Today’s digital age is all about capturing the moment. From selfies to constant status updates, the up and comers of the consumer market are consumed with having an instantaneous presence. And social media platforms are the best way to broadcast and share the present moments.
As marketers, it’s essential to be where your consumers are. But, it is also important to take part in what they value. Here’s where the importance of social media becomes evident. Successful brands nowadays leverage what is called “moment marketing”. These brands move fast; they are always on top of current news and events, and are always ready to make a comment that adds value.
Take Nestle’s KitKat brand for example. When news about Apple’s new iPhone 6+ bending came out, KitKat was right there. The iconic candy bar used a play on their own slogan to comment on the issue via Twitter, stating “We don’t bend, we #break.” And it worked. The tweet got over 28,000 shares. KitKat was able to leverage their brand without focusing on their product by being in the moment. Remember the blackout during the 2013 Superbowl? Well, when the blackout occurred, Nabisco’s Oreo cookie sent out a tweet almost immediately. Again, they turned social commentary into brand leveraging by reworking their slogan to fit perfectly in the moment: “You can still dunk in the dark.” The tweet garnered a huge amount of shares and favorites. But this is about more than making brand history. Oreo demonstrated the relevance of moment marketing: it’s the best way to portray your brand as sharp, knowledgeable and just as much a part of society as its consumers.
But it’s about more than joining the current conversation. Moment marketing can lead to real value from the feedback it can potentially induce. Social media is all about engaging users. Putting your brand in the moment and commenting on something current will most likely gain responses, and the responses can help your brand strategy.
Response not only means real value in this digital age (ROR), but it also can provide your company with insightful information about your consumers. As we discussed in a recent blog post, psychology is extremely valuable in marketing. And what better way to learn the psychogenic needs and desires of your consumers than how they engage in the moment?
Responses via social media can be used and studied by brands to understand their consumer. If most of your consumers respond with pictures rather than words, or you notice a certain emotion underlying most of the responses (humor, wit, drama, logic) you can begin to direct your brand strategy to fit.
Image credit: ristok
