I was reading a Forbes.com article called For Social’s Sake: Managing A Brand With Socialized Communications [Harris Diamond, CEO of Weber Shandwick] this morning when I came across the following quote:
Today’s savvy consumers will respond to a brand that speaks to a need they have identified, resonates with them on an emotional level, or solves a problem that they maybe didn’t even know existed.
Now, correct me if I am wrong, but has this not always been the case? As advertisers/marketers, we have always worked under the assumption that consumers will respond to need, emotional or intelectual impact, or previously unknown problems. This is not a new thing that differentiates “today’s savvy consumers” from yesterday’s.
Rather, I believe that it is the unique awareness of advertising and marketing techniques that today’s consumer increasingly seems to hold that forms the point of differentiation from previous generations of consumers.
It is when we recognize this central factor in the marketplace eco-system that the following statement becomes hyper-relevant:
The new model of targeting brand ambassadors is about two-way, open, social engagement and not just top-down and inside-out pushing of products…. The requirements are now to communicate who you are as a brand and what you stand for through social media in a far more consistent, strategic and global way. After all, unlike traditional media, online content and experiences are inherently open and accessible everywhere around the world.
[italics added for emphasis]
I would take this a step further to say that while the holistic approach to social media engagement will indeed bring forward brand ambassadors who will freely champion the brand, the approach needs to ensure that it is not all about brand ambassadors.
The emphasis should be on conversation and dialogue with as large a consumer base as possible in as inherently open, accessible and, I would say, honest fashion as possible.
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