doing this with the goal of getting words on paper, but in the process, I have a new reference point for conversation and collaboration with colleagues and clients.
Making it so has been so rewarding.
Next time you get the opportunity to do something you know will be good for you, but you just don’t quite know how you will do it, force yourself to take the time away from all other distractions and simply get started. The rest will follow.
The book, Air Quality Management / Canadian Perspectives on a Global Issue, will be published in hard copy and e-book by Springer in Summer 2012.