Thinking Like a Consumer
“All you have to do is stop thinking like a marketer and start thinking like your consumer” (Kerpen, 2015).
In order for a brand to get into the mindset of the consumer and connect with them, Meghan Richter explained in her blog post “The Golden Rule of New Marketing & PR,” that there are four rules:
“1. Define What Your Customers Like and Want
2. Realize It’s Not About You
3. Apply a Targeted Approach
4. Don’t Disrupt—Delight!”
(Meghan, 2017).
In today’s day in age, consumers are flooded with advertisements that are targeted to the mass audience. Why should a brand spend their advertising budget to contribute to this mass marketing tactic that is really just noise and annoyance to consumers? If a brand wants to stick out from the clutter they should be focusing on how to use the opportunities that new media, specifically social media, provides for interaction and engagement with consumers. Two-way communication will prove to consumers that they matter to the brand and establish trust and loyalty. Kerpen discusses the importance of getting consumers to talk and to keep conversations ongoing, a tactic called “mindshare” (Kerpen, 2015). Today mindshare is more valuable than a paid social media advertising because the posts directly relate to consumers and are frequently displayed at the top of newsfeed's (Kerpen, 2015) creating organic views for the brand.
A brand that does a great job with making it about the consumer is Nike. Take a look at Nike’s Facebook page. You’ll notice that the majority of their posts are inspirational stories and for direct product promotions, they portray the promotion in a subtle way still providing the consumer with personable messages. Nike provides followers with content that they know consumers will react to and engage with and don’t spam them with un-relatable posts. Providing this content that consumers want to share to their own profiles creates organic views and advertising for the brand itself. Consumers keep the conversation on Nike’s Facebook page going, which shows that they are in fact interested and "delighted" in the authentic content Nike posting.
Kerpen, D. (2015). Likeable Social Media (2nd ed.) McGraw Hill.
Richter, M. (1970, January 01). COMI_601L_751 Blog. Retrieved February 07, 2017, from http://mrichter2.blogspot.com/
Hi Kerstin,
ReplyDeleteI love that you focused on Nike as an example of a brand that is consumer centric. As you noted they are engaging and offer creative content. I came across a case study that examined the different areas that Nike excels in and is very relevant to targeting your audience.
Instagram: 69 million followers
One of the ways they do this is by using “carefully shot photographs, to arty videos, Nike’s content is always really high quality and befitting with their brand image, that encourages high energy activity and adventure” (Link Humans, 2017).
Twitter: 6.78million followers
Nike has many different Twitter accounts such as @Nike, @ Nikefootball, @ Nikestore and more and represent different sports and mobile apps. It’s interesting to note that they don't tweet every day. As an example – head over to @Nike https://twitter.com/nike to check out there 1/29/17 twee with a shot of Federer and the quote “ everyone loves an underdog” (Nike, 2017). Their content is relevant, engaging, and inspirational.
Facebook: 22Million followers
Nikes main Facebook page incorporates links to Instagram, Nike support and also “offers a ‘Shop Now’ button that redirects users to their online store. Looks like Nike have Facebook nailed” (Link Humans, 2017).
What Nike does well is that they offer different communities on Facebook and Twitter for the different sports they are associated with. This way the “content can be tailored for that specific audience meaning followers see exactly what they are interested in” (Link Human, 2017).
Reference
Link Humans. (2017). How Nike Uses Social Media [CASE STUDY]. Retrieved from http://linkhumans.com/case-study/nike
Nike. (2017, January 29). Nike (@Nike) | Twitter. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/nike
Hi Monica,
DeleteThanks for the insights! As the case study you shared stated, "having produced heaps of viral content and campaigns that really get people talking (Link, Humans, 2017).
I came across a Mashable article that spoke about how Nike has been successful on social media, creating communities for their consumers to interact and engage with based on their athletic interests. A few key takeaways include following.
The launch of Nike+
Nike+ is a social networking platform for their running market which allows them to share their achievements, post challenges and encourage motivation and support (Swallow, 2011).
The launch of "The Chance"
This Nike campaign gave soccer athlete's the opportunity to show off their skills for the chance to join the Nike Academy. "As a result of the campaign, 17,000 Facebook Pages were created by participants, 5.5 million additional fans were reached through these pages, 2,000 user-generated videos and 28,000 player posts were created and the brand received 3.4 million YouTube views and counting" (Swallow, 2011).
Going Global
While Facebook and Twitter are primary social media platforms in the United States, Nike has been adapting to other platforms across the globe. They "pick the networks that have the most resonance with [their] target audience by country..." (Swallow, 2011).
References:
Link Humans. (2017). How Nike Uses Social Media [CASE STUDY]. Retrieved from http://linkhumans.com/case-study/nike
Swallow, E. (2011, September 22). How Nike Outruns the Social Media Competition. Retrieved February 09, 2017, from http://mashable.com/2011/09/22/nike-social-media/#w6aw3gfhQ5qZ
Great conversation around Nike! Kerstin---the Mashable article you discussed here brings up a point not yet discussed in any of our team’s posts yet. What can brands do when they have so many different “buyer personas?” I’d say, Nike is one of those brands---from dedicated athletes to casually fit consumers from various parts of the globe, Nike has managed to run campaigns that appeals to a wide variety of audiences.
DeleteHi Kerstin,
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I wanted to spend time replying to what you touched on from our Kerpen text around “mindshare.” I’m glad you tied this into your post since this tactic is one of the key differentiators between old marketing and new marketing. Social media platforms have truly opened up the lines of communication between customer and brands (Kerpen, 2015). This not only helps brands learn more quickly about their customers wants, needs and persona patterns, but also give them an opportunity to apply the golden rule while still achieving their business goals!
Here is a blog post I came across that talks about “18 Ways to Talk to Your Customers on Social Media that can give brands ideas of ways they can engage in mindshare tactics: http://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/blog/15/02/18-ways-to-talk-to-your-customers-on-social-media
I think Nike is a perfect example of a brand that apply mindshare tactics and the “golden rule.” Their Facebook page clearly shows that they are creating content that balances information consumers find compelling with appropriate and subtle brand/product promotions. I think the fact that Nike, a large global brand, takes time to respond to page visitors directly adds the perfect “delight” element that makes any page visitor feel special and that the brand cares about them personally.
References
18 ways to talk to your customers on social media. (2016, February 2). Retrieved February 08, 2017, from http://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/blog/15/02/18-ways-to-talk-to-your-customers-on-social-media
Kerpen, D. (2015). Likeable Social Media (2nd ed.) McGraw Hill.
Hi Meghan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your response. In addition to creating delightful and authentic content, I believe that another important factor of Nikes success is their ability to incorporate emotional branding through the use of "centuries-old archetype of Heroism to tell their story"(Newell, 2013).
I came across a video, "Nike Brand Strategy: Emotional Branding using the Story of Heroism," in which, Emotional Marketing Expert Graeme Newell explains that Nike brings a story of Heroism down to a level that all consumers can relate to. Throughout the majority of Nike's content, they place the idea of a hero and villian in our own minds. The content inspires and motivates consumers to "just do it," to go one step further, pushing their bodies and minds beyond the limits (the villains) they set for themselves. "Nike uses both self-loathing and determination to build customer loyalty"
(Newell, 2013).
Reference
Newell, G. (2013, February 18). Nike Brand Strategy: Emotional Branding using the Story of Heroism. Retrieved February 09, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zk03ctwgW8
Great find! After watching that video, it made me think of a recent Gatorade ad that applied the same emotional/heroism concept. In this example, you can see Dwayne Wade's inner emotional drive to beat "villian" Kevin Durant."
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNjQishYOy0
Hi Meghan,
DeleteThat's another great example of how a brand creates an emotional connection with their consumer. If you take a look at Gatorade's social media platforms such as Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Gatorade/), one can see they have similar content to that of Nike.
*My favorite content that Gatorade created for consumers is "The Boy Who Learned to Fly." The animated film based on the life of Usain Bolt.
https://www.facebook.com/Gatorade/videos/10154294645328864/
Emotional branding and great storytelling go hand in hand as tools for marketers. And Nike certainly pulls it all together with their very distinct buyer personas that they market to. They do this with their multiple Twitter accounts to engage each group with information that interests them and the targeting promotions are relevant to their interests as well. Hence - less noise!
ReplyDeleteNike clearly is a leader in social media and deploys a great strategy that continues to build loyalty and new followers.
Hi Monica,
DeleteSticking to the topic of emotional branding, I came across an interesting article on AdWeek, "Emotional Branding and the Emotionally Intelligent Consumer." This article discusses the importance of creating relationships between the consumer and a brand through the consumer's emotions (Barakat, 2014).
Though I have been discussing a lot about Nike, Barakat reminded me of another brand that is successful with emotional branding, Coca-Cola -specifically their Taste the Feeling campaign. Coca-Cola's campaign provides consumer with upbeat content that sends the message that drinking a Coca-Cola "is a simple pleasure that makes everyday moments more special" (Moye, 2016). Each moment created by the brand tells a personal story that consumers can connect to and have unique interactions with.
References:
Barakat, C. (2014, January 12). Emotional Branding and the Emotionally Intelligent Consumer. Retrieved February 10, 2017, from http://www.adweek.com/digital/emotional-branding-emotionally-intelligent-consumer/
Moye, J. (2016, January 19). Coca-Cola Announces New 'One Brand' Marketing Strategy and Global Campaign. Retrieved February 10, 2017, from http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/taste-the-feeling-launch
I really enjoyed following your thread about Nike, specifically the emotional branding discussion. I hope you don’t mind me jumping into the conversation! The concept reminds me of all the Proctor and Gamble Olympic ads. The commercial series, “Pick them back up” in the 2014 “Thank you Mom” campaign is always a tear-jerker for me.
ReplyDelete“Mom's contributions to their kids' lives are full of incredible sacrifices," said Jodi Allen, Procter & Gamble vice president of North American marketing and brand operations." According to USA Today, the campaign is classic "equity advertising," which attempts to sell not a specific product, but an emotional tie to a company. It's a technique that P&G, one of the world's largest advertisers, has perfected over the last few years” (USA Today, 2014).
Interesting side note, the company attributes 500 million dollars in sales as a result of a similar campaign that ran during the London Olympics. Amazing results, considering they are not advertising a product during the commercials! (Coolidge, 2014) Here’s the ad f you’re interested in viewing. Get the tissues ready. https://youtu.be/1SwFso7NeuA
References
Coolidge, A. (2014, January 8). USA Today.com. Retrieved from PG Olympics Thank You Ad : http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/01/08/pg-olympics-thank-you-ad/4380229/
Hi JM,
DeleteThank you for joining the conversation and providing an additional example on emotional branding. Their "Thank You Mom" campaign from the Olympics definitely had one of the strongest messages, still to date, hitting the hearts of families across the world. It was a campaign that could relate to everyone.
"We see how strong moms are in every facet of their lives, and how their children draw on that strength as they grow. Through our campaign, we invite everyone to join us in saying "Thank you" to moms for the role they play in raising strong children" - Marc Pritchard, P&G Global Brand Officer
(Olympic.org, 2016).
Reference
Olympic.org. (2016, April 27). P&G LAUNCHES “THANK YOU, MOM” CAMPAIGN FOR RIO 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2017, from https://www.olympic.org/news/p-g-launches-thank-you-mom-campaign-for-rio-2016
Kerstin,
ReplyDeleteI also want to commend your discussion on mindshare. It seems like so many companies want to achieve top-of-mind awareness, and creative publicity always seems to do the trick. Nike has been very effective on the creative, especially on Facebook, but it seems like a great deal of their efforts seem to involve ad spend. What seems to work out well for them is using social media to share and promote the advertisements that they are spending money to create. What do you think adding this messaging channel does to the traditional rules of advertising and ad placement?
Hi Michael,
DeleteUsing social media to share and promote the advertisements that they are spending money to create, is something we see everyday. Using paid media to promote social ads, in comparison to traditional media, is more cost effective. It allows for advanced targeting, reaching specific markets, which for Nike is important since they cater to various sports. It also ensures that posts are being seen. "In reality...followers will see less than 20% of the content you post. Companies that completely depend on organic influence risk becoming irrelevant on social platforms. By utilizing paid social media advertising you can reach an audience beyond your followers" (Just Media, 2016).
Reference
Just Media. (2016, June 16). 4 Reasons Why Your Company Needs Paid Social Media Advertising. Retrieved February 12, 2017, from http://justmedia.com/2016/06/4-reasons-why-your-company-needs-paid-social-media-advertising/