Social Truth and Authenticity? When a product or brand's promise seems too good to be true

In the age of Photoshop, subtle imperfections seem to be lessened.  Our skin is fresh and blemish-free, our jawbones chiseled, cheekbones defined, and teeth shining bright. Even that last ten pounds around the waist evaporates with the swipe of a mouse!

Whether the mop that promises to make floors look ‘new’ with just one pass, or any number of products that claim and reinforce ‘perfection’ messaging - it’s the scenarios Martin Lindstrom identifies where, there’s “not even a hint of a single red spot, a stubborn stain, or a bedraggled mother”.  This is really the story of the past fifty years of advertising.  An industry developing messages that implied, portrayed, and promoted ‘perfect’ brands in ‘perfect’ environments.   Let’s face it - nobody likes canned laughter.

Did you ever wonder how consumers interpret these messages?  The simple answer is pooly.  Consumers are a lot savvier than most advertisers give them credit for.  According to test subjects monitored using fMRI, messages portraying perfection were not seen as trustworthy.  This is because consumers don’t ‘mirror’ themselves against such images, nor are they inspirational motivators.   

All attempts at portraying some otherworldly perfection seem to actually generate feelings of enormous distaste (and in some cases even horror) in the minds of consumers.  People related best to are those who we perceived shared our weaknesses - those who mirror, or at least seem capable of mirroring, the mistakes we tend to make. 

From the Simple Life to the Hills to YouTube, reality programming dominates our modern landscape.  Fueled by our desire for authenticity, Life has become the ultimate reality show.  More and more advertisers are beginning to recognize that consumers enjoy watching, and empathizing with, people just like them.  Why?  Simply because ads and commercials created by everyday people tend not to feature models, but rather normal looking people who resemble us.  It allows us to connect and identify with them more easily.  Moreover, average looking people seem more inviting, as if welcoming us to the brand. Real people suggest any authentic back-story.  

The one thing we know today?  If a brand’s claims seem too good to be true - they probably are.  What do you think?
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Goodbuzz creates social media campaigns that entice consumers to play, create, and share brand experiences. We focus on developing "branded utility" - moving away from interruptive 'push' models towards more meaningful ways of connecting.  From simple metrics to actionable insights that enable data-driven marketing decisions - Goodbuzz links social media efforts to business outcomes.  Visit Goodbuzz Inc.

ATTENTION BRANDS: TWITTER USERS AREN'T TALKING TO YOU OR ABOUT YOU. IN FACT, THEY BARELY KNOW YOU EXIST.

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Attention brands: Twitter users aren't talking to you or about you. In fact, they barely know you exist. That's one of the conclusions of a six-month analysis of the service's ubiquitous 140-character messages conducted by digital agency 360i and released today.

Despite marketers' embrace of the medium, brands are finding themselves on the outside of the conversation. Of the 90% of Twitter messages sent by real people -- the other 10% come from businesses -- only 12% ever mention a brand, and most of those mentions are of Twitter itself.

Further, only 1% of consumer tweets that mention a brand are part of an active conversation with that brand, meaning marketers are, for the most part, conducting one-way conversations -- the opposite of the way consumers often use Twitter.

The most mentioned brands on Twitter tend to be there because they are part of a constant daily conversation, not because of anything the brand is or isn't doing on Twitter. The most mentioned brands on Twitter are, in descending order, Twitter, Apple, Google, YouTube, Microsoft, Blackberry, Amazon, Facebook, Snuggie, eBay and Starbucks.

Embedded in the culture

Snuggie is the surprise brand on the list, but that appears to reflect the brand's place in the culture, not its own Twitter activity. Official Snuggie profile @OriginalSnuggie has just 591 followers and @WeezerSnuggie, an account set up to promote the once-popular Weezer video, has just 693 followers and has been dormant since November.

After spending six months going over a statistically significant sample of 1,800 tweets, 360i Senior-VP Sarah Hofstetter was struck at just how mundane and personal they were. "They're mostly doing what people mocked Twitter about in the first place, as in, what I had for lunch."

The vast majority of real people's tweets, 94%, are personal in nature. Most tweets, 85%, are original and not re-tweets of other messages. They're also very often conversational: 43% of tweets begin with an "@" sign, meaning they're directed at another user, not the sender's followers at large.

While marketers such as Dell, Comcast, Ford and Starbucks have been, at times, clever participants on Twitter, the majority of marketers use it as a mini press-release service. Only 12% of messages from marketers are directed at individual Twitter users, meaning marketers still see it as a broadcast medium rather than a conversational one.

Showing up isn't enough
"There is still a misperception that if brands show up, people will listen to them, kind of like Facebook a few years ago," Ms. Hofstetter said. "Twitter can be used as a promotional RSS feed, but that's not going to establish a relationship with anybody."

The study was conducted before Twitter took any advertising, from October 2009 through March 2010. Twitter has since rolled out a series of ad units including promoted tweets and trends. Ms. Hofstetter said the ads are great to help boost things already popular on Twitter. "They are only going to work if they are relevant in the first place," she said.

Twitter posts are intrinsically navel-gazing, conversational and personal, but they aren't predominantly self-promotional. Depending on your circle of connections, it can certainly feel, as Wired's Evan Ratliff noted, that "self-aggrandizement" is "standard fare" on Twitter. But the 360i study found only 2% of tweets were professional updates or career-related.

What do Twitter users talk about? Beyond the 43% of individuals' tweets that are conversational, 24% are status updates, 12% are links to news or comment on current events, and 3% are seeking or giving advice.  The good news for brands is that when a consumer does mention them on Twitter, they're usually not complaining about it. Only 7% of tweets mentioning brands indicated negative sentiment, 11% positive and an overwhelmingly 82% neutral.

Is your company or brand using Twitter and finding different results?  Let us know.

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Goodbuzz creates social media campaigns that entice consumers to play, create, and share brand experiences. We focus on developing "branded utility" - moving away from interruptive 'push' models towards more meaningful ways of connecting.  From simple metrics to actionable insights that enable data-driven marketing decisions - Goodbuzz links social media efforts to business outcomes.  Visit Goodbuzz Inc.

The Challenge of Building a Dynamic “Butcher” Brand Online - Social Media

Victor Churchill, a European-inspired designer shop of carnivorous inspiration (Butcher) in Sydney developed a website and released an iPhone app, appropriately named “Ask the Butcher”.  The “Ask the Butcher App” (created by Australia’s  Blind Mice Studios) extends users a connoisseurs guide to buying and cooking meat. 

“Ask the Butcher” answers all your questions about the perfect cut of meat, how to cook it, and what recipes to use it in.  The app even has a built in timer which reminds when to turn the meat - all in an attempt to keep premium meat, well, premium. 

What we find most refreshing about this brand is simply the fact that it’s only a butcher shop – but fights well above its weight class.   Whether Victor Churchill does in fact reap direct and measurable return on investment (ROI) from the iPhone app becomes secondary to the buzz created around their messaging and positioning.  The forward positioning becomes the differentiator and Victor Churchill is seen as a market leader.   Moreover, the PR and media buzz created more than offsets the cost of development.

Victor Churchill radically differentiated themselves as a brand and stand out in the market as a result.  In their quest for innovation they continually reinforce and amplify the core values behind their brand. It’s a reminder to all of us, no matter what we do, we need to be constantly looking for new ways to express and refresh brands.

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Goodbuzz creates social media campaigns that entice consumers to play, create, and share brand experiences. We focus on developing "branded utility" - moving away from interruptive 'push' models towards more meaningful ways of connecting.  From simple metrics to actionable insights that enable data-driven marketing decisions - Goodbuzz links social media efforts to business outcomes.  Visit Goodbuzz Inc.

The world’s first purported socially integrated e-commerce website.

Tinypay.me is the easiest way to sell virtually anything and is the world’s first socially integrated e-commerce website.  Genius Idea: If you are thinking of putting an old watch up for auction on eBay or listing your latest T-shirt design on Etsy, you may want to check out Tinypay.me first.

Tinypay.me is an e-commerce service that enables users to create quick listings for their products or services. Simply fill out the name, price and a quick description of the good or service you’d like to sell, type in a few personal details and upload a picture. You can also opt to donate the proceeds of the sale to charity, and identify your product or service’s location on a map.  You can then share your listing directly with your social networks or set up your own online store on your blog or website. The whole process can take less than a minute.

The service only asks for your name and your PayPal e-mail address; you don’t even need to set up an account or share any of your bank information. You can also sync your listing with Facebook, Twitter and Google Product Search to share your listings instantaneously.

While the service is great for selling your products and services quickly and easily, it lacks many of the benefits of e-commerce sites like eBay, Etsy and Amazon Marketplace. They are destination sites for buyers and drive most of the traffic to the listings of individual sellers via marketing and excellent search and recommendation engines. And although Tinypay.me allows visitors to leave comments on a product, it has yet to implement seller and product ratings.  In other words, if you want to succeed with Tinypay.me, you’re going to have to depend entirely on your website and social networks to advertise and sell your goods.

Find out more about the service in the video below.

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Goodbuzz creates social media campaigns that entice consumers to play, create, and share brand experiences. We focus on developing "branded utility" - moving away from interruptive 'push' models towards more meaningful ways of connecting.  From simple metrics to actionable insights that enable data-driven marketing decisions - Goodbuzz links social media efforts to business outcomes.  Visit Goodbuzz Inc.

Social Media Case Studies [July2-GB_V3.0]

In a social media first, Kmart is combining their online gaming community at MyKmart.com with offline retail activity by taking video game reviews from the site and placing them on store shelves.  Social Media Explorer

USA Network is using social media to market their new "Character Rewards" loyalty program, which lets fans earn points by watching videos, playing games, and reposting content to both Facebook and Twitter.  DMNews

Social media architect for Clorox, Greg Piche, shares how the brand connects with partners and consumers through their Clorox Connects community. Social Media Examiner

LG is using both YouTube and Facebook to launch the second phase of their "Life's Good" campaign, an idea based on a spoof American soap opera that dramatizes the use of social networks in everyday life.  Brand Republic

Jordan Stone from We Are Social gives an analysis of the brilliant Old Spice campaign that took the internet by storm and brought social media to a new level.  We Are Social

In its first Foursquare promotion, Ann Taylor is offering discounts to shoppers who check in to one of the company's eight New York stores.  Mashable

Top executives from Hershey, Best Buy, Del Monte, and more share insights on creating effective corporate social media strategies.  MediaPost

Coca-Cola brought in 86 million Twitter impressions in 24 hours by using Promoted Tweets to tap into the online discussion about the World Cup.  Social Media at Work

Andrew Varga, CMO at Papa John's, speaks about the outcome of their "Specialty Pizza Challenge," a contest asking consumers to submit their own pizza recipes via Facebook. Brandweek


Campbell's used Facebook to launch a new sampling campaign for their V-8 Fusion juice drinks. Consumers who friend their page will get the chance to receive a sample of the brand's new V-8 Fusion + Tea. PROMO

To promote the recent opening of "Sorcerer's Apprentice" in theaters, Disney became the first to try out Twitter's new @EarlyBird service. Advertising Age

Ben & Jerry's has discontinued their email marketing campaigns in favour of social media, asking subscribers to connect with them via Facebook and Twitter.  HubSpot Blog

Xerox's interactive and social marking VP, Duane Schulz, shares how they used a product launch to engage the entire company in social media.  Vimeo

Barbie has joined Foursquare! In celebration of Mattel's new Barbie Video Girl doll, she will use the social media site to promote location-based scavenger hunts.  Online Social Media

Pfizer is the first company in the regulated industry to launch a social media channel on SlideShare, the world's largest online community for sharing presentations.  Business Wire

From content to metrics, Doug Webster, director of strategic communications at Cisco, talks about implementing an effective social media strategy. Econsultancy

GE's private online community, MarkNet, provides a forum where the company's 5,000 global marketing professionals can share best practices, interact, and build relationships.  CNBC

The Director of e-commerce and online marketing for Wyndham Hotel Group answers questions about using social media in the travel industry.  Hospitality Net

The Director of interactive marketing and convergence media at Kodak, shares how the brand got started in corporate blogging and talks about engaging with BtoB and consumer audiences. BtoB

Campbell's used Facebook to launch a new sampling campaign for their V-8 Fusion juice drinks. Consumers who friend their page will get the chance to receive a sample of the brand's new V-8 Fusion + Tea. PROMO

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Goodbuzz creates social media campaigns that entice consumers to play, create, and share brand experiences. We focus on developing "branded utility" - moving away from interruptive 'push' models towards more meaningful ways of connecting.  From simple metrics to actionable insights that enable data-driven marketing decisions - Goodbuzz links social media efforts to business outcomes.  Visit Goodbuzz Inc.

Diesel's "Facepark" and the "Be Stupid" Campaign

As part of Diesel's "Be Stupid" campaign, the brand wanted to highlight the ridiculousness of wasting so much time on social networks and decided to get people to waste time in parks instead. This led to "Facepark", described as a "stupid idea that might save the world. But probably won't". The idea, devised by DDB Düsseldorf, was to bring the clichés of social media platforms back to the real world in a very literal way.

For one day, Diesel created an analogue version of Facebook, called Facepark - effectively a mini festival in a park in Berlin. The brand created cardboard cut out profiles, which users could frame their faces with, just like on the real social networks. They could fill in a box with their "status" and also write comments on the cardboard and some of their friends. People could become friends with others by attaching their name to a friend's cardboard profile. Cardboard stands complete with actors were created for fan groups or applications such as Farmville and Mafia Wars, which people could then comment upon using stickers. They could add "like" stickers to people, groups and comments.

Diesel also created giant foam hands with which to "poke" fellow Faceparkers as well as small Frisbees upon which people could write messages before throwing to a friend. Bands including the Hotlaing, Bodi Bill and Holden Caulfield, provided the entertainment.

The campaign was supported by a website, featuring the event details, a community section, and a range of viral videos. One people to create their "Ass Status", i.e. log into their Facebook account, put the cursor into the status bar and then sit on your keyboard before posting whatever random combination of letters appeared.

Diesel's Facepark also has an associated "Stupid is Analog" Facebook Page.  There's also a manual called "How to Facepark". 

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Goodbuzz creates social media campaigns that entice consumers to play, create, and share brand experiences. We focus on developing "branded utility" - moving away from interruptive 'push' models towards more meaningful ways of connecting.  From simple metrics to actionable insights that enable data-driven marketing decisions - Goodbuzz links social media efforts to business outcomes.  Visit Goodbuzz Inc.

"Ask a Designer" - David Thorne Anthology

The following is hilarious e-mail correspondence between a Designer named David Thorne (Australian humourist, satirist, Internet personality and author) and the world he engages.  His website is a collection of various humorous stories and accounts from Thorne's own life. Much of Thorne's humour is autobiographical and self-deprecating, often concerning his immediate family and work associates.  Also quite possibly the funniest copy we’ve read in years.

•                Missing Missy

•                Simon's Pie Charts

•                Party in Apartment 3

•                Permission Slip

•                Too Cool For School

•                Overdue Account

•                Shopping with Simon

•                Strata Agreement

•                I wish I Had a Monkey

•                Grubby Tenant

•                1000 Characters

•                Flash Drive Infringement

•                Love Letters from Dick

•                Chatroulette

•                Blockbuster Late Fees

•                Web Genius

•                Magic 8 Ball Wednesday

•                Working Out With Jeff

•                5pm

•                Investment Opportunity

•                Sign & Print Here Please

•                Roz Loves Adelaide

•                Nigerian Sex Scam

•                Twelve Coffee Cups

•                Lifesize Lucius™

•                Lesley the Lesbian

•                Level 46 Dwarf

•                Bill's Guide to the Internet

•                Flight Commander

•                Monarto Zoo

•                St Kilda Mangroves

•                Wilderness Survival

•                Bees Like Yellow

•                Barnesyfan67

•                Will Draw for Food

•                Mark's Pet Headlice

•                Scanning Fine Art

•                Sponsor a Black Boy

•                New Hope for Thomas

•                A Baby's Smile

•                Dolphin Collectables

•                iWank Pro

•                Birthday Boy

•                CCTV Installed in Foyer

•                Hello, I'm Lucius

•                Blanket of Security

•                Thomas Brady

•                Shannon Eats Lunch

•                Tattoo

•                Photography Tips

•                Kaleth the Adelaide Gothic

•                Frogs

•                John's Bicycle

•                Lillians Mouse

•                Tom the Sad Caveman

•                A song I like

•                Free Big Screen Plasma

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Goodbuzz creates social media campaigns that entice consumers to play, create, and share brand experiences. We focus on developing "branded utility" - moving away from interruptive 'push' models towards more meaningful ways of connecting.  From simple metrics to actionable insights that enable data-driven marketing decisions - Goodbuzz links social media efforts to business outcomes.  Visit Goodbuzz Inc.  

Note: Any / all product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged.