Only a few years ago social media seemed like an optional extra for businesses that were particularly ahead on the curve, now it’s a crucial part of most marketing and brand campaigns. No longer can nervous businesses sit back and hope the social trend dies down, instead they have to assess the situation and get their thinking caps on. It’s an effort worth making however, as some companies have proven with their winning social strategies. Find out more about 5 companies who are sweeping the social decks:
1. IKEA
Back in 2007, IKEA opened a new store in Sweden and launched a Facebook page at the same time. As well as all of the usual information, it provided users with the ability to tag photographs of popular items, and the first to tag were awarded the furniture free of charge. The idea took off immediately, and within minutes all of the pictures had been tagged, generating plenty of cheap publicity for the store.
A campaign with a worldwide reach, Tourism Queensland’s campaign to find a caretaker of a paradise island in Queensland proved the organisation had its finger on the digital pulse. The story, which was picked up by newspapers all over the world, drew 34,000 from hopefuls in more than 200 different countries. The strategy generated more than 203million euro’s worth of PR for a campaign that only cost them 570,000 to launch.
While Domino’s has long been an influential brand, there was a time where it was struggling in the face of negative comments and criticisms. The company managed to reinvent itself with the help of an extensive social media and advertising campaign. By interacting and engaging directly with fans, Domino’s managed to change brand perception – merely by using social venues to prove they are listening.
4. Borders
Borders books fought back against a general decline in the book trade with the launch of an innovative campaign in conjunction with popular crime writer James Patterson. They launched the world’s first chain story, where James wrote the first and final chapters and fans were asked to fill in the remaining story online. The campaign garnered attention from around the world.
5. Skyscanner
A flight comparison site that knows the importance of staying social, Skyscanner’s networking campaigns have seen it enjoy considerable success around the world. From functional Facebook offerings, such as instant personalised quotes, to iphone apps that plug directly into social sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, the travel company is making waves. New features include adding official airport Twitter feeds to the airport pages (e.g. Edinburgh airport) to make users aware of any real time information that’s available.
A travel news blogger and writer, James writes for PRnewshub – a UK travel news website.