The Language of Love in Social Media - ARMI - Marketing

guarded. There are indications people worry
that they might be exploited either in the
real world or by marketers if they give access to
this personal information. Finally, the quality
of our relationships also seems to have been
negatively impacted with the growth of social
media. In a world of social media, emphasis is
placed on quantity over quality. More is made
of the numbers – how many friends or followers
you have – rather than depth and meaning
behind them.
Lots of Global Commonalities, A Few
Differences
People from South Africa to the United States to Colombia,
find the same appeal in social media and derive similar
benefits from it. After all, those deep-seated emotional
drivers operate on a human level (versus a cultural one).
However, there are a few notable differences. China is an
interesting case because the government tightly controls
the flow of information. The Chinese we spoke to have been
quick to embrace social media but have yet to fully experience
some of the applications and platforms. For example,
access to Facebook is strictly prohibited. They have other
social networks such as RenRen that serve the same end,
but they feel left out of the global conversation without the
ability to use Facebook. They have friends and colleagues
who live and work outside China and know what’s available
– and what they are missing. Controls on sites like Facebook
run counter to the freedom they believe is inherent in social
media. India also has a strong desire to fully join the global
community on social media but for slightly different
reasons. Indians are undergoing a shift in their social
networking preferences from the well-established platform,
Orkut, to Facebook. They feel Orkut is not evolving fast
enough – and with enough innovative features and
functionality – to keep up with what people are looking
for from social media platforms. In addition, Orkut feels
“dated” and too rooted in the region, and more specifically,
the developing world. Thus, more and more Indians have
moved to Facebook as their primary social network.
Summary
Social media is indeed a powerful force in the world. It
has reshaped the way we interact with one another, how
consumers look at brands, and in turn, how brands will need
to act to capture the attention and loyalty of consumers. If
brands are to succeed in social media, they must change
their entire marketing approach:
• Act like a friend vs. a corporation.
• Build relationships with consumers vs. “sell.”
• Think community vs. marketplace.
As a respondent told us, “[Brands] have to surprise me, not
only meet my needs, but anticipate my needs. By using social
media exclusively, I think the company has to answer me
whenever I have a question, enlighten me whenever I complain,
and thank me whenever I compliment them.” If brands
can do that – by speaking the right language in social media
– they will undoubtedly find lots of consumer love.
To learn more and receive the full report, please contact
Rob Hernandez
Global Brand Director, Firefly Millward Brown
+1 847 309 1174
rob.hernandez@fireflymb.com
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The Language of Love in Social Media | New rules for brand engagement
© 2010 Firefly Millward Brown
www.fireflymb.com