Social engagement to socially centric campaigns

It sounds a bit poncey, but I can't help thinking that social media marketing has moved on from campaigns that create social engagement to campaigns that are socially centric.

By this I mean that running presences in Facebook, Twitter etc to engage with brand fans is now a given for most companies. There are loads of great examples out there of brands using Twitter streams and Facebook Profiles to talk with their customers e.g. Comcast Cares, Makro UK , Lush Cosmetics.

Now, to gain consumers attention, I reckon companies need to be devising campaigns that run across all forms of media - social media platforms, TV, mobile, out of home - that have social interaction at their heart. That is, a social idea is the centre point of the campaign. Something that gets people talking, interacting and communicating with the brand and each other across any platform they want - not just limited to a Facebook Profile or a Twitter stream. Something like the Old Spice campaign.

Tablet newspapers

PR agencies will be taking a close look at The Daily, News Corps daily newspaper designed for Tablet devices [iPads, Motorola Xoom etc]. I've heard a few comments about how tablets will change the face of news papers and subsequently the PR industry.

I'm not so sure about the latter. PROs will still need to build relationships with 'tablet journalists' and provide them with relevant and timely stories and content. The medium won't change the principles of best practice PR - right content, to the right person and the right time.

It might change how PROs deliver that content and the format it takes, but the practice of media relations won't change.

Trends in pictures

This is a nifty thingy from Getty Images - called 27 letters, it illustrates trends with imagery and a bit of commentary. V simple, informative and pleasing to the eye.

PR can learn from Chinese philosophy

Listening to Michael Netzley on how the approach to communications in Asia is based on a different fundamental principle to the West, I realised that perhaps us in the PR industry can learn from this. I probably don't do Michael's explanation justice, but in essence the principle was that when communicating one uses silence and appropriate speech. Appropriate speech means the right person, with the right message [or content], speaking at the right time and at the right location. Rather than in the West when it is often about quantity and loudness.

I can't help thinking that we, the PR industry, could benefit a lot from adopting this principle. How many times have you been in a meeting where people seem to be talking just for the sake of it? Adopting this principle of silence and appropriate speech, would mean that there would be less bullshit, things would happen quicker and we'd get more done.

The year of the tablet?

Looking at the big guns' announcements at CES last week, it looks like 2011 will be the year of the tablet as every man and his dog launches a new tablet. The one I most like the look of is the Motorola Xoom. [see photo]

Or the 7" Dell Streak, which looks really nice.

Most look like they will be running on Android [apart from Motorola's Xoom].

Personally, I hope this move brings down the prices of tablets significantly. Particularly the iPad, as I still think £500 for a big iPod Touch is a bit steep.