What does PR’s traditional model illustrate about how brands approach Social Media?

Press Agentry / Publicity

•One Way Communication

• “No Press is Bad Press” / PT Barnum Style model

•Put everything out there and see what sticks

Public Information Model

•One Way Communication

•Press Releases & other one way comms to distribute information about an organization

•Consideration of content & context

Two-way Asymmetric PR

•Two Way Communication (Not Ongoing)

•Research & analysis of an organization's audience informs what content to distribute

• “One way persuasion”

Two-way Symmetric PR

•Two Way Communication (Ongoing)

•An open and honest conversation with an audience

•Less about persuasion and more about conversation

•Requires negotiation and a willingness to adapt

The way brands can use Social media is very similar to how PR has been used historically…

2

Theoretically, there are 4 types of Public Relations activity, which have developed as time goes on:

“Look at us!” “Look at the great thing we’ve done!”

“Look at what we’ve done

that you like!”

“We’re doing this, what do

you think of it?”

Pure Broadcast(Press Agentry / Publicity)

•Using social media channels for pure broadcast

•The least developed position and most frequent as brands first started launching social presences

•Runs the highest risk for spamming and negative reaction

Amplification(Public Information Model)

•Using social media to get a message out in the right channels & conversations

•Content is shaped around promoting a campaign or brand image in social media

•Less likely to spam, but still possessing only a basic ‘value exchange’ for consumers

Personalization(Two-way Asymmetric PR)

•Using social media to find out more about a brand’s consumers and give them something relevant

•Content and messaging is shaped around what consumers are doing, saying and engaging with in social

•Value exchange, but no real dialogue

Collaboration(Two-way Symmetric PR)

•Using social media to have a real dialogue with consumers

•Delivering an ongoing stream of conversation that results in action from the brand (either tactical or campaign)

•A real value exchange and conversation to drive engagement

These same types of activity can be found in the ways brands use social media..

3

Brands use a combination of these types of activity as their objectives progress and the brand matures digitally..

“£5 Pounds off a

purchase!”

“Hi fans, look at this

new video..”

“Our fans are talking about Product X, so

we’ve done ‘Y’"

“What type of deals and products should we make?”

Examples of a ‘Pure Broadcast’ social media activity were more frequent as brands first entered social channels

4

The approach is closest to just using social channels to amplify an existing message as widely as possible in owned / earned media and doesn’t take into account the nuances of social channels.

This resulted in quite a few widely used examples of brands finding their way in adapting social media into marketing comms..

Habitat & the Iranian Revolts in 2009

Kenneth Cole & the Egyptian Revolution in 2011

Entenmanns & the Casey Antony Trial in 2011

‘Amplification’ activity focuses on driving engagement with content or contests, or to extend a campaign..

5

The value of the content offered alone drives awareness, engagement and any earned media value. Users view / interact without changing/personalizing the content through engagement.

LG Tickethunter

FIAT’s ‘The Motherhood’ Red Bull Stratos

‘Personalized’ activity is increasingly seen as social user and buzz data allowing for personalizing an experience or piece of content..

6

Data sources from user posts to Facebook connect are allowing brands to tailor messages and content around specific users…

VW’s ‘Big Up the UP!’ Intel’s ‘Museum of Me’Bodyform ‘The Truth’

‘Personalized’ social activity is increasingly translating into personalized versions of real world things and rewards…

7

While personalization doesn’t lead to a longer term conversation / campaign, it does deliver a value through being individually relevant for users

American Express ‘Link Like Love’Heinz ‘Get Well Soon’

‘Collaborative’ social activity is a generative interaction with consumers on owned social channels..

8

This can range from ‘always on’ activity to collaborative activity that results in content, products and brand assets being generated, placing the brand in the hands of fans and users…

Citroen’s C1 Connexion FB ActivityKitKat’s Chunky Champion Doritos ‘Crash the Superbowl’

Pure Broadcast Amplification Personalization Collaboration

Depending on a variety of factors, a brand may use one or all three types of social activity to support a campaign…

9

Organizational, strategic, brand and content requirements shape how a brand approaches social media…

Requires: Compelling content or assets to drive engagement

Provides: Most control on messaging from a brand

Role of paid media: Drive content interaction, ensure discoverability and amplify consumer discussion

Requires: Platforms with access to user data and interactive assets

Provides: Control and personalization for users

Role of paid media: Drive user recruitment/interaction, possibly amplify user output and discussion

Requires: Organizational culture and brand knowledge

Provides: Best possibility for user engagement

Role of paid media: Drive user interaction/engagement and amplify crowdsourced/generated outputs