Social Media Boom and Marketing heights

Businesses are looking more critically at social media and its influence on the bottom line. The buzz of social media is a new big thing to talk about. Social media becomes a powerful backbone of marketing. Whether it is a rise of a brand or a fall, social media plays a vital role. Marketing gimmicks have become an attraction on Infobahn, like Garnier products giving a dreadful skin disease or a Frooti employee mixing drops of HIV infected blood; all hampers your brand image. Also dumping a simple ice bucket on your heads can increase your brand equity.

Is ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, silly social media fad, a waste of water or just another example of “slacktivism” that allows people to feel good about themselves without really doing much? I was really keen to know about it and also what was so great about the ALS Ice bucket challenge which has even made celebs crazy for it?

And this is what I got to know about ALS Ice Bucket Challenge– in which millions of people shared videos of themselves getting doused with ice water and then demanding that others do the same or donate to fight the disease or both. From July 29 to Aug. 20, the ALS Association was able to raise more than $31 million to fund research to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a fatal disease that attacks the nervous system. Doesn’t it freak you out?

When members of Team FrateTrain issued the Ice Bucket Challenge to their base, they did not set out to make it a huge viral hit, nor did they have a large fundraising goal in mind. They simply wanted to raise awareness about ALS and Pete’s fight among as many people as they could. By focusing and executing on that goal alone, the rest happened organically.

What Marketing Lessons I learnt:-

1. Attention catcher:- What you really need is a unique story or concept to get going. Crazy attributes, Like Videos of people dumping ice water on their heads will definitely catch everyone’s attention. This again backed up by a great story hits the emotions and hold the attention of the customers. Like a great story of Pete Frates a former collegiate athlete, has everyone hooked on.

2. Awareness is better than nothing:- The next mantra is to make the customers aware of the utility of the product by hitting hard on their emotions .The path you choose of awareness should be a great eye catcher for making it viral like ALS Ice bucket challenge, and also your product should stand out of the shelf, for an example even a toilet cleaner “Harpic” can fit in your brains by promoting the reality of showing soiled toilets getting white clean I know its “eww” but it’s purely marketing.

3. Branding is Possible with minimum Investment or no Investment:-
The next important lesson I learnt that Branding is Possible with minimum Investment or no Investment. Brand your products in a manner where consumers are provoked to purchase and for that you just need an innovative idea and not heavy pockets. Because of The ALS campaign even the celebrities did the crazy thing of dumping an ice bucket on their heads. And the best part is ALS benefited tremendously without any hefty investments.

4. Inspire your products with top notches:- Your brand’s activities should be inspired by, and emanate from, a higher ideal. The ice bucket challenge not only gives participants the chance to spread awareness about Lou Gehrig’s disease, but it also gives them an opportunity to pitch in and make a difference. Everyone from Ethyl Kennedy to Bill Gates has participated. Hence the Branding strategy should create such an impact that customers feel proud to associate with.

5. Going Viral also fades quickly: How many of us remember that dance Gangnam style or why This Kolavari Di. Which was once upon a time topic of discussion of each one of us? The same will be of ALS awareness campaign. So better be ready with the next innovative idea once you are viral. The next time you are brainstorming a great marketing campaign, challenge your team to think outside the box (or the ice bucket). Even the craziest ideas can take a brand to a new level if they have a strong purpose, and spark conversation. As nothing lasts on social media forever.

6. Customers are everything:
Customers are everything and convincing them is a tough nut to crack. If your customers are impressed your work is done in no time. Your call to action should be engaging and easy, to have broad impact. ALS awareness campaign expanded the horizons of its customers worldwide. Most people have an ice bucket, a smart-phone, and a social media account. It’s a fun, affordable, and mind catching.

7. Be Grateful to Controversy:-
You should be ready to welcome controversy. Controversy means that your brand has come to a lime light. Even an internet trend as simple as dumping cold water on your head will create controversy. Groups on all sides have spoken about a range of issues on ALS campaign but, at the end of the day, a discussion has begun. $31M has been raised through the challenge and the awareness about the deadly disease has been spread throughout the globe. Nothing is negative when you are viral and in the end your goal is accomplished.

These are some of my marketing lessons what are yours?

Hussain Wardhawala