SOCIAL MEDIA CASE STUDIES [GB_V76.0]

American Express' outline how they are marketing to fans using Facebook, Foursquare, and Twitter -  Ad Age

CBS has launched a social TV platform that will aggregate content from Twitter and Facebook and allow fans to connect with actors and each other -  The Next Web

Victoria's Secret is using the DJ-focused music site Thefuture.fm to share their models' favorite tunes and exclusive remixes on Facebook and Twitter -  Brandchannel

In their latest Twitter campaign, Playboy rewarded users for retweeting their posts with brand messages of girls revealing more and more skin -  Simply Zesty

Kit Kat's new application is attempting to relieve their fans' stress of maintaining their personal social media presence by automatically updating their statuses on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn -  Canada.com

Univision talks about how they're engaging fans on Facebook with their new social video network -  Lost Remote

Viceroy Hotel Group has launched a Pinterest page that features three boards highlighting their interior design, wedding ceromonies, and cuisine -- all aimed at bringing customers closer to the lifestyle and inspiration the brand has to offer -  Hotel Interactive

Klondike is inviting users to their new Flavor Chamber app to see what their ice cream treats are made of by virtually destroying them and sharing the results with friends on Facebook -  Creativity Online

Nutella's new case study shows that their Facebook ad campaign outperformed their TV ad campaign in terms of positive ROI and total reach -  Scribd

Zales and 1-800-Flowers.com share their marketing strategies on Facebook during one of the highest-grossing holidays of the year -- Mother's Day -  Adweek

The NHL's new social TV application gives hardcore fans a new layer of engagement and more casual fans a chance to get more involved in the game -  Lost Remote

Discovery Communications' Director of Digital Communications and Social Media, Amber Harris, shares how truly getting to know your audience on Facebook leads to better engagement, sharing, and reach -  PR News

ESPN is working with Twitter to create branded campaigns around televised sporting events. Their first program for the NBA finals called "GameFace" encourages fans to tweet their best game face photo for a chance to win on-air coverage -  B&C

The Men's Wearhouse is encouraging fans to upload photos and videos of their own personal style on Facebook for a chance for their wardrobe to be included in their weekly roundup fashion video -  DMNews

Snack Factory's Pretzel Crisps brand is releasing new branded video content on their YouTube page to introduce their new mascot -  MediaPost

T-Mobile has created a contest called "Tweet Races" that challenges their followers to tweet as much as possible with a #4GTweets hashtag -  TmoNews

For their 30th birthday, The Weather Channel has redesigned their website to include a variety of personalized social media components -  TechCrunch

Beauty brands Procter & Gamble, Estee Lauder Companies, Lush, and Lancome are bringing back discontinued products based on fans' feedback on social media -  The NY Times

Chico's FAS is launching a goodwill campaign that will make donations and send "Get Well" cards to ill children via their new Facebook application -  ClickZ

McDonald's Germany introduced the first crowdsourced burger to sell as a result of over five million votes in their "Mein Burger" campaign -  PSFK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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SOCIAL TV AND THE SECOND-SCREEN EXPERIENCE

If approximately 86% ofpeople (who use mobile Internet) use their phones or secondary devices whilewatching TV - it stems to reason that brands would capitalize upon this trend.  As recently published by the Sun, “Social media is to TV networks what fantasy football is to the NFL.”

To this end, whether simple user feedback, real time voting, location based content, third-party promotions or sponsorship – supporting TV using social media is all about providing a dynamic, relevant, participatory second-screen experience.

Pepsi’s co-viewing (aka social TV) platform ‘Pulse’, for example, is designed to get the most out of their "X-factor" sponsorship by extending viewers a way to interact with each other and the show – Overview  - A corresponding Pepsi 'Sound Off' platform (modeled after Twitter) is a place for fans to connect during shows and incorporates a gaming mechanism.

Heineken's StarPlayer is another example is a dynamic, participatory second-screen experience that lets fans watch UEFA Champions League (UCL) matches on TV while they play the game in real-time. When a key event occurs, the app triggers in real-time a 'Match Moment' and gamers are asked to choose from outcome options (for example, “will that goal go in?”)

Each week during “The Glee Project”, viewers can participate in missions to earn custom badges and points for a more personalized experience. The points unlock sneak peeks and live chats with contenders, among other rewards. Points also could win users face-to-face meetings with contestants. On the platform, Glee Project  fans can use Twitter hashtags to vote for their favorite contenders during “Last Chance Performances.” Their votes will be displayed on TV in real time with the top vote-getter winning a featured spot on Oxygen Connect.

When USA’s hit show 'Suits' returns to the airwaves on June 14, fans will already be part of the storyline, thanks to a new interactive social TV campaign that the network is rolling out.  Known as “Suits Recruits,” the interactive and social media-laden experience allows fans to join the team at Pearson Hardman and help Harvey and Mike work on an on-going case.  This isn’t the first time USA has dipped into the social TV/transmedia waters. Last year, the network launched of a first-of-its kind interactive experience for Psych dubbed #HashTagKiller. 

However, a show's online engagement doesn't always translate into big viewing audiences.  Adding gamification elements to extend and reward engagement with exclusive badges (while establishing a tribal hierarchy) only fuels this second-screen experience further.   All this while prompting viewers to watch the TV show when it airs. As a viewer, you may not care. But for broadcasters, the power of push matters a lot.  

Most importantly, all of these examples allow networks to further fuel the fans’ desire to root for and connect with their favourite content, which is what drives passion and loyalty. It’s really about fishing where the fish are and using the right bait.  To this end, there's an entire wave of start-ups, technologies and platforms that open up new possibilities for brands and media connect with fans and to build engagement around their content.  Click here for more examples of Integration of Social Media with Live Television.

BEYOND SOCIAL TV
All too often, even the best examples of social media in entertainment are simply finding new ways to connect with those to whom they’re already connected.  So, how do you expand the reach of a network, program or personality beyond the reach of the existing audience?  It starts by seeing the future of television as much more than social.  Social media merely connects the individual nodes that make up the human network.  Social however, is not a means to an end.   As such, the same is true about the working theories driving Social TV. Understanding the role social plays in how viewers connect with programs and other people is essential to defining the future of television.

To start, the future of television is more than integrating Tweets or #hashtags into the programming to start a “global conversation”.  This is a time when bringing to life what’s possible takes imagination, design, scripting, and innovation. We need to raise the bar. The future of TV won’t be driven by a social media strategy. Instead, the future of TV will be driven by innovation and a vision for more meaningful entertainment and engagement.  This innovation will in turn inspire new programming, revenue opportunities and ultimately social media strategies. 

The program is the event

It’s the epicenter of engagement. The future of TV starts with defining how the event is alluring, captivating, and most importantly shareable.  It is in the context of each device and the context of the event that brings viewers together. The nature of the event also defines are engagement is triggered. We can’t assume that content and channels are agnostic. What we can assume is that audiences are already more fractured and distributed. Each channel (broadcast, online, and social) and each device serves a purpose. But no purpose will ever compensate for content or events that are not participatory.

If you think about it, some of the biggest events, such as the Super Bowl and the GRAMMYs, are only earning greater concentrations of live audiences. This is in part due to the content of the event, but it’s also driven by the conversations that make the event communal, a real-time exchange. Whether it’s driven by a fear of missing out (FOMO) or a desire to share in the experience, broadcast events are conduits to live participation and as such, can be designed to spark online engagement.

It’s about effectively engaging a connected class of consumers who live the digital lifestyle. And, they are not only connected, they’re incredibly discerning. Connected consumers don’t just expect online, on-demand streaming optimized for each device, they expect to engage in each screen differently and in a dynamic way. This is where you come in. The experience requires definition. The experience requires architecture. And, the supporting experiential infrastructure must be adaptive. It’s part programming, part mobile and social media, and part engagement. It’s also episodic and continual.

Today, we’re seeing experimentation across the screens with strategies that invite audience participation. Some live shows now run social media tickers during programs. Other live events feature tweets and also live statistics based on social media analytics. Some programs are integrating community participation into content. Others are using social media to tell supporting stories between seasons or airing special webisodes to keep interest and anticipation high between on air programs. Apps are also emerging to open new windows between programs and mobile audiences.

So what? What we need to do for any of these initiatives to work is to align them with a higher purpose and a vision for what the new relationship looks like between viewer and the program, the viewer and the program’s elements, storyline and characters/roles, between the viewer and the screen, and between viewers and other viewers.

You must first answer questions.  What is the objective and the purpose of your social TV initiative? What kind of relationship are you striving for and how will you enliven it through each channel in a way that’s not only engaging, but also relevant? What would the “Tweet heard around the world” look like and what is the social spark that would trigger activity? What does the experience look like on a mobile phone, tablet, PC, and a TV? Meaning, what does the second and third screen experience look like? Design it and also design it back into the first screen programming. Programming is just the beginning. Advertising also has a new opportunity to engage in a more meaningful way.

Rather than simply buying seconds and using spots to promote social media campaigns, visits to Facebook pages or rallies to Tweet a branded hashtag (brandtag), think about it as a way to tell a story that can live beyond the spot or beyond the campaign. Old Spice learned that its commercials were too successful to treat as traditional campaigns that would start and stop. Viewers don’t “turn off” so why wouldn’t a great story continue to live on across distributed platforms where consumers are more than willing to engage? Now, Old Spice hosts an ongoing experience where its campaign has become a transmedia experience that perseveres across online, broadcast and social channels. The story, the product, the series keeps viewers engaged. The series also strives to make consumers part of the story where custom videos are created based on input and participation.

Product placement is also open for reinvention. By making products or brands part of the story, advertisers have new opportunities for contextualized storytelling across multiple platforms and the ability to host new interactions, build communities or drive desired outcomes. Everything of course is based on the story advertisers wish to tell and the experience they wish to delivery. The point is that advertising doesn’t just have to end nor does it have to be limited to a finite engagement in new networks and platforms. Storytelling and consumer engagement are infinite if they’re compelling, delightful and shareable. But then again, it takes a different vision supported by an irresistible purpose or intention.

Through experimentation, we are seeing what’s possible. However, networks, advertisers, and producers, must think beyond technology and rethink experiences. By not focusing on the experience or defining the nature of relationships, we fall to mediumalism a condition where we place inordinate weight on the technology of any medium rather than amplifying platform strengths to deliver desired experiences, activity, and outcomes.

The future of Social TV is not yet written nor has it been broadcast. It takes vision. It takes creativity and imagination. It takes innovation. Most importantly, it takes the architecture of experiences to engage, enchant and activate viewers across multiple screens. A hashtag is not a second or third screen experience. Right now, viewers are taking to multiple screens without any cues or direction. What it is you want them to do or say explicit design for each screen. Doing so will inspire more informed and creative ideas through the entire broadcast ecosystem, including the original programming on the main screen.

 

Have other great examples of Social Media enhancing the TV viewing experience?  Please share on Goodbuzz or simply email to us.  Need some help prototyping a dynamic, relevant, participatory second-screen experience?  We’re here to help.

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ARCHITECT A BRAND PEOPLE LOVE

Getting people to love your brand is no small task.  It takes meticulous planning, an innovative strategy and artful execution.  Here are some considerations to help transform your brand:

1. Deliver visionary innovation. Visionary innovation is the consistent art of delivering products and services that push the boundaries of mass imagination. Stop trying to be smaller, smallest, lighter, lightest, cheaper, cheapest and any other ‘er’ and ‘est’ word. These are the pursuits of opportunistic challenger brands imitating, capitalizing and nibbling into an innovator’s market share. They are not the hallmarks of visionary brands that constantly deliver world-changing innovations that create new markets, rather than disrupt them. Case Study, Apple.

2. Deliver trusted authority. Loved brands seemingly have no competition. They are industry stewards and undisputed category leaders. They are top of mind, top of wallet and the natural selection, consistently at the highest rung of the purchase or option decision ladder. In the eyes of mass consumers, the brand is light years ahead and an alternative just does not exist. Case study, Google.

3. Deliver unquestionable performance. Performance is the foundation of promise fulfillment. Performance is not questioned, it is simply enjoyed. Case study, Mercedes-Benz.

4. Deliver consistent confidence. Gaining and retaining customer confidence is a cradle-to-the-grave pursuit. While liked brands deliver reliability, loved brands deliver dependable, consistent confidence across their products, services, distribution channels and locations. Case study, Starbucks.

5. Deliver stunning art. Brands must deliver art that stuns with creativity, attention to detail and aesthetic beauty of form and function. Case study, Harley Davidson.

6. Deliver insider pride. Create products and services with features that insiders and owners love, talk and brag about, that outsiders can only enviously desire. Case study, American Express.

7. Deliver tailored possibilities. In a world where products and services are mass-produced, marketed, distributed and owned, customization and individuality rank high in consumer preferences. To be loved, companies should explore and present tailored possibilities. Case study, Nike ID.

8. Deliver authentic value. People love brands that honestly champion their pursuit for value and hate brands that insult their intelligence and subsequent right to decide and reconsider. Deliver authentic value in your terms, conditions, guarantees, warranties, marketing communications and pricing policies. Stop shaping the perception of value and start delivering it. Case study, IKEA.

9. Deliver boastful talent. Only brands that are truly loved from within will ever be loved from the outside. Ignite internal passion by delivering stellar working terms and conditions for your talent and they will be your loudest and proudest brand champions, ever. Case study, DreamWorks Animation SKG.

10. Deliver evident empathy. Social media has force-opened the gate for brands to properly listen to their customers and either neglect or empathetically connect. The smartest brands will empathize and rapidly problem-solve, acting upon online promises and words. Case Study, Comcast via @comcastcares.

11. Deliver spellbinding magic. Moonwalk from being liked to loved by delivering inspiring, spellbinding magical serendipitous moments that leave consumers and audiences believing that the brand experience was ‘out of this world’. Case study, Michael Jackson.

12. Deliver justified excitement. The by-product of mass excitement is chaotic, hysterical and frenzied anticipation. Loved brands always keep rumor mills turning and its lovers guessing about the next product or service launch. Case study, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

What many brand leaders fail to grasp and act upon is that love is also the most important relationship in business. Love transforms a relationship from a simple consumer connection into a hardened emotional dependency and staunch commitment.  Wants become needs and conditional brand ‘like’ transforms into an illogical, inelastic and unconditional lifetime ‘love’ affair.  When love enters into any equation, money exits wallets and profits surface on balance sheets.  In business, you really get what you give.

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USING CROWDSOURCING TO BE MORE SOCIAL

Two recent crowdsourcing initiatives have shown different ways in which businesses can become more social, opening up previously closed sides of the business to consumers. This gives them the power to influence key decisions in product development, customer service and more.

Proving that even the largest conglomerates can tap into the spirit of collaboration and transparency, Unilever has launched a new forum to gather suggestions for how it might grow its business while simultaneously reducing its environmental impact. Run in collaboration with global technology and IP marketplace, yet2.com, the Open Innovation Submission Portal provides visitors with a list of specific 'Challenges' and 'Wants'. 

These include finding new ways of preserving food naturally and bringing safe drinking water to the world's poorest people. Unilever vets submissions and the most promising partnerships pursued - be it with small technology startups or major international organizations.

Meanwhile, Chilean fashion clothing brand Ripley has taken fashion photography out of the hands of the David Baileys and Mario Testinos of the world and into the hands of the public (via MRM, Santiago). With Rompela Flash Mob, the company invited amateur and professional photographers to take pictures of the Ripley models for their new catalogue. 

Participants didn't need to have a professional camera; some of them even took their pictures with mobile phones. In order to participate, they just had to get their Photographer Pass online. On set, the brand gave them everything they needed to take the pictures: locations, eleven models, make-up artists, hairdressers, assistants and fashion producers. Ripley also gave participants tips on taking better photos on the brand's YouTube channel.

Rompela Flash(mob) - English version from MRM Santiago on Vimeo.

Participating photographers were asked to upload their photos at the campaign's website, where people could vote for their favorite ones. The three most popular photographers won a Canon SX40 camera. At the brand's Facebook page, photographers also competed for daily prizes of gifts cards valued at 50,000 Chilean pesos, exchangeable for Ripley outfits. On both the digital and the print fashion catalogues, each picture comes with the name of the person who took it and can be shared online through Facebook and Twitter.

It's great to see brands that have traditionally been comparatively closed - from the proprietary corporate infrastructures of huge conglomerates to the exclusive world of the fashion house - working in these kinds of open, collaborative ways. It makes sense to give consumers a chance to become genuinely involved in the brand's products and services, allowing them access to places previously off limits and the power to influence companies in ways they couldn't before.

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The Goodbuzz Difference

Thought leadership - We repeatedly demonstrate our competence by articulating precisely why certain media attract and engage.  To this end, our Facebook platform, for example, garners well over one million impressions annually and is extended on average to over 25,000 users weekly.  This blog alone has received over 50,000 views.  Our collective fans and followers are well over 2 million impressions annually - so we walk the walk. 

Experience - Our staff have unparalleled experience in delivering digital solutions that transcend media. Today’s Goodbuzz is a digital collective - pioneers of the modern advertising paradigm - part advertising, part PR, and part emerging technology.  We are motivated by a common interest, paradigm and belief.  

Our collective goal is to prototype the future - linking the digital and physical worlds by developing 'branded utility' and moving away from interruptive 'push' models towards more meaningful ways of connecting.

Clients - We also have identified some of the notable clients and brands we’ve worked with.   From Swiss Chalet, to Time Magazine’s “2009 Top 100 Most Influential people” author Martin Lindstrom, to the Conservative Party of Canada, to the PGA’s 2010 ‘Rookie of the Year’ Rickie Fowler.  From Puma Golf, to Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ), to the Screen Actor’s Guild Foundation, to Awkward Family Photos and points between.

We never champion mediocrity and pride ourselves in our ability to creatively ‘pull a rabbit out of the hat’ – finding the unique insights and drivers that amplify and extend your message. Ultimately, we're less about crafting moments and more about crafting movements.  

As we’ve repeatedly proven, Goodbuzz inject new life into any brand by creating participatory transmedia (i.e. media agnostic) brand experiences that entice consumers to play, create, and share.  Note: Goodbuzz Inc. is also a part of the Level5 family.

Value Add – We start brand revolutions all stemming from strategic brand personas, scorecards and frameworks that establish and drive best practices.  We can work with you or your agency, but bottom line – we guarantee we can get more from your activities and budget.

Contact us today to see what we can do for your brand.

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SOCIAL MEDIA CASE STUDIES [GB_V75.0]

Kraft Foods' Oreo brand is celebrating its 100th birthday on Facebook and Twitter by encouraging fans to submit personal videos, pictures, stories, and short animated films capturing their own childlike moments - PR Daily

Kotex 'Womens Inspiration Day' uses Pinterest to find 50 women (in Israel) and what inspires them. From there, Kotex created individual inspiration packages using what each woman had on her Pinterest Boards, turning them into gift boxes which were ultimately pinned and blogged about - YouTube

Disney's Marvel Studios announced they will offer advance screenings around the world for "The Avengers" in cities where the movie has gained the most fans on Facebook - Boston.com

The Generous Store’s ‘Chocolates for Deeds’ Promotion - Instead of a cash register the pop-up store uses iPads where people can log in to Facebook and post their promises to the profiles of both the giver and receiver of the generous deed - YouTube

Despite the hype, Facebook's Timeline may not be the most exciting, or important change coming on March 30. Expanded advertising opportunities may unlock the greatest potential for brands to grow on Facebook - More

According to PhaseOne Communications, Starbucks, Audi, McDonald's, Red Bull, and American Express rank in the top most socially engaging brands due to their "idealized self" brand message - MediaPost

The Value of Social Loyalty (for the airline industry) - Infographic

The NHL and EA Sports are teaming up to give fans the chance to choose the next athlete for the cover of the new "NHL 13" game. Fans can then promote their top picks on Facebook and Twitter with hashtag #NHL13Cover - ESPN

The Future of Profit is Purpose - The challenge that most brands are facing today using social media is that their brands don’t stand for anything. Certainly they make something or provide a service – but they don’t stand for anything. Bottom line is that your own brand ‘movement’ needs social media, but more than that it needs a higher purpose. At its core this is our modern reality - Article

American Express is finding success in social media by getting their fans' attention and gaining their trust with three simple guidelines - Social Media Today

This AIDS campaign leverages a popular scam technique on Facebook to spread the “virus” of AIDS awareness. Brazilian radio station Mix FM posted two very sexy videos featuring a gorgeous man and a very hot girl. A lot of fans were attracted to the the videos and watched them, not being aware that the videos, without their permission, were automatically publicly posted on their Facebook timeline - YouTube

To mark their 140th anniversary, Heineken has released a limited edition bottle that was designed by winners of their global Facebook competition - Marketing Magazine

The Four Seasons hotel in Toronto has launched a memory book on Facebook for past and current guests to upload their photos and personal stories - Luxury Daily

Does your social brand need a mascot? Brand mascots are making a comeback thanks to social media as marketers redeploy old characters in new ways, create fresh ones from scratch and use digital media to spin out rich storylines not possible in the past - AdAge

IKEA: Multi-View Interactive Kitchen Stories


The Shorty Awards honored Walgreens, Volkswagen, CNN, Research In Motion, and more for the best work in social media channels, viral campaigns, websites, games, and applications - Shorty Awards

Macy's is building an interactive social community for their customers to give feedback and interact with each other online - ClickZ

MatterPort is a startling new technology that allows users to simply point a gun and create 3D maps of their surrounding environment. Imagine the possibilities for its use in special effects and even video game environments. Coming soon to a campaign near you - Vimeo

Some creative is worth posting twice. ;) We love campaigns that integrate real-world social (api) data to enhance the user experience (i.e. Intel's 'Museum of Me' and Toyota's "Your Other You"). ‘Take This Lollipop' is a PSA for internet privacy however that takes the concept to a whole new level – Take This Lollipop

Dubbed "The first campaign using Torrents" - here's a clever Blood Donation drive in Russia. The 'Torrent Your Blood' Campaign launched as a short film, complete with microsite, trailers and social media to promote and amplify. The catch? Content was only available via a torrent (just like a blood donation) – Video

Here's an interesting online promotion for HomeSense targeting women 25-54 with strong results. It was supported with both print and radio - so well integrated and the appropriate engagement tools were used (based upon the target technographic profile). What’s clear is that women specifically love to demonstrate to other women how fashionable they are and be validated for it (witness Pinterest) – Video Below.

Volkswagens Social Gamification Promotion "Hitchhike with a like" awards points and prizes for engagement and even a 2012 Beetle Trip across Europe. More - http://on.fb.me/GUSITi

This is remarkable - the 'World's First Virtual Shopping Store' opens in Korea. All the Shelves are LCD Screens and users simply choose their desired items by touching the screen. Once you've paid all items are delivered to your home – Image

Human RFID approved by US - People will obviously cite privacy issues (and rightfully so), however, can you imagine the enhanced retail experience that could be provided when dealing with a ‘known’ user? Not entirely sure whether the world’s ready for this yet – but certainly worth posting. What do you think? More on http://bit.ly/eTgFo

When it comes to life, what's the point of "business" anyways? Is there one? - http://bit.ly/HcW8mI - and what does a life worth living look like in our modern reality? A great article by Umair Haque (Director of Havas Media Labs and author of Betterness: Economics for Humans and The New Capitalist Manifesto: Building a Disruptively Better Business.)

Target: Young males. Product: Toyota Matrix. Forgive the age of this video, however, we've been searching for any versions of it still online (for well over a year) - as the original website (by Mekanism) was taken down when Toyota was sued for it. The site used Facebook Connect and asks a few questions to extend an immersive transmedia experience. Here’s the Case Study

"The Value of $1" project - Here's a new way of participating in a social business. Participating in “The Value of $1” project (by Projector Tokyo for Uniqlo) is as simple as purchasing an electronic study book for just one dollar. More - http://bit.ly/HlkINy

Lowe Brindfors (and B-Reel) just released the second installment of 'Magnum Pleasure Hunt', which sees its lady bonbon hunter frolicking through the streets of Soho, Paris, and Rio de Janeiro. What do you think?  Players help her collect the goodies throughout the journey, which includes everything from a Frogger-like street game and rides on scooters, surfboards and helium balloons – Website

What Does Social Media Need to Really Work? - Article

Whether a new meme or the Kony 2012 video - every week there is something new that catches everyone’s attention. Ultimately viral content needs to evoke an emotional response from a targeted audience that motivates them to share it with their social networks. Ever wonder what it takes for content to go 'viral'? – Check http://bit.ly/GZU2Vh

Pepsi Next is offering their Facebook fans an internet taste test via a personalized video from the Funny or Die improv crew -  Facebook

Dell has updated their IdeaStorm community platform to include more staff involvement, social media integration, rewards for superstar contributors, and Storm Sessions -- real-time dialogue between representatives and members about specific issues -  Forbes

P&G's Pepto-Bismol, Target, and Walgreens are using social media data to guide their marketing efforts -  Digiday

GE shares how they are embracing social media through a "stock and flow" approach on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest -  BtoB

Walmart is teaming up with General Mills, ConAgra Foods, Kraft Foods, and The Kellogg Company to donate more than 42 million meals to food banks around the country. Shoppers can participate by entering product codes online, sharing a hashtag on Twitter, or scanning a QR code on participating foods to generate the meals -  Walmart Community

McCormick has launched their new Pinterest page with a themed "My Look Book" feature and contest that encourages fans to create their own board of favorite recipes to share -  The New York Times

MTV's Voices hub -- an international platform that highlights positive and inspirational social content -- has added the new "I Care" button for viewers to show and share their support instead of using the traditional "like" button -  Econsultancy

London-based department store Harrods is giving fans the chance to inspire a famous window display by designing their own store window idea on a Pinterest board -  Luxury Daily

By launching their video on Sharethrough - a social video distribution platform - Puma reached more than 8,300 total social engagements and over one million views -  MediaPost

NBC Philadelphia is premiering a new show called "Life Around Home" that will choose its subject matter based on posts to its Facebook and other social media pages -  All Facebook

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