Innovation vs. Litigation

From my latest contribution to Ad Age/Digital Next:
"There's a growing number of case studies of brands that go beyond putting their ads on social networks and it's becoming increasingly clear that brands that figure out how to engage customers meaningfully through the use of social media can reap rewards, but there is some risk. To help understand that risk you need to truly understand how different social media is compared to something like, say, interactive marketing.

For starters, it's social which means it's people-to-people, not technology-to-people. Secondly, you can't walk away that easily from social initiatives the way you can walk away from that microsite and banner campaign you just launched. (Well, you could -- but I wouldn't recommend it.) And lastly -- and most importantly -- you have to understand that social media as the killer app of our time has one killer feature which is designed to make your legal department cringe. It's called feedback. Even putting a simple video on YouTube means that you are opening yourself up to the opinions of anyone and everyone who has something to say. So what's a business, brand or large organization to do? I have a few suggestions."
Read the full article on Advertising Age

Comments

[Eric Dieter]

Great article here. I feel like you brought up many points that should be at the forefront of attention when deciding an implementation strategy. Often companies are so optimistic about the opportunities within these concentrated networks that they forget to evaluate potential cost beyond capital investment.

I do feel however that opportunity lies somewhere in social media for any company, granted they take time to devise a valued strategy and find the networks that house their demographic. Surely legal is going to maintain a conservative stand point on getting their feet wet in social media, but eventually they will have to dive, or else they will be left behind. Taking risk often reaps reward, innovative approaches to using social media have proved that. But innovation within this medium doesn't follow traditional standards, things must follow completely new concepts to survive the gauntlet of consumer feedback. Seeing opportunity in social media is simply a new segment of media planning, media planning 2.0. In the past planners evaluated the various mediums in which to introduce marketing, same applies today online. All networks seem to attract various demographics, some more defined and some more diverse. A proper implementation strategy accompanied with adding value to a brand before presenting it can create opportunity within networks. If companies open themselves up to consumer participation they will likely gain value and loyalty. Even negative feedback has a place. People that take the time to state their disapproval are the ones that care and should be heard. If brands allow their consumers to participate in their structuring its likely that the end result will satisfy the masses.

Your article created a whole new thought perspective for me. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, they've been a huge influence for my company as we grow.

-Cheers