This week in social media….
Microsoft will be releasing its own tablet later this year called Surface to rival the iPad. The distinguishing design features are the cover, which also serves as a full keyboard with track pad, and a built in kickstand. The company is aiming to release Windows 8- the newest version of its software that is optimized for touch-screen tablets at end of year to coincide with Surface. It’s a risky move for Microsoft considering a number of PC makers are said to be in the process of developing their own Windows-based tablets, and now may not want to compete directly with Microsoft. One analyst even said, “What can I say? Hell froze over-this is totally antithetical to their core business.” And recall, the last time Microsoft opted to compete with Apple they released the Zune music player, and that didn’t go over so well. But the personal computer market has worsened so much since the introduction of tablets that Microsoft needed a bold move to stay competitive. Surface is one indication that Microsoft is taking more control over integrating its software and design, in the tradition of Apple.
Speaking of tablets, a new comprehensive study by OPA (Online Publishers Association) shows tablet users are trending older, and that the gender gap is closing. 46% of new tablet buyers fall in the 35-64 age range. This shift suggests that tablets are less perceived as new technology and have become mainstream. One example to support this is Time Inc.’s decision (also this week) to finally make its subscriptions available for iPad through the Apple Store. While adults are rapidly adapting to tablets, younger consumers have been shown to switch between more than 20 different types of media at one time- making tablets a drop in the bucket of overall media use for them. The gender gap is also leveling, with women accounting for 44% of tablet users today. Other interesting findings: a majority of tablet users prefer reading on the tablet vs. newspapers, magazine, or books (what are those?).
What makes a life-long brand enthusiast? Thanking them a million times over is not bad start. A “Thankathon” is the newest trend for companies to show appreciation for their social media fans and followers. On Monday, Febreze held a livestream “thankathon” through their Facebook page app in which they literally thanked their Facebook fans a million times, in English, French, German, and Spanish. For 52 hours straight Febreze employees streamed in and out of a room and took turns thanking during the ‘campaign’. Other gimmicks of the #thankathon asked fans to suggest smelly items to bring into the room, and saw exhausted employees cycling on bikes, wearing funny hats, and playing the guitar. New Facebook “likers” were also given a chance to win a Febreze “Set & Refresh” air freshener. The “thankathon” generated nearly 1,000 real-time comments on Facebook, so call it a success. But this is by no means a new idea- variations of the “thankathon” have already been carried out by Kraft Mac & Cheese, AT&T, and a number of nonprofit organizations. It’s attaching a human face to a company to the 100thdegree in an attempt to make it personable. It’s also for profits, taking those “likes” to lifelong brand advocates (and seeing some serious social ROI in the process). Let’s see how Febreze markets the “thankathon” in weeks to come, and whether it will have any tie-in to packaging and advertising.
Back in April, Forbes predicted that Facebook was shrinking, based largely on disappointing first quarter numbers. But there is reason to believe Facebook is shrinking in usage as well. Market research firm YPulse reports that more teens are leaving Facebook for “niche” sites like Foursquare, Tumblr, and Pinterest (can you really call those niche?). Now in its eighth year (wow I feel old), teens may be drifting in part because most adults, their parents, are now on Facebook- diminishing its “cool factor.” Another reason- other sites have built-in gratification features that appeal to teens, like Foursquare’s “Mayor” achievement and Instagram’s “Popular” page. Teens also spend more time on mobile and chat apps, so the competition for distraction is high. But don’t count Facebook out just yet. Read three major things Facebook is cooking up to stay on top of the social game.
It’s all about the repin. At a social media round-table a few weeks back, a small business owner asked if she should be using Pinterest for more than just “showing off cute stuff.” The answer is yes, and brands of all sizes are doing it right with creative Pinterest photo contests. Panasonic is the latest example, launching a “Photo of the Year” contest that targets women in their 30’s and 40’s. Panasonic paired up with PureWow (publisher of a daily free email for women with “style and substance” (and money), and asked them to submit the best photo they’ve taken in the last year to win a camera. The top 20 picks (of more than 10,000 entries) were then distributed to Pinterest, Facebook, and PureWow.com. The photo with the most Pinterest repins will get a camera- simple yet brilliant. Panasonic partnered with a company that perfectly targeted their demographic for Pinterest (driven by women), tested a new product, and tested a new social channel all on the cheap. Pinterest is increasingly becoming both a sales tactic and a traffic source for small and large businesses. And one Pinterest user I came across even has a board dedicated to other Pinterest Photo Contests (kudos to her for the meta-ness of it all), http://pinterest.com/hmaust/pinterest-contests/
Does your office inspire creativity? Adobe polled more than 5,000 workers on their thoughts on “creativity”, specifically the ability to think creatively and innovatively. Responders overwhelming said that the pressure to produce took priority over creativity in the office, and many felt that creativity has become inherent with productivity on the job. In this video, Adobe’s top marketer Ann Lewnes (speaking from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity- what a life), talks about the two ingredients she claims breeds creativity in the office. I don’t know the secret marketing strategies Adobe has up its sleeves, but there is probably a campaign tie-in to Adobe’s new product for students- Creative Cloud- which gives them cloud-based access to the full suite, plus storage and free website publishing. What does creativity on the job mean for you?
