A Picture Is Worth... $1 Billion

Facebook has made some moves, very expensive moves, to better compete in the social media market. In my past Pinterest post, I mentioned the realtively new site is an incredibly fast growing social platform. It's actually the 3rd most popular social media network (after Twitter and Facebook), and is particularly popular among the female population. In fact, 97% of the sites users are women--hint, hint, to marketers trying to reach this audience. Women tend to trust Pinterest recommendations over Facebook recommendations. This could be due to the quality of the photos, the relaxing "pinning" process, and the site's simplicity.

Pinterest is clearly creeping up on Facebook and Twitter, but Facebook isn't going to sit back and watch that happen. The company's strategic purchase of Instagram, a photo-sharing mobile app, for $1 billion is step one in ensuring Facebook maintains its position in the social media market. Any photo taken with Instagram somehow becomes gorgeous and perfect. The app has various filters that can be applied to the photo you take, and then you can post your professional looking picture to your social sites. The Facebook team would never admit they are threatened by Pinterest, but in the press release announcing the acquisition they position themselves in a very Pinterest-like manner. “For years, we've focused on building the best experience for sharing photos with your friends and family. Now, we'll be able to work even more closely with the Instagram team to also offer the best experiences for sharing beautiful mobile photos with people based on your interests.” Hmm... what a clever and unique way to state their mission. 

As of now, I don't see how Facebook and Instagram will develop an offering to its users that is even close to being as seamlessly integrated as Pinterest's platform. Even Facebook and Instagram agree it will be a while until anything is really changed by this buyout. So, for now, Pinterest is safe. Facebook is putting its Instagram weapon on the back burner. Will it ever be able to truly compete with Pinterest in regards to photo sharing or motivating consumer purchases through insider recommendations? Probably not. Facebook owns its position as the social network that connects people, brands, and events. Maybe they should focus on making Timeline less annoying so I don't completely switch over to Twitter and Pinterest. Just a thought. 

POGS,

AKtually Ashley

Social Media Faux Pas

Twitter and Facebook both create a ton of opportunities for companies to interact with consumers, but it is no secret that these social media sites pose massive threats as well. We are well aware that on our personal pages there are certain things we should never do or post. The same goes for companies... times 10. One of the most frowned upon social media practices is deleting unfavorable comments in hopes to maintain a positive brand image. When companies delete these comments or loosely/unprofessionally reply, their transparency and reputation plummet. 

A well-known example of this type of social media disaster was Nestlé's response to Greenpeace's accusations in 2010. I learned about this crisis in my Global Marketing class, and it always comes to mind when other companies make similar silly (and damaging) mistakes. If you're not familiar with the story, let me fill you in...

Cue Greenpeace's (extremely graphic) video:

DO NOT WATCH IF YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH BLOOD... or monkey fingers)

Basically, Greenpeace (a non-governmental environmental organization) was raising awareness of Nestlé's use of palm oil in products, like Kit Kat. It's said that the palm oil companies they used cause extreme deforestation in Indonesian rainforests... and are responsible for the deaths of many native orangutans. Nestlé obviously tried to get the video removed from YouTube... sparking a social media war. Greenpeace started posting on Nestlé's Facebook page... Nestlé THEN made a detrimental mistake: they deleted the critical comments from Greenpeace and other users (especially those with the altered Kit Kat logo as their pictures).

Nestlé was not the first company to make the immature and inexcusable deleting mistake... and were not the last.

Recently, another company (or restaurant, in this case) got a slap on the wrist for their social media practices. Boners, an Atlanta BBQ joint, posted an extremely inappropriate blurb about a customer who "apparently" didn't tip. A rude customer and a bad Yelp review does not give restaurants (or any company) creative freedom to post anything like this... talk about a temper! After checking out their website... I'm not surprised. It doesn't seem like the classiest of establishments, but you can't judge a restaurant by its website (FALSE) who knows...

Boners has deleted the ridiculous post and the establishment's owner replaced it with a personal apology to Stephanie. His "sincere" post, however, has not quelled the equally inappropriate attacks against Stephanie from fellow Facebook users. Whoever is continuing to insult this woman via Boners' page needs to find a new hobby... I think she suffered enough from the restaurant's original post--don't you?

POGS,

AKtually Ashley

Calling All Heineken Drinkers: Get Creative!

Get your creative juices flowing because now is the time to finally become an established designer... for Heineken! To celebrate the company's 140th anniversary, Heineken in the Netherlands developed the ultimate design challenge. Consumers can submit their own creative designs for a limited edition bottle (via Heineken's Facebook page). The page allows visitors to download the bottle template and create an original design. 


The aim of the challenge is to connect people, and (of course) there's a catch! Your design is only half of the bottle! So, what happens to the other half? WELL, challengers must connect with other designers to create a complete bottle design. After all submissions have been evaluated, the winning combo team's design for Heineken's limited edition bottle will be sold globally in December 2012! How awesome would it be to see YOUR design on half of a Heineken bottle in stores?! You would have bragging rights... forever.


Interested? Check out this video, which explains the competition in a visual way. Fitting--it's a visual competition! HURRY UP because entries close on January 31st!

Side note: Heineken is really great at developing innovative limited edition bottles. In 2010, the company introduced the limited edition Heineken STR bottles. They could definitely be the coolest beer bottles EVER. Stylish in a normal setting, the beer became a fitting beverage for a rave when you shut off the regular lights and turned on the black lights. I'm bummed I never got to see them in person, but maybe with some begging and pleading Heineken will bring them back? Who knows...

POGS, 
AKtually Ashley

Intoxicating Holiday Tree

Lynchburg, Tennessee. This post could end right here... BUT due to a recent holiday and whiskey-fueled event, I will continue! Jack Daniel's has taken its holiday celebrations to a new level in building the Jack Daniel's Holiday Barrel Tree! The tree, made almost entirely out of 187 hand-selected whiskey barrels, stands 26 feet tall in the center of Lynchburg (the whiskey purveyor's hometown).

Now, I know what you're thinking: free whiskey for Lynchburg, TN! No, no. Though the barrel tree was definitely a gift to the town, the whiskey was not included. The barrels were emptied before they were transformed into a sparkling symbol of Jack Daniel's holiday spirit. The whiskey from these barrels was used for the company's specific holiday line called Jack Daniel's Holiday Select, and is said to have the perfect balance of oak and vanilla character. Sounds like the perfect Christmas holiday blend to me!

The Holiday Barrel Tree is part Jack Daniel's larger holiday campaign (created by the ad agency Arnold Worldwide). The campaign includes a TV commercial, an interactive website, and a Facebook game. 

The commercial promotes the whiskey and the barrel tree, and exudes the holiday spirit of gathering together as friends and family.

The Facebook game, Jack Daniel's Barrel Bandits, can be accessed only if you "like" the Jack Daniel's brand page (of course). The premise of the game is to protect the barrel tree by chucking snowballs at bandits (labeled as close friends of yours -- they pull the information from your profile). I'm usually pretty good at computer games (nerdy, I know), but I had some difficulty smashing the bandits with my snowballs. The angels, on the other hand, were snowball magnets. Oops! Needless to say, the barrel tree festivities were spoiled by my criminal friends.

Very modern and beautiful campaign! Jack Daniel's used online marketing perfectly and repurposed content from the actual Holiday Barrel Tree magically. I'm sure they made their hometown proud! Wooden barrels, decked with garland and lights, and topped with a star -- never would have believed something so simple could be so gorgeous!

POGS,

AKtually Ashley