Whilst sitting in my Social Media class at university, we came across the story of Kimberley Swann, a 16 year old Essex girl who was asked to leave her employer. Her dismissal was down to her posting as her Facebook status that she was 'Bored at Work'.
Whilst the saying goes 'all publicity is good publicity', the firm at the center of the row, Ivell Marketing & Logistics, has seen a huge rise in groups opposing her dismissal. Just searching for the company on Facebook displays an array of groups that seek to show their near hatred for the company.
As a class, we were asked to pick a firm we know to have a web presence, and do a communications audit on them. Simply put, this is a review of what they say, what we say, and whether its good or bad, on several different platforms. The stipulation: Our only source of information was the internet.
Two of my passions in life are food and the USA. Where better to review than one of my favourite restaurants, the Comfort Diner in Manhattan, NY. Famed for good quality food, and featured in the Rutland Correspondent Recommends listing, it seemed the perfect choice.
Like Spandau Ballet, 'To cut a long story short', I didn't quite lose my mind; I instead found some fairly interesting stuff.
Having searched Youtube, Facebook, Amazon, Google, Wikipedia, Google Maps, Flickr and Review sites, one great feature was clear: It was nearly all very positive user-generated content. The good people at the Comfort Diner have a website, and very little else which they themselves control. A fanbase internet-wide has formed, without the Comfort Diner doing very much. On being asked 'What would you do if you were the Comms. Dept for Comfort Diner?', I had a typical Raddlemen's answer: Multum In Parvo.
By not publishing as much, and having user generated content, Comfort Diner should have a fantastic press. Much press from little input. Though there would be a lot to be said for not publishing very much either. How do I tell my diners about new menus? How do I tell them about the new Staten Island Diner? Without using some self-publicising, I wouldn't be able to tell them.
While it's good to have great reviews and a huge fanbase appreciating what you do, be it food or clothes, insurance or wealth management, you need to give back to them. Don't be afraid to publish yourself or your product, even if you have a strong and loyal fans.
Perhaps all publicity is good publicity. Like a good pancakes and syrup, pour some publicity over that large mountain of fans.
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Been there, eaten the pie.
ReplyDeleteWell, have you seen that the guy who threw his shoes Dubya has seen an increase in the sale of his handmade shoes? Finally someone making a decent profit from beating a dunce!
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