Social Media Marketing Strategy - The Nike Approach
An article I read in the Oregonian reveals that our local mega-business, Nike, is using the 80-million-member social networking site, Facebook, to “link basketball players with pick-up games, leagues, one another, and the Swoosh”. “Ballers Network“, still in test mode, is an example of big companies moving their advertising dollars from standard advertising in magazines, newspapers, and tv/radio to the interactive marketing of the web.
Nike’s main competitor, Adidas, launched their own Facebook application, “Celebrate Originality” in March, as a place to share writing, photos, ringtones, and artwork. Both companies recognize the viral marketing potential of Facebook.
What’s interesting is that their strategies take a different approach when marketing with social media versus traditional advertising. According to Nike’s global director of digital media services, Stefan Olander, the sports company sees that the Web is viewed more as a place to provide a service, rather than being used as a marketing tool. What he’s really saying is that on the web, there’s a different type of branding going on.
On television and in print, the marketing is around image and repetition of a specific message. With social media, the emphasis is on being of service and providing a way to help people connect. Doing that helps build trust and credibility.
Although it may take longer for someone without brand recognition (unlike Nike) to get it using social media, the rewards are greater for everyone because visitors connect with like-minded groups and the businesses that serve them.
Eventually, when a need arises, they will look to their groups and other online connections for advice and referrals. Continuing to place yourself in front of your market using social media provides ever spiraling opportunities for people to find you. Although it might take longer to establish your brand, the loyalty of your customers and their willingness to share their experiences will likely be much stronger.
People are spending less time on the television and more time on their computer and Blackberrys (look at Twitter’s phenomenal rise in popularity). Nike clearly hopes to use their Facebook application to lure consumers to their websites by building preferences for their products by providing a service-minded application.
One thing all of this points to… people want connection and social networking provides that. Nike sees the writing on the wall. Marketing on the Internet as we’ve known it is shifting in subtle, yet significant ways.
Write On!
Marilyn
