eMarketer Data

eMarketer posted these data points on getting through to the teen market (Link Here).  I have a BIG issue with this data. As presented the data completely fails to point out that advertising is no longer just about mass broadcast.  When the Teens respond that “Social Networking”, “Video Games” and “Texts” are not great ways to advertise to them they are thinking about traditional advertising — mass media broadcasts.  Of course they would score low — kids don’t want to be interrupted by advertising when playing video games, socializing with their Facebook friends, or texting.

Don’t discount these channels based on this data.  Instead, understand how to use these channels to ADD VALUE to the conversation.  Advergaming is a very effective way to engage consumers in a way that they wouldn’t consider “advertising”.  Applications that truly add value like the Kraft’s iPhone application is not considered “advertising” buy the consumer.  Texting in your American Idol vote is not considered an AT&T ad.  These are examples of ADDING VALUE — not broadcasting an ad.  To gain future generations attention marketers need to stop thinking about the “ad” and start thinking about adding the value.

I’m currently going through some exercises that will require our organization to figure out who “owns” what part of the Social Networking marketing mix.  There are several ways to go, but my challenge is to maximize the value we bring to the consumer while minimizing internal resource needs coupled with building out a long term communication strategy.

This article from Forrester has a couple data points that I found pertinent to the decisions my organization is currently going through:

Report: Companies Should Organize For Social Media in a “Hub and Spoke” model

Forrester Data

These insights greatly help me organize my thoughts around how to effectively execute a long term SocNet strategy.  My thoughts:

• There a lot of stakeholders that will rightly feel a need to help steer the strategy.  The only way to make sure all have an equal stake is to have a big tent approach.
• Long Term SocNet requires a lot of resources to create content and respond to consumers.  The more folks involved the more these roles can be spread across the organization.
• Your SocNet strategy should help several business units achieve their goals — everything from Marketing, PR, Promotion, Retail, Sales, and Corp Comm.  The Big Tent approach gives them all a voice.