Brands as content curators?

The idea that brands should be content curators has been growing for some time. There are even posts explaining how to do it.

I can't help asking myself the question:

"should all brands be aspiring to become a pseudo media company?"

Some brands are brilliant curators e.g. MTV for music, Tesco for food. They sift through everything that is out there and bring the best stuff - music or potatoes - to their customers.

Yet, do customers expect every brand to curate stuff? I mean, sometimes people engage with brands in social media, and in IRL, because they like the brand and the products it makes. For example, people Like the Apple Facebook Page because they want to know about Apple products. I don't image they want Apple to curate everything on technology.

Perhaps I'm stating the bleedin' obvious, but I reckon brands should think carefully about why their customers engage with them, before they jump on the curation band wagon and start curating everything vaguely related to the brands' area of expertise.

Sometimes people just like brands for what they make.

Social media and puppies

Two of my favourite things - dogs and geekery - have come together in a new campaign by the RSPCA called Get Puppy Smart.

It is designed to highlight the serious health issues experienced by some pedigree dogs due to the way they are bred. It's a serious issue with 46% of dogs bought suffering serious health problems.

I speak from experience. We re-homed a very handsome Boxer from Dogs Trust with a wonky paw that is probably a result of breeding or an accident as a puppy. [Well, when I say Boxer, he's a cross between a boxer and a little git. ]

It's a very worth cause and I urge you to check it out.

Here's a video that explains it all.