The ROI of Social Media and “Tebowing”

With so much talk about the ROI of Social Media, we think it is important to remind everyone that ROI may not have to be entirely based on immediate revenue.  The goal of social media…should not be thought of exclusively as a marketing strategy. Social media should be thought of as means for creating an ecosystem.  Functional marketing nurtures knowledge, stimuli and supports co-creation. Our approach suggests that messages and content must be authentic, filled with conviction and extremely flexible within all surroundings.  If integrated properly, everything else will naturally fall into place.

How Social is Sports?

We talk about social media in sports as the ultimate opportunity for connecting. Enabling fans via social, mobile and location supports fans’ emotional attachment, moving the experience from a “THE Game” to an “OUR Game” occasion.

Tim Tebow is making an impact on the football field for the Denver Broncos, of the National Football League.  However, an even larger impact is his influence in social media through “Tebowing”.  Tebowing is Tim’s humbling gesture, kneeling on one knee as evidence to his faith.  The act of Tebowing has compelled a strong reaction through social media. On 12, December, the Global Language Monitor officially accepted the term within the English language.  Just months after the phrase was created following a miracle win in October.

With Authenticity, Conviction and Flexibility, Tim Tebow has the world’s attention…

Tebowing: The act of ‘taking a knee’ in prayerful reflection oblivious to your surroundings

A completely crowdsourced Tumblr blog has been created to enable people to share their personal interpretation of Tebowing.  Fans are able to purchase items with proceeds supporting local Denver Charities.  The site has daily submissions of touching images from around the world.  @Tebowing has almost 3,000 followers and each of the Facebook pages associated with Tim Tebow continue to grow.

The Denver Broncos have an opportunity to do more than simply engage within social media. Adopting an approach that moves beyond marketing.  By enabling the fan’s natural connection to Tebowing, the Broncos can create awareness and inspire emotional connections, at the same time, supporting donations for local charities and forming true connections.

The difference between engage and connect is in how you – Listen – Prepare –Respond and then Adapt

Perhaps the ideal return of social media is collaborative dialogues, the co-creation of messages (earned media for you traditional folks), content and strategy for what is now, and what may be next.

Congrats to our TFOW finalists! Go to tebowing.com/tagged/tebowin… to help choose a winner by voting for your favorite! Winner will receive…—
  (@Tebowing) December 12, 2011

Just Picking Grapes or…Harvesting Our Next Occasion?

We came up with this title after viewing two very different YouTube videos, from two very different winemakers, showcasing their most recent harvest. Although both showed grapes being picked, they each told a very different story.

One video from Benziger Family Winery, was simple and shot in the vineyard. It was authentic, and captured the heartfelt excitement and enthusiasm of a new harvest. It highlighted happy family members, to include a new granddaughter. It highlighted happy workers, as well as people proud to be taking part in this exhilarating, meaningful and most important process.

The other video from another well known winery, was edited together in an editing room and appeared as a theater quality production. It may have even contained credits. It showed people picking grapes, but it looked more like a job, rather than an occasion.

Can you guess which one of these videos created an emotional connection? When buying a bottle of Benziger wine, you feel like you are donating to the cause, not just adding to a company’s bottom line.

A brand’s smart use of social media platforms can create and nurture sustainable emotional connections. Through authentic and non-intrusive interaction, a simple engagement between brand and individual can develop into a lasting connection.

“Carry your brand DNA into social media channels”

WineTwits, a Twitter-powered community that brings wine enthusiasts together, is taking a very interactive approach. Through Tweets, and interaction via their website, WineTwits is able to guide immersive experiences, connecting brands with people. An upcoming event, Beaujolais #NouveauDay, will feature an interactive wine tasting,with an expected global and witty participation via Twitter. In a recent conversation with Steve Gilberg, founder of DrinkTwits Media (parent company of WineTwits), Steve offered these thoughts: “It is a huge mistake to not use social media”. Steve also observed: “Carry your brand DNA into social media channels”. Using these ideas along with authentic non-intrusive interaction, he has been able to significantly raise his brand’s awareness. Speaking for not only his brand, Steve says: “For brands, someone internally needs to take ownership of the social media”. He also believes that “Used properly, Twitter is one of the greatest lead generation tools he has ever seen.”

Sustainable social media connections require: Authenticity, Conviction and Flexibility

As we noted within our recent report, people are keen to define and build trusted resources, as they are soon to become important elements of true influence for purchase decisions.  For brands, authentic content and messages are the first step. Engagement alone does not create influence or a likeliness to share…Influence and involvement arise from nurtured interaction in the age of all-of-us.

So, are you just picking grapes? Or, are you harvesting our next occasion? As you make social media decisions (what platform, what channel, who will handle social media, etc.), remember: Be authentic and make your message lead to an occasion!

Wondering if UR available 11-17-11 to join us for 1st Annual Beaujolais #NouveauDay twitter tasting – please RSVP here: eventbrite.com/s/60k0—
Wine Twits (@WineTwits) October 12, 2011

Social Media and Sports! NBA, MLB and NFL. Sorry Fiorentina…next time!

For more on our favorite Italian Football team Fiorentina…click here

Wanted/Needed…Social Media Sideline Reporter @PhoenixSuns

As sports teams/organizations get more social smart and social savvy, you will see more of these calls for help. Sports teams are looking for ways to keep their fan bases alive with anticipation…and fans want to be involved.

Is your perfect night watching the #Suns while talking about them on Twitter? We're looking for YOU. on.suns.com/nc #SocialSideline—
NBA Phoenix Suns (@PhoenixSuns) October 03, 2011

As we learned during our research for Collaboration and Co-Creation, the Phoenix Suns have one of the most loyal fan bases in the NBA. The Suns are committed to involving fans as much as possible and understand the value of fan-to-fan interaction. Recently, the Phoenix Suns made an announcement for a new job opening for a social media sideline reporter, the first and only one of its kind in their history.

Preparing an NFL Social Media Game Plan

Social media needs to play both sides of the ball. Just like a successful football team can’t choose to play just offense, or just defense; a successful social media program must Engage and Respond.

Engagement is the First Step…Influence is More than Numbers

Brands have created exciting and immersive forms of engagement that have really captured the interest of people and compelled them to talk about it! Enter the Influencer.  Influencers have been defined and positioned as the “ideal” source for motivating brand messages.  But, are we looking at influence and engagement as the be-all and end-all of social media?

Influencers cannot be selected by numbers. They have to be selected via contextual insight and nurtured into lasting diplomats.

Engagement is the first step. The opportunity to create interest and to build on that initial hello occurs within every interaction.  Influence is an action that derives from an emotional excitement, an attachment to the brand, its services or resources.    So, How Do You Make it Last? To define sustainability; you must build true loyalty, stronger influence and possibly co-create engagement through original content.

The diplomatic approach…

Lasting connections begin with that first engagement, but it certainly does not end there.  Understanding what captured attention, and what delighted people enough to say hello again is important.  This is the process of discovery and for brands, a journey that should have no end.

The Ultimate Influencer is engaged…

Let’s have a look at an influencer, one that would most likely be under the radar.  Just as other Moms, Tiffany has looked forward to her family’s Disney World vacation for a very long-time.   Even planning a Disney vacation is an exciting part of the magic.  The planning and reservation encounters can set the tone for the entire Disney occasion!

What Social Media Should Be…Collaborative | Part II

What Social Media Should Be…Original | Part I

Social media experts create engaging content and have adapted extremely well to the idea of influence and the need to motivate share-ability. Yes, social media offers advantages.  Most notably, ease of convergence across platforms, but can social media support loyalty simply through engagement?

So, I’m just standin’ here…Enable Me!

Talk about a captive audience…

Recently we embarked on a family outing at a popular theme park. You know…rides, games, kid’s rides, shows and ridiculously overpriced concessions. The kind of park where you have to stand in line for at least an hour before you can ride. Talk about an opportunity to engage!

“Social Chefs”…We Want More!

Now-a-days, not only does a Chef have to know how to cook and direct a culinary team; they need to be able to tweet, plus, post, blog, vlog, upload, download, pin and livestream. They must now…Be Social!

The job description of today’s Chef goes beyond the doors leading out of the kitchen.

Facebook putting “Social” into Shopping

Excerpt | Emerging Global Trend Report

There is no denying the profound effect of social influence. The ability to shop via social platforms is creating new and more “emotionally” effective ways to inspire influence with share-ability built in.