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"Communications tools don't get
socially interesting until they get technologically boring," writes
Clay Shirky in his 2008 social networking tome, Here Comes
Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. "It's
when a technology becomes normal, then ubiquitous, and finally so
pervasive as to be invisible, that the really profound changes
happen."
For much of the world, social media
outlets like Facebook - which recently topped 750 million global
users - have quickly reached this level of pervasiveness, becoming
an essential part of everyday life. Terms like "tweet," "defriend"
and "hashtag" have entered common vernacular, while others -
"like," "check in" and "tag" come to mind-have gained added
meaning.
More than that, though, it's
transformed the way humans interact with each other. Relationships
are no longer bound by geography or time zones, and ideas of
privacy and intimacy have been completely redefined. We are all
online and we want to tell the rest of the world.
Social media provides brands
with a gateway to consumers. But what should they be
doing?
Social media strays from its more
traditional brethren like television or print in a way that
radically changes a brand's communications model. One-way messaging
is no longer sufficient. Consumers now demand that brands both
listen and respond: a true conversation.
Used correctly, social media can help
brands cultivate fans, inspire loyalty, glean important marketing
insights and drive sales. However, social media is also constantly
evolving - think MySpace's recent sale for $35 million, a far cry
from the $580 million that News Corporation originally paid for the
once-behemoth social networking hub. So what should brands be doing
in the social space?
In this edition of BLINK, we consider
the impact of social media around the globe and provide expert
advice for marketers looking to connect with consumers online. We
also take an in-depth look at the developing BRIC nations to see
how advertisers are responding to these new opportunities - both
online and offline.
I hope you enjoy this latest edition
of BLINK.
Stephen Allan
MediaCom Worldwide Chairman and CEO