In my classes this week, we have been talking about the various aspects of personal branding, and what are some of the careers we have the opportunity to pursue. In my undergraduate social media class #Freberg20), we will actually be starting to talk about the importance of listening and monitoring on social media.
I am always so impressed with brands and brand managers who are not only engaging on social, but really do respond and take note of their role in fostering a strong community. I always love to support and encourage friends and fellow colleagues in the field about how and why brands are successful in their efforts on social.
I am always asked – Karen, which brands are some of your favorite to follow and support? I would have to say there are many brands, but there are four special ones that I feel do some great work on social and really do what social media was intended to do: being social.
Which brands am I talking about? Steak-Umm, Cinnabon, Applegate, and Aviation Gin. I know – all consumer food products! All four brands have actively been online and whenever you post about them and give them a S/O – they respond and are proactive in their social listening techniques.
Since I had some time yesterday, I wanted to do something to illustrate how successful these brands are at what they are doing on social – and how their efforts do influence business and communication goals and objectives.
What did I do exactly? Well, I went shopping and got all of their products. I call this picture “The Brand Twitter Breakfast of Champions.”
So, I went ahead and shared on Twitter with the question and answer along with this picture to my community:
What was the response?
Tremendous!
All brands were engaged in the conversation and it was a fun thing to see! Again – proving my point on why these brands are some of the best in the business. In addition, this shows the direct connection for what we do on social media can have direct offline business applications. Because of these interactions I have had with the brands on social – I went out of my way to purchase these products w/ my own $$$ (no sponsorships or freebies here!) and was motivated to not only share it, but create content to post on social media.
I also made sure to create some content to play along with the friendly feud Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have with their respective products as well. Of course, as you all know, I *love* coffee! I mean, it’s a major food group for me and you would naturally think I would give Hugh the win for sure! Just to let you all know – I am a fan of both actors and what they do in the industry.
However, you would be surprised – I have to say, Ryan gets this one (sorry Hugh!) It was all because of the social media engagement, interactions, and presence Ryan and his team at Aviation Gin have been doing (props to Adrian Molina on this as well!).
Plus, Ryan totally gets marketing and social media. He responded after my video with this tweet:
Obviously – Ryan wins again on this! What has been surprising is that I did tag both Hugh and his coffee company (Laughing Man Coffee), and I have yet to get a response from them. This surprised me – and it seems like a missed opportunity here for sure.
Thank you Ryan again for this and if you are interested in branching out to doing a gin-infused coffee line – let me know! We have bourbon coffee her in Louisville, so it can be done!
What are some lessons we can take away from here from a personal branding + listening/monitoring perspective in social media?
Relationships form over time. This conversation did not happen over night – I’ve been engaging with these brands for the last few months, and in some cases like Cinnabon – years! Reach out to brands and individuals you admire and want to support – and the relationships will happen!
Shoot your shot. I have shared this with my students, especially on Twitter. You have the opportunity to reach out and connect with so many professionals, celebrities, brands, and industry colleagues. The sky is the limit! Take your shot and reach out. What is the worst thing that could happen? You may not get a response. What is the best thing that could happen? You are able to create some incredible experiences and connections with people that are truly amazing.
Offer value and a unique perspective. Any one can be a fan of a brand – but what makes your connection to a brand a unique one? Which each of these brands, not only do they have amazing products, but their social media presence is awesome. As a social media professor – I really do respect that and I have let each of them know they are doing some incredible things.
It doesn’t cost anything to be nice. I feel for brand managers when they have unhappy customers or if there is a crisis at hand. I always tell my students – realize that there is a human being behind the screen reading your messages, updates, and thoughts. Be empathetic to what they are experiencing and realize that life is too short. Being kind really goes a long way.
In summary, this was a lot of fun to engage with yesterday. I think all four of these brands are doing some amazing work – and these are the professionals I wish we could see speak and share their expertise on the conference stages. Not only do they know what they are doing in the field, but they have done the work.
Keep up the amazing work, Aviation Gin, Applegate, Cinnabon, and Steak-Umm! You have a fan for life over here in Louisville, KY.
Have a great day!
Best Wishes,
