Category: Social media

Marketing through Pinterest

Posted on by Brian Lee

I’ll admit it. I am a Pinterest addict. Over my winter break, I spent countless hours on the site, “pinning” recipes, clothes, photos from blogs, etc. to my “pinboards.”

If you haven’t heard of Pinterest yet, you will soon. The site already has a reported 3.3 million users and is growing quickly. Many companies like Gap, Whole Foods, and the Travel Channel have already created their own profiles in order to interact with their fans through the site.

Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board. It works in this way: users can “pin,” or post, original photos or content from their computers or from around the web. You then pin this content on one of your pinboards (which are like bulletin boards) that are separated into categories like Travel, Recipes, Clothing or Dream Home. You can also “re-pin” other users’ posts.

Pinterest provides an interesting opportunity for marketers. It gives companies the opportunity to promote their brands to their customers in an engaging and visually stimulating way.

At the same time, too much self promotion is a big no-no for brands on the site. For example, a clothing company might have a “Vintage” or “Street Style” pinboard that serve as inspiration for their line, but should avoid posting photos of all the clothing items they sell onto their pinboards. The point is to capture the essence of the brand without just posting content that is directly related to it.

Interacting with customers through Pinterest is a new concept for many marketers. I’m very excited to see how we can integrate the site into our clients’ marketing plans in the future.

Costumes, contests, and controversy

Posted on by Emilie Buckman

With Halloween this weekend and my childish affection for it, I’ve become obsessed with finding a unique and creative costume. I have never been into buying a store bought costume, especially since choices for women generally range from tacky to distasteful. But this year I am at a loss for ideas and I blame it entirely on American Apparel not holding their annual online costume competition.  For the last few years they had customers submit their costumes and share what pieces they used from American Apparel collection. Normally, I sift through the submissions and leech off the creativity of others for my costume! (They do have costumes ideas on their website, but they aren’t user submitted and they aren’t nearly as interesting.)

Now, my feelings toward America Apparel are conflicted. I mean, their products are made in the USA, they are environmentally conscious and they offer 30 different color options for V-neck shirts, which is all good in my opinion.  But their ads are borderline obscene and their sizing is more appropriate for children than their adult customers.

Despite all of this, the one thing I was never conflicted towards American Apparel was Halloween. With all the color options in basic individual pieces, it is ideal for building your own costume.  And as an advertising tool, I think it’s pretty amazing.  With all social media has to offer a company, it doesn’t have the same impact if fans aren’t willing to engage.  Just by using their website, they were able to engage and interact with minimal effort or a formal social media outlet.

While it’s completely an assumption, I feel they opted out of the contest this year after their disastrous plus-size model contest.  If I am correct, then it’s sad.  By trying so hard to be provocative, they are missing opportunities to change their image and connect with customers. Making the brand more about the creative people, like those who post their Halloween creations, I think it could do wonders for their public image. But who knows, maybe I’m just bitter I don’t have a cool idea for a Halloween costume!

Generation Y ≠ social media expert?

Posted on by Brian Lee

They practically fit together-youth and social media. As a part of Generation Y, I am suppose to be the expert when it comes to Facebook, Twitter, foursquare, etc., and the older generations are lightyears behind me, right?

Not so fast. After a recent Google video chat with a fellow Generation Y friend, she shamefully admitted that Twitter intimidates her! (And her work relies on social media, gasp!) Although she has made a Twitter account, the thought of just now starting something that she is assumed to be an expert in, is frightening, and she is dumbfounded on how to begin.

The secret is out- many of us Generation Ys are not as “social media savvy” as people assume! Continuing my “research,” I discovered many Gen Y people I know haven’t ventured beyond Facebook. They may have a Twitter account, but just don’t know how to begin using it.

Of course there is a great deal of social media savvy 20-year-olds, but the idea that all of us are experts, and that we’re on every social media site from foursquare to Stumbleupon, is simply not accurate. Plus, there is a major difference between knowing how to use a particular social media account for personal reasons compared to business (e.g. promotional) reasons.

For those of you who are not as social media savvy as you’d like, Google “how to use Twitter,” and you’ll find a million hits. Or, try this particular article that is very helpful in giving you that push you need to become the expert you are expected to be!

http://www.business2community.com/twitter/how-i-am-using-twitter-%E2%80%93-by-a-relatively-experienced-twitterer-058703