Facebook the New Face of Companies
With social media at all time high, companies are taking full advantage of it. It all started with a race of the most "likes" on Facebook. Companies realized this could turn those "likes" into an audience to test new marketing plans. Subaru, for instance, started their "Dog Tested" campaign on Facebook and YouTube. It was a major success, and lead to many television commercials down the road. Subaru tested there idea to the smaller audience cheaply before unveiling to the world through traditional and expensive methods.
Subaru quickly realized the power of Facebook and launched other digital campaigns geared to consumers. One campaign is "Your First Car Experience" where owners post there first car experiences. This campaign is genus because it allows the consumers to leave there thoughts on cars. Reading the experiences leaves Subaru looking great. They know they are putting out quality products, so they are letting the drivers tell you instead of Subaru telling you themselves. It also allows people to "trash talk" their competitors, while keeping their hands clean.
Their major success of these campaigns have lead to a new Facebook app called "Subaru Guide to Everything". It features a virtual travel guide of tips and reviews derived from Subaru owners and fans. Subaru recently hit 1 million "likes" on Facebook and celebrated by making a YouTube video called the flip book. This video is a flip book of pictures sent to Subaru through Facebook by consumers, and I would not be the least bit surprised to see on television soon. That is if it gets the proper number of hits on YouTube.
Not all car companies are sharing the success of social media. General Motors recently said they are pulling their advertisement dollars out of Facebook. They were trying to use Facebook with a traditional approach to advertising. By sitting on the podium and telling the public that they are the best, and not allowing the public voices to be heard. There is no interactive apps or blogs between the consumer and company. GM tried launching one Facebook app called "Chevrolet Plant a Tree Campaign". If you installed the app and planted a tree virtually, Chevy would plant a real tree in a National forest. Chevy went into it with the idea "If you build an app they will come.", and did nothing to promote the app. It was a miserable failure. If you had the pleasure of using this app you would realize there is no reason to return to it. There was no interaction with GM in the app, you simply planted your 1 tree and then closed the app forever.
Ford has even tweeted that "It's all about the execution. Our Facebook ads are effective when strategically combined with engaging content & innovation." If GM doesn't evolve they advertisement strategies like Ford and Subaru they will be certainly left in the dust begging our nation to bail them out again. Both Subaru and Ford are showing record sales. Is that because GM can Facebook properly? I will let you decide, and as an owner of two Subaru's I have made my decision.
