Communispace
Connections
May 2008
Communispace periodically shares news, insights, and information about social marketing dynamics and leveraging online communities.
We always welcome your questions, comments, or feedback.
In this Issue
- Groundswell: New Book by Forrester Analysts Li and Bernoff
- Big Thinkers: Q&A with Sam Ford, C3
- Conversations with Kraft: Yulonda Almasi
- Exploring Consumer Behavior: Colorblind
Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies
For institutions that have become accustomed to wielding power, the groundswell can be terrifying. For others, a tremendous opportunity. In their May book release, Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies, Forrester analysts and acknowledged social technology experts Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff, give business a healthy dose of reality and detail strategies for dealing with the seismic shift well underway. Groundswell captures how people are connecting, using online tools, creating experiences, and taking matters into their own hands to get what they need and want—and then provides practical strategies for turning it all to your advantage.
Groundswell is eye-opening, instructive, and rich in example. The book includes:
- Actionable strategic and tactical advice for managers and executives in research, marketing, sales, support, and development
- Visionary and bold description on how the Groundswell will transform your company and your future
- Case studies and examples citing 65 corporate examples including 25 full case studies in a variety of industries and countries around the world—read about the power of private communities from Communispace clients Charles Schwab, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Network Solutions, and Unilever's AXE brand
- Data from Forrester Research consumer surveys in the U.S., six Asian countries, and seven European countries
Groundswell is written in a personal, engaging style that makes it very easy to read.
- Get an excerpt
- Purchase the book
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Big Thinkers: Q&A with Sam Ford, C3
Sam Ford is the Project Manager for the Convergence Culture Consortium (C3), a research initiative housed in the Program in Comparative Media Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology here in the Boston area. We recently had the opportunity to talk with Sam about the work they are doing at the Consortium and its connection to work we are doing at Communispace.
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What is C3? |
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| Sam Ford: |
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"The Convergence Culture Consortium (C3) is a partnership between a core team of research faculty, staff, and graduate students here at MIT and our corporate partners. Named after the 2006 book, Convergence Culture, written by our director, Henry Jenkins, C3 connects researchers and thinkers from MIT’s Comparative Media Studies Program with companies looking to understand and develop new strategies for doing business in a cluttered media environment and how to benefit from emerging cultural and technological trends.
"We provide insights into new ways for companies to relate to their consumers, manage brands, and create engaging experiences. Our goal is to help bridge the gap between academic and market research. Our corporate partners get access to both broad-perspective thought leadership and focused analysis on events and campaigns. Currently, we are working with clients like Fidelity Investments, GSD&M Idea City, MTV Networks, Turner Broadcasting, and Yahoo!." |
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In the new world of cultural convergence, what counterintuitive trends are affecting business decision-makers and marketers in particular? |
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| Sam Ford: |
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"I think it's crucial for businesses to understand that the world doesn't operate in what we call in media studies a "technological determinist” mindset. Avoiding significant engagement in today’s digital world is increasingly dangerous for many businesses' survival, but just as perilous, or maybe more so, is the "gee whiz fever”—the disease which causes companies to believe they are smart and innovative if they try every new technology that comes along, without putting substantial thought into the strategy and purpose behind those digital decisions and offerings.
"For instance, media companies often think that offering a Facebook widget, an island in a virtual world, or a user-generated content contest is in and of itself going to bring customers in, only to be sorely disappointed. The key questions are: what the customer is going to get out of the relationship and why someone would want to participate in an initiative with a company? You can't forget that the consumer doesn't just operate according to your plans. People consume media and brands for their own individual purposes, and it's important to tailor these social media initiatives in ways that speak to some of those most prevalent uses." |
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What new methods or approaches should brands embrace to build long-term relationships with customers? |
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"In many ways, it's simple: anything that promotes a dialogue, while granting audiences some autonomy. At the Consortium, we're agnostic about which technologies are used, as long as the method meets the objective of encouraging dialogue between companies and the audiences interested in their products or services. It’s essential that companies acknowledge that they cannot completely control nor censor the discussions that are happening about their brands, especially beyond their own corporate sites.
"Some initiatives worth watching include:
- Companies like LocaModa, which are using mobile technologies in increasingly innovative ways, particularly in ways that put the technology in users' hands;
- Seeing how fans of media properties are using sites like YouTube to post content from the archives, for example soap opera fans, and how soap opera companies are allowing those activities to take place—despite having the right to pull unauthorized use of copyrighted material down—because it helps foster more of a community around their show;
- The intersection of industry and academia, where collaboration is providing a variety of interesting models that both serve the business interests of industry while also meeting the needs of audiences in a participatory culture."
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Learn more about C3
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Conversations with Kraft: Yulonda Almasi
Kraft, the nation’s largest food and beverage company and creator of powerhouse brands and products, can typically be found operating on the leading edge of consumer insights. Diane Hessan, Communispace CEO, caught up with Yulonda Almasi, Senior Consumer Insights Manager of Kraft, about the inception and launch of the phenomenally successful South Beach Diet line of products (now known as South Beach Living). Communispace built and managed an online community that engaged consumers every step of the way, letting them co-create a line of 48 South Beach Diet branded entrees and snacks they want to buy, which in 2006 racked up sales of $100 million in the first six months.
- Listen to podcast
- Read the Kraft South Beach Diet story
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Exploring Consumer Behavior: Colorblind
Can you feel it? The global shift toward embracing going green? Going green is impacting every industry, catalyzing new sustainability initiatives, driving new product development, giving rise to new organizations, and blazing new trails in business strategy.
But what does it all mean? What are the implications; the repercussions, the challenges, and the opportunities? Continuum, a design and business innovation consultancy, has an inherent interest, passion, and responsibility to look closely at these topics and discover solutions. Their deep understanding of people, firm grounding of business dynamics, and close collaboration with clients help them identify the right ideas for market success. Continuum is currently partnering with Communispace to thoroughly look at all things green and sustainable in a longitudinal study called Colorblind.
Colorblind will unpack how people think and feel about environmental issues and what compels people to move from awareness to action. The Colorblind team has traveled to three cities across the country to conduct in-depth interviews, home tours, and shop-alongs with over 20 families. Through our collaboration, they have also accessed thousands of more people online with focused research initiatives. Over the next few months, Continuum will be sharing their insights.
Stay tuned. We can’t wait to see what they’ll uncover next.
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- Learn more about Colorblind
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We are happy to listen to you.
Communispace Corporation is the leader in building, managing and facilitating private branded communities that deliver the voice of the customer and enable businesses to generate continuous insights, drive faster innovation, and build loyalty. Founded in 1999, the company has created more than 275 customer communities for industry leaders such as Kraft, Hewlett-Packard, Charles Schwab, Hallmark, Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline, and Hilton Hotels. If you are a business, marketing, or research professional interested in hearing more about creating real-time customer conversations and building long term relationships, Contact Us
Groundswell Event at Communispace
May 22, 2008
Social Media: Turning the Social Technology Groundswell to Your Advantage
Communispace, Watertown, MA
Join the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council (MTLC) for
an eye-opening presentation by Josh Bernoff, VP, Principal Analyst at
Forrester Research and co-author of the newly published book Groundswell.
Don't miss this opportunity to meet Josh Bernoff at Communispace.
Register now.