Business Storytelling

Twitter and the Swine Flu: Filter First, Then Follow

Last night I suffered from a crippling stomach ache and the first thought that popped into my mind was, "maybe I have Swine Flu." Of course I didn't really believe I had Swine Flu enough to look up symptoms and evaluate my condition (I chalked this stomach ache up to bad take-out), but the fact that the idea came to mind immediately shows just how quickly nationwide panic can affect rational thinking.  Further, if I had wanted to look up symptoms, how could I go about separating the facts from the clutter when thousands of people worldwide are creating a swirl of conflicting information on the Internet, my main source of information? 

A recent CNN.com article calls out this issue by reporting that some see Twitter as "a hotbed of unnecessary hype and misinformation about the outbreak."  While some doubt Twitter as a credible source, the article goes on to point out that the CDC set up a Twitter account (@CDCEmergency) to issue accurate information on the Swine Flu.  In my opinion, just because misleading information exists on Twitter doesn't mean it can't be a source of accurate information.  To tell the most accurate story and lay out the facts, the source just needs to enter the conversation, which is exactly what the CDC did (good job CDC!).  If a credible source offers a public statement to identify their Twitter account, can't we then trust the information they provide? Similarly, if a company or brand sets up a Twitter account to respond to customer concerns, we should be able to consider that account as an accurate source of information on the company, like an informal extension of their Web site.

So is Twitter a credible source of Swine Flu information and can it be considered a reliable source for any kind of information?  Yes. You just have to know who to follow.  That's right, you have to do a little research and find out who the credible sources are, just like with any kind of research.  Loose Wire Blog argues that Twitter can't yet be considered a "victory for social media" because it's hard to tell who the authoritative voices are amidst all the hubbub, but how is that different from discerning authoritative voices in our conversations in daily lives? Just like with anything, you have to start by figuring out who the credible source is, and then find their voice (their Twitter name, their blog, etc.).  A little filtering can do a lot in the way of credibility and accuracy, even for Twitter.  As a general rule of thumb, I say "filter first, then follow."

Contributed by Susan Wise.  Follow her @swise (warning, filter first)

Half Pepperoni, Half Twitter Strategy

Pizza Hut began advertising for a new job opening this week –a paid summer intern to tweet on the company’s behalf. According to Helen Legatt’s Biz Report article, this lucky college student will keep Pizza Hut fans in the know by capturing the “quirky” moments at the company’s corporate events.

David Teicher posted his reaction to the announcement on his blog, Legends of Aerocles, questioning the motives behind the announcement. Here’s his take, “This is an obvious response to last Domino’s Fiasco. Come on…It’s not just a coincidence; they’re clearly trying to capitalize on their primary competitor’s PR debacle.” While we agree with David, that the Twitter activity of these two pizza moguls are clearly related, it’s confusing to see Pizza Hut engaging in such “risky” PR tactics after watching Dominos get burned. No one wants to be left out, but placing the future of public opinion in the hands of a college student could be considered more of a risk than a benefit.

This openly publicized announcement was intended to create buzz for the company who had yet to establish a presence on Twitter. Despite the comical tone of this announcement, this “twinternship” is real and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. Will other companies follow suit and outsource their Twitter streams to the most qualified college candidate? Will Pizza Hut’s intern fail to attract any attention or even worse, negative attention? As Twitter moves from being “the next big thing” to standard corporate activity, companies would be wise to choose the people behind the tweets carefully.

- Contributed by Allie O'Connell.

What Brands Can Learn from the New Veet® Campaign

Women are a powerful – but often misunderstood – segment of the market and a number of  brands’ efforts to engage female consumers have missed the mark. Veet® is one brand, however, that gets it right. Veet®, a leading depilatory product brand (part of Reckitt Benckiser), understands female consumers' unique needs and knows how to leverage social media to appeal to this highly-influential market.

To illustrate what I’m talking about take a look at the new “Veet® Spray on Your Summer Smooth” campaign. This promotional campaign encourages women to submit photos of their legs and provide a description of why they are their best asset, in order to potentially be selected to win great prizes (like a trip for two to Barbados).

The campaign was designed to give women an opportunity to feel good about themselves, share their experiences online and familiarize themselves with the brand’s various hair-removal products. Additionally, this clever approach gives female consumers the ability to interact directly with Veet® by creating, reviewing, sharing and voting on entries and other brand-related content.

Veet® worked with Brickfish to develop an effective social media campaign, tailoring their marketing efforts to appeal to women and leverage user-generated content to drive interest in their products. Their promotional site is really the icing on the cake, however. The site is easy to navigate and has a number of interactive elements, including a global map of all of the participants geographical locations (see map here).

The site also has a running tally of total activity online and the stats are pretty amazing. So far, the promotion attracted 82,903 visitors, 162 individual content entries, 516 reviews, 1,104 votes and even lists the amount of time left for the promotion (50 days, 10 hrs and 16 mins, to be exact). This activity tally makes the whole promotion more exciting and shows just how consumer-generated content can achieve phenomenal reach through social media connections.

What does this mean for other brands looking to connect with female consumers?  Marketers can take their cues from the simple, user-friendly Web site, which offers interactive elements but isn't overly complicated. Also, it's important to point out that the site gives women exposure to the products and great results other women have experienced, without being overly sales-y or bombarding them with unnecessary marketing jargon. Illustrating, in short that when you keep it simple and keep it real, female consumers will reward your efforts by spreading the word (in this case on a global scale).

To learn more about the new Veet® campaign go to http://veet.us/legs.

- Contributed by Gretchen Doores.  Follow her @canadiangal84

Is GenY Killing the Globe?

Is Generation Y Killing the Globe?

Newspapers as we know them are in trouble. Most notably the paper that is near and dear to my Bostonian heart, the Boston Globe. Last week, New York Times Co. announced its threat to close the paper down in 30 days if it doesn't make $10 million in cuts from its union. This was sentimental to me in concept, not because I read the behemoth on a daily basis, but because it won't be sitting on my parents' kitchen table any more when I visit. And there in lies the problem, newspapers are old school. 

With the influx of social media, most Gen Y'ers like myself get news from third party aggregators like Yahoo and Google or local Web-based publications like Xconomy. With the quick adoption of online tools like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, it comes as no surprise that the Web serves as a news portal for most twenty-somethings and that newspapers failed at targeting the potential new customers. A friend of mine over at HighTalk Media recently took a (unscientific) poll of 12 people, 24 to 36 years old, asking if they subscribed to the Boston Globe or if they visit Boston.com. Not one person was a Globe subscriber. This isn’t shocking; it’s just the changing of the guard. Out with the old and in with the new.

The Social Media Warning Whistle

If you’ve been following consumer companies and their efforts to reach customers through social web channels over the past few months, this tweet by social media guru Jeremiah Owyang of Forrester will likely make you chuckle: @jowyang Headed to Kmart to get some Motrin after my pizza from Dominos. Skittles anyone?

Each of these brands has recently encountered the downside of social networks and online consumer behavior.  We discussed Skittles on this blog earlier, and today, it’s Dominos’ turn.  Dominos is different from Skittles in that it didn’t subject itself to this abuse; rather a few employees brought on the backlash by posting videos of disgusting food practices on YouTube (the video has since been removed, but let’s just say it’s enough to make anyone never want to eat at the restaurant chain again).  For a recap of the story, check out this article from AdAge.

This incident alone (or combined with the Skittles and Motrin controversies) is enough to scare companies away from social media altogether.  However, what the most recent incident reminds us is that our customers and our employees are already talking about us – they’re on YouTube, Flickr and Facebook and it’s when we’re not listening that we get burned. 

The Dominos PR disaster shouldn’t scare brands away, it should do the opposite.  It should show them that at the bare minimum, they should be listening to the conversation happening around their brand.  Easier said than done?  Not really.  Today, there are numerous social media monitoring tools (and good digital PR teams) out there to help.  Put that into perspective for a moment: customers were always talking about your brand, but five-ten years ago you would’ve had to follow them into their homes, to the supermarket, hang out around their water coolers and be invited to their parties to hear what they were saying.  Today, all you have to do is turn on your computer and set up an alert or two.  Used correctly, social media can be both a warning whistle and a powerful communication channel. 

Even if that communication has to come in the form of a video response (here’s a great example of Dominos crisis comm in action):

- Contributed by Gretchen Bender.  Follow her @gbender26

Timing is Everything: Embargo or Exclusive

This article by Craig McGuire in PRWeek (log-in required) has been circulating around the office and we think it includes some good advice that both PR pros and their technology clients can use.  One thing is clear: the rules of embargoes have changed.  In an age where bloggers and online outlets dominate the tech landscape (evidenced by the fact that many IT trade publications have moved toward an online-only model), we find ourselves asking, is the tech sector still full of news suited for embargo treatment?

Whether your news warrants an embargo or not, a few simple rules apply: it’s important to be open, honest and set clear expectations BEFORE you release sensitive information to bloggers and journalists.  It’s not enough to simply promise an early press release of "product 2.0" to secure outstanding coverage, nor should it be. 

Tw-interview with Chris Lyons

Chris Lyons is the manager of technical and educational communications at Shure Incorporated in Niles, IL and a Greenough client. In response to all the questions we’ve been getting about how to make Twitter work for B2B and consumer brands, we spoke briefly with Chris about how he’s using the micro-blogging tool, the benefits he’s experienced and the opportunities for your brand to get involved. You can find Chris at: @chris_at_shure.

“Twitter is all about discovery and about people finding and sharing information that’s worth discussing. For marketers, that means finding useful information for your customers and feeding it to them in a genuine, non-intrusive manner.” – Chris Lyons

Why did you start using Twitter?
Twitter originally came up in a PR call and we wanted to check it out to see what all the hype was about. I quickly realized that it could be a portal to an infinite number of consumer conversations.

How did you feel about diving in and getting started?
At first, I was confused. Like most early Twitter users, it wasn’t clear how people would find me or why they’d want to listen to what I had to say. You feel very small when you start using Twitter – a lot like no one knows you’re there. I changed my tune once I identified the real opportunity – Twitter Search (formerly Summize). That helped me fill in the gaps with Twitter and also to prioritize things I might otherwise miss. All of sudden, Twitter was relevant, useful and valuable.

How do you feel about Twitter now?
I feel much more confident now for 2 reasons: 1) I’ve found that Twitter is a great way to monitor what people are saying about your company/products, and 2) I’ve learned how to connect with people proactively – customers that never would’ve reached out to Shure before.

How exactly are you using Twitter?
For Shure, Twitter is really a tool that combines competitive intelligence and customer support. On the competitive intelligence side, I look at what people say about the product category, and about our company. That means I’m monitoring what people are saying about competitive products (and what competitors are saying to their customers); we’ve used that intelligence to learn about two new competitive products recently – they wouldn’t have been on the radar until much later without Twitter.

When it comes to customer support, I do what I can within the allotted 140 characters. Twitter is a great tool for directing customers to the best resources to meet their needs. So, I give out a lot of phone numbers and Web addresses so everyone can reach a real person to handle their support issue in a timely manner. Most people are surprised and delighted to know that we’re listening.

What advice would you give other companies that aren’t sure where to start?
First, recognize that Twitter can be valuable if used correctly. Twitter is in some ways a club, and many people naturally feel defensive about their space on the site. The community won’t always welcome corporate participation, so you have to be careful about how you respond. While you should be prepared for backlash, I think you’ll find that the acceptance outweighs the negative perception if you’re honest and transparent.

Auto Industry Says: Just Buy It

There are lots of ways to buy, but consumer confidence is down and no one’s spending.  One place that’s clear is the auto industry, where every manufacturer is vying for consumer attention. They've done all but put on a hat and started singing – actually, I do think I saw a commercial like that the other night. Anyway, the question that comes to mind is: What will it take to get people to buy again?  The answer that Hyundai and Harley Davidson have come up with is that they don't have to "technically" buy anything.

With two recent campaigns, both companies have made it easy for people to purchase a new car or motorcycle guilt-free, because it's basically free - and ultimately genius. First up, Hyundai's message to Americans is, "Don't worry about losing your income, we'll help you pay for your car," and many will need to help. Hyundai is offering to pay up to three months of car payments for those customers who lose their jobs. What happens if you still can't pay for your car? Hyundai is not too concerned; you can bring the car back. While the campaign will certainly drive (pun intended) a lot of attention to the brand, I would be interested to see how many consumers take the plunge and purchase a brand new automobile right now. Maybe we'll be more apt to buy a motorcycle?

The death of the PC, again?

Analyst firms Gartner and IDC made headline news last month when they released their 2009 PC sales forecasts.  Once again, they caused quite a stir among industry leaders, influential analysts and journalists, who were all forced to revisit the debate surrounding the implicit demise of the desktop PC.

Around this time, I was on a briefing with Greenough client IGEL Technology and a well-known eWeek editor, who commented on seeing the “demise of the PC” story played out numerous times – in both business and trade press – over the past ten years.  A quick Google search revealed that he was spot on; a myriad of examples can be found on the hotly debated story.  Here’s a brief sample of what’s already been said:
•    InfoWorld’s “PC at a crossroads (link unavailable)” (1999)
•    Newsweek’s “Twilight of the PC Era?” (2003)
•    Computerworld’s “Decline of the Desktop” (2005),
•    InformationWeek’s “Here We Go Again: Thin-Client Vendors Look To Unseat PC” (2005)
•    BusinessWeek’s “Companies Seek PC Alternatives” (2008)

Another example was IDC’s 2001 report on the First-Ever Decline in U.S. PC Sales, which was attributed at that time to a “sluggish economy.”  Put into context with today’s harsh economy, the report gives us a sense of the ebb and flow of the desktop PC market. 

Making a Green Footprint in Washington

It’s no secret that there has been a significant influx of ‘green’ business people making their way to our nation’s capitol recently.  Now, I realize that this is cherry-blossom season, but I have a feeling that’s not why companies - from green start-ups to established cleantech companies - are knocking down the doors of Washington.   But, are they actually having an impact?

It used to be that companies just hired fat-cat lobbyists to deal with policy matters - to advocate their clients ‘issues'  over a martini and a stogie at the Caucus Room.  But things have changed.  Start-ups and growth-stage companies don’t have the capital (or the time) to hire lobbyists to carve away at the layers of bureaucracy and navigate the power struggles on the hill.  Plus, the ethics laws don’t allow for the extravagance that once rewarded only the big guys, and helped to decide the winners and losers in Washington.   And, don’t forget that the game has changed significantly.  With more access to information - such as blogs, Twitter and digital newspapers - policy-makers and influencers are able ‘get smart’ about issues much faster.  So how are these companies making a footprint in Washington?  The good old-fashioned way…starting from the ground-up to make themselves visible.  They are giving the new wave of influencers in Washington a reason to pay attention by launching a grass-roots effort.  They are rallying the Obama-ites, the newly elected members of congress, the fresh insurgency of lobbyists and the not-so-old-school journalists and bloggers.  And because of their savvy PR efforts, they’re certainly not finding it difficult to get meetings; especially if they are being featured on the home pages of The Washington Post or Energy Daily.