2010_SocialMediaStudy_SummaryReport.sflb

ttp://support.pavestone.com/Login_Help/images/login_button_01.jpg The Language of Love in Social Media new ruleS for brand engageMenT Share The Language of Love in Social Media | new ruleS for brand engageMenT © 2010 firefly Millward brown The person sitting next to you on the bus or train or plane. • Phase 2: Social Media Diaries. we were able to query respondents on various topics and dig a bit deeper using a more natural tool (i. it is quite evident that this thing we call social media has turned from an interesting curiosity into a full-blown phenomenon. what it means for them. Using social media increased the speed of the recruit and built a stronger base of qualified respondents. you may catch a glimpse of someone posting a status update. blogging about some topic of interest. who represented a mix of demographics (e. gender.. We supplemented the IDEABlog with web-enabled “video” interviews. We created a Facebook group in each market for the 24 respondents recruited in Phase 2 (except in China where • Phase 1: Client Grounding. • Phase 3: Social Media Drivers and Deep Dive. Using this approach. income. Pick up almost any newspaper or magazine and you will undoubtedly find a story referencing social media. is probably checking The Research Design We began with the premise that by using the medium to research the medium. we would get a more realistic portrait of users and their attitudes and behaviors. Watching social media go mainstream has made us at Firefly Millward Brown want – and need – to know more. we selected 2-3 of the most engaged respondents from the previous two phases of research in each market. Over the course of four days. and Vietnam. we interviewed more than 25 company representatives via telephone.g. We began by interviewing a number of client companies about their perceptions of social media and the impact it has had on their businesses. 2 The Language of Love in Social Media | new ruleS for brand engageMenT © 2010 firefly Millward brown The Language of Love in Social Media | new ruleS for brand engageMenT © 2010 firefly Millward brown 3 . savvier users of social media). Facebook groups being a somewhat familiar construct for our recruits). China. Across all markets. The project was divided into four phases: Two TyPeS of uSeRS: MoDeRaTeS anD MavenS MavenS MoDeRaTeS better understand consumers’ attitudes and behaviors regarding social media as well as perceptions of brands and the impact of social media on purchase decisions. we posted topics and polls for our respondents to comment on and discuss. Even at work. There is so much happening in social media that we now have a whole industry of experts whose job it is to follow this movement and make sense of it for those few of us left who haven’t joined the party and/or for marketers who want to cash in on it. Twitter. ethnicity). The Netherlands. In addition. Some of the areas we wanted to explore: • How are brands viewed in social media and how effectively are they shaping consumer perceptions and behavior? • • What are consumers’ general attitudes and behaviors regarding social media? How much do attitudes and behaviors vary by country and culture – and does social media really transcend borders? • And finally. multi-phase project involving research in 15 countries: Australia. we have started to see the need to help our clients navigate the process of figuring out what social media is all about.. • Phase 4: Cross-Cultural Insight Session. Thailand. what is the potential for using social media as a recruiting and research tool in future qualitative projects? S ocial media is everywhere. In each market. Respondents were recruited using both traditional database recruiting as well as online through message boards on sites such as Facebook. with a relatively even split between Moderate and Maven user groups. United Kingdom. This phase consisted of a sample of approximately 24 respondents in each market. United States. We further segmented individual respondents into two groups: “Moderates” (lighter users of social media) and “Mavens” (heavier. education. India. and how it will impact their marketing strategies.com) to we used RenRen given the government controls on Facebook). We brought this multi-national group of 20+ respondents together to participate in an IDEABlog™ session – a proprietary Firefly Millward Brown research tool that is part blog and part online community. and even Craigslist. Spain. Indonesia. research was conducted among a sample of people ranging in age from 18 to 50. or even watching an entertaining video on YouTube.e. Finally. South Africa. Brazil. Singapore. marital status. In just the last few years. Phase 2 involved the creation of “social media diaries” (on Blogger. Czech Republic. which allowed us to put a face on our online respondents while exploring some unique individual topics related to social media.their wall on Facebook for the latest posts or tweeting about some interesting happening via their mobile phone. This study was an iterative. Colombia. not a marketplace. They are not even sure who in the company should take responsibility for it. validation. Why have so many of us embraced it? What about social media really draws us to it? What deep-seated needs and desires does it fulfill? First. “Giving up control scares us. uncover needs • Build real relationship • Let consumers co-own the brand and evangelize X questions and comment on a subject I saw in other means of communication. Examples abound where people share everything from serious illnesses to what they ate for breakfast to even crimes they may have committed. Approach #1 – staying away – severely limits the brand’s ability to stay current and relevant while making it that much harder to learn the nuances of the medium. Every comment left or shared is really just our way of seeking validation. We know that social media works best when things are wildly out of control and that is opposite of what we have traditionally been used to. many brands seem to be defaulting to old axioms like “reach and frequency” when marketing their products and services in 4 The Language of Love in Social Media | new ruleS for brand engageMenT © 2010 firefly Millward brown X • Listen. lack of employment and other personal hardships. Approach #2 – jumping in without thinking – can create huge problems if the brand takes a traditional marketing approach as most brands often do. Indeed. as if they were in therapy. most acknowledged that they have yet to figure out social media. you need to have time and patience to publish cool stuff. is closely The Language of Love in Social Media | new ruleS for brand engageMenT © 2010 firefly Millward brown 5 .” There is no such thing anymore. As one of our packaged goods clients told us. The specific activities at the core of social networking have emotional meaning as well. the consumer expects brands to act more like friends than corporations: “The best relationship I can have with a brand would be the same that I have with any other person through Facebook.com/statistics/2010). X Social Media Impacting Our Attitudes and Behavior Everyone seems to be an extrovert now – seeking more and more “friends” or connections and willing to share just about anything and everything with those in their social networks. escapism. etc. We’ve controlled the message – the conversation. that I can see the updates and make a comment or not. (Even during the course of this research study. to know that I can make Jumping on the bandwagon “must be there” Deep Emotional Drivers behind Social Media’s Appeal The last few years have seen explosive growth for social media. Information such as one’s date of birth. give up a lot of things and always care about innovating and doing something different to avoid boredom. the users. Many are clearly struggling in the space. it’s about control – the engine that really drives social media and its unique appeal. they don’t know enough about the space to see just how radically the landscape has shifted. Every post represents a need to be recognized and acknowledged by those around us. MOSt BrAnDS ArE On thE OutSIDE LOOkIng In brand engageMenT and coMMiTMenT Ignoring social media. They have few. even physical address. whether it’s videos. as well as stop being its friend if it starts getting too boring. many companies perceive that they lack relevant content that could be shared in social media Both of these approaches usually produce negative results. respondents freely divulged details about their children. As a result. “Starting on social networks is like starting a marriage. it’s about connectedness and belonging. You have to work hard to be your best. Third. A key question is why.) All this sharing has erased any notion of what used to be called “over-sharing” or “too much information. Finally. consumers want brands to remember that social media is a community. Why? First.” Third. surrender yourself. if any. The companies should not annoy us with ads that give us the impression that all they want is to push something on you. and the rules of engagement that have quickly been established. Second. people are becoming more private with their personal data. These underlying emotional factors – sense of control. staff dedicated to the with consumers. most companies have not built it into their organizational structure. Paradoxically. as a friend. contribute. it’s about entertainment. escapism. photos or just regular posts. and ultimately. Ultimately. they are reluctant to relinquish control over their brands to the consumer. social media. you have to put some effort into it. That kind of approach is destined for failure. belonging. The latest statistics show that Facebook has over 500 million active users (Facebook. As a respondent in Brazil stated. Second. most marketers have taken one of two paths with regard to social media: 1) they haven’t ventured in yet or 2) they are jumping in because they feel they “have to be there” without really knowing what they should be doing.A Different Consumer-Brand Dynamic in Social Media Companies around the world clearly recognize the potential and importance of social media. It’s hard work to commit to this new order. identification number. Many of these companies lack even a basic understanding of social media – the platforms. staying out of the game • Risk losing relevence and trust • Complete loss of control • Consumers define the brand • Traditional marketing approaches can alienate • Risk credibility due to lack of relevance function. and recognition – all shape how consumers react to brands in social media – and offer guidance to brands as they attempt to engage consumers more effectively. A critical issue for most brands is that they are not aware of (or are not following) the “rules” which govern social media. It’s the same thing with social networks – after you’re in.” They don’t want to be “sold” in the traditional sense – they’d prefer to be wooed or courted as in “real life” by someone who is genuinely interested in them and wants to build a real relationship. The question is: How are they doing so far? When we talked with some of our client companies in the initial phase of research.” More than anything. Finally. find the same appeal in social media and derive similar benefits from it. please contact rob hernandez Global Brand Director. Controls on sites like Facebook run counter to the freedom they believe is inherent in social media. “sell. but anticipate my needs. There are indications people worry that they might be exploited either in the real world or by marketers if they give access to this personal information. they must change their entire marketing approach: • • • Act like a friend vs. In addition. However.com 6 The Language of Love in Social Media | new ruleS for brand engageMenT © 2010 firefly Millward brown www.fireflymb. After all. “[Brands] have to surprise me.” Think community vs. how consumers look at brands. the quality of our relationships also seems to have been negatively impacted with the growth of social media. In a world of social media. It has reshaped the way we interact with one another.com . those deep-seated emotional drivers operate on a human level (versus a cultural one). They have other social networks such as RenRen that serve the same end. To learn more and receive the full report. China is an interesting case because the government tightly controls the flow of information. and more specifically. how brands will need to act to capture the attention and loyalty of consumers. enlighten me whenever I complain. a corporation. to Facebook. India also has a strong desire to fully join the global community on social media but for slightly different reasons. Indians are undergoing a shift in their social networking preferences from the well-established platform. not only meet my needs. Firefly Millward Brown +1 847 309 1174 rob. and in turn. but they feel left out of the global conversation without the ability to use Facebook.hernandez@fireflymb. The Chinese we spoke to have been quick to embrace social media but have yet to fully experience some of the applications and platforms.guarded. emphasis is placed on quantity over quality. If brands are to succeed in social media. Orkut. Lots of global Commonalities. marketplace. Build relationships with consumers vs. As a respondent told us. and thank me whenever I compliment them. They feel Orkut is not evolving fast enough – and with enough innovative features and functionality – to keep up with what people are looking for from social media platforms. the developing world. there are a few notable differences. more and more Indians have moved to Facebook as their primary social network.” If brands can do that – by speaking the right language in social media – they will undoubtedly find lots of consumer love. “dated” and too rooted in the region. For example. By using social media exclusively. access to Facebook is strictly prohibited. I think the company has to answer me whenever I have a question. More is made of the numbers – how many friends or followers you have – rather than depth and meaning behind them. They have friends and colleagues who live and work outside China and know what’s available – and what they are missing. Orkut feels Summary Social media is indeed a powerful force in the world. A Few Differences People from South Africa to the United States to Colombia. Thus.