Branding and Social Media - 5 New Rules for Marketing

How are social media changing brands and how brands are defined?

Well, Ad Age magazine has an article titled "Lever's CMO Throws Down the Social-Media Gauntlet" by Simon Clift, the CMO of Unilever that talks about that situation and provides 5 new rules for marketing.

Mr. Clift states that "brands aren't simply brands anymore." They are the center of a maelstrom of social and political dialogue made possible by digital media. And he warned that marketers who don't recognize that - and adapt their marketing - are in peril.

His main point is that marketers no longer define their brands, brands are now being defined by consumers on the Internet. And, consumers are interested in brands doing what they're designed to do but also be aware of and address social concerns. When a company becomes involved in a social concern, Clift says "It's not about philanthropy. It's a sort of enlightened self interest. It's a marketing program with social benefits." Because of the increase in these concerns, he sees an increasing role for public relations.

To help in addressing the changes instigated by social media and social concerns, Ad Age has some "New Rules":

1. Listening to consumers is more important than talking at them. The consumer is the person defining your brand, and what you stand for.

2. You can't hide the corporation behind the brand anymore - or even fully separate the two. Welcome to radical transparency, where bad corporate behavior will damage your brands, and vice versa.

3. PR is a primary concern for every CMO and brand manager. If "marketing" and "PR" are not in the same department, tear down the wall. Spend time deciding whether PR is underleveraged in your organization.

4. Cause marketing isn't about philanthropy, it's about "enlightened self-interest." That doesn't mean it doesn't count. Don't be ashamed of your profit motive, because great branding and doing good are increasingly one and the same.

5. Social media is not a strategy. You need to understand it, and you'll need to deploy it as a tactic. But remember that the social graph just makes it even more important that you have a good product. Put another way: The volume and quality of your earned media will be directly proportional to the impact and quality of your product and ideas.

As you plan your marketing and advertising for 2009 and 2010, keep these "New Rules" in mind and look for ways to utilize social media and social concerns to help your brands. If you're unsure how to do that, give us a call or an email at Beltrame Leffler Advertising.

Beltrame Leffler Advertising is an independent brand focused Indianapolis advertising agency specializing in strategic planning, positioning, and quality creative execution.