Gone are the days when companies counted their Facebook page likes and gave themselves a pat on the back for a job well done. It isn’t about how many likes you have anymore; it’s about what you can do with the … Continue reading
Over the past couple of years, it is has been pretty clear that we have been witnessing some major shifts in the ways that businesses are operating. Digital and social media have come to play key roles in core marketing … Continue reading
Today’s consumers do just that – we consume. We have more choice than ever before, both locally and abroad, and we want to get our hands on the latest and greatest products. It’s this “out with the old, in with … Continue reading
Volvo: Customer loyalty in the era of social networks In Business history, companies with a great prestige which have built their image with well designed and high-performance products have always existed. This is the case of the Swedish car fabricant … Continue reading
Social media is by definition, social. So its no surprise that the line between customer and friend can easily blur and shift. The rise of Twitter and Facebook have produced the online social butterfly who’s (at first, unofficial) invite … Continue reading
Companies these days use social media for almost everything and anything. Employee involvement, customer engagement, marketing and much more. But using it as an actual tool to make sales – now that is something new. Nike has developed a new … Continue reading
On Wednesday June 5th Tim Hortons and the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation teamed up to launch a nationwide effort to raise money to send kids to camps across Canada. The fundraising effort is based out of Tim Hortons stores. Social … Continue reading
Companies can manage their brand messages and steer online conversations in the right direction, but the reality is that social media puts customers in the driver’s seat. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. empower today’s customers to share … Continue reading
On April 3, 2013, belairdirect launched a new social media campaign spanning across Facebook, Twitter (with @belairdirect_ and @bd_LittleKnight) , YouTube, LinkedIn and Google+ . Belairdirect is a direct car and home insurance provider in Ontario and Quebec, but before April … Continue reading
Customer engagement via social media platforms is typically measured by likes, comments and shares. As a result many companies have focused their social media efforts solely on attracting as many new fans as possible with the hope of converting fans into sales. … Continue reading
In the past few years, Twitter has easily become the fastest growing social platform in the world. It has attracted hundreds of millions of users that are not limited to personal accounts; many businesses and corporations have Twitter accounts for … Continue reading
According to Wikipedia the term community refers to a social unit of any size that shares common values (it can also mean national or international groups of individuals). Evidence of communities can be found throughout history and now, leveraging technology, … Continue reading
As Social Media Marketers, every day we encourage our fans to engage with us through our social media outlets. But, our worst nightmare is our phone beeping in the night with a notification that one of our beloved “fans” has … Continue reading
The saying measure twice, cut once applies not only to construction, but to the world of social media too. In other words, do your measurements and analysis and you will have success. According to Jeff Nolan, in its most pure … Continue reading
Likes, tweets, followers, fans or friends; no matter the forum, cultivating and engaging your social media audience can be a daunting task. Starting a conversation with customers and generating valuable content is no small feat, as simple as it sounds. … Continue reading
Organizations face many operating perils some manageable while others are not. When faced with an unforeseen or unavoidable event many organizations often feel overwhelmed. During the initial impact period of an unexpected event organizations direct significant effort and focus on … Continue reading
Coca-Cola a Global Leading Beverage Company Embraces Product Innovation The Coca-Cola Company, incorporated in September 1919, a global leading beverage company with over 500 brands recently introduced its ground breaking product innovation Coca-Cola Freestyle™ a revolutionary, new, interactive touch screen fountain capable … Continue reading
What do you get when you cross Canadians with potato chips and add money? Lay’s is banking on it creating the next great chip flavour. The Lay’s® Canada Do Us A Flavour™ Contest premise is that consumers submit a new … Continue reading
For the first time in Canada, at the 2013 40th Canadian International AutoShow, a new marketing strategy for Hot Wheels® and GM Chevrolet, in conjunction with Twitter, was created to increase product awareness and development for their Hot Wheels® Camaro® … Continue reading
Move over traditional marketing, there’s a not so new kid in town. Once upon a time we were influenced to buy the products with the best TV and print ads, or those endorsed by the most popular celebrities. Those tactics … Continue reading
Kobo has launched a contest on Twitter that increased the company’s twitter follower by 43%. There is a lot of people on Twitter and Facebook today, and the power of readers’ engagement to boost companies’s future sales is huge. People … Continue reading
Organization Name: LinkedIn Industry: Computer Services February’s LinkedIn email blast left me with feelings of “I’m Special, I’m Special Not” reminiscent of plucking petals from a daisy whilst thinking of … Continue reading
Customer Relationship Management (or CRM as it is most commonly known) came quietly onto the business scene in the mid-90’s. CRM took a relevant yet secondary position in most businesses, with an important but limited focus on customer interaction … Continue reading
American auto maker Ford is at it again with its innovative and engaging ad campaigns for their Ford Fiesta. Back in 2009 when Ford first announced the Fiesta they utilized an innovative, partially consumer generated ad campaign utilizing multiple social … Continue reading
Pinterest is no longer the new kid on the block in the social media marketing world. Since sky-rocketing to the top of the social media charts in 2011, Pinterest has established itself as a major player, not only in social … Continue reading
High profile celebrity endorsers are nothing new- we all recognize the Snapple Lady and Jared from Subway. With the advent of social media, celebrity reach can push products even further in the minds of consumers. And this is what many … Continue reading
Like any good relationship, it’s about getting to know each other. Look at your best friend and you can name all the reasons they still hold a special place in your life. Commonalities drew you together and keep you connected. … Continue reading
A sad tale of employee involvement through social media came when an Applebee’s employee shared with the world a receipt from a customer who wrote “I give God 10% why do you get 18”. Web Source: NBC News www.nbcnews.com/business/applebees-social-media-faux-pas-learning-experience-1B8251556 Applebee’s … Continue reading
As countless studies have shown, the majority of TV viewers are multitasking online. Viewers are now communicating on various social media platforms while they tune into their favourite show’s through Tablets, Smart Phones and Laptops. Viggle, a free app, now … Continue reading
Social media has changed the way we perceive products and services. As consumers we now have several outlets to get our feedback back to the companies we patron. According to Niels Schillewaert, PhD, Managing Partner of InSites Consulting, New York., … Continue reading
Social media is much more than just establishing mere presence. It is a revenue generating platform for many. The famous jargon “f-Commerce” is a great proof. By 2016, most of the businesses will be using social media as a way of … Continue reading
Groupon is a company that offers coupons and deals to its users on a daily basis. The premise behind Groupon is to use customer feedback to gauge demand for products and services. Interested parties purchase the coupon and only if … Continue reading
Despite a 600% increase in Ryanair‘s marketing budget, profits have dropped 29% after a negative blast on social media. Suzy McLeod was charged €300 by Ryanair to print to print five boarding passes on a flight from Alicante to Bristol. Whether … Continue reading
Everyone is accountable in the workplace. Whether it be to a supervisor, manager, board of directors or partner we all have to prove the value of our efforts, and social media is no different. Many organizations have been using social … Continue reading
Restaurant chains have always struggled with standardized systems and processes including recipes and the “right” way to make things for years. One company, Red Robin turned to social media to help stop the inconsistencies. USA Today reported that the company … Continue reading
Organization Name: ABC’s The Glass House Web References: Social TV ABC The Glass House According to a recent survey by Viacom, 56% of viewers are using social media while watching TV. They are communicating on blogs, facebook, twitter and apps … Continue reading
Today social media channels/technologies have transformed significantly the way companies collaborate, innovate and provide solutions – solutions encompassing employees, prospects, partners, customers and products. Through social networking, engineers are able to explore design solutions at a grass-root level wherein the … Continue reading
Recently, Coca-Cola became the first retail brand to cross 50 million likes on Facebook. That’s impressive. What is even more impressive though, is their social media strategy for the next decade. Having taken the social media world head on, Coca-Cola … Continue reading
Samuel Adams has been giving consumers an opportunity to create their own brew for years with contest like the Samuel Adams Longshot American Homebrew Contest. This year Zack Adams’ Magnificent Seven and James Schirmer’s Beerflower Wheat triumphed over nearly 1,000 … Continue reading
Taco Bell partnered with Doritos to launch a new product Doritos Locos Tacos – a hard shelled taco made of Nacho Cheese Doritos Chips. Taco Bell determined that “80-90% of Taco Bell-related conversations were taking place on Twitter” they used … Continue reading
Organization Name: McDonalds Industry: Fast Food Web References: http://socialmediatoday.com/node/434385 http://business.financialpost.com/2012/08/10/mcdonalds-social-media-conscience/ As the article suggests, when we think of McDonalds, the thought of fatty greasy food and minimum wage workers pop up in minds of most people. However in order to … Continue reading
Social networking sites can be a great tool for companies to connect with their customers in a way that is new to many of us. Unfortunately many companies fail to see the long lasting negative effect it can have with … Continue reading
Organization Name: General Motors (GM) Industry: Car & Truck Manufacturer Web References: http://www.toprankblog.com/2012/02/social-media-gm-charlotte-blank/ http://mashable.com/2012/01/17/business-social-media-progress/ “ There are really an opportunity to engage our consumers with their lifestyle passions. For example, music is a big pillar for Chevrolet and we offered early access to … Continue reading
Organization Name: Lululemon Athletica Industry: Retail Apparel Web References: http://strategyonline.ca/2012/03/05/lululemon-inspires-socially/ http://strategyonline.ca/2012/09/28/brands-of-the-year-lululemon-takes-local-to-the-next-level/ http://www.lululemon.com A social media success story, Lululemon Athletica, was founded with one store in 1998 by Chip Wilson in Vancouver, BC. Now, with 180 stores in Canada, the US, … Continue reading
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Title: Best Western uses Social Media for Employee Recognition Organization Name: Best Western Web References: Social Media Workplace Study Employee Engagement Employee Recognition Description of how social media is used for business performance: Not only are companies recognizing their top employees … Continue reading
Organisation: Dell Industry: Information Technology Web References: http://www.readwriteweb.com/enterprise/2011/07/how-dell-really-listens-to-its.php http://content.dell.com/us/en/corp/about-dell-social-media http://www.businessinsider.com/is-dell-the-worlds-most-social-company-scorecard-2011-6 http://content.dell.com/us/en/corp/d/corp-comm/make-a-difference.aspx How Dell differentiates itself as the world’s most social company Social media is not a mere a tool for Dell. It’s an extension of the company’s brand, which is … Continue reading
Organization Name: Ford Motor Company Industry: Automotive Web Reference: Ford Motor Company Press Release: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=28019 Scott Monty, www.scottmonty.com Fast Company, http://www.fastcompany.com/1668368/corporate-social-media-policies-good-mediocre-and-ugly Shel Holtz, www.socialmediatoday.com/shelholtz/838001/ford-s-vision-one-social http://socialmediapolicy.com/2012/03/09/ford-motor-companys-digital-participation-guidelines/ Description of how Ford Motor Company has leveraged social media to increase business performance For a company who sold … Continue reading
Organization Name: Cut on Your Bias Industry: Clothing, Retail, Fashion Name of Contact: Author of article, Lauren Indvik Web References: http://yhoo.it/IQssvb Description of how social media is used for business performance: Calling on customers for product design ideas is a … Continue reading
It’s always a pleasure and such an inspiration to watch or to read what mavericks and leaders go through when they want to create something new in the world that doesn’t exist the day before. Listen to the story of … Continue reading
Interesting article on how to effectively use social media for product development and design. Focusing on a) identifying the product with the largest market share and b) determining the least expensive way of influencing individuals and strengthening product diffusion over … Continue reading
Organization Name: Gallup Management Journal Industry: Research Name of Contact if available: Blaise James and Jim Asplund Web References: http://gmj.gallup.com/content/149411/making-social-media.aspx Description of How Social Media is used for Business Performance: The article points to how Emotionally engaged customers — those … Continue reading
Organization Name: Trillium Gift of Life Network Industry: Public Health Contact: Leona Hollingsworth, Media Relations Advisor Web Reference: http://www.giftoflife.on.ca/en/, www.BeADonor.ca Description of how social media is used for business performance Awareness about organ donation over the past four months has … Continue reading
Organisation Name: Etsy Industry: Online retail Description of how social media is used for business performance: Founded in 2005 with $50,000 of seed capital, Etsy – an online marketplace enabling independent artists and craftspeople to sell their wares – has … Continue reading
One of the many areas that social media has the ability to enhance is customer relations and/or customer engagement. As in other areas of social media, this can manifest itself in a number of ways. Social media can facilitate the … Continue reading
Organisation Name: Backplane (based an article in ‘The Economist’ Magazine, March 10, 2012, page 79) Industry: Social Platforms – User Generated Content Name of contact if available: Troy Carter (Co-Founder), Backplane Web references: info@thebackplane.com; http://thebackplane.com/ Description of how social media … Continue reading
Organization Name: Sanuk Footwear Industry: Footwear Web references: www.sanuk.com; http://www.slideshare.net/NorthSocial/north-social-case-study-sanuk; http://my.safaribooksonline.com/book/strategy-business-planning/9781118095461/chapter-3-communicate-with-and-become-a-fan-of-your-customers/case_study_sanuk_loves_its_cus#X2ludGVybmFsX0ZsYXNoUmVhZGVyP3htbGlkPTk3ODExMTgwOTU0NjEvNDQ=; Description of how social media is used for business performance: Known for their distinctive one-part sandal, one-part shoe footwear, Sanuk created a customized Facebook experience to serve as an extension … Continue reading
Graco Baby connects through Heart to Heart blog – Social Media Marketing to tech-savvy parents You find out you’re expecting your first child. So many things are racing through your mind and you don’t know where to start. You need a … Continue reading
Organization: Stockholm High School Industry: Education Web References: Case Study Students Video Jon Buscall’s Site Description of how a group of teenagers took over and greatly improved marketing for their school with social media: This story begins in 2009 when … Continue reading
Organization Name: Newell Rubbermaid (Rubbermaid Brand) Industry: Retail Web references: www.rubbermaid.com http://www.brandchannel.com/features_webwatch.asp?ww_id=506 http://www.pre-commerce.com/index.php/2011/12/12/interview-with-bert-dumars-of-newell-rubbermaid-1-of-2/ Description of how social media is used for business performance Newell Rubbermaid has a vast portfolio of more than 30 brands, but the Rubbermaid containers brand has … Continue reading
Organization Name: Doritos Web references: http://www.youtube.com/user/CrashtheSuperBowl https://www.facebook.com/DoritosUSA?sk=videos http://www.fastcocreate.com/1679605/5-lessons-in-participatory-marketing-from-doritos-crash-the-super-bowl-and-cmo-ann-mukherjee http://www.crashthesuperbowl.com/ Description of how social media is used for business performance It started in September 2006 when Frito-Lay decided that its popular Doritos brand would not air the standard agency-made ads during … Continue reading
Title of Post: Getting real time analysis of which future candle scents customers would be most likely to favor. Organisation Name: Diamond Candles Industry: Retail Sales Web references: http://scents.diamondcandles.com/ http://youtu.be/cvCTx0ebOZ4 Description of how social media is used for business performance: … Continue reading
Organization name: Threadless Industry: Clothing Web references: http://www.fastcompany.com/article/william-taylor-practically-radical-primer-threadless Description of how social media is used for business performance: Threadless is a company thriving in an old-fashioned business–selling T-shirts. Their unique approach to designing their products and running their company has … Continue reading
Organization: Microsoft, Xbox Support Industry: Retail, videogame console Web references: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-microsoft-xbox-uses-twitter-to-reduce-support-costs/#more-4453 Description of how social media is used for business performance In 2009, Microsoft already supported users of its popular videogame console with multiple support channels: phone, email, online self-service … Continue reading
Organization name: LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics Industry: Cosmetics Company Information: “LUSH offers over 300 luxurious, ethical and indulgent bath & beauty products made by hand with fresh, organic ingredients. Live the lush life with bath bombs, bubble bars, and inventive … Continue reading
Organization Name: LIVESTRONG Industry: Non-Profit Organization Web references: www.livestrong.org; http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-livestrong-raised-millions-to-fight-cancer-using-social-media/ Description of how social media is used for customer engagement: The Lance Armstrong Foundation, now called LIVESTRONG, unites, inspires and empowers people affected by cancer. For non-profit organizations such as … Continue reading
Organization Name: LEGO CUUSOO Web references: http://lego.cuusoo.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=U6yDJA2a4lM https://www.facebook.com/LEGO.CUUSOO Description of how social media is used for business performance Lego Cuusoo is a site for sharing LEGO concepts with the aim of getting them released as real products. The public … Continue reading
Organization name: Netflix Description of social media disaster: When Netflix announced it was raising its rates and changing its service, customers began using the Netflix Facebook wall to voice their unhappiness. Instead of using this as an opportunity to discuss … Continue reading
Organisation Name: WestJet Vacations Industry: Travel Description of how social media is used for business performance: WestJet is a Canadian-based international travel company that is known for its friendly and humourous staff service. Since its first tweet in 2008, WestJet … Continue reading
Title of Post: How a Socially Responsible, Health-Focused Beverage company “Steaz” doubled sales with Social Media Tactics. Organization Name: Industry: Organic and fair trade tea-based beverage Web References: http://www.steaz.com/, http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/26634.asp Description of How Social Media is used to for business … Continue reading
Traditional focus groups and research panels can be an expensive and limited exercise in customer insights and engagement – using social media for a crowdsourced approach by engaging your customers and fans to help to develop your product can be not only beneficial to the brand in creating brand advocates it can also be just plain fun and exciting word-of-mouth. Continue reading
Organisation Name: Stonyfield Farm Industry: Organic Food Description of how social media is used for business performance: Stonyfield Farm is an organic yogurt and dairy producer located in the United States. Originally founded in 1983 as an organic farming school, Stonyfield … Continue reading
Eastman Kodak Company Photography/Visual Arts Name of contact: Jeff Hayzlett, Chief Marketing Officer, Vice President Twitter: @JeffreyHayzlett Web references: http://www.kodak.com/ http://www.facebook.com/kodak http://twitter.com/kodakCB Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational US corporation which produces imaging and photographic materials and equipment. The company … Continue reading
For many organizations, listening and engaging customers has always played an integral role in their marketing strategy. With the proliferation of Social Media over the past few years, engaging customers has gone beyond providing an individual and one directional mechanism for organizations to understand their customers. Continue reading
Engaging customers, allowing them to share and promote your brand’s story via Facebook and the Social Graph is the best Word of Mouth possible. Continue reading
Organisation Name: Southwest Airlines Industry: Travel Name of contact, if available: Web references: http://www.blogsouthwest.com/ http://www.blogsouthwest.com/ http://mashable.com/?s=southwest+airlines http://mashable.com/2009/01/21/best-twitter-brands/ https://www.ragan.com/ Description of how social media is used for business performance: Some organizations may call Southwest Airlines nuts for its transparency in its … Continue reading
“You can’t hide anything anymore”… well according to Don Tapscott, the co-author of The Naked Corporation (a book about corporate transparency) you can’t, or can you? In this growing age of Social Media many companies see an opportunity to promote … Continue reading
Social Media is about engagement on mulitple levels: Customers, Employees, the Supply Chain and Product Development, all of which can be distilled to a simple mantra: Listen, Engage and Act Continue reading
Organisation Name: Dell Industry: Computer Manufacturing Name of contact if available: Web references: http://www.dell.com/, http://www.tuck.dartmouth.edu/digital/research/case-studies/dell Description of how social media is used for business performance: Dell are seen as pioneers in the use of social media. The Tuck School of … Continue reading
