Impressions AND Relationships build brands
I know, I know, it’s been too long since my last post. Of course, I’ve had a million post ideas since the last one but alas they remain in my head or have long disappeared into oblivion.
I just had to post on this idea though today because it really sums up what I’ve been thinking and chatting about lately. In fact, it was only earlier this week when I was “manning the station” for the Online PR teach-in at the Third Tuesday New Brunswick social media meetup that I was giving lots of examples of this but didn’t have a three word answer to sum it all up.
Relationships AND Impressions. It takes both to build a brand. Love it. I just found this on a summary blog post that Virgina Miracle posted on the Ogilvy 360 blog. It was coined by Jeffrey Graham over at the New York Times when he spoke at the recent WOMM-U event.
I love this three word combo for one big reason – it reminds us of the total formula where social media outreach and traditional mass advertising strategies collide. There is no question that the ad biz is big biz and it has gotten to be that size by the sheer fact that blasting interuptive messages over massive one-way channels to giant audiences definitely builds impressions. The more money you through at it, assuming its targeted well and the message is relevant to the audience the more these impressions stick and build awareness of a brand.
Now on the other hand social media is about relationships, built organically over time via relative and meaningful conversations and exchanges of valued content. Social media usually means one to one or one to selected many (people that have “opted in” to relationships with the “one” because of a common interest, belief, philosophy, hobby or what have you.) Social media generally reflects how real life works and when someone tries to artificially abuse the balance they usually get kicked back pretty hard. Social media is not interruptive, its inviting.
Now as social media grows, or should I say, as social media platforms pull more and more of life’s conversations into the digital realm, the weight of the “relationships” side of this equation starts to flash warning. For those brand owners sticking only with the “impressions” path there is a danger you may just miss the bus and your competitors may swoop in to build the relationships in your place.
Back to the formula now. I don’t believe it’s new. In the past, those heady days before social media’s growing influence, relationships formed with the physical/virtual touch points (customer service, installers, repair or support staff, delivery, contact center agents, dealers etc…) and in a sort-of worship-like way (ex. I love brand X and talk about it constantly. However, like in any worship situation, while a relationship like this seems real enough for the worshiper, it’s highly lopsided and mostly one way towards the brand.)
While physical/virtual touch points are probably as important as ever today in building relationships with a brand, listening and engaging in social media plays an ever growing role. Consumers are conversing amongst themselves about brands and it doesn’t take long before the inevitable question comes up, “Hey, why isn’t brand X part of this conversation with us?” Those brands that recognize this need are being rewarded handsomely by those consumers who appreciate their willingness to listen and to be available.
So my hat’s off to Jeffrey Graham for mashing this up for me. It unlocked a lot of what I wanted to share.
Have I left anything out?
May 23rd, 2008 - Posted in social media | | 3 Comments
on May 23rd, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I think that’s a great way to look at building brands. And try as I might, I can’t come up with 2 better words.
Relationships are made through give and take interactions and just listening and not responding directly is not enough anymore.
Thanks for the succinct phrase David!
on May 23rd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Thanks for the feedback Lynn. Glad it resonated though I will have to give credit to Jeffrey for the succinct phrasing
on May 24th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
My apologies to Jeffrey – but thanks to you for sharing.