J videos, thoughts and questions. When the Heineken®
Facebook page posted "Cheers, Salute, Proost...
WINNING WITH THE CONSUMER
Going for Gold
small banners shown to your target audience when they
log into Facebook. The types of adverts that appear
can be defined by aspects such as age, location,
gender, interests and relationship status of the person
viewing your page.
Heineken attributes much of the success of its recent
campaign to the personal nature by which the message
was spread (i.e. blogs) and the setup, which rewards
loyal Facebook fans with extra behind-the-scenes
content. In addition, the personal touch offered by
social networking was a positive factor, giving more
credibility than overloaded marketing messages.
For example, in our industry, the Facebook tab 'info'
would not provide an establishment's opening hours
but rather a description of the ambience. What can a
consumer expect from a visit? What is it that makes
a business unique, whether it be exceptional food or
cutting-edge DJs?
A new era of marketing has been born, which
Heineken's Chief Commercial Officer, Alexis Nasard,
describes as, "business to consumer to consumer".
Facebook is a platform to build a community spirit and
generate two-way communications with consumers.
But the key to doing so lies in encouraging interaction,
for example using the 'Like' and 'Comment' functions
on Facebook items, such as photos and events.
MAINTAINING CONSUMER INTEREST
To maintain the interest of fans, Heineken® posts a
variety of content, including links to websites, songs,
How do YOU say it?" on their wall, it received thousands
of reactions within hours.
Posting about entertainment-related news, such as
celebrities, bands and events, is a proven way to
increase page views. These are the topics that are likely
to be of interest to many online surfers.
Targeted content will increase the likelihood of friends
sharing posts, increasing visibility for your page.
'Sharing' means that an item is reposted on a user's
own wall. For example, if you particularly like a new
Heineken® post, you can also place it on your own
profile or page, so your 'friends' can view it.
Research carried out on Facebook shows that it is best
to post a status update as frequently as possible, ideally
every other day. This can be about almost anything,
such as "The place is packed tonight!" or "Singles'
night was a success!" Status updates provide insight
into a business' personality, so they should reflect the
character of your business.
VIRTUAL REALITY
The Heineken® Facebook page allows fans to upload
their Heineken®-related photos. At the last count, there
were more than 700 pictures submitted by Heineken®
consumers on www.facebook.com/heineken.
Consumers' own images add authenticity to a brand
experience. Pictures of people having fun with your
brand will help new consumers understand and identify
with the concept.
With video capture becoming standard on everyday
gadgets such as mobile phones, its role in social media
is increasing. The recent interactive Desperados
campaign released on YouTube used many of the latest
features available (see page 15).
As Heineken has demonstrated, videos can be a great
way to grab attention and generate publicity. Funny,
artistic, musical; in every shape and form, people love
to watch them. Consumers' expectations in social
media are realistic. Therefore, for a smaller company,
a band performing onstage, a chef preparing a
spectacular dish or a bartender impressing customers
with a signature cocktail manoeuvre would be just as
effective as a big-budget production.
research by www.hubspot.com
At this year's prestigious CLIO Awards Heineken®'s 'The
Entrance' and Dos Equis' 'Most Interesting Man' campaigns
both picked up a Gold award in the most sought-after
Film category. The CLIO Awards is one of the world's most
recognised competitions for advertising, design and
communication, honouring work in a broad range of media,
including interactive, radio, innovative media and film. Each
year, the CLIO Awards appoint around 115 top creatives
from 65 countries, ensuring that each juror has a profound
understanding of the global market's ever-evolving dynamics
and industry innovations.
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