How can a company’s branding message be memorable and create PR “buzz” when it has to compete for our attention with so many others? Here’s how …
Take a look at these highly entertaining videos to see how one company is using www.YouTube.com and a contest with a prize of $2,500 euros (almost $4,000) to draw fans, and potential customers, to their brand:
These days, companies can’t just endlessly blare out their competitive advantages on corporate sites, in print ads and at trade shows, and hope that prospects will flock to buy their stuff. Instead, they need to have a product that is so good — and a marketing angle that is so creative, that people socialize around it and enthusiastically spread the word to their own networks on the social web.
Weren’t those videos fun? Never underestimate the power of the “fun theory” when trying to build a loyal following of online brand advocates for your company. As these videos show, the pursuit of fun can actually modify people’s behaviour and compel them to “do the right thing” in support of worthy causes. Engagement like this seldom happens when companies simply blare their brand message out and hope for a response.
Humanize Your Company
One of the best ways to humanize your company and attract fans to your brand, is to view your customers as multi-dimensional people who care about many other things besides your product or service. Some customers are environmentalists, some are fitness junkies, some just want to make the world a better place by participating in philanthropic initiatives or supporting cultural events.
In order to stand out, your company needs to educate, entertain and above all, listen to and engage in conversations with your prospective customers on the subjects that matter to them. These customers now use online social media networks, in addition to supplier websites, to research companies before they contact them.
I often attend symphony concerts in my home town. Here, there are two companies known locally for being great patrons of the arts. Their generous sponsorship is acknowledged before most concerts. They are Spaenaur and Heffner Lexus Toyota. Heffner actually highlights their good corporate citizenship by listing the charities they support on their website.
We are people first and potential customers second. So we like to know that the companies we deal with are socially responsible, ethical and community-minded. The social networking web, however, provides companies with a golden opportunity to go beyond writing a cheque to sponsor worthy causes. With social sharing sites like www.YouTube.com companies can support these causes and also create some great “buzz” – just like I’m doing by sharing these videos with you.
So, are you going to enter the contest and try to win $4,000? The deadline’s November 15th … come on, it sounds like FUN!
What do you think about this form of corporate branding? Has your company tried it? Your comments and questions are welcome. For more internet marketing and social media tips, follow me on Twitter.
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