Trumblog

The following is a liveblog of a panel discussion between Michael Monello, Ivan Askwith, Amber Case, Emily Yellin and Sam Ford on whether negative comments by customers in social media is good or bad for brands.  My initial feeling about this panel was that their definition of good was too broad so that anything negative was good because it became a “teachable moment” and thus everyone on the panel agreed with each other.  However in looking back there was a lot of good stuff in that conversation and I’ve referenced 3-4 items discussed over the last week or so.  I take it back guys, it was a useful conversation.  The discussion was held at  South by Southwest on March 13, 2010.

7:07:11 PM: Is the purpose of SM to generate awareness and impression, good bad or otherwise.

7:07:53 PM: If you are passionate or have an opinion that’s great, but you need to take action.

7:09:12 PM: All news is good news comes from the clip book mentality. Issue is context, quantitative, and is it being acted on?

7:11:10 PM: Good that we have opened up and have the ability to listen to customer feedback, if we use it. @EYellin

7:14:26 PM: A great brand is one that is at the top of the search engine results in your head @caseorganic

7:16:10 PM: Neutral isn’t neutral, it’s negative.

7:19:46 PM: It’s not customer comments that hurt a brand it is the employee reaction. @ivanovitch

7:22:07 PM: Bringing an agency in for SM strategy, processes and infrastructure is good, but not for execution. @sam_ford

7:28:06 PM: Caviat to agencies not executing is if a new secondary brand was created by the agency @caseorganic

7:29:38 PM: Legal can cause problems with delay with a SM response that makes it less effective @ivanovitch

7:31:25 PM: When Twitter becomes a short cut to customer service that short cut can eventually become jammed itself.

7:33:29 PM: RT @deirdrewalsh: Don’t let new grad tweet about your brand. Need someone who has marinated in your company’s soup.

7:34:00 PM: The worst thing that a brand can do is over promise their engagement online @sam_ford

7:35:26 PM: RT @stitchmedia: Yellin: “think how your customer service communicates on a personal level to help your brand.”

7:37:12 PM: If you are authentic, but your customers are turned off by your “brand” you have to change to suit the customer expectations.

7:38:45 PM: Anyone who gives you a truism about how SM works is setting themselves up for a fall. Personalize @ivanovitch

7:40:48 PM: Great thing about SM is that we can target our message, but there is a search for the ONE platform.

7:42:07 PM: @Kmo_Chirp Point was not against Grad students, but about the need to use a person who’s in the brand soup

7:45:54 PM: Sometimes you have to stop and drink the coolaid and accept that if you say something it will be believed.

7:46:30 PM: Marketers need to have the Serenity Prayer hung in our offices. Amen.

7:47:36 PM: RT @brianchiger “If your customer thinks you’re different than what your brand is, then you’re not living up to your brand values”

7:52:24 PM: Comments as a social media tool too. Open comments good for Southwest Air. Responding a good tactic.

7:54:43 PM: The campaign mentality can get in the way of good solid SM because it requires long term work. @sam_ford

7:55:29 PM: Failure in social media isn’t pissing off large numbers of people, it’s being irrelevant. @ivanovitch

7:59:42 PM: It’s a better to suck wholly than just in some places because then you have to change. @sam_ford

8:00:42 PM: RT @glassesgeek: #sthb Don’t ever think of the “comments guy” at your company as a solo act, and make sure the entire org. understands that