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Social TV and the Huge Brand Opportunity

Posted by Paul Sutton on February 6, 2013 in Trends

Social TV is where it’s at in 2013. It may be a bold statement, but it’s been threatening to go mainstream for a couple of years now. Back in October 2010 I made a prediction that social TV would be the big thing for the following year. I was wrong. Rather than being one of the major trends in 2011, social TV bubbled away gently and it’s really only been in the last six months that it’s started to get the attention it deserves. And so well over two years since my initial prediction, I’m repeating it.

Last week I attended the Social TV Conference in London, organised by Steve Ward of Cloud Nine Media Recruitment. It was an enlightening day that delved into how behaviour has changed over the last couple of years and the strategies that more forward-thinking brands are adopting in order to capitalise on those. With the ubiquity of mobile devices, second screen media should not be a concept that raises eyebrows at this stage of the game, but did you know that a huge 40% of tweets during peak TV viewing times are about TV programmes? Or that 90% of online conversation about television takes place on Twitter? (source: SecondSync).

The Phoenix of Television

Matt Locke spoke at the conference about the fact that, due to social media and mobile devices, TV is becoming a truly inclusive and visceral experience again for the first time in decades. It’s become the norm to watch and converse about TV with friends in real-time through the second screen (which is arguably now the first screen) and, according to the BBC, the traditional 90-9-1 rule (90% of social media users being lurkers, 9% being participants and 1% being creators) has now shifted to a 23-60-17 model where people are actively driving and participating in live conversation about television.

‘Slippy content’ was a phrase used by Tiffany St James to describe the challenge for brands of capitalising on these trends by creating content that gets shared around in such conversations, and in the last couple of days a brilliant example of what she was talking about was the Oreo blackout tweet during the Super Bowl, probably the world’s largest social TV event. This genius move is quite possibly the most successful example ever of a brand hijacking social conversations about a live television event.

Jadis Tillery explained how live broadcasting is continuing to become a major trend, with special shows and series bypassing TV altogether and instead being streamed into YouTube or Facebook and actively inviting viewers to take part in real-time. And Ted Littledale took the real-time theme further by looking at how Twitter has become the de-facto currency for social TV due to its open and instant nature.

An Open Opportunity for Brands

But while Oreo got it spot on many, if not most, brands haven’t caught on with this yet. While Garret Keogh showed some lovely examples of the tone and mindset that works in this area (it’s worth checking out the Merlin Facebook page), Littledale spoke of the need to integrate social media deeper into campaigns while James Whatley challenged companies to do more in the space rather than simply undertake a brief activity around a programme or event and then let it die.

Overall, the opportunities for brands in the social TV arena are huge. And I for one will be paying this a lot more attention in the coming months specifically with my clients in mind and how they can work with those in the social TV space for their benefit.

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Posted by Paul Sutton

Tags: brands, content marketing, marketing, social impact, social media, social mindset, television Permalink

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On Having Vision

Posted by Paul Sutton on February 2, 2013 in Weekend Wisdom

“You don’t need eyes to see, you need vision.”
~ Maxi Jazz, Faithless: ‘Reverence’

So often in my line of work as a social and digital communications consultant I encounter blinkered thinking. And that doesn’t just apply to big whackety-whack creative ideas that, in the real world, you might expect would be a stretch to grasp. Pitch the concept of Harry Styles live tweeting as he abseils down the side of a giant marshmallow in central London and you probably deserve blank, dismissive looks.

More-so, it applies to relatively simple concepts and initiatives that many people seem too afraid to embrace. I think it comes from being too task-focused; too concerned with the every day job to be able to see the bigger picture. Too worried about brand guidelines and corporate politics and to-do lists and admin and what other people might think to be ‘brave’ enough to think outside the ever-shrinking box. A failure to embrace ideas that, while not necessarily turning a company upside-down and shaking it until its pants fall off, at least disrupt the status quo.

The Importance of Listening

This short-sightedness and rigidity of approach manifests itself as being dismissive of ideas without giving them due thought and attention. It results in missed opportunities. And I’m absolutely sure it’s not limited to my line of work; I’m sure we’ve all encountered it in one form or another. “That’s not the way we do things”, “we can’t do that because…”, “maybe we’ll look at that at a later date” are the mantras of the blinkered many rather than the adventurous few. But ask any successful businessperson and they’ll tell you that risk-taking has played a key role in getting them to where they are now.

I don’t count myself as exceptionally visionary, but I am capable of extricating myself from the day-to-day to see the big picture, and I like to think that benefits my clients and the people I work with. If they’re willing to listen. Try to think outside of the confines of your job, or the task at hand and you might be surprised where it can take you.

Weekend Wisdom is a series of posts of simple things that inspire me to live and work in a more mindful manner.

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Posted by Paul Sutton

Tags: creativity Permalink

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Weekend Wisdom: On Saying Thank You

Posted by Paul Sutton on January 26, 2013 in Weekend Wisdom

Image credit: How to Say “Thank You” in 58 Languages

And meaning it. That’s the thing here; not just to say thanks but to actually mean it. Because us Brits aren’t very good at praising people and expressing gratitude. We tend to sound either like we’ve been on some kind of motivational course, or like we’re being sarcastic. “Thanks for doing that report for me, Sarah – great to have it BEFORE the deadline.” “Fuck you, Brian, I put a lot of work into that and I’m always on time!” See?

So say thank you when people do things that help you. Firing off a quick email to a colleague or a supplier who answers a question or pulls something out of the bag for you takes no time and costs nothing. And buying them a bar of chocolate or a bottle of wine occasionally doesn’t cost a lot more. Saying thank you, and meaning it, is common courtesy. And yet often it’s missing from the workplace, especially among seniors.

Praise people. Practice it. “Great idea on the Kev’s Kebabs account, Tracy. Thank you.” “You really contributed to that meeting, George. Cheers!” “You look hot today, Lorraine! My day’s looking a lot brighter…” Well OK, maybe not the last one.

But amazing things happen when everyone says thank you and means it. They grow closer. They work better together. And the entire workplace becomes a happier and more productive environment where people feel genuinely appreciated. Go try it…

Weekend Wisdom is a series of posts of simple things that inspire me to live and work in a more mindful manner.

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Posted by Paul Sutton

Tags: gratitude, respect Permalink

18 Comments

Is EE’s Advocacy Programme Brave, Smart or Crazy?

Posted by Paul Sutton on January 24, 2013 in Mobile Web

Image from http://www.slashgear.com

I recently read about the launch of UK 4G mobile provider EE’s new ambassador programme, and was immediately intrigued. Advocacy and the power of online influencers is one of the (continuing) hot themes for the next few months, and this particular programme could be one to watch for a great example of either how to do it or how not to do it, depending on how it works out for EE.

It’s intriguing for several reasons. It’s a brave move on the part of EE given not only the criticism it has already received from influential people, but also the social footprint and combined voice of the advocates involved. But the thing that really makes this programme stand out for me is the way it has come about. There’s a back story that involves a viral blog post, national newspaper interest and an association with influencer scoring platform Kred that really spices things up, and it’s worthwhile catching up on this by reading Andrew Grill’s original (and updated) post on London Calling.

Given my interest in the programme, I wanted a bit more of an inside track as to the hows and whys, so I asked Andrew, the instigator, a few questions:

How did your original meeting with EE come about? Did they invite you or did you approach them?

I was contacted by their external PR agency about my blog post, so I asked to meet Olaf Swantee (CEO of EE). For my first meeting at EE HQ I was greeted by Stuart Jackson, who now works in the CEO office, and also met with some key figures such as Pat Coxen, the EE Project Director who has overseen the entire technical and branding exercise; Mat Sears, Head of EE PR; and Tim Pritchard, who runs the digital team and is behind @EE on Twitter. I have also had three more follow up meetings with EE to formulate and activate the EE Advocates program.

What was their reaction when you suggested the ambassador programme?

Very positive: let’s do it and who do you suggest. I also proposed that those I selected should also be able to select one other person and give them the same benefits, thus extending the program to the advocate’s own network

How did you choose your five person team? What factors came into play?

All are personally known to me and represent a bread spectrum. Gabrielle Laine-Peters has strong social media ties and is a live blogger who is glued to her iPad, so a 4G version makes sense. When I first showed her the speed of 4G on my iPad, she was very impressed. Paul Clarke is a photographer, so a great use case of using 4G to get photos uploaded from the field. Neville Hobson is a well-respected tech blogger with great reach, and Ewan MacLeod is a recognised mobile blogger who tells it like it is. Neville and Ewan have already both posted positively about their EE 4G experiences.

(L-R) EE Ambassadors: Gabrielle Laine-Peters, Andrew Grill & Neville Hobson

What do you think EE’s expectations of the programme are?

To generate positive coverage via non-traditional channels, solicit feedback and diffuse initial influencer backlash.

How much of a risk do you think EE is taking implementing this at such an early stage in its development, and given the issues it’s had already?

They know as a well-established carrier that the existing issues of customer service, coverage and activation won’t go away. If anything, the problems faced are being raised to senior management faster than before. When I posted about SIM activation problems they quickly identified the process issue and fixed it. Had I not posted, it could have gone uncovered for much longer.

And do you think that EE truly understands that risk?

Yes, they know they have a lot at stake. But this is a ‘managed risk’ as Senior EE staff have met me and a number of the advocates, who have all been recommended by me, personally. I am, in fact, taking some of the risk in being in the EE advocate program itself as, if it fails, my brand will suffer. By brand is also at risk from the advocates I’ve recommended.

What’s in it for you (other than a free device)? Why would you want to be an ambassador for EE?

Having been in the mobile space from the last 22 years, I believe passionately about the benefits of mobile, and in particular new innovations such as 4G. Only by waking up mobile operators and placing a greater focus on customer service issues can the industry grow. Also I feel I have a duty to my London Calling readers to be a true advocate and get their problems fixed, so they keep reading the blog and believe in what I am saying.

In monetary terms, how do you think the programme will benefit EE?

It’s potentially millions. I estimate my blog post wiped £1m off their revenue, so being able to claw back that would be a start. Once The Telegraph picked up my blog post, visitors changed from social media types to large banks and FTSE100 companies (and this continues today). These companies probably read the Telegraph article and thought ‘let’s hold off switching our entire mobile workforce to 4G until they sort the teething problems out.

Is the programme something that you see EE expanding in the future?

EE has its own market segments it’d like to tap into, so yes I believe the programme will expand. Personally I’d like to see this model working in more companies, powered by Kred of course!

So there you have it. A brand in trouble, if you believe some sources, reaching out for help among the very communities that have been leading the backlash. Brave? Stupid? Or extremely progressive and intelligent? I’d love to hear your thoughts below, and if you have any further questions for Andrew, please leave them and he’ll answer them for you…

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Posted by Paul Sutton

Tags: advocacy, brands, customer service, EE, influence, mobile, PR, strategy, technology Permalink

2 Comments

Weekend wisdom: On Showing Empathy

Posted by Paul Sutton on January 19, 2013 in Weekend Wisdom

This is an experimental post. I’ve been thinking recently that I read so much great stuff around the web by truly insightful people that inspires me to do better things in my professional life and to work in a more mindful manner that I’d like to share these. But they don’t necessarily fit within the normal confines of FutureComms. So I thought about a separate Tumblr. But, ultimately, this stuff makes me think and that’s what I try and do with this blog, so I’ve decided to give things a go here as a sort-of-separate weekend section. I hope that if these things inspire me, you’ll find them insightful too. You might love them. You might hate them. Just let me know either way in the comment section below. So on with the show…

On Showing Empathy

Every day at work we see the same faces. We operate on a largely operational basis with most of them. You have no more idea what’s going on at home for them than they do of you. And yet too often – FAR too often – professional performance is put above everything else. Have you ever had to sit through a client meeting about Facebook engagement targets or a corporate presentation about how many widgets you’ve sold when your mind is on your sick children or your impending divorce? I have. (Not all of those things, but some of them.) And it sucks. Big time.

People deal with all kinds of shit every day and, not only do they turn up for work on time, but they generally get on with things so that you’d never know any different. It’s estimated that 12 million people in the UK are on antidepressants at any one time. That is one hell of a lot of Prozac. Someone in your office is probably suffering. Silently. Mario Ballotelli’s not a hero; these people are heroes. So how about treating people with a little respect? All the time. I’m not advocating allowing people to be slack, I’m just saying don’t be an arse.

Case in point: a few years ago I was driving 75 minutes to and from work. No big deal, but on one particular day I woke up feeling truly awful. Every time I got out of bed my head span and I was violently ill. Now, on this specific day there was a meeting set up with a client to pitch some new ideas. I called the office to say that I simply could not drive the length of the M40 to get there. But I was told by the MD in no uncertain terms that “unless you’re on your death bed you will be here”. I had to stop twice on the hard shoulder of the motorway to throw up. When I arrived several people commented on how grey I looked. But I was then given a pep talk by the MD…

THAT is being an arse. THAT is showing a lack of personal respect or empathy. And it’s unnecessary. We are all sentient, suffering human beings. Bear it in mind next time you look down your nose at an employee or colleague.

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Posted by Paul Sutton

Tags: empathy, management Permalink

7 Comments

Tesco’s Handling of Twitter is Neigh Joke

Posted by Paul Sutton on January 18, 2013 in Twitter

Horse meat in food meant for human consumption isn’t a laughing matter. But try telling Twitter that. After revelations about burgers on sale in Tesco containing 29% horse meat hit the news on Wednesday, the hashtag #TescoProducts went ballistic, with hundreds of jokes and humorous comments flying around the network.

“Horsemeat has been found in #TescoProducts, but a spokesman says it’s bollocks”, said one person. “A woman has been taken to hospital after eating horsemeatburgers. Her condition is said to be stable”, said another. “Are you in favour of Horsemeat in your burgers? Yay or Neigh?”, cracked someone else. And “Scientist: Sir, we’ve discovered horse meat in your burgers. Tesco boss: Why the long face?”, joked another. One joker filmed a video of a pantomime horse mourning the loss of his parents in a Tesco aisle! I even got in on the action myself yesterday, tweeting “Horses for courses #TescoProducts” when referencing how people have preferences for different social media platforms. And on, and on, and on…

No Sense of Humour

Sadly though, Tesco didn’t get the joke and has been fighting fire ever since. Yes it’s a PR crisis of pretty huge magnitude if some of the stories of fines and possible prison sentences in today’s papers are to be believed. But a little humour goes a very long way when it comes to social media, and I do wonder whether Tesco could have handled things far, far better by adopting a slightly lighter tone when dealing with the Twitter firestorm. Instead though, it’s been made into a laughing stock, not helped by two simply awful tweets.

The first, shown below, is naive and misjudged. Given all the cracks about horses flying around, you’d think the person running the Twitter account that morning might possibly have had their eyes open for this type of thing.

But the second is, for me, simply unforgivable. I’ve been laughing at it all morning. At first, I thought the tweet shown at the top of this post was a genuine light-hearted moment from Tesco. And I thought it was genius. A hay joke…in the middle of a horse meat scandal But it soon became apparent that it was another naive mistake, having been scheduled ahead of the crisis. And Tesco has now spent hours apologising. Oh dear. Oh very dear.

Whoever is in charge of the Tesco Twitter account shouldn’t be. It’s that simple. Handled well, social media and Twitter in particular can assist greatly in a crisis situation. Handled poorly, it can (and will) make things worse. Has Tesco handled things well? Without doubt, neigh…

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Posted by Paul Sutton