Five by Five

After watching the Web 2.0 hyper-juggernaut scream into town a couple of years back it’s been interesting to see it delivering a big boxes of social media filled with shiny new tactics including a bunch of social networks, a corporate blog, a few micro-blogging platforms, a suite of widgets and a packet of chicklets.

It’s unfortunate that there was no mention of which department to deliver it to and no instructions. As a result the box was mistakenly handed to the marketing department. Interestingly enough a similar story happened 10 years ago when the Web 1.0 hyper-juggernaut incorrectly delivered the website boxes to the IT department instead of the marketing dept, remember the issues that caused?

So, and in lieu of any instruction manual the marketing guys have been busy blending social media into the marketing mix; resulting in social networks being added to the media planning process, playing with corporate blogs, producing widgets and starting a Facebook groups. But they are simply applying existing marketing principles to these new media, that’s not their fault that’s the natural thing for them to do.

The other thing missing from the social media box was the sticker ‘Interactive - Handle with Care”, this means social media opens up a feedback-loop, encouraging a response, a comment and sometimes conversation, something the marketing team have not been prepared for.

We’re now becoming aware the box should have been delivered to the CEO as we appreciate that the impact of social media is far, far broader than the marketing department; it touches every brand touch point, customer service, human resources and challenges the product development team to deliver the ultimate product.

The impending challenge for CEO’s to respond to this new world order, without the instruction manual, is huge; re-structuring and streamlining internal departments, processes and communication channels. So, if you’re in the marketing department and see a big box labelled social media please pop it up to the CEO’s office, thanks.

Steve Sponder | steve.sponder@fivebyfivedigital.com | @stevesponder | blog.stevesponder.com

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmak/

Tags: social networks, Steve Sponder

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 10:01 am and is filed under Front Page Posts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.