Watch Pepsi. A perennial signature Super Bowl advertiser, they withdrew this year—sacrificing the largest TV audience of any program in history when the New Orleans Saints won their first championship—Yes. They. Did.–to fund social marketing. It’s a fabulous experiment. Pepsi’s history of innovative and successful marketing and advertising is certain to provide a model from which others can learn.
Pepsi’s Refresh Project, perhaps best identified by the “One Tribe” jingle, targets millennials and entrepreneurs. Love this. These are heavy users of social media and consumers of caffeinated beverages and an audience with which Pepsi has already established its image and presence. Refresh is more interesting and sophisticated than, say, Honda’s lame attempt at integration, which is to tag all their TV spots with their Facebook page URL and provide no good reason to visit it.
Notice how Pepsi “owns” this medium. It’s not their Twitter feed; the campaign is anchored and housed on a property that they own. They have provided strong incentives and a fun, positive environment to engage. They’re not dependent on Facebook’s ever-changing policies.
What if people decide they like this? Well, for one thing, an expected trend in social media is that private networks will siphon popularity over the Facebooks of the world; this may be the experiment that kicks that development into high gear. For another, I’ve been telling anyone who would listen that, unlike traditional advertising, social media isn’t a market share or customer acquisition tool; it’s for wallet share and customer retention…
…It’s possible Pepsi will demonstrate the exception to the rule, or maybe even change this game.
Have you participated in Refresh? Do you know anyone who has? In what way? Do you have an “idea?” Have you commented, voted? Tell! Tell!
Hanbery Marketing's Swift Kick
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Swift Recommendations
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Aside from the satisfaction of watching the Saints win the Super Bowl (I was a 49ers fan growing up – yeah, not so much anymore), this was one of the things that impressed me as well – the continued shift by big brands toward “social media” marketing.
I haven't taken part in Refresh but I've been watching it from the sidelines. There's a funny challenge with viral growth initiatives – if you give up control, things can spread more but they can also more easily morph into, well, monsters … and if you keep a tight grip on control, things are easier to keep they way you want, but the popular voice might not care as much.
Ken, thanks for the thoughtful response. You're right of course…starting a viral campaign is like starting a wind. You can't change either, so be ready to adjust sails and make the best of the ride.
We have a client for whom Refresh is relevant, so it looks like we're going to dive in here and I'm eager and excited for the experience. I have a post working its way through my brain about “control.” I keep thinking back to my undergrad communications major, remembering a certain professor's adamancy about “message control” being a myth in any sense…please stay tuned.
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